Chris Brogan: How to Reach and Influence Prospects
igorthetroll
· 1 year ago
Chris exactly! It is about relationships!
You need to be Bold and Sincere!
If you try to play people you FAIL
Tinu
· 1 year ago
I've also noticed that some Private Customers don't talk about you because you're their "secret weapon" - in that it's not so much that they don't want to admit they needed help, but that they don't want their competition finding you in a search about them.
Which has workarounds...
Albert Maruggi
· 1 year ago
The funny thing in my personal experience is this, I can draw a line from just about every single campaign I've done to some level of customer acquisition. That means seminars, trade shows, media coverage, webcasts, etc. So while companies are looking for the silver bullet, I believe for a modest dollar professional services purchase/investment, the rule is, be smart and be available. Meaning engage, interact, discuss ideas, and mix it up online and in the physical world.
Now this is surely not necessarily the case for the local dry cleaner, however, our information patterns are so fragmented, that buying decision points are obtained across a wide spectrum of formats, interactions, and individuals.
This has made the job of marketing and communications more difficult. If I had to leave you with one take away it is this, have a person dedicated to managing the communication flow and points to prospects.
Chris, since youmention David Meerman Scott here is an interview I did with him this spring, http://tinyurl.com/5ucjh7
tinku gallery
· 1 year ago
When I just finished working for a company in the email security space. We got around the issue of private customers by allowing customers to give "blind" testimonials, so we could have them give a great reference and refer to them as a "Fortune 10 company" etc... which was not as good as getting their real name but still better than no name at all.
I like your suggestions for producing materials for helping people be internal champions of your product/service.
Don Lafferty
· 1 year ago
I can answer your question in two ways:
1. How I sell my clients. 2. How I help my clients sell their stuff.
I score clients through a variety of approaches, from conducting social media seminars for writers to sending unsolicited proposals and case studies to prospects with a more corporate posture. I follow up by phone and I meet face-to-face once I identify the right person at a prospective client.
Once I locate the appropriate conversations for a particular client, I participate in those conversations myself, establishing credibility and trust with other participants who I evaluate for possible targeting. I’m skipping over a ton of tactical detail here, but most of readers here know how that’s done.
The writers I work for are quick to refer me, and since networking is a critical component of every writer’s survival kit, they have no problem talking about me to anybody who’ll listen.
When it comes to advising my clients on their strategy for selling, it all depends.
I’ve created social media campaigns for bestselling novelists, high tech manufacturing companies, youth athletics organizations, past life therapists and Washington lobbyists.
I assess my client’s market knowledge and their target customer profile and go from there, overlaying what I know about social media users, and crafting strategies that enable the client to capitalize on the overlap through a variety of methods as you’ve mentioned, Chris, in some of your Social Media Toolkit posts.
Lastly, I think it’s kinda funny that you feel compelled to mention that “Business Isn’t Evil”.
Unless someone is fortunate enough to be independently wealthy, it’s all about business. While Social Media may still be finding its footing, the phenomenon Social Media represents is nothing new—it’s just different.
Different than TV, different than radio, different than the telegraph and different than the printing press…but kinda the same in terms of its revolutionary impact on communication, and I don’t think anybody would argue that each of those breakthroughs in communication technology were all about facilitating business and became business themselves.
Josep Maria Sala
· 1 year ago
I think the first step in the quest for prospects is to establish yourself as an expert and give hints on how can you help your audience grow their business.
The message must be clear: if you look for customers, say it, if you're promoting your brand or products, be clear with this.
In my experience, being transparent and playing fair it's always the first step in the right direction.
GirlPie
· 1 year ago
Thanks Chris -- interestingly, you hit on three of the types of clients (and potentials) that I deal with (which has nothing to do with blogging.) The "privates" are exactly as Tinu wrote: @ 1:45 am "...some Private Customers don’t talk about you because you’re their “secret weapon”...they don’t want their competition finding you in a search about them. Which has workarounds…"
One of my testimonials (I use "Profession/City" to attribute) does call me his secret weapon, so I'd love to hear those workarounds Tinu - ha!
Chris, your advice for serving/securing 'newcomers' and 'clean slates' is useful to me in two more ways: confirming that my current efforts are on point, and giving me new ways to think about who my service attracts and why. Attracting clients via real-world workshops, website, appearances, repeats, etc. isn't a problem, but using social media to do so, since it's such a great WOM tool, is a different challenge.
Thanks for making us think!
Sherry Lowry
· 1 year ago
Chris, i'm sending this out to my private network. Good stuff...
Don't want them to miss out -- and most are not actually on Facebook nor Twitter (yet!)
Sherry -Austin
Nathan Bowers
· 1 year ago
I used to do web design consulting on corporate intranet applications, but no more.
It's simple, never do work that nobody else can see. Only work on public projects that you're allowed to talk about. Typically "secret" projects aren't that interesting because they don't solve worthwhile problems.
Don't be invisible.
Step-by-Step Internet Marketin
· 1 year ago
I can relate to all the types of customers you listed and I try to adapt to all of them in individual ways. Thanks Chris, JR
Krisy
· 1 year ago
This was a great article! It did a great job of defining the different prospects and especially how to approach them. So many times a prospect will be lost because they weren't handled with the right type of care. Thanks for the great information!
