Our favorite way of finding clients

We consider the most fun way to find clients is the cheapest, easiest, and least time consuming method. We simply look for local business web sites and then contact the owners of those sites that look like they did it themselves or had nephew Joe do it because Aunt Mary wants to justify the cost of buying him a computer.

When doing so, there are a number of things to look for before contacting the company.

If the site looks pretty good, check out the spelling and grammar. An idiot can use a template to build a web site, but an idiot will always be an idiot (even if they own a spell checker), so it isn't difficult to find them.

Look at the source code. If the site is made by a WYSIWIG editor, then do an internet search for the same template.

I recently found one that was made using a template. I then did a search for that same template in our new area and found many of them, all looking alike. When I contacted one of the original business owners and pointed out that it was a template and looked like thousands of others on the web (and gave examples), the woman replied, "I spent $7,000 for a copy!" Indeed she did, and paid about several times what it was worth to boot. We'll be starting on her site real soon.

NOTE: That isn't to say you shouldn't hire people using WYSIWIG editors, but ask them if they are using their own graphics, layout, and design before shelling out the bucks.

Should you as a designer be fortunate enough to find a web site that is designed poorly (see ugly), you can contact the owner and ask if they would be interested in professionally designed site.

Remember the comment above about getting "ins" with would-be clients by offering a variety of services? That came into play this past week when we found a site that was not too attractive.

"We're going to do something about it this Fall, but we have to wait until after a tradeshow," the business' secretary said.

"Well, could we provide services for your tradeshow?" I asked. "Perhaps a slideshow for a laptop and projector, complete with music and animation?"

"That sounds interesting," the secretary said. "I'll talk to the owner about it."

The following day, the secretary called and said the owner wanted to talk to us early this week about a slideshow and a web site. The beauty of it all brought tears to my eyes, and I immediately contacted the builder of our new house and added a few amenities.

Your own web site

Obviously, your own web site can and should be a point of advertising for you, but its success depends on how you use it.

To simply have a site won't get it done. We use our site to refer would-be clients to so that they can read about the services we provide. We don't have any forms for people to fill out and immediately order their web site because we think clients deserve more personal, more professional service than that.

If you want a shot at clients out of your area, it is important to promote your site just as you would your client's sites.

Our only regret is that we don't have more time to devote to our own site, but if we had the time we wouldn't be making money.

How can a web site help our business?

Living in a rural area, a lot of businesses we contact ask that question. Their thinking is that they only have local clients, so why do they need a web site that exposes their business to the world? "We aren't going to sell anything to anyone in LA or New York" they may say.

That's probably true, and in some cases I wholeheartedly agree. If that is the case, we'll look for other ways to help them. If that falls through, we go somewhere else.

However, most businesses can use a web site. What it can do for any business is serve as a great advertising tool. Say, for example, that a client comes into your store and looks at a product but walks away without buying it. If that product is on your web site, they can go home and read more about it. It can make the difference between eventually making the sale or not.

You will also want to inform these would-be web site buyers that by being online, their customers will have greater access to support after the sale, which can be a major selling point.

Neither radio, TV, nor newspapers can provide your clients with the advertising as complete and thorough or competition free as a web site can. It is on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week for a fraction of the cost of other media.

We also advise all of our clients to put their web address on any literature they produce, including sales receipts. It helps develop the shoppers' habit of seeing what they may have for sale, on a special sale, or to match or complement something the customer already owns.

That is probably the chief selling point we give to those who like the idea of having a site but think it is little more than an ego trip.

One other benefit is that it provides a business with a more professional appearance, which can translate to more trust and greater sales - for them and for you.

Summary

The bottom line of all this is that there are many ways to get clients, but there is only one way to keep them: Treat them right.

The method you choose to acquire clients can vary from one client to the next, just as they vary from one designer to the next. There is no one method that works every time, and it is important to explore the various methods in order to avoid slow business trends.

How to find clients