How to Get Your first client

Starting a business is thrilling. I scary . If you've spent most of her adult life working for someone else, you may have experienced some frustration that come with the territory, being on someone else's clock to deal with horribly inept boss , putting a lot of time and effort for too little money and wondering every day if you lose a life looking at the dull side of the stone. Were you there? I have. stress that comes from less-than-ideal work situation pushes many people to fantasize about going on my own, and some eventually do. Being an entrepreneur can mean working in you want to work, not having a terrible boss Making life miserable, and although it may not be raking in millions at the beginning, at least feel like it is worth doing something with your life. breathe a big sigh of relief. And then it turns out that only one set of trading frustration to another. Jobs for someone meant that you do not have to pay so much taxes. This may have meant group discounts on health insurance(even though it's a different ballgame now). And also probably mean you do not have to find customers . say getting customers is important for the company is a little gross. Nothing else matters if you do not have customers to provide revenue needed to keep things going. No business is business without customers. Descent customers are endless and necessary process, but you do it first client, which is the biggest obstacle. So how do you do it? How can you convince someone to take a risk and hire?

Run with family and friends

What else is for your family and friends, if you do not help you get a business off the ground? But you also need to be smart about how to approach them. It's not fair or realistic to expect every member of the circle to purchase the product or service, whether you need it or not just because you ask them. Start by contacting the family and friends who may be profitable customers. Who can actually need the service or product you are providing are you doing? These people should be at the top of your list of contacts. And the rest of your close contacts can not be potential clients, they may be able to help spread the word about your business and start to share with your contacts. Then you Contacts can say your contacts, and then … you get the idea. It may be your first tactic, and this is one you can use from time to time duration of its activities. Just be careful that it does not abuse. They are your friends and family, for sure, but there is still limit how many times you ask them if they need a widget you are selling. When you interrupt a conversation, you'll really know that was hit this limit, but try to explore other options before it reaches that point.

reach out to former classmates

Have you kept in touch with friends from high school or college? Do you belong to the alumni association? While it may be fruitful to give an elevator speech I have not seen anyone since graduation, browse the list of contacts to see what your former classmates are up to. Maybe one of them fit the customer? Send an e-mail or give them a call and offer to take them to dinner(or just coffee-you're on a budget boot, after all), and ask for some time to hear the pitch. If you are unable or able to buy, unless you are able to send your way. Do you broach the subject with them will depend on how close the relationship has run with them, and how comfortable you are asking for that matter. In addition, you will learn the alumni association. Do they maintain a database of members, which includes any kind of biographical information? Is your date? Some associations may even keep the database specifically for the exchange of business information. If an association of graduates do not, maybe now is the time to propose.

Ask friends for referrals

I hope you do not burn bridges when Corporate left the ( Link is NSFW, but one of the best to ever come out Scene ) for the life of entrepreneurship. Even if you are no longer on speaking terms with your boss(and your life is much better for it), you may be keeping in touch with colleagues met during the corporate race. It's wonderful when a colleague heard already started operations, and take on each other to share information, and can even send a potential client or two. These are the best types of referrals. But you can also take matters into their own hands and come directly and ask for the referral. best to ask for a referral from someone already actually worked out how they can certify your skills and professionalism. But sometimes you just meet someone at work, without actually working on anything. Again, it's down to the level of comfort. As a conclusion, do it politely and professionally, and through it perfectly clear that you are ask -not demanding or expecting. Never put someone in a place where they are or feel in any way obligated or when they feel uncomfortable granting the request, but even more uncomfortable refusing the request. And if so, do not, do not hold it against them. He can not understand why, but keep in mind that this may have nothing to do with you. Some people just are not comfortable giving referrals, and some may not have that kind of capital to spend training. But do not just ask for a discount something must be . Sometimes you do not know unless you ask, and the worst that anyone can do in this case is that it does not. Besides, it can be “no” now, when you're untested, but “yes” later, when you have a few clients and completed projects under your belt. Keep as many of these bridges intact as possible. Latest word about referrals-be generous with them yourself. Can you honestly and confidently recommend the work of someone else, do it. Help others, and help yourself. One of my favorite quotes is:

. “You can easily judge the character of man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

A final, the last word on the recommendations, when they get to say thank you. For every person who gives one. Every time. No gratitude, or in the absence of recognition to those who helped get where you are is the quickest way to find out is the same. Do not say “thank you” to someone who sent the job, and this may be the last time I have ever done. Besides, it is just good manners.

Conference

This may seem out of reach, when you start a business. Is traveling, hotel, meals, and then the cost of the conference, which can range from hundreds to even thousands of dollars, depending on the case. But hit it well, and you can make back every penny spent at the conference. The first conference I attended as a business owner was PubCon Vegas 2013 But, just starting out, I could not afford the full cost of participation, so I bought a pass network instead. That me in the Expo hall, social events, and keynote speeches. During the day, while sessions going on, I worked in my room. Speaking of which I should also mention that lucked out and got a deal for 50 percent off a hotel room through history to see Special Offer for Twitter. Keep an eye on such things! Although I was not able to participate in the session, I saw many people I knew. Even better, I managed to meet some new people. One person I met at a party kickoff is the customer. Projects we have done for this one client are now more than what I spent to attend PubCon Vegas. You might think that it is more affordable to start with a smaller conference, or one that is local to reduce travel costs. I can see the benefits, as well. My thinking was: bigger conference, more people, more opportunities. It paid off for us, but the situation may be different.

Take part in local events

Conferences are not the only events where you can meet potential clients. I am willing to bet a quick search will turn up many business events in your area.

Events Network

Chambers of Commerce often organize events network. Sometimes you have to be a member of the Chamber, but sometimes events are open to the public. You can also consider joining the local Chamber of many other benefits in addition to the ability to participate in events.

Seminars

We have since switched to a new bank, but when we started business, we opened an account at a local credit union. They are very small, business-oriented, and host monthly seminars on all issues important to entrepreneurs. We took part in a seminar on SEO(OK, we also check out the competition, I admit) and met someone who come to us with a large, ongoing project. In fact, we also got a referral for this seminar for you, which is now our accountant.

meetups

One evening a few months ago that participated in the Meetup at geekdom run a local business incubator here in San Antonio.(There is one in San Francisco, too.) Firstly, we have some great information on health insurance, which was one of our priorities when we started our company. We met a woman who became a client(which later had to fire, but that's another story), and we met a man who ended up helping us get our health insurance in place. Check the Meetup site for local events related to your vertical or business in general.

Go Get 'Em!

If you take anything from this post, let it be this- you have to go out and get clients . You can not just put your website up, sit back and wait for an e-mail contact form to throw at.(By the way, do not make sure the contact form on the website.) How Reimbursement clearly states that you structure business when it is magically created. Get ready to shake a lot of hands that the elevator speech ready, and then get to work Image credit :. Shutterstock Michelle Lowery is a co-founder of Creative Passion Fruit Group, a boutique agency development of Web content management and editing your blog. He is also co-founder of Passion Fruit to create a website that aims to help small businesses and entrepreneurs to establish their online presences.Michelle has been in the digital marketing since 2008, in addition to her more than 20 years of experience as a writer and editor.