Go on the HUNT for new customers
Did you know that lions are smart hunters?
Lions do not possess the keenest senses in the animal kingdom. Many other animals (including the animals that the lions are hunting) are bigger or stronger or have a keener sense of smell.
What lions lack in physical ability, they make up for in other ways.
Their sharp eyesight lets them hunt at dusk or even in the dark. The most successful lions use their strengths—patience, eyesight, and teamwork—to become apex predators.
Lions are patient hunters.
Lions will wait hours for a preferred prey animal to come within range. They will hide in tall grass or the bush, moving inch by inch closer to their prey.
And they are smart enough to wait near places where they can expect prey to appear – places like watering holes and animal dens.
So, how does this apply to you?
Your ideal customer is out there, waiting to be found. You will act like a hungry lion and find the “watering holes” where your customers gather to hunt for quality leads.
Where are these watering holes?
Anywhere where people go to talk or ask questions about your type of product or service.
Online forums and Q&A sites.
Quora, Reddit, and Yahoo Answers are the best-known general-purpose sites. However, industry-specific sites, such as Tech Republic or The Manufacturer Community, are more narrowly focused.
Special groups or pages on social platforms.
Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram all host groups, boards, or pages around almost every interest. Look for groups with lots of members and daily activities.
Ideally, start with a half dozen groups on each site to quickly narrow down the best sites for your business.
How can you hunt for leads now that you know where to find your target audience?
Scroll through the comments and look for relevant questions. Answer those questions, making sure you provide value first and foremost.
Spend about 75% of your time answering questions and about 25% posting new content relevant to your expertise. Your post content could be an article from a trade publication you share, tips inspired by questions in the forum, or a link to your website.
Provide value rather than a sales pitch.
This will give your business extra exposure and build your authority and trust. While it’s not fast, it is a sure way to land some sales.
Caution: Don't be "that guy."
If you have spent time on social groups, you probably get weird, oddly friendly messages from people you don't know. After a brief hello, they immediately launch into a sales pitch, trying to spin some thread of connection into a full suit of clothing.
Nothing says clueless faster than DM'ing (direct messaging) someone 10 minutes after you join the group.
Another no-no is trying to take over a group with repeated, spammy sales posts. In many cases, acting this way will get you banned.
Don't be "that guy" because your potential customers will not like it, and you may ruin any future chances of getting them as customers.
What is the best way to "be a lion" and hunt for new customers?
Let’s say you have an SEO service that you sell to mid-sized companies. Your best clients are overwhelmed website managers or technology officers who understand the value of SEO but don't have the time or personnel to DIY this.
First, you'll find the groups and forums where your ideal customer hangs out.
- Where do these customers go to find solutions to their problems?
- What trusted sources do they use when they want to ask questions?
Join the forums and look for questions on the best ways to optimize for SEO.
- Leave an answer such as, “Here are three tips I find work well…(insert your tips here).
- If you want more information, here’s a link to my article listing 17 tested ways to improve your SEO.”
You’ve already given excellent information and value in your answer. Now you are providing free additional resources available - making people more likely to click through to your site.
When they click, you can capture their information and continue the conversation.
Cultivate relationships and become a trusted expert partner.
You have two goals here. Become the trusted expert in the group when anyone wants to know about SEO.
Ideally, other group members will tag you to weigh in on questions. Your second goal is cultivating relationships to offer services to people who know-like-trust you from the groups.
Never underestimate the power of going to leads instead of waiting for them to come to you!
This advice applies to B2C (business-to-consumer) and B2B (business-to-business) sales. You can use the same process to find consumers who could be good customers.
Regardless of the target audience, providing value and proving your trustworthiness before you ask for the sale is key.
You can also emulate lions by hunting with partners.
If you have complementary businesses, you could team up to improve both offers. Architects might find builders. Printers might find event planners.
Being able to offer a broader range of solutions to problems – one-stop-shopping – you can improve your authority and approach bigger clients or more lucrative jobs.
Is hunting for customers online really worth your time?
Social media has revolutionized how businesses connect with their customers, making prospecting for new leads easier and more efficient than ever before.
However, despite its many benefits, social media prospecting comes with its own set of unique challenges. Even an hour or two a week may be worth your time to nurture new audiences and turn them into leads and sales.
But it is typically a long game rather than fast returns.
Four ways you can break through to new customers on social platforms.
Great content and helpful advice.
One of the most significant challenges of using social media to prospect for customers is the overwhelming amount of noise and competition.
With so many businesses and individuals vying for attention on social platforms, standing out and getting noticed can be difficult.
To succeed in social media prospecting, it is essential to create high-quality content that resonates with your target audience and sets you apart from your competitors.
Social platform prospecting requires a mindset different from traditional sales techniques. Instead of closing deals, businesses need to focus on building relationships.
Stay on trend.
Another challenge of social media prospecting is the need to constantly adapt and evolve your strategies as social platforms change and evolve.
Algorithms, trends, and user behaviors constantly shift, so the tactics that worked last year may not be as effective today.
For example, Facebook's recent algorithm change prioritizes content from family and friends over business pages, making it harder for companies to get their message in front of potential customers.
Companies must stay on top of these changes, adjust their strategies accordingly, and stay up-to-date with the latest social media trends and technologies to stay ahead of the competition.
Balance helps with promotion.
Social media prospecting can also be challenging in balancing promoting your business and providing value to your audience.
If your social media activity is too promotional or spammy, you risk alienating your followers and damaging your reputation.
Conversely, if you focus too much on providing value without promoting your products or services, you may struggle to generate leads and sales.
Social platforms are designed for social interaction, not sales pitches. People log onto social media to connect with friends and family, not to be bombarded with advertisements.
Businesses must carefully balance their promotional messages with engaging content that provides value to their followers.
Be consistent – and persistent.
Unlike traditional marketing channels, social media requires a consistent, ongoing effort to build relationships with your audience and generate leads.
This can be challenging for businesses short on time or resources, but it is essential for long-term success.
Businesses need to build relationships with potential customers.
It's not enough to post content, and I hope people will engage with it. To succeed, businesses must actively engage with their followers, promptly responding to comments and messages and providing personalized attention to potential customers.
This can be time-consuming and require a significant investment of resources.
Despite these challenges, social media can be an effective tool for prospecting when used correctly. Businesses that take the time to develop a comprehensive social media strategy and invest in building relationships with their followers can reap the benefits of increased brand awareness, customer loyalty, and, ultimately, sales.
The key is approaching social media prospecting with a long-term view, focusing on building relationships rather than short-term gains.
How can you HUNT for new prospects in new markets?
Take action! Download the worksheet: Be a Lion
Taken from: Profit-ize your Business Book Five: Prospecting, Client Acquisition, and AI for Your Business
Like this post? It was taken from the Profitize Your Business series
