Becoming Your Own Boss (BYOB, 5.1)

In the first series, Becoming Your Own Boss (BYOB, 1.x) "Introduction, Today's Employment Picture", you learned some of the facts related to the current employment picture and examined some of the choices that were available to you. In the second series, Becoming Your Own Boss (BYOB, 2.x) "Examining Your Situation", you answered some key questions to figure out if starting as an independent contractor was a good idea for you. In the third series, Becoming Your Own Boss (BYOB, 3.x) "Preparing for Business", you examined the numerous topics (from taxes and insurance to your need for equipment and an office) that need to be considered before you take the step to establishing an independent contracting business. In the fourth series, Becoming Your Own Boss (BYOB, 4.x) "Establishing Your Business" you learned the many requirements involved in operating a business from the business name and structure to the business forms you will need once you establish your business.

In this article you learn some of the methods that can be used when contacting a prospective client.

Approaching A Prospective Client

There are three primary methods by which approaches are made to prospective clients. These are 1) by telephone, 2) by mail, and 3) by inperson cold call (an unscheduled personal call on the prospective client).

Of the three, the telephone call is preferred. It is more effective than a letter or Email, but it is less intrusive on the client's time than an inperson call, and you have a better chance of actually reaching the client.

Approach By Telephone: In any approach to a prospective client, do everything possible to avoid dealing with the personnel or human resources department. A personnel department deals with employees only. The people there will almost certainly not understand contracting and might actually do more harm than good for you. In almost every instance, they will ask that you send a resume for them to circulate. At best, they will circulate the resume, probably once, perhaps even to the people whom you would like to reach. At worst, they will simply file it with all of the other resumes that they receive.

Attempt in every way possible to reach the actual prospective client; that is, the person who is responsible for the kinds of tasks that you perform.

If you are a hardware or software engineer, you might want to reach a project leader or engineering project manager. If you are a writer, you might want to reach a publications or marketing communications manager. Often, a seemingly inappropriate group might need your services. For example, a manufacturing department might need to develop some application software. Because they have no software engineering resources in their group and other developers in the company are already assigned to development projects, their best option might be to contract the job. While it is unlikely that they will contact you directly, they are likely to contact other engineering managers in their company to get recommendations. If you have already contacted one or more engineering managers at the company, your name is likely to be suggested. Referrals constitute one of your best sources of prospective clients.

Once you reach the prospective client, open the conversation by identifying yourself, giving a very short (one or two sentence) description of your services, and asking if you can be of assistance. (The question, "Might I be of assistance?", is almost always appropriate.) Attempt to determine what the prospective client currently needs, or will need in the near future, in assistance. As appropriate, give a brief sales pitch (softsell) offering your services as a costeffective solution to a problem. Your emphasis should be on exhibiting professionalism, competence, and an interest in helping to solve problems.

If there is an immediate need for assistance, unless you already know the client, do not attempt to close a sale on the telephone. Instead, suggest setting up an appointment for sometime later. If haste is appropriate, the "later" could be later in the same day. The delay will give you time to gather appropriate samples of your work and to otherwise prepare for the meeting. Face-to-face contact with the client is very important and it must be done well.

It is best not to attempt to do a fullblown sales presentation on the telephone. If the prospective client insists upon going into detail on the telephone, you have something of a problem. At that point, the situation becomes much like a first interview, except that you are at a distinct disadvantage because you are limited to one sales tool, your voice. Attempt to turn the conversation to setting up a face-to-face meeting. If you are not successful and the client insists on details, you have no choice but to continue the conversation. In such case, you might use some or all of the points that we describe in the later article on first interviews.

If there is no immediate need for a meeting, follow up with a modified introductory packet mailed no later than the next day. Refer to the "Business Marketing Literature" topic in BYOB, 4.4 for information on introductory packets and on preparing such packets. Carefully appraise the prospective client and the importance of the first impression to determine which packet to send. As to contents, this introductory packet is somewhat special. It should include the following three or four items:

1. A letter thanking the prospective client for taking the time to chat with you on the telephone. This letter should be no more than one page long. If the conversation was fairly extensive, this might be a custom letter. In such case, it would probably be appropriate to include also the customized introductory letter to more fully introduce your services. If the conversation was not very extensive, this might be a carefully customized introductory letter. In either case, the letter might include clarification of points made in the phone conversation, if necessary.

