Your Definition of Potential Clients is Wrong
What do they really mean by potential clients?
If you search for the definition of potential clients, potential customers, prospective clients or any other keyword with the same meaning, you will encounter all kinds of definitions. You do not need to be intimidated. They are narrowed down to these two. One says that potential clients are simply “those who have the capability to purchase your service or product”. The other is more specific and says “those who have the capability to purchase your service or product AND who have the willingness to do so”. Well, I guess that’s the end of this article, bye!
Fortunately, I have more information than that to bring to the table. Both of these definitions are incomplete. In fact, they are missing the most crucial bit. That is, your potential clients are “those who deem you a real expert in the specific field of your service or product”. I can confidently tell you that this is even more important than the two conditions mentioned above combined. Whether you are a freelance lawyer, a car dealer, a real estate agent, or a marketing agency owner like I am, the single most important factor to consider when finding clients is that they must think you are an expert.
How do I make clients consider me an expert?
So, you may wonder “What should I do to have my clients think of me as an expert?”. First of all and most important of all, you must become one. Yes, you should hone your skills in whatever the service or product you are providing and bring yourself and your service to a pro-level. Would you like to buy nutritional supplements from a salesman who knows nothing other than the information on the product sticker, or from a nutritional supplement columnist who tries different products from different companies every month and shares the pros and cons?
I’m already an expert. What should I do?
Once you become a real expert, the next most important thing to do is to remember the following concept. You are not selling anymore. Your customers are buying instead. This is a surprisingly valuable concept once you fully comprehend its meaning. You are an expert well prepared to provide a professional service to a customer who needs it. You are a credible provider of specific services or products with the right knowledge and ability to deliver correct results, guidance and more. So, you must stop trying to sell but rather start making your customers buy.
Another thing worth mentioning is that you should always be providing your service or product to the right customer. With your expertise and knowledge in the field of your service or product, you have the responsibility to guide your customers in the right direction. If there are other products or services better suited for your customers, you should inform them. Remember that you are not a mere seller but a professional who provides the right product/services to the right customers.
You are “70%” ready by now, what’s the other “30%”?
At this point, you should no longer need to look for clients like before. You have the expertise and the right mindset. Clients must come to you and ask you for your professional service, right? In fact, that won’t happen just yet. Don’t be discouraged though! If you act upon the things discussed above, you are already better than the 70% of your competitors in the market who are merely trying to find fish and sell them their quickly-put-together services or average products.
When you are truly prepared with a professional level of expertise, knowledge, insight and a professional mindset, you now need the right marketing. In this century, having the best product and the most professional mindset is not sufficient. However, this NEVER means that these qualities are not important. Even when nobody recognises them, these qualities must remain the same or even be consistently improving — waiting to be unearthed by your customers and clients. That is when the exponential growth of your business and sales begins to proceed: when your clients realise that you are the person with whom they want to consult. If you have not already noticed, this is the same point you have your true “potential clients”. They have the capability to purchase your services or products, the willingness to do so, and most importantly the belief that you are the expert to consult with.
There are literally countless approaches to execute the right marketing. Yet, all the successful approaches have in common that they are strategic. Marketing must be strategic. I will set out to write a more detailed article on this topic in the near future.
Your definition of “potential clients” is now correct
Yes, finding yourself “potential clients” is much harder than it reads. As you learned in this article, it takes the right expertise, the right mindset, the right customer and lastly the right marketing. That is the takeaway of this article. If you never forget it throughout your business, freelancing, marketing, or sales journey, I guarantee that you will see enormous growth over time.
