The Best Method to Bag a Client for Your Digital Marketing Services

Here is the usual scenario when one of our guys goes to a potential client to pitch them our digital marketing services.

Our Guy(s): Sir, can we have a few minutes of your time, to talk about digital marketing and how it might help your company.

The client (looking our guy(s) up and down): OK, but please make it quick.

Out comes the prepared presentation, with numbers that, hopefully, make sense.

The client (after seeing all of it, but digesting absolutely nothing): But, tell me why should I take your digital marketing services? How will it help me get leads?

There you go, that dreaded question of “Why” and “how can this get me leads.”

But before we get to that, let’s just quickly rundown the rest of the conversation, just so you get the feel of things.

The Client (after the leads question has been answered…somewhat): All this is well and good, but how does this help me. Do you have any experience in this genre of business?

Our Guy(s): Yes, sir. As you’ve seen from our case studies, we have a fair bit of experience, and we have delivered quite a number of leads for clients quite similar to you.

The Client: Yes, but how will you do this for me.

Our Guy(s): We have shown you the numbers sir, this is how.

The Client: So, tell me how much this will cost me.

Our Guy(s) gives him the number, which includes service cost and ad budget per month.

The Client (with eyebrows raised): That much! On what basis, may I ask, you are charging this amount.

Our Guy(s) explains the reasons and logic behind the pricing.

The Client (back to their favorite question): But, how will this generate leads?

You can show them how, be it through some numbers that have been crunched, show them how we can personalize the audience targeting or through case studies from previous clients, elaborating on how we helped them and how digital marketing opened up the pathway to generating leads; but to actually make them see the light, is completely another matter, and something, I have no doubt, most digital marketing firms struggle with, particularly here in India, where this business is still at a fairly nascent stage.

So, just how do you convince the client to take up digital marketing, and show them that this method can be just as effective, if not more, than the traditional methods?

Here’s one that usually works.

Our Guy(s): Sir/Madam, we have created a digital marketing plan for you, showing just how we will chart your path to success, including plans for the future, that will ensure we sustain your growth (ah, such wonderful management speak, huh).

The Client, about to speak, still far from convinced.

Our Guy(s): To convince you sir, we will give you one-week trial/50 per cent discount/insert whatever works and once you see the results, we can go back to the normal pricing.

The Client (more convinced now): OK, fair enough. Let’s go with the trial/discount and we will take it from there.

This is one way to hook the client and make sure he stays with you, by ensuring you deliver the results promised, which in turn gives you the opportunity to go back to the original pricing, eventually, while also opening up the avenue of an upsell or three, since you have earned the client’s trust.

Usually, if this method mentioned doesn’t work, it is probably because a) the client doesn’t have a need or b) the sales team wasn’t able to convince or make the client understand the need.

If there’s no need, there isn’t much you can do; although a great salesperson will still, somehow, find a way. For your sake (the digital agency), the bottom line should be: Hire a great sales team, make sure the sales process is properly structured, with everyone properly informed and on board.

And then, it is a bit of trial and error.

Sometimes, the discounts might work; with others, it will be the free trial. Or, it could be something completely different. Constantly evolving your ideas is important if you are to convince a company to spend hundreds of thousands a year on the kind of marketing that is still a bit of a puzzle to most.