CasJam / Severity: Warning
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My business is at a crossroads.
I have a fairly comfortable/successful freelance web design business of 3+ years. Up to this point, I’ve been relying on what I’ll call “reactive” methods of finding new work and new clients:
I call these “reactive” methods because these opportunities come to me with little or no work on my part (arguable) and I react to them either by accepting or passing on the project. Seems like a great situation, right? Well, sure, it’s not bad. I’ve been able to sustain myself and live comfortably to this point. But…
I’m working to take things to the next level.
Define “next level”:
I want to land bigger and better clients.
Define “bigger” clients:
Clients with more brand-awareness, farther reach, and yes, bigger budgets.
Define “better” clients:
Those that fit my ideal client profile: Great people to work with, experienced in hiring (and trusting) professional designers, closely aligned with my values, and fits within a certain niche (I’m still working on settling what my target niche is).
Putting aside things like having a killer portfolio (working on it), marketing my personal and business brand in different ways (which I do), I believe the missing ingredient is Proactive Selling of my services. Meaning, taking the initiative to approach a company I want as a client and win their business.
So my question to those who proactively sell their services and win the clients they want is simply, how is it done?
What are your techniques? What works, what doesn’t? How do you choose which companies to pursue? How do you connect with the right people at those companies? Then how do you convince them that A) they are in need of your services (web design specifically) and B) to hire you/your company?
WillDWhite wrote this Severity: Warning
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I’m interested to see what others have to say about this subject as well.
My knee-jerk response is to say that “Proactive” in this sense simply refers to “actively generating interest in your business” - which is just the pre-requisite for the “reactive” methods you list above.
To be a little clearer, building your online portfolio is the ‘proactive’ method you executed that allows reactive client acquisition via the online forms / online presence it offers.
That being said, I think the underlying question that comes to mind when reading this post is something more similar to
“Which specific methods generate the most interest in educated potential clients?”
I say educated, because that infers they’ve worked with competent designers in the past who have helped them correctly value the work a designer produces. Being educated then infers they will be easier to work with (having been through similar processes in the past) and more willing to pay adequately (having a better understanding of what they’re paying for).
As of right now, I don’t know the answer to that question - but I certainly look forward to reading the Drawar Community’s responses!
mantautas wrote this Severity: Warning
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Okay, I am the third one to say that I don’t have the answer but would love to hear it.
Anyway, I have a feeling that people are not up for sharing such kind of information, as proactive selling is agencies’ thing more than freelancer’s. For those who can share some information about this, that’s an opportunity for a nice post, make it and let us know!
crysodenkirk wrote this Severity: Warning
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Upfront admission: I’m in a position where I don’t have to do this anymore because I’m working for a large company where I’m not doing sales, so this is about three to five years out of date. However, unlike web code and fashion, I don’t think sales changes much through the years.
I always found that the number one thing that could land me a job or bring in a client was chutzpah. Be confident, walk in like you’ve already convinced them and they’re already a valued client. Cold calling can be nerve wracking—that’s why I only ever cold call in person. Over the phone, sitting at my desk, I may be comfortable enough that my nervousness is audible. In person, you have to be “on”, like an actor is “on” when they’re on stage. That doesn’t leave any room for feeling nervous once the spotlight comes up and you’re talking directly to a person.
Odds are good that 99 of every 100 cold calls you won’t get past the gate-keeper or get an appointment. Of those 99, I’d say less than 10% will even pass along what you leave as a take away, so in addition to chutzpah, you need both perseverance and a seriously thick skin. It doesn’t pay to take any lack of call back personally. But you do want to check back periodically to make sure that your name comes up, perhaps if you find that a company has just started a new line, you may want to pop in to congratulate them and remind them that if they are looking to extend that brand to a website you’d be more than happy to help. Make sure you have an informative flyer or brochure, not just a business card. Just like with ecommerce sites, people want all the information handy in one spot about what you do, what they can expect, how much it’ll cost them and whether or not you’re any good. The takeaway that contains all of that information will almost always win out over the designer who just leaves a generic business card, even if the designer who left just a card is cheaper and a better designer.
Once you get to talk to someone who can make decisions, you have about 30 seconds to convince them that a) they do in fact have a need and b) you are just the person to solve that need with a minimum of work or hassle on their part. This part you may already be familiar with if you’re taking calls from ads and your website. My suggestion is to know your prospect’s business and industry inside and out. Use specific examples of how you have increased return on investment for other clients and how you can do so for them as well. Always remember it’s a combination of fueling the feeling that they have a need (even if they didn’t know they had a need until you walked in the door) and the feeling that you are their best hope for a solution to that need.
