The initial euphoria of the new year has been somewhat exhausted.
Winter has us firmly in its grip.
(Even us now in Cyprus.)
Nevertheless, the business must go on ..
Why we thought you’d quite like new customer acquisition ideas.
And we have updated our list.
It is about concrete acquisition tactics.
And for tips on how to make your functioning even more successful.
The downside: this list only lives on one ..
From the implementation.
Acquiring new customers: Implementation and persistence are the start
You know, successful salespeople don’t ask themselves: Why don’t customers come? But: What else can I do to make them come?
Therefore, pick one or two tips from this list.
And then implement them. Nothing more – because not mass acquisition tips help. But those that work well for YOU.
Without further preliminaries, let’s get down to business:
#1 – Good timing
I’ve reached out to CIO’s early at 7 a.m., on Fridays after 6 p.m., and at times on Saturdays at the office. There is no such thing as a bad call time. There is only one time that is inconvenient for YOUR customer acquisition.
Test different times.
Also bridge days or days before holidays. Many executives use quieter time to catch up on paperwork. And they are more relaxed. Oh yes … and the secretariat is sometimes deserted.
#2 – Planned vs. chaotic
Schedule your acquisition calls like an important meeting. Put the date in your calendar. Prepare yourself. Have the relevant documents ready.
And you know I’m right ..
If you start preparing only when you want to call, it will go wrong.
#3 – Competition – with yourself
When I was doing exclusively phone canvassing for clients, that sometimes meant 70 calls. Daily. If a client wanted to fill an important event, there wasn’t much time.
Still, every call had to be personal.
My method: I made competitions with myself. And rewarded me of course … Read more here.
#4 – Don’t go around it ..
Old school sales people unfortunately still give the advice to get past the secretary. What does not work. And it’s not smart because you’re giving away opportunities.
Much better to think of them as an extension of the boss.
#5 – On the spot at the right time ..
You can do this by using trigger events. They are door openers to customers par excellence. It is the moment when customers are open to a change.
Or when you realize that they have a need.
If you’re on the ball now, these are the hottest leads you can get.
#6 – Google Alerts as a door opener
If you have only a few customers, you are better off with a Google Alert for acquisition. You learn new things about the customers you want to attract at an early stage.
Because nothing is worse than having to admit in a conversation with a decision maker that something was in the news for days, but you slept through it yourself.
Plus – You’re more likely to know about trigger events ..
#7 – Become more productive ..
By scripting the working day. Even better (if possible) – plan your week in advance. The advantage of this is that your brain runs on autopilot for a while.
Before you ask at the most productive time: what should I do now??, you have already made the first 5 calls.
#8 – The 5 second rule ..
If telephone canvassing is tying a knot in your synapses just thinking about it, try this … jump in.
Behind this recommendation is the 5 second rule.
A strategy that is not entirely new … but extremely effective. Do not think, do not postpone, do not consider.
Do this for four weeks and you will be surprised how much you have accomplished.
#9 – The next step ..
Another big mistake that can make the number of appointments sensitive. If you have someone on the phone, arrange the next step. Always.
This may mean that you send documents. It may mean you call again afterward.
Whatever you do, prepare your next move, like a game move. Here’s more:
#10 – Research – before
Productivity in sales is THE secret weapon, do you want to win more customers. But make use of it? Or do it more like this:
A customer jumps. The numbers speak (red) volumes. And there’s an urgent need for a new order ..
So get on your phone.
But instead of searching the database … wasting time on it and realizing that your contact person is not the right one, keep researching … get frustrated ..
Or have an employee or student assistant make them. If you make calls in blocks, you’re much more likely to stick with it – and create more.
#11 – Position yourself professionally
It starts with knowing your target customers. It touches on skillful conversation initiation, continues with a follow up strategy, the acquisition loop, culminates in the use of meaningful technology, continues with evaluating your calls ..
And is simply called good acquisition planning.
And because it’s so important, here’s a brand new article about it.
#12 – Information is your currency
And that means: the better your information about your target customers, the better the points of contact you will find.
There are umpteen ways to find information about potential customers. Via search engines, the Hoppenstedt, events. Research makes customer acquisition successful.
Oh yes, point #11 tells you more about this ..
#13 – Subscribe to your customers’ magazines
The recruiters among you know this – Computerwoche, Handelsblatt, Manager Magazin, at least one newspaper was mandatory when looking for candidates and advising clients.
Why newspapers are helpful in acquiring customers?
Because you’re automatically up to date on your customers.
#14 – Work with incentives ..
Not with stimuli … with incentives. An incentive or hook is a specific form of conversation starter. Naming a customer’s problem that is so explosive they can’t ignore it.
Why he talks to you. More here:
#15 – LinkedIn for research
LinkedIn is one of the best tools to research contacts and acquire new clients. With 6 million users by now, as the Tagesspiegel headlines.
This can be a very quick way to find out a contact and call them.
#16 – Combine acquisition tools
Customer acquisition on the phone brings a lot. But also social media or sales letters where appropriate. Ideally, you switch and combine tools.
Proven to bring the most success.
Read more here:
#17 – Go to events – of your customers
I came across this acquisition strategy rather by accident. But it was extremely lucrative for me. Even though the initial investment was already lavish.
If you know what events and educational sessions your clients are attending, book them. Carefully selected, it is an excellent way to acquire new customers en passant.
#18 – Twitter for research
Yes, social media is one of those things. It can be the biggest time waster. It can bring you more customers. It’s the same with Twitter.
You can warm up cold calls by finding out a few things about your contacts. Not in the sense of stalking.
But to create a personalized conversation starter for your contacts.
#19 – Confidence wins … naturally
Recently I read that after a failed acquisition call, you should call the contact again and ask what the problem was.
The problem with this tip is … it’s wrong. Basic Wrong.
