A member of the Trust-Based Program to Attract New Clients shared a wonderful example of how to win over a client by starting with a tiny toehold.
He is in the printer and computer services industry, but that doesn’t matter. This strategy applies to all of us.
Basically, he starts with a client when a printer breaks down. Once his firm fixes it, he uses that opportunity to educate the client about how they can also help support the company’s overall technology.
By following up over time, he eventually gets called in to “pinch hit” for the client’s existing tech support.
Then he builds a relationship with the executive team at a client and — when the IT Manager leaves for a different job — he offers to take over the company’s entire IT function as the outsourced provider.
Here is another example:
A $100 million consulting firm began every engagement with a low-cost benchmarking study of the productivity at the client. The benchmarking study led to a full-blown operations improvement project. In turn, this project led to a strategic assessment and strategy project.
Finally, in my own case, I typically sell a low-cost program, someone likes it, hires me for long-term coaching, and brings me into their firm to teach others how to develop business.
This toehold strategy is not the only way to get a client, but it is a smart way to gradually show what you can do, build trust, and nurture the relationship while also being paid.
