Before becoming a software engineer, I worked as a door-to-door salesman. I carried this experience with me and used it to build my own business where I was able to get wholesale clients by making cold calls. This is not something that comes naturally to anyone. There are huge mental hurdles that you must overcome to sell yourself and your skills to a potential client. You owe it to yourself to not let any of that effort go to waste.

It's time to get organized!

The most important phase of outreach is the research you do before you start. The main goal of this phase is to create good replies to any objections that the customer may have. Here are some common objections:

• I already have a website

• I have to talk to my spouse

• We don't currently use our website

Most people that you talk to will have automated responses until you make them think. Here is how I would approach these objections:

• I already have a website

  • That's exactly why I'm calling. I was looking over your site and saw a few areas where I could increase the amount of time customers spend on your site.

• I have to talk to my spouse

  • That's great! Let's go over the details so they understand what I could do for your business.

• We don't currently use our website

  • A lot of owners don't use their websites, but their customers do. I can make your first impression on new customers more impactful by extending the storefront you have put so much work into.

Some of these responses might feel a bit odd at first, but the goal is to slowly break down their automated responses and get them to consider what you are saying. Gathering information puts tools in your toolbelt for breaking down their wall of automated responses.

Gathering Information

I have put together a template that you can follow when doing research for potential clients. You don't have to get all of the information, but more is better. You want to start with local businesses that you can potentially travel to if needed. Your main goal is to get one client. That first client is extremely valuable in your search for more clients. It all starts with ONE.

Here's the template: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Pu61eHrqP8S4bKnQy4t4UWniTu7BZ_4bE_iVMT8--m8/edit?usp=sharing

Here is a brief description of what to look for in each item:

Business Name: business name

Location: business location

Contact Number: phone number

Owner Name: owner's name

Current Website?: Do they have a site? Who built it? Do they pay for a monthly service? Look at the bottom of their website and look for who made the site.

Reviews: How many Google/ Facebook reviews do they have? How good are those reviews? What are some of the negative reviews saying? Try to use these to find ways to improve customer satisfaction.

Improvements: How could you help their business grow with your services? What site improvements? Is their site difficult to navigate? Are photos pixelated? Could you find all of the information easily?

Notes: I use this section when I contact them. When will the owner be in? Best times to call? etc.

Conclusion

I know that the process of reaching out can be such a daunting task, but I hope this will help you feel more prepared for each business you reach out to. In my next post, I will show you how to use your first client to make getting your second client much easier. Thanks for reading!