I work with a firm that offers services to small businesses, how do I approach them?

Question

I work with a company that offers services to small businesses (less than a 100 employees), as well as those that are self employeed and work out of their home in many states.

Our services are designed to protect and grown businesses by giving them access to services that BIG business enjoy, such as consultations with Accountants, Tax Advisors, HR Directors, IT Managers, Hosting a website and putting it together with unlimited changes. In addition to all of this my firm is there to protect the business legally by offering consultations, contract review, debt collection, and representation in civil suits among a few other things.

I am very excited to be involved, I am just not sure how to approach my target market. It seems people are so inundated with information that they are in a blur or they can't see how so much could be offered for so little. I need ideas of how to get them to see it, but more importantly see me.
Thanks

Answer 1

Have you thought about pay per click programs? The two biggest, I think, are Yahoo! and Google

A few free resources – check out the sources box for links:

1) Create a blog pertaining to your field

2) Use Yahoo! Local & Yahoo! Groups – Be sure to read the TOS for each one!

3) Write articles pertaining to your field and/or expertise.

4) Advertise on Craiglist

Also, consider signing up for an affiliate program. These programs enable you to advertise on other's sites (your affiliates) and once a sale is made to you, your affiliates & the program are paid a commission.

I listed a few handy sites & articles relating to marketing, promotion & advertising. Here are some book titles that are relevant:

* 301 Do-It-Yourself Marketing Ideas: From America's Most Innovative Small Companies by Sam Decker
* Off The Wall Marketing Ideas: Jumpstart Your Sales without Busting Your Budget by Nancy Michaels, Debbi J. Karpowicz
* Guerrilla Marketing for Free: Dozens of No-Cost Tactics to Promote Your Business and Energize Your Profits by Jay Conrad Levinson
* Entrepreneur Magazine's Ultimate Small Business Marketing Guide: Over 1500 Great Marketing Tricks That Will Drive Your Business Through the Roof by James Stephenson

Hope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!

Answer 2

Hey Don;
For any business, to approach the manager or the owner is a bit tricky. The best way that I did is I had some friends who are business owners network my business for me, I had several phone calls from prospective business owners call me up to set up an appointment with them to show them my offer. Mostly I help businesses with their internet service using either T1 (DSL) or Broadband depending on what kind of business service they need and the connecton speed. So if you have any friends in the business community see if they will network for you, the other way is go to your local Chamber of Commerce and see if you can go to some of their functions, like parties or dinners, mingle around with a supply of business cards and talk to other business owners (do not forget to ask for their business card) in a couple of days call them up, do some idle chit chat about the function then bring up the subject about what you can do for their business and try to arrainge an appoint to see them to explain in more detail what you can offer their business. It takes time but the end result once you get use to it you should be able to close more contracts then you will at the beginning. Make yourself known.

Answer 3

Talk to people at church, social gatherings, the grocery store, etc. and network. Your local chamber of commerce can be a gold mine for that kind of stuff as well. The more people you know, and who know you, the better.

You also need a very attractive, informative flier or brochure and a well prepared speech that you can tailor to the companies specific needs. Perfect it until it's natural and you can say it in your sleep. You can use that for in person and over the phone conversations.

You're right that people have way too much useless, or wrong, information and you need to convey a high sense of professionalism. Above all, you need to convince them that you have something they need, not something nice or convenient, but something necessary.

Answer 4

Try to offer them free services that won't get you harm.
Then I believe most of them will willing to be your clients for free at the begining. Once they are your clients you will have a better understanding of thier business; so at this time you can come up with the right on their hot button services to offer for them; now they need to pay. And I can sure you, if your free service is good and touch their need the pay service will have no problem for them.

Answer 5

With two AK-47's, and some grenades.