Krisy
Stephen Hopson
· 1 year ago
Chris;
You've identified at least one type of prospect that I seem to get and that's the "clean slate customer." Almost all of my speaking engagements have come about through Internet searches. Very interesting.
When I was on Wall Street as a stockbroker/financial planner, I had "private customers" because they didn't want others to know they had money and were using me as their financial advisor. It was exceedingly difficult to get referrals from this particular group.
You've identified at least two customer groups that I've had experience with over the years. Great job!
Now more than ever I see the need for a newsletter - to reach out to the "private customers" who might feel more free to forward them to others rather then referring them to me in person. Fascinating, isn't it?
BethP
· 1 year ago
You're spot on about the fact that social media outlets are a TOOL, not a silver bullet. And the fact that business isn't evil! Like social media, business is a neutral tool for getting things done, and its power can be used either for good or for evil (yikes-what a strong word!). Most of the time the swing toward one or the other isn't so epic.
Chris, thank you so much for this article. I'm just beginning to learn how to utilize this great tool called Social Media Networking. Doug Firebaugh recommended your site to us, and he's a great leader!
Chris, your input in invaluable!
Diane
Amanda
· 6 months ago
Yeah if one reach that prospects definitely he will acheive the targets..No doubt in that.. mortgage loan point
All Comments
You need to be Bold and Sincere!
If you try to play people you FAIL
Which has workarounds...
Now this is surely not necessarily the case for the local dry cleaner, however, our information patterns are so fragmented, that buying decision points are obtained across a wide spectrum of formats, interactions, and individuals.
This has made the job of marketing and communications more difficult. If I had to leave you with one take away it is this, have a person dedicated to managing the communication flow and points to prospects.
Chris, since youmention David Meerman Scott here is an interview I did with him this spring, http://tinyurl.com/5ucjh7
I like your suggestions for producing materials for helping people be internal champions of your product/service.
1. How I sell my clients.
2. How I help my clients sell their stuff.
I score clients through a variety of approaches, from conducting social media seminars for writers to sending unsolicited proposals and case studies to prospects with a more corporate posture. I follow up by phone and I meet face-to-face once I identify the right person at a prospective client.
Once I locate the appropriate conversations for a particular client, I participate in those conversations myself, establishing credibility and trust with other participants who I evaluate for possible targeting. I’m skipping over a ton of tactical detail here, but most of readers here know how that’s done.
The writers I work for are quick to refer me, and since networking is a critical component of every writer’s survival kit, they have no problem talking about me to anybody who’ll listen.
When it comes to advising my clients on their strategy for selling, it all depends.
I’ve created social media campaigns for bestselling novelists, high tech manufacturing companies, youth athletics organizations, past life therapists and Washington lobbyists.
I assess my client’s market knowledge and their target customer profile and go from there, overlaying what I know about social media users, and crafting strategies that enable the client to capitalize on the overlap through a variety of methods as you’ve mentioned, Chris, in some of your Social Media Toolkit posts.
Lastly, I think it’s kinda funny that you feel compelled to mention that “Business Isn’t Evil”.
Unless someone is fortunate enough to be independently wealthy, it’s all about business. While Social Media may still be finding its footing, the phenomenon Social Media represents is nothing new—it’s just different.
Different than TV, different than radio, different than the telegraph and different than the printing press…but kinda the same in terms of its revolutionary impact on communication, and I don’t think anybody would argue that each of those breakthroughs in communication technology were all about facilitating business and became business themselves.
The message must be clear: if you look for customers, say it, if you're promoting your brand or products, be clear with this.
In my experience, being transparent and playing fair it's always the first step in the right direction.
@ 1:45 am
"...some Private Customers don’t talk about you because you’re their “secret weapon”...they don’t want their competition finding you in a search about them. Which has workarounds…"
One of my testimonials (I use "Profession/City" to attribute) does call me his secret weapon, so I'd love to hear those workarounds Tinu - ha!
Chris, your advice for serving/securing 'newcomers' and 'clean slates' is useful to me in two more ways: confirming that my current efforts are on point, and giving me new ways to think about who my service attracts and why. Attracting clients via real-world workshops, website, appearances, repeats, etc. isn't a problem, but using social media to do so, since it's such a great WOM tool, is a different challenge.
Thanks for making us think!
Don't want them to miss out -- and most are not actually on Facebook nor Twitter (yet!)
Sherry -Austin
It's simple, never do work that nobody else can see. Only work on public projects that you're allowed to talk about. Typically "secret" projects aren't that interesting because they don't solve worthwhile problems.
Don't be invisible.
Thanks Chris,
JR
Krisy
You've identified at least one type of prospect that I seem to get and that's the "clean slate customer." Almost all of my speaking engagements have come about through Internet searches. Very interesting.
When I was on Wall Street as a stockbroker/financial planner, I had "private customers" because they didn't want others to know they had money and were using me as their financial advisor. It was exceedingly difficult to get referrals from this particular group.
You've identified at least two customer groups that I've had experience with over the years. Great job!
Now more than ever I see the need for a newsletter - to reach out to the "private customers" who might feel more free to forward them to others rather then referring them to me in person. Fascinating, isn't it?
http://www.onlinefundraisingblog.com/2008/08/th...
Chris, your input in invaluable!
Diane
mortgage
loan point