Expert: Sam Preisler - 3/3/2008

Question
Hello,

I hope you're doing well.
I represent a young IT consulting and a software development company. My responsibility is to find new clients. Now I am aware of the bidding websites like elance, odesk, omnia and a bunch of others. My question is: how can I improve my marketing and find new potential clients out there?

Answer
This is a simple solution and hard to execute, in this economy there really is only one way to secure new customer make them or take the competitions customers.

only two ways really to do that, the first is the hard way and the most expensive to start but in the long run they provide the greatest return.  the second way and to address your question.

Reputation, the upswing is slow but again your customers will come for the right reason and they will be easier to keep.

Engage in a campaign on references, get them from your current clients by using the approach of referral discounts.  your customers know their competitors and probably don't want you there if you are any good.

Mining customer form a list is not effective, if you cold called me and asked for my business I would ask for sample of your work, references.  Let each of you current customers know that you are offering a 5 - 10% discount on any contact that signs an agreement with you.

Look to expand your offerings into services rather than products, renewing services is easier than offering new products

Use a strategy of multiple approaches (spreads the cost along the entire organization).

Sam Preisler
Quality Evangelist