Have you ever thought how much easier it would be to get more work from your existing design clients than trying to look for new ones?
Everyone always says when your quiet give your existing clients a ring just to see if they have any design work for you. I guess you could be lucky and call at just the right time but I have another idea you could try.
I have been doing a couple of internet marketing courses recently and hearing all this talk of upselling (selling something more expensive or extra that was originally being purchased) and realised that when I went to a meeting with one of my clients the other day that was exactly what I had done.
I went to see my client who wanted a little A5 leaflet designing as she was trying to promote her business locally (it’s a local only business). I suggested what about creating some very local keyword targeted mini websites (the competition would be low for this) to drive extra business to her main web site. I also put another potential idea to her that could make her business accessible to non local people that she was interested in. Now none of these ideas were me thinking about finding extra work, but were purely because I was trying to think of otherways she could market her business. I walked out of the meeting not only with the A5 leaflet but also with some simple mini wordpress websites to create and the potential to be part of another project.
Why not try this:
Take one of your regular clients and think of new ways they could genuinely reach more potential customers -
- Do some keyword research on their market to find out what people are really looking for
- Do they have a blog? Could it help create business
- Do they have a twitter page – how could this help them reach new people
- Do they receive much traffic to their website – how could you help them achieve more – could you create some highly targeted via mini sites, a squidoo lens, upload some imagery to Flickr
- Suggest things they could do themselves (or offer to do it for them for a small fee) – add themselves to google local, submit articles to article directories, find directories they could list themselves in. Although if they do these things themselves you don’t make any money – you will gain goodwill and show them that you are actively interested in their success. Of course if they make more money they will have more to spend on design (hopefully with you)
The next time you have a meeting with them suggest one or two of these ideas and see how it goes.
Would love to hear if anyone else has tried this technique.
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26 Comments
I think one of the biggest obstacles is that clients don’t know the breadth of a developers abilities. It is important to know you can do more than just banners, you can design, flyers, brochures, web templates etc…
Hi Wild – you are probably right. Also they probably haven’t thought of using certain methods to promote their business.
Great post Tara, these methods of gaining extra work could really help. I am definitely going to bear these in mind for the future.
Thanks.
Hey you know what, you’re absolutely right! I should go ahead and contact my current clients – I’m in dire need of work right now.
Great post yet again. And you are undoubtedly correct with raising the awareness of your breadth of offer.
I have been dealing with Client who has pigeon holed me (Ouch) believing that my capabilities lay only in online design!!
Now he can brief just the one person and have synergy across channel designs!!
Win Win!! =))
Pro-activity is always good and most of the time, it pays off. These are great tips on maintaining client relationships, thanks Tara.
Tara, you’re right on target. Selling more to your existing clients is one of the easiest and most profitable ways of growing your business. Unfortunately most business people only focus on getting new clients…that’s the hard road.
Great work with selling to that existing client of yours! Now that’s what I call taking the opportunity.
Great post. We are currently marketing in a very similar way to existing clients. One other service that small local companies could benefit from is a link building service undertaken in a way that suits their business and helps elevate their web site in search engines on a local level. With our local clients we offer this service based on a small monthly costs. We don’t promise the world and they don’t expect it, but a little effort over a long period of time brings in regular cash and clients benefit in the medium to long term.
That is a great idea Tara as you have not only helped your client as this sounds like a good market plan but you have also gained a bit more work. I agree with Wild that clients often only expect a designer to be able to offer the service that they specialise in and if they don’t know what you can do they may never ask. Great post, I have learned something I should have realised a long time ago!
Thanks.
Great tips Tara, will definitely bear these methods of gaining extra in mind for the future & try to focus less on getting new clients.
From time to time to call these customers and ask them how they’re doing with their websites. Often you will find that the client needs to date a kind of web design and additional work done on their website. Also, keep in touch with your customers, is reminding them that you’re here, if you ever need web design work. People talk about business and anyone looking for a company to design web sites that talk more than likely a friend or partner before you start looking for a web design company anonymously in the search engines. Ultimately, your current customers happy web design are the best references and â?? Word of mouth?? source web design company. While we must devote time and resources in the design of web advertising for business again, do not lose sight of our potential customer base and web design firm can offer.
Well Tara I have been doing that for long time now and it really does work. But it actually helps clients too not just me… more targeted the idea the better it preforms.
These are some really good tips. It’s true that offering clients additional services helps both the parties. I tried this with my client and received a good response. Clients are usually open to such suggestions.
Hey Tara, great article, sometimes a client needs a small push to expand. As long as you have built a strong relationship they will hopefully realise that it is because of goodwill and not just a sales technique.
Sorry Logo Design Monster for some reason your comment had gone in the spam folder I have just rescued it
If you show from past experience how you added to their bottom line with your services, you’ll continue to see added business. That is a great tool to achieve more work, show results.
They say it’s 3x easier to sell to your existing clientel then it is to go and find a new client, yet most companies still spend more money on gaining new clients compared to just trying to get more business from the ones that are already paying them.
It’s all about relationship. Once you get this special bond with your clients, it becomes a lot easier to offer other services, like marketing and SEO. For most small (and local) businesses, it is still fairly new and they welcome the help.
Thanks for the post Tara.
Thanks for your input Laurent
Great post. Getting more works from clients mainly depends upon how we do their previous orders. I mean the last projects.
Sound advice. I am also a big fan of cross selling. Eg a customer comes in for sign leaflets and you sell them a banner as well.
Great post Tara.
I often noticed that my customers had a web designer for their website and a graphic designer for print stuff until I pointed out that I offer both.
I believe that many customers do not know exactly what services to get from a designer. How often do I hear in a meeting: Oh, you also offer…
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Marcus
Hi Tara, Thanks. I have been thinking about such a possibility all this week and then I found this post. I must say your ideas are great.
I agree with Wild. You’ll have to take the client into confidence that you can do more than just designing.
Thanks Taucf – thanks for taking the time to comment too.
It’s also about the client’s belief in Designer’s abilities.