Chase or Be Chased?

I kind of do both.
I implement the scarcity tactic, which makes businesses come to me and compete for my services with Local SEO. But, I do initiate it, by letting several businesses in the same areas know about my service.
However, for website services I send reps after businesses.

Wow, who doesn't like to be chased.

I do a ton of face-to-face networking, Chamber of Commerce, leads groups, etc. Groups like these you only have a minute or two for your commercial so it's tough to really sell much in that short a time.

What's worked really well for me has been my weekly newsletter. When I'm at our chamber meeting sitting around the table with seven other folks and it's my turn for my one minute here's what I say:

I have a free weekly computer tips newsletter and if I got your card here today with your e-mail address on it I'm going to send you an invitation to it. Raise your hand if you don't want me to send that invitation.

In the many years I've done this I've only ever had one person that did in fact raise their hand.

My newsletter keeps me top of mind and reminds them passively that I'm around. I become a valued resource that they come to when they need help... so I guess mostly I'm chased.

God's design for all of us is not to be a tail but rather a head. So I want to be chased.

Really dependant of where you are with in your marketing efforts.

If you are starting out... Chase.

If you are full.... Be Chased.

More often than not though. I see people on this forum that are struggling to get going.

I see people spending so much time trying to position themselves to be chased. When your MAJOR competitor is out there doing both.

They chase... Cold Call, and prospect over the phone. Then they sit back. I think a combination of the efforts is really what's in my best interest.

Never... and I mean NEVER be afraid to walk away from a deal.

I have had instances where I would get up and say... "Well, thank you for your time.."

And as I was walking through the door the business owner said..... "Hey.... wait a second." Then we re-opened dialog and the deal got done. Some people like to know they are doing business with someone that has b@lls.

They need that re-assurance. I don't want to do business with a flake or someone not manly enough to stand his ground. That just shows lack of a spine.

When starting out... all I did was chase. I found it so effective, and I am still making money from it.... That I let other people do the chasing for me.

For every 100 letter that you send, and wait to get an email response or phone call... questioning in the back of your mind if this is going to work, etc.

I can make a 100 phone calls and get an appointment, or 5. If I don't close a deal over the phone... then get a couple of appointments so that I can keep the funnel flowing.

That is just my experience. Not something I read somewhere and preach as gold even though I haven't put it into action. Which I see alot of on WF.

My experience and my experience only. I would suggest trying both ways at once. And see which gets the best results for you.

If your just starting out your going to starve trying to position yourself as the one being chased. It takes a lot of effort to position yourself as some one who is sought out, it can be done though.

I think if your starting out you need to be chasing while positioning yourself to be sought out.

Once you achieve the level where people and companies are seeking you out I would still do some chasing, but only for the types of accounts I'd consider juicy and really worth it.

You know, the kind you can stick a feather in your hat and say, I am taking care of "that" company!

Getting chased does not require any more effort than "chasing," it just a matter of how position your business and your solutions.

Like anything, there is an effective way and an inefficient way to generating clients.

If you chase clients, I guarantee you'll be wasting much more energy, time, and resources than you truly have to...but to each their own.

My members all know how to position themselves properly from the beginning, and have gone out and been ASKED to sit down with the business owner shortly after meeting them.

Food for thought!

~Dexx

People who chase you also tend to value your work more, and pay that much more for your services. So by that logic, any effort you have to put out to be chased would be more than repaid by the kind of customers you'd get.

Gone out doing what?

My point is, you have to start somewhere. Positioning take effort just like anything else, but it does not happen overnight. You have to go out and get some business to get started while you work on positioning at the same time.

Wow, this is interesting over here, i like this.

Well, i think that being chased would leverage our time and effort to do other productive things to grow our businesses, but for that t happen i think you need a SYSTEM in place that will bring customers to you, would you guys agree?

Ydris

I do agree Ydris.... Yet...

Part of my system... is spending XX amount of time cold calling...

It's what gets me more business than anything else.

That being said though... Any business should have 5 different marketing streams working at the same time all at once.

For me... cold calling is the best... most cost effective and results oriented marketing stream. But that doesn't mean I don't do other things...

There is sooooo much that can be done.

Direct Mail - Marketing Stream
Business Cards - Marketing Stream
Emails - Marketing Stream
Flyers - Marketing Stream
Network Meetings - Marketing Stream
Better Business Bureau - Marketing Stream

The list really goes on.... on and on... and on..... till the break o' dawn.

If you are just doing one... do cold calling...

If you are just starting out... and need money fast... Cold Call.

If you want to finance other marketing streams.... Cold call....

Just my experience.... you can do what works for you.