how to get your first (or next) 10 customers
in a world of silicon valley ‘unicorn’ companies where valuations are often disconnected from revenue, it can be misleading and distract us from the most basic tenant of having a business: sales.
when you’re getting started, finding those first customers can feel daunting. but it doesn’t need to.
and when you do, it creates confidence, validation for your offering, and information on how to better serve your target market.
no matter if it’s day 1 or 1,000 in your business, it’s tempting to focus on the shiny objects that are nice-to-haves (like a flashy website, social media plan, press hits, and so on), but which can move us away from the most essential thing: sales.
i spoke on a podcast whose entire focus is the generation of your first 10 clients. the advice i share also applies to your next 10 if you’ve eclipsed that milestone.
in this 43 minute episode i share stories and tips i’ve never shared before, including guidance outside of sales.
tune in to hear about:
how i got my first client in my first company (2009)
why you should make selling as uncomplicated as possible (and how to do that)
overcoming the false notion that you’re ever ‘starting from scratch’
how to ride on the reputational coattails of those who already trust you
how to create reliable referral engines and raving fans
what to do after you make a sale (because this matters more than the sale itself)
an email template you should have that will improve your client and referral relationships
what a ‘reconnect file’ is and why you should have one
systems you can create to make relationship management fun and simple
why you should aspire to be a superconnector and how that will shortcut your success
the trick to making great (not door-closing) 3-way introductions (and a template for one)
how to build a business to be a vehicle for your freedom
how to do ‘inner diligence’ to tune into your intuition as your ultimate navigation tool
why a coach is not necessary to your success (you heard me right)
why ‘if you build it, they will come’ is wrong
tips on building a platform so people seek you out
why you should always start with the thing that doesn’t scale before you scale
a simple exercise to reignite your ability to dream for yourself
how to grow your customer base once you’ve pulled off all the low-hanging fruit
the superpower of listening to close sales
why you should avoid ‘hacks’ when growing your business