NFIB

Finding New Clients
04/ 07/ 2003

by Vicki Gerson

In today's tight economy, gaining new customers may seem like a lost cause. It's not. Customers may become dissatisfied with your competitors at any time. Perhaps new potential customers have just moved to your area. You never know when you'll gain an important new account. The important thing is to keep actively pursuing new business, in every business climate. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Plan your approach.

Sit down with any employees who have marketing responsibility and decide what approach you should take to recruiting new customers. If your company doesn't have in-house marketing, consider hiring a consultant. Determine if the same approach will be used for all potential customers, or if the customers need to be divided into various groups.

Deliver your message.

Figure out the best way to get the word out to potential customers. Consider which forms of advertising will work best. Make sure that all of your employees are familiar with the message you are trying to convey. It's important to have everyone on the same page.

Motivate your employees.

Consider rewarding your employees when they bring in new clients. You can establish a bonus scale by the size of the new account.

Determine incentives and goals that match your business.

Your goals will be different if you own a 20-person manufacturing facility than if you own a 15-person retail business--and different still if you own a two-person consultiing shop. No matter your company's size, set goals that make sense to you and create incentives for you and your employees to hit those targets.

In today's business climate, you can't wait for business to come to you. You must go out and seek it. Be proactive at all times. Making the extra effort could mean the difference between weathering the storm and closing your doors.

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