Building your small business in today’s economy might seem like a daunting task, but Marcia McGinn, owner of Distinctive Togs, makes an astute observation. In-person and online, “networking is the way to meet new clients these days – it’s a sign of the times,” she says. “Cold-calling may never be lost or forgotten, but by networking in your business community and on the Web, you can warm up those cold calls.”
McGinn is onto something. With consumer confidence at an all-time low, establishing trust and credibility is more important than ever – and that can be a difficult thing to do during an old-fashioned cold call. Setting aside that dreaded cold call, here are five ways that successful decorators and distributors are building their businesses.
1. Through client referrals. Referrals aren’t just a passive business-building technique where you’re at the mercy of your customer, according to Gino Ventresca, general manager of National Embroidery & Transfer Services Ltd. (asi/299298). “Start with your own customers and ask them for referrals directly,” he says. “The best way to grow your business is building through referrals from your present customers and developing a strong bond with them.” You can ask your clients to refer you informally, or, consider developing a client loyalty program that offers some minor incentives to your clients who bring in referrals. Either way, client referrals are one great way to help your business grow.
2. Through service professional referrals. “I think about who the companies are that can send potential clients to me,” says Don Tillquist, owner of Coastal Embroidery. “Before they come to me, they need a logo and signage for their business, so I develop relationships with graphic artists and sign vendors in town to establish a referral relationship.” According to Tillquist, the beauty of these relationships is that they aren’t just one-way. “They refer their clients over to me, and I send clients over to them,” he says. “You work symbiotically.” Take a look at the artists and other vendors your clients work with and develop a relationship with those other vendors; then watch the referrals come in.
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