[thelist] Getting New Business

[Daniel E. Boen]

Ah getting business, my favorite subject...

I'm finding that word of mouth and keeping your clients happy is the way it
happens.  The two big potentials on my dock are:

- one website that I'm bidding on as a result of knowing the daughter of the
man in charge.

- one website that I did over a year ago that's been pretty much a digital
mothball, but now good fortune has given them some real budget dollars -
we're now talking about how much coolness they can get for the buck.  These
guys are old friends of mine.

Growing a business takes time and patience just like everything else.
Promote your strengths and give the clients you have an immeasurably good
experience.  They'll talk about you too.

All search engines have gotten me is spam regarding how they can register me
on more search engines.

One thing that works well for a lot of one person companies is
COLLABORATION.  There's no reason to work 20 hours per day and let your
kitchen get messy and the cat go hungry when you can toss some work to your
idle colleagues who have no business and are working on their virtual toys.
Everyone benefits: 

- the client gets the project sooner and is delighted
- your colleague gets more business and another site on the resume
- you get a life
- everyone gets paid
- you don't have to look at your colleague's virtual toy

The next time, it's the colleague who gets the enormous project with the
ridiculous deadline, and work comes your way.  But remember, like everything
else, it takes time to get to this point too.

And don't forget: The web is a giant plate of steaming ring baloney.



> Sharon,
> Referrals are the best source of business. Advertising on search engines and
> others web sites is great, but generally produces very minimal results. When
> your name comes up in conversation it is the best source for work.
> Believe it or not, e-mail signatures work quite well too. I get e-mails from
> people on lists all the time because they clicked on my signature link.
> The best way to get work is to talk to people. Tell everyone you know, that
> you are looking for contract work. Be sure to let them know what your
> specialties are. Give your friends and family business cards. It is amazing
> how many times your skills will come up in conversation.
> 
> And to Eric:
> <snip>
> personally, I groan when I find out a
> person can do everything from make a resume to analyze an Oracle
> view, and oh yeah, I'm also a high-end audio consultant and I've
> fixed several garage doors.
> </snip>
> 
> I would have to agree about making a website that portrays this. But
> sometimes when you are trying to start out and get business this is very
> important to tell your existing clients. If they are happy with what you
> have done so far why would they try to find someone else to do other stuff
> because it wasn't in your original scope. Tell them what you can do! Don't
> flaunt it but make it clear that you have the ability to do more.
> 
> <snip>
> Posting to developer lists at 11:30 on a
> Saturday night gives a clearer indication that you're some kind of
> inhuman freak, anyway.</snip>
> 
> Some of us actually have deadlines on projects that are unattainable. And we
> work late at night on some weekends to try to achieve these goals. On these
> crazy weekend nights, we tend to take a break by reading through and
> answering e-mails. And I don't think of myself as inhuman or a freak but a
> dedicated individual.
> 
> Thanks,
> Brad Miller
> www.rapidfx.com
> "Our name says it all"
> 
> 
> 
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-- 
Daniel Boen
ThePlate
http://the-plate.com
612.990.2522