The Big Secret to Winning New Clients May 22, 2013Expert BlogsOff

It’s about 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning, and I already have 80 e-mails to go through. Many of them are spam, but there are a few business requests. In today’s tough economy, I am very fortunate to be able to choose my clients. And if you are not already at this point, you can get there too. How? Excel.

If you put your heart and soul into your work and provide the best results possible, you’ll reap the benefits. For example, before I send an e-mail, deliver a final copywriting project or pick up the phone to pitch a media member, I review my work carefully and ask myself: Is this the best you can do? After all, if I don’t provide my best work every single time, I am not only disappointing my clients, but I am potentially ruining my reputation as a publicist and online copywriter who produces results. And today’s competition is tough. As soon as you relax your work ethics, or you get a little lazy, your business will start to suffer. But the good new is… Word Spreads Fast When You Do Good Work! If you do your best, others will take notice. All of a sudden, your phone will start ringing and your “In Box” will grow larger and larger. That’s the simple secret to keeping your pipeline full of business. If you go above and beyond client expectations by consistently providing fantastic customer service, honest answers and results, they will tell their friends about you.

Fortunately, this process has helped me grow my business, and I regularly receive new client referrals. And here are some tips to help you do the same:

• Act as though your life depends on each project. When you approach each marketing, customer service, publicity, or writing activity, think of it as a “do or die” situation. And if you don’t give 100% of your effort, your business will fail. This may seem a little over-the-top, but by adding a feeling of urgency and importance to every project, you’ll develop a laser-like focus and provide the best possible end-results. Resources: Pink Magazine-“Overcoming Procrastination”
, FlyingSolo.com, 
SlackerManager.com

• Schedule your time wisely. If you are always hurrying through projects to “catch up” and make deadlines, it’s time to stop everything and review your schedule. It’s one thing to promise early delivery of a project to a client, but if you need to rush and provide haphazard work, it’s not worth the stress, money or risk to your professional reputation. And look carefully at your daily routine. Are you wasting time chatting with co-workers, taking breaks or working on mundane activities that you can outsource? You may be surprised once you realize where your time goes, but then you can make the appropriate changes. To accomplish your goals and provide excellent work, it may be necessary to “find” more time by getting up earlier, recording your favorite television shows for later viewing or working in the evening. Resources: Pink Magazine-“Find More Time”
, Time-Management-Guide.com
, ManagementHelp.org, 
Shifting Careers-“5 Time Management Tricks” by Marci Alboher

• Review your processes. Take a moment to look at how you work on various projects from beginning to end and communicate with clients. Ask yourself if there are ways you can save time, help clients solve their problems and improve your skills. Think of all the ways you can exceed customer expectations and take action. And review your processes on a regular basis. Resources: Pink Magazine-“Winning E-Mail Etiquette”, 
JobBankUSA.com, “How to Improve Communication Skills…” by Peter Murphy
, About.com “How to Communicate…” by Elizabeth Scott Work for Results.



By striving for excellence at all times and thinking about the needs of your clients first, you can boost word-of-mouth buzz and grow your business fast. It’s a lot of hard work, but it is well worth it in the long run. After all, it’s always nice to have more control over your time, career…and life!

By Melanie Rembrandt

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