Getting your initial customers

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Getting your initial Customers

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There’s NO one RIGHT way!

Getting your initial Customers

There’s no easy answer for you here. You can’t input your industry, product, pricing, and positioning into an algorithm and churn out the answer to who you should sell to, what you should say, and how you’re going to find them.

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Toughest Question

Your business concept seems sound and your marketing and

PR plans all look well and good, but tell me:

Where are you going to get the first THREE customers who will actually pay for your product?

Because until you have them, I don't see how you really have a BUSINESS here.

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Toughest Request

I was totally product focused for the last year and now it’s live, so I need to start thinking about finding some customers. Any advice will help.

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GO and get your first 3 customers!

• Stop building complex marketing strategies for customers you don’t have. • Your first goal is to get 3 customers

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Who is a Customer?

A Customer Is Someone Who Gives You Money Initiator: The individual who initiates the

search for a solution to the customer’s problem

Influencer: Individuals who have influence on the purchase decision

Decider: The individual who incorporates the views of the initiator and influencers in making the final decision about which product or service is purchased

Purchaser: The individual who actually pays for the product or service

User: The end consumer of the product or service

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Face the Reality

Get IN FRONT of your potential customers and SHOW THEM how their life could be better with your product/service

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How to Identify your potential Customers

• Who is your exact client, and where do they go to look for a solution to their pain problems? • Where are people already looking for solutions

to problems, and how can you make a match between them and your service?• People with problems are eager for solutions• Make Sure You Get A Smart User• Don’t Try to Sell a Bicycle to a Fish• How we specifically solved the pain problem• Learning From Our Competitors’ Customers

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KYC- Know your Customer

• "Tell me about [pain point]."• "Describe your daily routine [with regards

to pain point]."• "What are you currently using [with

regards to pain point]."• "What do you like/dislike about your

current solution."• "How and where do you get information to

make decisions about [pain point]."• "How valuable would it be to have a

solution to [pain point]."

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FAIL Fast and Turn your SHIP

You can mis-step constantly without it being fatal, if your eyes are open and you’re being honest about what’s happening. You don’t have to pick the right step each time. That’s what “fail fast” means.

Also there’s more than one “correct” next step. Lots of steps will do just fine. You’re not seeking the One True Path, but rather any path that isn’t so circuitous that your finances or resolve runs dry before you reach the end.

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Become an EXPERT

If you can get your early customers to trust you as a knowledgeable resource in your subject area, they will buy from you.

The key here is not to fake it. Before you start to prove your expertise, you have to develop it

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How Value and Expertise works

• Try to produce an insane amount of VALUE BEFORE charging, then it's impossible for people NOT to buy from you. • You just have to put your work out there and claim your brilliance at it. Step up to the plate and keep swinging till you make contact. The only person that holds you back or limits you, is you.

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Why First Customers are Critical?

Legitimize your offering, demonstrating that YES, there is indeed a market for your products and services.

Provide valuable feedback to help you improve your business operations.

Give you real testimonials, which you can leverage in subsequent marketing campaigns.

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Dissatisfied Customer

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How to earn money from your clients

• Be as honest and open as possible with your customers. They need to be comfortable with you and trust you. Without trust there is no loyalty.

• Customize Intelligently • Support Before Referencing• Reward With Recognition• What about pricing? How do I test that? Can I

negotiate as a freelancer?• What exactly should I offer, and how should I

structure my service? Hourly? By project?• How do I get referrals? Should I be networking?

How do I do that without wasting my time?• When do I raise my rates?

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Create partnerships for credibility.

• Find your Credible Business Partner• Build your Marketing Channel• Identify your stakeholders

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Networking

• Going to Local Meetups• Getting Involved With Local Incubators• Join Business Forums & Communities• Attend Business Events• Learn the ART of NETWORKING

Smart people Do Network others just Look for Work

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Referrals

• Reaching Out to your Existing Network• Use every relationship you haveIt’s hard enough to make cold calls, but it’s extremely difficult to sell new, innovative products and services using that method.

You need to meet with people who have some connection to you, no matter how slight.

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An Elevator Pitch

Your pitch should include intriguing details about your business, paving the way for questions and conversation.

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An Elevator Pitch- Mind the 9 Cs

1. Concise. Keep the pitch succinct and clear, with as few words as possible.

2. Clear. The pitch should be easily understood by a layman, rather than filled with acronyms and industry terminology.

3. Compelling. What problem does your business solve, and what can you do for your target audience?

4. Credible. Spell out what makes you qualified to do what you do, without using buzzwords like "outside the box" or "synergy." Using credibility-driven words like "certified" will help sell you.

5. Conceptual. Keep your pitch broad; don't go into too many details.6. Concrete. The pitch should be tangible and easily grasped by your

audience.7. Customized. Each target audience is different. The pitch should be

tailored to the listeners.8. Consistent. No matter how many versions of your pitch you have,

they should all convey the same basic message.9. Conversational. Start the conversation, and hook your target. Keep

it casual, and don't try to close a deal in the pitch.

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How to do a sales pitch in 30 seconds

• Your Name, Company Name – 2 sec• Service Domain/Area of Business you are into -3 sec• Your Unique Selling Proposition – 10 sec• Expertise /Certification/ Credibility- 10 sec• Specific ask for an appointment – 5 sec

Remember SPECIFIC is TERRIFIC!

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Tips

• Create high-quality content• Test, test and test again• Set up a waiting list.• Build suspense• Work with early adopters• Use your personal network• Incentivize customers to sell your product• Offer a free product option• Affiliate marketing• Speak at conferences• Online advertising

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More Tips from Succesful Entrepreneurs

• Do what you are good at. Go after it. Do it cheap and don't spend money before you make money. Charge what you want to charge and want to earn.

• Start with really small potential customers and use them as your sales people once you've over-satisfied them for larger customers.

• If you don't eat, sleep and breathe what you do, you'll never stick with it, nor put in the hours necessary to make your business work.

• Sell your vision to visionaries before you sell reality to realists• If you have free users, don't ask people if they'll pay. Put a

price up and charge them.

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• Find that edge... even go over it because good things can come from making mistakes vs. never getting in the game. Anybody can bitch from the cheap seats!!! Be a player...

• Word of mouth is so powerful in a service orientated business. Make sure all your friends and family know what you are doing so they can help spread the word.

• Strike up a conversation. Give free value up front. Do excellent work, and then procure referrals.

• Start small and aggressive.

• Be accessible, ask questions and listen. Work with you want to work with. It makes your work more enjoyable and your business grow.


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• Work with other startups in the beginning. They're smart, love to try out something new and don't have a lot of money to waste.

• Don't wait to take action. A plan without execution is worse than execution without a plan.

• Make sure you have people committed to pay you before you build v1.

• Build relationships with key influencers and potential 'referral partners' who are connected within your target customer's circles, and offer to help them, do great work, even do it for FREE


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Thank YouBusiness Contact:

Anaz Kabeer, CEO & Director,

ValueFoc Technologies Private Ltd. Kochi, India

Phone:[email protected]

www.valuefoc.com

Safety, Reliability and Energy Efficiency Strategies to make organizations safe, smarter and

sustainable

http://www.valuefoc.com/