For all that, don’t over think it. Don’t over sell it. Get in, leave your information or make your pitch, and get out. Even if you’re leading them along to create a need, it needs to feel like their idea, like they are the ones who discovered that need. They may not (probably won’t) come to this conclusion while you’re in their office, even if they internally recognize that they do in fact have a need, because ego won’t let them admit that someone else pointed out something they should have recognized. 99% of your pitches may end up in a no at the time you make them. However, you’ve made your case, shown you’re not afraid to get things done, and when they really do decide they need a designer, if you’ve made an impression, you’ll be at the top of their list of people to call.
Hand in hand with the cold call is insinuating yourself into your target niche. Basically it’s doing what you’re already doing (referrals from your network) but extending your network into the niche you want to work with. Example: If you’re looking to pitch doctors and lawyers, join a golf league or country club. Get involved in whatever is the primary social outlet for the bulk of the people in that niche. If Dr. Johnson needs a change on his website, do you think he’s more likely to look in the phone book/google/ads in magazines, or ask his golfing buddy Dave that he met at the club?
I hope that helps give you a little direction. I also suggest picking up a few sales technique books and giving their suggestions some practice before you start trying to cold call. You don’t have to go so far that you become the slimy stereotypical sales guy but you _do_ need to be very highly persuasive, and for most people, being able to turn it on, on cue, and lead a prospect to your desired conclusion without them realizing that’s what you’re doing, can take a LOT of practice.
mantautas wrote this Severity: Warning
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Thank you very much for sharing the experience. Guess who is designing a brochure for web design services at the moment.
jnicol wrote this Severity: Warning
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CasJam, I can relate to your situation. I have been relying on “reactive” methods of growing my client base for about seven years. All in all, that’s not a bad thing. The important thing is to always take on jobs that grow your business in one way or another - bigger budgets, more freedom as a designer, a foot in the door of your target sector… Sometimes I take on a crummy job just to make the rent, and that can be soul sapping.
As much as possible I try to weed out the dull and poor paying jobs, so that I can focus on work that I find rewarding. Here is a nice method of gauging the value of a project. It has to meet two of the following criterea:
- A good budget
- You will enjoy working on the project
- It is a project you will be be proud to display in your portfolio
So if a project has a poor budget, that is an OK tradeoff provided you will have fun on the job and will have a strong portfolio piece at the end of the day. If a project ticks all three boxes: win!
Sorry I am getting off tangent here. My point is that “reactive” methods of procuring new work can be turned into “proactive” opportunities if you are careful to take on projects that align with your business goals.
@crysodenkirk’s advice about cold calling is fantastic. My studio mates run a small (one fulltime designer) graphic design firm, and through cold calling and marketing their portfolio were able to push their business to the next level, and win several high profile arts sector projects, which is their target market. But of course it wasn’t simply a matter of cold calling, they managed that off the back of several very strong previous jobs for smaller clients in the arts sector - art galleries, dance companies, and so forth.
A strong portfolio can get you a long way if you market it to the right people.
Another thing to consider is whether you want to literally “grow” your business: to take on contractors or staff to help you gain bigger projects. I can’t offer any advice in this regard, I’ve always been a solo player, but if you want to work at the top end of town then sooner or later you’ll most likely have to expand your operation.
nilsgeylen wrote this Severity: Warning
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Get in line people; I got the same issue—more or mostly less.
Personally, I would never go the cold calling route, or any variants thereof (like joining clubs or asking for referrals, whatever). Likewise, mail-outs: did them, it’s a hassle and rarely works.
I also think that, in a smaller or niche market, this may have the potential of burning you: you’ll become ‘that guy’ everyone knows is always ‘begging for work’—even if that’s not really the case.
What I have done (to a very small extent) is pick that one great wanna-have client and contact them personally. Tell them why you would like to work for them. Be honest. Say you are indeed looking for clients but they fit your niche, profile and values set.
More work, but I think the success rate will be higher (or at least more rewarding) than calling 100 people and landing one.
Do like what @CrysOdenkirk says: don’t over-think, don’t over-sell. Or @WillDWhite: turn passive into proactive; say, with a portfolio, an event or a strong identity. I definitely think writing still does that: blogging, guest columns, heck even Facebook notes that get shared. Just be in the spotlight enough.
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I’m curious about this subject as well. Though I am not there yet with my business, I just finished reading “The Business of Creativity” by Cameron Foote (GREAT book btw), and the only advice he kept touting was “cold calling” local businesses that you would like to work for, and sending out letters and mailers, which to me seemed a bit of an archaic way of doing it. But maybe I’m wrong? He DID give one good piece of advice, which was that people hire people they LIKE, so one-on-one networking is key. Still not sure how that helps though, because you’ve first got to get a meeting before you can sell your winning personality.