4 Techniques for Finding Potential Customers

Once we are clear about our recruitment strategy, we will need tools to implement it. In this note we detail some of them, so that you can successfully generate your prospect base.

Now, a prospect or potential client is not data! It is the data of someone we want to know us, to call us, to come to our company, to answer the phone, to send us a query, because we understand that they are going to value our offer. For this reason, it is very important to reach him easily and quickly, in the voice of the right person, with the most appropriate message and with a stripe payment form, on the most suitable occasion and means, so that he can trust us, allow him to be advised, buy and be become our customer.

Agreement with concentrators to make an offer

It seems like a no-brainer, but the first thing to consider is where our potential clients hang out. Do they go to a university, educational center, do they practice a particular sport, go to an exhibition, event or fair (or can I organize it), are they affiliated with a school or association? Are they part of a forum or club? Do you follow any opinion leader on the web? Are they employees of the same company or institution? Are they physically in the same industrial park? And finally, do they consume another complementary product or do I know a company that already has clients or is targeting the same segment or base with which they can join forces?

Once we identify who, how and where gathers them, we have to detect what would be the key to an agreement, the cost or benefit to access the “base”. Identify the influencers and the “legitimation” of the hub, that is, how the fact that they recommend us adds to our brand and offer. The chances of sale increase if we carry out a good segmentation, and our company solves a problem for which the grouped members have a similar behavior and to whom we can offer a differential.

Having cleared the offer to make to the base, we have to focus on the best way to contact them (mail, face-to-face talk, stand, publication on a hub intranet).

Then, we must obtain the necessary data to determine the modality, tone and relevance in the communication, and preferably include a benefit for potential clients, and if necessary, a compensation for the reference responsible for providing and recommending us to the base.

Capture the interest of potential customers by email

We said that the main objective was to transform a piece of information into a prospect or potential client. Therefore, except when the email is being sent to a base of people who have already bought our product or have shown interest by subscribing to a newsletter or following us on our social networks, the email will be mainly aimed at raising the problem that we solve and the benefits we offer, to generate “identification” with the contacted, with empathy and affinity; and simply show us your interest.

• As simple as that, and so complex at the same time. It is essential that a prospecting email offers information, perhaps it offers a free sample or additional information, and that the contact has to ask us for access or send a query, leaving us their data, subscribing to a shipment, following us on our social networks, or even asking us for a quote, a sample or a promo code.
• It is important that we ask questions about the best way to contact you and offer contact and relationship alternatives (mail, networks, telephone, meeting, etc.).
• It is also essential that we set up the email in such a way that we obtain some information about your need, occasion, and the benefits that you perceived as more interesting.
• If someone responds to the email, let’s not forget to immediately inform the reception and fulfill what was promised.

Use your own publications and media to attract customers

Social networks, blogs, forums and our own website should be the main means in which we alternatively pose the “problems” that are solved with our products or services, we get people to size them, and we position ourselves as references, that is say that they help us to detect the key to the influence, identification and “legitimation” of the brand.

On the one hand, we must position the issues, tell and show why they are a trend or it is important that people take care of solving them, and then demonstrates why our company and its people are the best when it comes to advising and accompanying them in the solution.

It is important that we can encourage interaction with other own or related sites, in order to increase coverage, visibility and legitimacy, and that we talk with people, tell stories, build relationships.

Our own media are also usually vital when it comes to obtaining information regarding topics, profiles, interests, and assessment of attributes, channels and promise from our potential clients, and they help us to put together the rest of the elements that we use in our recruitment and loyalty strategy.

From what we “learn” in our networks, we can generate the appropriate benefits, communicate them and continue the “conversation” with prospects, fulfilling the initial promises.

We will always have the Advertising

We are not going to elaborate too much on the mother of prospecting. But the fact that thanks to the internet and various local media has made it easier for SMEs to enter the world of advertising, did not change the points we have to pay attention to if we want to do well.

First, we have to detect the contact situations in which we want to find potential clients and the best means for that. Do we want to be when you rest, when you play, when you are informed or when you are comparing about to buy?

Then, from this situation and means, identify the tone and content that generates “alert” and legitimacy. What do I want you to feel and do when you see my advertising?

For that, we have to associate a direct promise to the communication that justifies the contact request or the data capture. We want you to ask us for more information, follow us on our social networks, ask us for a budget, and ask us for a face-to-face meeting???

And let’s not forget that we are “prospecting”, that is, we are trying to detect potential customers, so the main objective will always be to collect the relevant data that serves the next stages, enough information for the sales contact.