Whether you’re a mortgage broker, a banker, a BDM or a business owner – new clients are your lifeblood. Clients mean business, so it’s essential to have a good strategy in place to bring them on.
Here are some important things to think about when getting new clients.
Never stop networking
Introverts, sorry about this one. The reality with getting new clients is that you always need to be expanding your network. Building relationships is a key part of obtaining and retaining clients. For you, this may involve attending industry events, trawling LinkedIn for interesting conversations to take part in, or making phone calls.
However you do it, meeting new people and building your network should form a fundamental part of how you operate your business and find new clients. Here are our top two tips when it comes to networking to get new clients:
Have a system, and plan ahead
Not only should you network enthusiastically, you should do it with a good structure in place. While you may have lots of business right now, you need to be thinking about next week, next month, next year, and what opportunities are coming along the pipeline.
Put a system in place that means you’re catching up with potential new clients regularly. Perhaps you set a reminder in your calendar at the same time every week, to spend an hour sending messages or making calls. Or, put a policy in place that requires you to ask every new client to introduce you to someone else.
Even while you’re making sales in the present, consider a strategy that allows you to be engaging in new relationships which may lead to future sales at the same time. Plan ahead, and you’ll be in a good place to bring on new clients consistently.
Use the right tools
How do you reach new clients? Is it by calling them? Sending them a message on LinkedIn? Reaching out to organise a coffee catch up? Take a moment to think about what tools will be most effective for you to use.
This can be a great networking tool for BDMs, brokers and bankers, as well as a way for businesses to promote their services. It’s free, easy to use and custom-built for professional networking.
Marketing
Mortgage brokers are highly likely to rely on a marketing strategy to find them more customers. Similarly, successful broking firms often have a marketing team that work tirelessly to get their brand out there. Depending on what you do, marketing may involve having a marketing assistant or a digital agency working alongside you. This is a service that is often included in mortgage franchises, where the franchisor takes an annual fee in return for marketing support that’s built into your business model.
Referral partners
Networking and building referral partners with financial planners, real estate agents, accounting firms and the like is a big networking device for bankers. You’ll likely focus your attention on identifying introducers – people who can help put you in touch with others.
Personal branding
Bankers, BDMs and brokers can often win new clients over by promoting themselves through branding activities like blogging and social media activity. However, be warned: it’s important not to overdo it. Too much posting about yourself is likely to scare people off.
It’s all about the experience
This applies to almost any professional services business (yes, including recruitment).
If you leave with ONE piece of advice today, let it be this: treat every client how you’d like to be treated – whether they’re going to make you money or not.
Be real and genuine in your interaction, and go into it seeking to make a new friend. If that’s your focus, you’ll build great relationships. Think of your work like helping friends out rather than getting clients, and you’ll experience a mental shift that means you’ll view your clients just as normal people (which they are, of course!). This also takes the pressure off trying to impress them.
Give everyone you interact with an excellent experience, and you never know where it could lead. Even if they don’t become a client, they could recommend you to someone else, or promote you amongst their own network.
Never miss an opportunity to treat someone exceptionally. It will almost definitely be worth your while.
If you’d like advice on building your client network, we’d love to help. Get in touch for a free business consultation. Or, if you’re looking for the right environment to help you thrive at your job and grow your network, let’s organise a free career consultation.
