Earning More Clients Through Relationship Building

Do you ever wonder how some entreprenuers manage to build successful companies in what seems like  – split seconds?

If you are like most small business owners, you often worry how and where you will find your next customer. Being in business for yourself means continually beating the bushes looking for new prospects and earning the trust of new clients. It can be a frustrating and very time consuming process, but it’s one that you must do on a constant basis if you want to stay afloat in an ever-competitive world.

The key to being successful and growing a business of any kind comes from taking the time to know who your customers are, what they are interested in and where to find them. This can be accomplished by getting inside your current customers’ heads and thinking like they think. As solo-prenuers it’s easy to get stuck in a “ME” mindset, but this will not serve your ultimate purpose of landing more clients. You must think like your customers and consider where their interests lie and how to build relationships with them so that you may earn their trust.

Here are some easy (but not overly time consuming) ways to use relationship building to increase your customer base:

Post something on your Social Media channels daily that is of interest to your clients. It can be an uplifting quote, a link to a recent article of interest, a project you’ve completed, or a general question aimed at getting your clientele to talk. The idea is to engage others through light conversation, not get into too much controversy or debate online.

Send a Thank You Letter out to current clients periodically. Take note of when you’ve worked with a client and send a card to thank them immediately following the completion of the project, a month later to follow up, and anytime the mood strikes. Let your clients know how much you value them and ask for feedback. You’d be surprised at how much this means to your clients.

Ask for Referrals, don’t assume you will get them. Take a moment to follow up with clients and ask them to give you a recommendation of a colleague that may find your services or product beneficial. Take the time to thank them and let them know you value their time and trust in you.

Read the Books, Blogs and Publications your clients read. If you want to get into the minds of those who you work with, you must be on the same page, literally! Take the time to find out what your clients like to read and then plan a few hours each month reviewing these publications for information that will be interesting to your clients in later conversations and blog posts.

By following these tips, you will soon start experiencing a productive relationship with your clients and they in turn will refer others to you. People who understand the importance of investing time and effort into a business appreciate relationships most of all. Those who don’t end up allowing their clients to drop off and soon find themselves without projects to work on.

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About the Author

Tess C. Taylor is a Web Copy Writer and Business Consultant from Charleston, South Carolina and owner of Taylor Resources Writing & Freelance Writing Class. She specializes in SEO content and marketing support for small business owners everywhere.

The Secret of Making the First Page of Google

This week, as I relaunch the new and improved Taylor Resources Writing, I would like to focus on the very reason why anyone would want to invest time and money into online marketing in the first place – making it to the first search page of Google.

The major misconception a lot of people have is that if they put up a website with a few pretty pictures and words on it, they will be successful and get more customers and sales. Some people think that they dont need a website, but rather just try to get listed in online directories to get attention online. Others just spend their days on facebook and twitter hoping to get a few followers. The truth is that while you can do all these things, they are a complete waste of time unless you know THE SECRET to getting on the first search page of Google’s search engine.

There is a lot to be said about trial and error! This is what makes for great entreprenuers – those hardy souls who keep making steps forward in their business and eventually get a few things right over time. By trying new things, observing the results and then focusing on what’s positive is something the most successful business owners have in common.

The same approach is often used when venturing online. A business owner will make a few phone calls, find a “web guy” to build him a website on the cheap and then expect miracles. Sadly, things often fail and then the business owner is left with a negative feeling concerning the entire world of online marketing. I’ve encountered this more times than I can count on two hands.

The secret to handling online marketing correctly today is by focusing on getting on that first page of Google results. When a consumer is looking to make a purchase, the first thing they are likely to do is grab their laptop or mobile device and start researching companies on the Internet. The first three results on the search engine results will be where the consumer will then consider making that purchase. If your company website is not in one of those spots, you wont be contacted by consumers  – it’s that simple.

So what do you need to do to get on the front page of Google?

Here is the SECRET I have learned over time of working with successful businesses that are on the first page of Google search results:

1. Develop a professionally coded website, with well designed graphics to give you a “brand image” and with well researched, niche keyword friendly content written by a professional web content writer.

2. Start a Word Press hosted blog and maximize every single post by again hiring your web content writer to write your SEO entries at least 2-3 times a week.

3. Create a facebook business page and start sharing SEO friendly micro-posts DAILY to promote your website and blog.

4. Add website analytics code to your website and blog to determine who is visiting your sites, from where and when. This will tell you how to best optimize your sites and earn a higher rank on Google search stats over time.

5. Expect that it will take from between 45 – 60 days for your website to start showing on Google stats. It takes time to earn traffic and develop pathways to your content online.

6. Maintain your website and blog with fresh content no less then twice a month to keep your stats up. Post company news, articles, press releases, promotions, meta-tagged images, and more to keep interest in viewers.

Something to know: You don’t have to spend a fortune on a website, content or graphics, but remember you get what you pay for. If you want to do this the right way, work with a skilled web copywriter who has the knowledge and experience to handle this the right way, everytime and you will earn your investment back time and time again through new customers!

Want more information? Contact Tess C. Taylor of Taylor Resources Writing today for professional business content marketing help!