5 things your business NEEDS to get more clients

BY BIG CAT CREATIVE
 

So, you've started your business, congrats! That's probably the hardest part. But maybe you don't have a waiting list full of clients yet. Or, any clients at all. Before you completely throw in the towel, read this list of the 5 things you NEED to get more clients or sales. These 5 things will position your business as professional, established, trustworthy and it will help attract the right sort of clients. So do you have all of these things? Are you sure, or do you just THINK you have them? 

1. Professional Website

I’m starting with probably the most important of them all (I swear I’m not biased!)

Having a professional website gives your business so much credibility. Does your business even exist if there’s no website for it? I guess these days, you’re halfway there if you have a Facebook page, but if you want to be taken seriously as a credible business, a website is where it’s at.

The emphasis here is on professional. This means built by a professional, or at least someone with some understanding of how website should look.

These days it’s SO easy to jump online and build your own website, which is a great thing, but it also means that every man and his dog can build a website and call it done.

If your website is bad, it WILL do more damage than good.

If you visit a website that’s ugly, clunky, takes forever to load, you can’t view it properly on your mobile device or the photos are all pixelated (I could literally go on for hours about all of the things that can go wrong) then you would leave it fast, and with a lingering bad impression. If your DIY website possesses these qualities, you can guarantee visitors will do the same thing.

If you really do want to DIY your website, I would 200% recommend Squarespace. 

Related Post > How to Create a Gorgeous Website in Just Days

2. Professional Email Address

This is often overlooked but so easily amended. If you have a website (which you now know you should have) then you can easily get a new business email address.

The amount of personal and family email addresses I see being used for businesses is, well, too many. I’m talking about barbiegirlxo@hotmail.com and johnrachelandkids@gmail.com.

If I see this sort of email address attached to a business, I’m immediately going to take it less seriously. Most potential clients will be thinking the same.

Professional email addresses cost about $0-$5 p/month so there’s no excuse not to get one! You can even get them through Gmail (it’s called G-suite) so if you’re familiar with Gmail, it’s super easy! 

3. Portfolio

This is essential. Whatever your industry is, you need to display a portfolio of your work (especially if it’s anything visual!). People want to see what they are putting their money towards, and if they can’t, they probably aren’t going to purchase.

Not only do they need to see if your work is even good (just being honest), they need to get an idea of the style and if it’s a right fit for them.

If you don’t have the experience behind you to have any portfolio pieces, make some. In your own time, unpaid, put the work in and create pieces for your portfolio. Create good pieces that you’re proud of.

If it doesn’t make sense for you to create for the sake of the portfolio, you could reach out and offer unpaid work to family or friends, or anyone really, to build pieces for your portfolio. For example if you’re a copywriter, it might even be easier to reach out to a few people and offer some free copywriting/editing, rather than create copywriting from scratch.

However you have to do it, just do it!

If you work on a project for someone and it doesn’t actually reflect your preferred style of work (this actually happens a lot) then don’t put it in your portfolio! There’s no requirement that says you have to put everything you’ve ever worked on in there. My portfolio is only full of the pieces I’m really proud of, and the pieces that reflect the work and style I want to be doing in the future.

4. Testimonials

Testimonials are just proof of how awesome you are. If you’re thinking about investing in something, especially something pricey, you ALWAYS read reviews or testimonials. Do you go to a restaurant without recommendations or reading reviews? Not usually, I know I don't.

The fact that other people are backing your work is a huge advantage. It makes you seem more reliable and trustworthy, and it’s hard enough trusting someone you know, let alone someone you probably found on the internet.

My point for this one is, make sure you are getting testimonials off your clients! Display them on your website and integrate them into your Social Media.

Get your clients to vouch for you, and post about you, and be persistent about it! Not only does this show potential clients that you rock, it can also bring in word of mouth/referral clients.

5. Confidence

Confidence in yourself, but also confidence in your product and the value you believe it has.

You can’t sell anything to anyone if you’re not confident to jump on a call with them, or clearly explain what your service is, or not shudder when they ask what your pricing is.

Deliver everything with confidence, no matter what stage you’re at.

I think this is one of the hardest steps because it takes a while to be confident in what you offer. If you’re just starting out, there’s a good chance you’re not confident.

A good way to build up your confidence, but still get the one on one client experience, is to initially charge less for your services. Then, you can learn and earn, and still be confident that the client is getting good value for what they are paying. (And by earning, it may end up being hardly anything. But learning and gaining experience and a client base is priceless when you’re just starting out)

This is what I did at the beginning. Even though I knew I could deliver something great, my confidence was low because of my lack of experience. I couldn’t justify or be confident charging premium prices when I didn’t have the experience.

You can’t just jump in and charge premium prices, but you can work your way up to it. The more confident you are in yourself and in your services, the more you will be confident to charge.

Whatever price range or products you’re offering, you should be confident. Or at least, act like you are!

So what's the verdict, do you have these 5 things down? If not, get to it ASAP! Let me know in the comments below what you're struggling with, and as always, good luck!

Thanks for reading!
Erica