I’m not a natural salesperson, as my childhood fundraising experiences demonstrate. Despite my best efforts, selling candy bars for school always ended with me giving them away! This lack of sales instinct followed me into my professional life. While working with small digital agencies at nexus-security, I noticed they excelled at marketing but struggled to acquire new clients. It was like they, too, were missing that innate sales ability. This realization inspired me to find a strategy for non-sales-oriented agencies to effectively build their client base.
This strategy centers around landing “big fish” clients rather than spreading resources thin pursuing numerous small accounts. Securing a few high-spending clients allows you to focus on what you do best – managing paid search campaigns. Here’s how to achieve this:
Step #1: Establish a Strong Online Presence
Large agencies boast impressive reputations built over time and with significant investment. To compete, you need to project a similarly stellar online presence. Fortunately, this can be achieved without breaking the bank. Start by creating high-quality content demonstrating your expertise. Then, strategically amplify your reach. While organic growth takes time, a paid approach can accelerate the process.
This doesn’t mean resorting to unethical tactics. Instead, utilize platforms like Twitter Ads to target a specific, relevant audience.
Targeting qualified individuals within the marketing sphere ensures your content reaches engaged users. As they interact with your posts, your visibility expands to their networks, creating a snowball effect of follower growth. (For more insights, refer to Larry’s post on buying legit Twitter followers.)
Step #2: Identify Your Ideal Clients
The top ten biggest AdWords spenders, by industry. Use this list to pinpoint your ideal client type. Select one industry to prioritize.
Once you’ve chosen your target industries, delve deep into their intricacies. Understand their key performance indicators (KPIs), challenges, and industry-specific strategies. For instance, if you’re targeting e-commerce retailers, mastering Google Shopping and staying ahead of relevant betas is crucial.
Step #3: Make Yourself Known
With a solid online presence and a clear target audience, it’s time to introduce yourself and your brand. Begin by connecting with key prospects on LinkedIn, ensuring your profile is polished and professional.
Real professional, Dad. Showcase your expertise by highlighting certifications, work experience, and recommendations. Don’t hesitate to ask colleagues for endorsements – reciprocity goes a long way!
Pretty impressive, huh? All it takes is a little reciprocity scheme! To craft compelling connection requests, follow Larry Kim’s “5 P’s” approach. He emphasizes the importance of being polite, pertinent, personalized, professional, and praiseful.
As it turns out, Larry knows a little something about writing persuasive LinkedIn messages. Intrigued by this method, I tested it on five “big fish” prospects, never expecting much. To my surprise, it worked! Beyond personal connections, leverage platforms like Facebook Ads to introduce your brand to your target audience’s feeds.
Cost-effective hyper-targeted campaigns are key here. Utilize the Demographics > Work > Employers section to narrow down your audience.
Go beyond simply targeting an entire company. Refine your audience to those most likely to influence paid search decisions.
Step #4: Be Persistent and Prepared
With the groundwork laid, it’s time for direct engagement and sales conversations. Be prepared for a challenge, as connecting with your targets may require persistence. Data from InsightSquared reveals that initial contact attempts yield a connect rate of just under 16%, with subsequent attempts seeing a decline.
Source: InsightSquared Since your first attempt has the highest chance of success, preparation is key. Avoid generic sales pitches. Instead, adopt an active listening approach, allowing prospects to voice their pain points. Structure conversations with these discovery questions:
- How would you describe the current state of your account?
- What is your desired outcome for this account?
- What is your desired timeframe for achieving these goals? These questions encourage prospects to articulate their challenges and goals, naturally leading into a sales discussion. Your role is then to demonstrate how your services can bridge the gap between their current situation and their desired outcomes within their timeframe. Don’t be disheartened if your initial attempts fail. It’s crucial to overcome any apprehension towards repeated contact and remain persistent.
A good rule of thumb: For low-quality prospects, make at least three attempts before disengaging. Medium-quality prospects deserve at least seven attempts. However, for your most promising prospects, relentless pursuit (within reason) is recommended. This might seem excessive, but it has proven effective. Respect is paramount. Avoid overwhelming prospects with calls and, if they express disinterest, request permission for future contact. Ensure each interaction, be it voicemail or email, is meaningful, clearly introducing yourself, your intentions, and providing a compelling reason to respond.
Step #5: Address Objections with Evidence
Objections are inevitable in any sales interaction. Anticipating and addressing them effectively can actually strengthen your pitch. To understand common objections and effective counterarguments, refer to Margot’s post, Does Google AdWords Work? Go beyond general rebuttals by backing up your arguments with relevant real-world examples. Investing time in gathering compelling case studies that resonate with your prospects’ industries and situations is crucial.