3 Simple Tactics to Getting More Clients

As a freelancer, getting high-paying clients doesn’t happen on demand; there are certain things you do as a creator, freelancer, or entrepreneur to build the foundations of adding clients to your list.

Today I will teach you a few simple and traditional tactics I used to develop relationships with strangers and get them to do business with me.

These tactics work in almost every location because they rely on the power of reciprocity and self-interest.

As a marketer, I make my income by helping other businesses promote and sell their products and services; some of my clients are big. Still, most of them are small businesses.

I travel and stay in different locations every few years; this lifestyle requires me to find new clients regularly and get them to trust me as a foreigner.

I have developed working strategies that help me look trustworthy, build relationships and get business.

I’m a marketer, and marketing is a disliked profession by many people; they think we are scams; we rob their money, and we can’t deliver results.

They are correct; many bad marketers messed up the reputation of marketing and sales, making the job of the good ones much harder.

To overcome this challenge, I had to rely on a strategy that allowed me to uncover my skills one step at a time instead of pitching myself right away as a marketer.

I wouldn’t go to a business or give them a cold call or email and ask for a deal immediately. That’s what others do, and clients dislike that and find it annoying and desperate.

Instead, I love to attract; I give first, then ask permission to take a small share of their success.

The first step is finding an established small business with the potential to grow; however, they lack the right brand image and marketing message; as a marketer, I could see their weak points quickly, but to them, it’s a blind spot they can’t see.

I wouldn’t look for a gigantic business or a franchise where it’s tough to get to the management; I wouldn’t also look for a struggling startup.

I would only stick to an established small business or brand that I can add value to the bottom line of their business.

Instead of trying to throw tons of advice here and there or judge their decisions, I will rely on the following tactics:

The Three Simple Tactics to Getting More Clients

1. Give a Generous Tip

One of the best strategies I used to develop a strong relationship with a small business, be it a coffee shop, a restaurant, a massage center, or a barber, is to be a regular customer and give a big tip regularly.

This act will make me seem friendly to the staff and make them curious about what I do.

After a couple of times, it gives me the chance to start a conversation, compliment their fantastic business and service, and offer a friendly suggestion as I believe they have a great potential to grow the business.

I wouldn’t judge their current decisions or throw big ideas here and there even if they ask for it; I don’t want them to argue with my opinion or give a free consultation, only friendly and gentle advice.

After a while, I will start taking clients of mine and visit the store. We will discuss business, and I will keep tipping; what I’m doing is hitting two birds with one stone.

I’m showing my existing clients I’m financially comfortable, kind, and generous, and I care about excellent service and value, and that’s why I ask for a big buck.

I’m also giving the impression to the new business that I’m a pretty successful business owner with plenty of clients and not only a freelancer who struggles to get business.

This move will make the staff start a conversation about me and suggest me to the owner for their self-interest.

After visiting a few times, the owner, the general manager, or the sales manager will try to converse with me about the future and growth of their business.

If there is an opportunity to do business, I will keep visiting and tipping; if not, I would visit less and try elsewhere.

2. Be a Curious Customer

I had a client in the fashion industry who had an issue with pitching her products to local boutiques; she needed to grow to sustain her business.

She paid me $1500 for 45 minutes consultation to give her a simple answer that ended the call in less than ten minutes.

She said Nour; I need to grow my business; selling online isn’t working well for me; however, I feel afraid to pitch my products to boutique shops.

I asked, would you feel afraid to present your products if those boutiques were your friends?

She said, of course not.

I said you have three options: you can go to trade shows and wait for clients to come, exchange a few business cards, and hope to make some sales.

Your second option is to hire a sales agent or distributor to do the pitching on your behalf; you might grow fast; however, they get a heavy cut.

And last and best option is to hustle a bit, become familiar with the shop owners in small areas, and over time expand your business.

Start small and become a regular visitor of different boutiques, check their products, complement their collection, and buy something even if it’s small.

Over time, start a conversation and understand what is selling and what isn’t.

Don’t pitch your product immediately; once you get the right amount of information and develop a friendly relationship, ask if the owner or the person responsible for adding new products is open to checking a new collection, then pitch your products comfortably.

Once the relationship is there and because you bought from them, they feel obligated to check your things.

These tactics apply online as well. I don’t send cold emails to people I want to work with; I prioritize developing a relationship first, finding something I can help with, and suggesting different solutions. Over time, they would naturally ask if I’m available for paid service.

3. Help Clients Make Money

The last strategy I want to share with you is to help clients make money first.

Once I find a store or a small brand that I like and trust the owners, I will start sending clients or customers their way and make sure they mention I was the one who sent them.

I wouldn’t ask for an affiliate fee; I would keep it kind and generous.

After a while, they feel the urge to pay me back; they will send gifts or suggest paying a reward.

I won’t take the commission; it looks desperate. Instead, I would recommend that we work together to improve the quality of their marketing online, and I will get a fixed small fee, besides a small cut of the profit from sales generated by my marketing effort.

It’s a win-win for both of us and a great approach to asking for the business.

Getting clients is a matter of developing beneficial relationships. Find simple ways to build relations and familiarize yourself with your target clients. Give generously first and make it hard for them not to pay you back.

Take a small action now and don’t wait until business goes bad; the more relations you build early on, the more opportunities you will get in the future, and the more prosperous you become.

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