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Go to them---Come to you ?

by acw
11 replies
Hi Friends,

There are 2 basic systems in business for acquiring Clients. Go to them or have them come to you. Specialty Lawyers, Dr's, Specialized businesses have the luxury of getting ppl to call them. However, some still prefer the Go to them approach. Each has its own method of Target Marketing and working from a group or list of names, addresses, contacts, etc.

1. Go to them
-aggressive approach
-door to door
-telemarketing
-set appointments
-land the deal

2. Come to you
-heavy advertising
-get potential clients to call you
-have a niche product
-somewhat of a Unique product that customer needs
-refferals

I'd like to open up the thread to discuss IDEAS related to these 2 types of marketing...and i've done both. Each has its pluses and minuses and their are limits to each.

Which do you prefer...and why?
Which type of business should use one or the other...and why?
#themcome
  • Profile picture of the author Ron Lafuddy
    Originally Posted by acw View Post

    Go to them---Come to you ?

    Which do you prefer?
    I'd prefer to offer a link to a thread that is already running on this very subject.

    http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...ds-2014-a.html
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    • Profile picture of the author acw
      Originally Posted by Ron Lafuddy View Post

      I'd prefer to offer a link to a thread that is already running on this very subject.

      http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...ds-2014-a.html
      ...I SAW that thread. The basic conclusion was "referrals" were the preferred way of getting LEADS.

      HOWEVER, working and waiting for "referrals" is a LONG and arduous process. It works primarily with Professional services (dentist, accountant, atys, dr's, etc) IT can take years to get enough clients to spread the word about you. Not necessarily going to work for a carpet cleaning company or AC installer. YOU will get some business from referrals just by staying in business.

      BUT, if you want business NOW...how do you get it?

      Remember this ----Bill Gates never waited for Referrals.

      Anyone else?
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      • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
        Originally Posted by acw View Post

        ...I SAW that thread. The basic conclusion was "referrals" were the preferred way of getting LEADS.

        HOWEVER, working and waiting for "referrals" is a LONG and arduous process. It works primarily with Professional services (dentist, accountant, atys, dr's, etc) IT can take years to get enough clients to spread the word about you. Not necessarily going to work for a carpet cleaning company or AC installer. YOU will get some business from referrals just by staying in business.

        BUT, if you want business NOW...how do you get it?

        Remember this ----Bill Gates never waited for Referrals.

        Anyone else?
        You want them to come to you. Videos, articles, interviews, guest blogs, PR, and websites.

        AFTER you have done all you can do there...you cold call. Because you have to wait between calls to you.

        But even direct mail...which means you are going to them....is a way to get them to come to you. It's a matter of positioning.

        Now, when you are starting out? You cold call first. Why? Because it takes time to build the streams of incoming leads.
        Signature
        One Call Closing book https://www.amazon.com/One-Call-Clos...=1527788418&sr

        “Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise; seek what they sought.” - Matsuo Basho
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        • Profile picture of the author vndnbrgj
          Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

          You want them to come to you. Videos, articles, interviews, guest blogs, PR, and websites.

          AFTER you have done all you can do there...you cold call. Because you have to wait between calls to you.

          But even direct mail...which means you are going to them....is a way to get them to come to you. It's a matter of positioning.

          Now, when you are starting out? You cold call first. Why? Because it takes time to build the streams of incoming leads.
          It depends on what you are offering. In my case ^^^^^ this.
          It is all about positioning.
          Signature
          Life Begins At The End Of Your Comfort Zone
          - Neale Donald Wilson -
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          • Profile picture of the author acw
            Originally Posted by vndnbrgj View Post

            It depends on what you are offering. In my case ^^^^^ this.
            It is all about positioning.
            Exactly...so what are you offering and why do you choose one marketing route over another?
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      • Profile picture of the author shane_k
        Originally Posted by acw View Post

        ...I SAW that thread. The basic conclusion was "referrals" were the preferred way of getting LEADS.

        HOWEVER, working and waiting for "referrals" is a LONG and arduous process. It works primarily with Professional services (dentist, accountant, atys, dr's, etc) IT can take years to get enough clients to spread the word about you. Not necessarily going to work for a carpet cleaning company or AC installer. YOU will get some business from referrals just by staying in business.

        BUT, if you want business NOW...how do you get it?

        Remember this ----Bill Gates never waited for Referrals.

        Anyone else?
        It astounds me how many people think that getting referrals takes a long time.


        You can get referrals on day 1 of your business.

        All you have to do is to start asking for them.

        Who do you ask?

        Your current network of people that you know.

        In fact before you open up for business you should looking at your network and creating a list of people who

        will want to use your service

        or

        will most likely know someone else who will

        here's an exercise.

        Think of 3-5 people in your network who are those kind of people who have no problem meeting others, and they themselves have a huge network of friends, family, contacts, etc.

        Do you think those 3-5 people might possibly know someone who could use your services?

        The reason that alot of marketers say that referrals take a long time is usually because they don't know how to get them, or how to ask for them.

        Check out a guy named steve hochman on youtube, his niche is personal training but he has some great videos on asking for and getting referrals.
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  • Profile picture of the author AmericanMuscleTA
    I prefer direct-response marketing and having clients come to me.

    If you ask my dad he'll say to cold call all day long. He's got the skills. I don't, but I'm learning them... And, I still prefer having clients come to me.
    Signature

    David Hunter | Duke of Marketing
    www.DukeOfMarketing.com
    www.BibleAndFriendsYouTube.com

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  • Profile picture of the author misterme
    At the age of twelve I found if you don't chase after girls, they chase after you. And things work out better when the interest is incoming.

    Then I found the same thing applies to business.

    Here's a story about one effort in getting people to call.

    Recently I put out a new offer on my blog. The call to action was telling people to call me. There were no calls.

    Figuring they don't like calling, I added an email to the call to action, and I got emails. But what good is that, trading emails back and forth? I want to speak to people. So I changed the CTA to email + include your phone number. So I got emails with phone numbers and in turn, left voicemails all over town which weren't getting returned.

    So I changed the CTA to trigger an autoresponder that tells them they have to call me, and now some people are calling. The very thing they didn't do in the first place.
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    • Profile picture of the author Biz Max
      Obviously them coming to us is preferred as they are pre-qualified and less
      price resistant... I like it whether it be via referrals or some form of direct
      response advertising. Online and off.

      I do also mix in some more proactive tactics on clients I really want. You can't
      always be passive. I like mixing it up but do my best to get them to 'find' me
      Signature
      Small Business Marketing & Branding Specialist
      http://BrandWhisperer.net
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  • Profile picture of the author PapaPizza
    Only 10% of my clients are in my city. Those are the only ones I "go to." Even then, most of that biz is done over the phone or online. Key is good communication. Amazing how many consultants don't get that.
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  • Profile picture of the author acw
    Thanks guys...

    ....in order to get them to "come to you"---you must have something "they want!"

    ...People are resistant to change by nature. We don't want change...even when it would be good for us. WHEN you reach a point where you WANT SOMETHING, someone has pushed your greed button, OR someone close to you or some event has prompted you, ---you won't change---and you won't take action.

    Tony Robbin's First Commercials were all about getting ppl to take action. Take action and change your life. THAT WAS HIS WHOLE pitch.
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