2. Your outline resume if you have one; if not, your regular resume.

3. A business card.

Make an entry in your activity tickler file to telephone the prospective client in two to three weeks. Your ostensible reason for the call will be to make certain that the packet was received and that there were no questions left unanswered. However, your real reason will be to make certain that the prospective client remembers you and to inquire carefully if there have been any changes in the needs for services.

Dependent upon your appraisal of the prospective client based on the original call and the second call, make entries in your tickler file to call the prospective client on a fairly regular basis. The frequency might range from every month for a good prospect to every two to four months for a not-so-good prospect.

NOTE: There is a fine line between professional inquiries and bothersome telephone calls. Evaluate the attitude of the prospective client often and change your calling schedule as appropriate.

If there is no good prospect for a contract after four months or so, it is probably best to stretch the interval to six months or more or establish with the prospective client a more propitious time to call again.

Approach By Mail or Email: Given a choice whether to send a letter or an Email message, it is almost always better to send a letter. Emails are more easily relegated to the trash bin or SPAM folder. With less and less hard copy communications now-a-days, a prospective client is more likely to actually read a letter, because of its novelty if nothing else.

As with the telephone approach to a prospective client, do everything possible to avoid dealing with the personnel department. Attempt in every way possible to obtain the name of the actual prospective client; that is, the person who is responsible for the kinds of tasks that you perform. If that is not possible, try to determine the name of the prospective client's department.

If you have the name, send an introductory packet, with a customized introductory letter, to the person. (Appraise the situation and the prospective client to determine which packet to send.)

If you cannot determine the name, but you can determine the department name, send an introductory packet, in a Number 10 envelope, to the department head.

If you cannot determine either the name or department of the prospective client, send an introductory packet, in a Number 10 envelope, to the purchasing department (or whatever department is responsible for purchasing services).

If you do not receive a reply within two to three weeks, follow up with a telephone call to the person to whom, or department to which, you sent the packet. If you still do not have it, try again to obtain the name of the client.

InPerson Cold Call: The inperson cold call is often not very productive but, if you cannot reach the prospective client by other methods, it is sometimes worthwhile. Attempt to obtain the name of the prospective client from the receptionist. If conditions seem conducive, ask for an introduction to the prospective client, but remember that a cold call can be somewhat risky if you do manage an introduction and the prospective client is very busy or not in a good mood.

In preparation for the possibility of meeting with a prospective client, prepare an introductory packet or two, in 9-by-12 envelopes, just to be safe. (see BYOB, 4.4)

If you do arrange a meeting with the prospective client, keep the visit short, don't press, and don't expect much. Always state a reason why you decided to resort to the cold call. Perhaps you were in the area and, because the prospective client was on your list of people to contact in the next few days, you thought that a personal visit might be worth a try. Unless the prospective client is clearly interested in more, keep the visit rather light. Deliver a brief sales pitch and carefully attempt to determine what the prospective client currently needs or might soon need for services. Leave an introductory packet with the prospective client. Follow up with a personal letter within several days. The letter should thank the prospective client for the meeting and recognize any inconvenience caused by the unscheduled nature of the meeting. It might also include clarification of points made in the meeting.

If you did not meet the prospective client, but you did obtain a name, do one of the following:

• Leave a handwritten personal note and an introductory packet. If you leave a note, it should state that you will call on the telephone within several days, and offer thanks for any consideration.

Or:

• Send an introductory packet, with a customized introductory letter, within several days. (Appraise the situation and the prospective client to determine which packet to send.)

If you did not meet the prospective client and did not obtain a name, send an introductory packet, in a Number 10 envelope, to the purchasing department (or whatever department is responsible for purchasing services) within several days.

The next article in this series (BYOB, 5.2) addresses the topics of doing well at a client interview and mainitaining an existing client relationship.

To read the rest of the series click here