Because our reptilian brain is focused on only one thing: Our survival. Neediness (or the appearance of it) deters it. Finally, the feed could be in jeopardy.
Listen to Martin Limbeck, he brings the topic nicely to the point.
No, we haven’t suddenly become hard-selling fans. But here colleague Limbeck is right. More at Oren Klaff, whose book Pitch anything definitely belongs on your nightstand if you want to be successful selling ..
#20 – Sound natural
Self-confidence is important. But how do you get that at the push of a button? How do you polish yourself in decisive seconds to appear perfectly convincing?
I’m glad you asked ..
#21 – Recognize buyers … and non-buyers
This point is critical. Because if you’re chasing every supposed order, every little inquiry, you’re failing to focus on real customers.
Or do better marketing.
That’s why you learn to recognize buying signals. And to handle non-customers.
#22 – Be persistent
I got my first management position because of my persistence. I didn’t have a good command of English back then. An interview with the VP Sales should be in English. I practiced for three days. Nonstop. Yet – the VP noticed it.
I told the truth, told about the preparation marathon and he was impressed by my persistence. Persistence is a sign of perseverance and seriousness. For your customers, too.
#23 – Understand service selling
Do not reel off the usual sales slogan. Not with corporate customers and if you sell IT services and services. Because services, especially in the upper price segment, require special tact and sensitivity. Do you have that?
#24 – Contact care
Maintain existing customer contacts. Not only do you have a good chance of closing a deal there. These customers are already convinced.
But if you’re not careful, they’ll go to the competition.
CIO’s English magazine writes that IT executives criticize salespeople for saying goodbye after closing until the new version, the next update is due.
In the meantime – nada, nothing, niente, njet. Do not cultivate contacts.
#25 – Use referrals
The easiest way to convince reluctant customers: through referrals. That’s why you ask good customers for referrals.
Who could know a customer who knows someone looking for a solution? If you do a good job, you may be successful.
#26 – Asking before works wonders
And whenever you send out information. This tactic is one of the easiest and most successful door openers with the assistant. Why?
Because nobody does it.
How we show in our new webcast, which you can request here.
Over 80 minutes of the finest phone canvassing training that will have you having better conversations with decision makers. No, it doesn’t cost anything. Only the e-mail address.
#27 – Send very good emails
When contacts want information, it’s an opportunity. If this information is READABLE. Because this is where many make a crucial mistake.
Learn more here:
#28 – Personalize
A CIO has different goals than a head of marketing, a head of IT, a general manager. A contact at a large corporation thinks differently about an investment than the owner of a mid-sized family business does.
If you approach everyone the same, what happens?
No one feels meant. Do you know from dating. Although … ne. Not you, right?
#29 – Get on board with small offers
Let’s face it … none of us believe that a vendor will say, great you’re calling. We don’t have a provider yet. THIS is not realistic.
And I say something about this in the new webcast as well … just as an aside.
If you have deals where other vendors are on board, it’s a good idea to start small.
This will make it easier for customers to buy – and increase your chances of closing the deal.
#30 – Pay attention to your champions
You’ll make your life easier if you bring on board contacts who can help you win the contract. There exist 5 people who will benefit you in acquiring new customers in B2B.
#31 – Use customer testimonials
Corporate customers are skeptical. Much more skeptical than private customers because they have more to lose. Why you need to reduce the risk that comes with the order.
Customer testimonials are one of the best ways. If you have the right form.
And how you get customer references, we show here
#32 – Learn what the no means
A no can mean a lot when canvassing on the phone: No, I don’t have time right now. No, I am overloaded. No, I have a cold, a deadline and need to get out of the office early today…
A no can never mean. But it does not have to.
Learn to interpret the different no of your customers. Almost always a customer needs above all confidence to you and your achievement.
#33 – Send postcards
Online marketing is all well and good. But it is far from all you can do to attract customers.
Use offline opportunities, such as postcards.
You automatically distinguish yourself positively, because hardly anyone makes this effort. But there is also a catch: it costs time, it should look high-quality.
But one of the most successful salespeople of all time, Joe Girard, gained customers this way. Lots of customers ..
#34 – Use decision maker language
Most of the time we speak as we speak. With regard to your customers you should proceed differently. The more you speak their language, the easier it is to start a conversation.
#35 – Use content
This means any information that is relevant to your customers. This can be an article that you send by e-mail. This can be a checklist or a summary about a topic.
We have some customers, who so good contact with contact persons attach, maintain and customers win.
And we do too&
#36 – Show what you can do
These can be samples of your work. For example, our webcast Phone Acquisition Tuning. Recording a mini-live phone canvassing training that shows canvassing on the phone doesn’t have to be dry as dust …
You can share your knowledge via a webinar, teleseminar or speaking engagements. And of course via a newsletter.
Whatever you choose, it is an extremely effective tool to convince customers.
#37 – Jump to the next level
Take more responsibility – if you want more success. Sometimes it does not go well, sometimes it is harder, sometimes nothing goes at all.
But the really successful sellers stand out from the crowd of providers.
You simply set the bar higher.
#38 – Use empathy
This is one of the most important tips, for telephone customer acquisition. Possibly you underestimate it, because it sounds rather homely.
Don’t do this because it works.
Use empathy. Because empathy can open doors you thought were closed. And win customers.
#39 – Know the objections of your customers
Yes, you’ve heard it a dozen times before, how great objections (actually) are. Not yet convinced?
The key to successful objection handling?
Preparation. The better prepared you are for possible objections, the more confident you remain.
Summary
There we have you – 39 ideas for the acquisition of new customers. Make it easier to get into a conversation and stay motivated, even though sales is often no walk in the park.
And there are even more ways. Which is why this list will certainly be supplemented…
What could you do now? Read ..
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