I often get asked – “What’s the fastest way to find new clients?”. I say, “Pick up the phone”.
What do I mean by that?
Well, by and large, copywriters prefer to communicate via the written word rather than the spoken word. This is great if you’re writing copy but not so great if you’re trying to build a client base.
I know it’s painful to hear this but if you really want to have a steady flow of clients you’ll need to be able to pick up the phone and speak to people, in real-time.
For example, if a client emails me with a query or a request for a quote, I could email them back. It would take me an hour to write the email and I may not even get a response.
But if I pick up the phone and ring them straight away, the outcome is very different.
For a start, they’re surprised that I rang – because, as my clients often say, ‘No one ever calls anymore’.
Secondly, I get to ask the questions I need to ask in order to take the brief. I cover more in 10 minutes on the phone than I would in an email that took me an hour to write.
Thirdly, I can discuss the price and get a better feel for their budget and how serious they are.
And lastly, I can get the quote approved verbally and close the deal much faster because I have spent time building rapport.
There is no doubt in my mind that if you want to seriously convert enquiries into sales, you need to pick up the phone.
Action: Pick a business card that you collected recently at a networking event. Ring them up and ask them to have a cup of coffee. Or offer to send them a valuable resource you’ll know they will appreciate.
