Search Results for: blog ask for and nurture referrals

Does it Really Hurt You To Share Leads and Referrals?

I used to be fairly stingy when it came to sharing leads and opportunities. I had that typical “competitive” thinking that caused me to think that if I shared leads with others, it would somehow hurt my chances of getting more work. Over the years, however, I have learned that there is far more “work” out there than I could ever do even if I wanted to and that by sharing leads and referrals, I have opened up more opportunities for myself as well as for others. The truth is—there HAVE been times when I have been lost bids or … Continue reading →

Expanding Your Market? Is it a Good “Fit”?

Recently I was working with a client who wanted to expand their existing market and reach out to what they saw as “compatible” markets. Other fields and areas of interest that they thought would be in the same “general interest area” as their existing market base. One of the things we needed to examine and consider was whether or not those new individuals were really a good and compatible fit with the existing ones? It may seem like a no-brainer—you might be thinking if our customers all like X, and there are other people over there who like Y and … Continue reading →

When People Ask for Information, Be Sure to Follow Up

One of the areas that many small businesses fall down on is follow-up. When prospects or customers call or e-mail for information, we might get the packet or the info sent out to them, but then we neglect to follow up to see if we can finish or propel the deal. It will likely take some effort on our part to get them from a prospective customer, to an actual, paying customer. It can take some record-keeping and time management to make sure that we don’t lose people in the information-seeking process. Consider setting up a system to deal with … Continue reading →

Ask For and Nurture Referrals

Sure, sometimes new customers and clients fall out of trees or present themselves on our front door without our having to do much at all—but it doesn’t happen very often. What is more likely is that we have to work for our new prospects and customers and that means asking for those referrals and then nurturing them along until they are ready to become full-blown customers and clients. Asking for referrals can be the hardest part for some people. You may feel as though you are being pushy or “too obvious”—but this is the way business works. It does not … Continue reading →

Reach Out to New Markets

While I often write about different ways to identify and tune in to your target market for your home business, it is also important to find ways to expand and grow your business. This usually means figuring out how to reach out into new markets and stretch out of your comfort zone. There are some similar steps to reaching new markets as there are to penetrating your current market base: identify who they are and the details about the demographic and then figure how best to reach them (and what the message should be.) In my years of fund raising … Continue reading →

When Your Friends Have No Idea What You “Do”

I had to chuckle a week or so ago when I was talking with a couple friends and one admitted that she had been asked by a mutual friend just “what exactly” I do. She admitted she was at a loss for words and couldn’t really figure out how to explain it. It seemed funny to me because I realized that I couldn’t really tell someone exactly what she does either—she works for the government in a cubicle and I think I know the general whereabouts of her office but that is about it. Here I write about the importance … Continue reading →

Drumming Up Contract Clients

I often write about marketing as it relates to more sales oriented businesses, but for those of us whose home business involves consulting or working with fewer clients on a more intimate or long-term basis, marketing involves networking, finding and cultivating clients on a more long-term basis. For many of us, this can be the most challenging part of our work. Most of us get into consulting or freelancing because we love the work and we’re good at it. We are not necessarily gifted at sales and marketing. In fact, the actual details of getting the work done can be … Continue reading →

Who Can Open Doors for You?

We occasionally talk about mentors and networking here in the Home Business blog, but I’d like to take things a step further. While you never know who you might be meeting or talking too and it is great to continue to cast your net far and wide as you meet new people, sometimes you really need to find the “right” people—those people who can open doors for you and help you get where you really need to go right now… The more comfortable you get in your field or industry, the better you will be able to identify those people … Continue reading →