Best Way To Get New Clients

[PinnWal]

Hello Forum

I'm an FM Freelancer in the New York area & I was wondering what the FM Professionals around the country (and world) do to scrounge up business.

How do you guys market yourselves (if you market)? How do you make people aware of the services you provide? Basically, how do you find the clients who need your services?

Thanx in advance for all of the ideas, suggestions (and offers )

Later :-)

[scratchmalogicalwax]

I don't know abou the US but here in little old UK general trust of anyone IT took a huge whack after the y2k non-event. The best way to start your own consultancy is to start small and build by recommendation. Start by offering your sevices to small companies and build. Over here there are some co-ops of IT geezers each with different skills, together they offer a total service (you can't know everything after all) most importantly you have got to do a good job that's where the recommendations come from!

good luck

[LiveOak]

First, I'd join the FileMaker Solutions Alliance. That will put your information on the FM web site. Next, Co-Media Marketing prints a directory that goes into every shrink box with FileMaker (www.co-media.com). Next is probably FileMaker Pro Advisor magazine. Then there are any publications for industries you wish to target. I'd also contact the FM rep in your area. Once you're established, the best business is repeat or referrals from existing clients. -bd

[danjacoby]

As with any entrepreneur, your best bet is word of mouth.

Don't be afraid to send flyers, brochures, e-mails, etc. to anyone you've worked with (unless, of course, they fired you). Always have business cards with you, even on social occasions (amazing how much work results from "social" contacts).

A website is a good, inexpensive way to follow up -- after all, every potential client will have a computer, and it's a safe bet they all have web access.

I got started here in NYC by striking out on my own after several years of temping. The nifty thing about the job market these days is that people switch jobs all the time. And while the company that got you thru a temp agency can't hire you directly (without paying the agency a hefty fee), anyone who gets a job with another company can hire you without your agency being involved at all. I keep in touch with folks I temped for 10 years ago -- you never know. (Besides, after a year or two, even the company where you temped can hire you directly!)

HTH,

Dan

[Vaughan]

Regarding the "Y2K non-event"... it wasn't for most IT professionals... It may have appeared to be a non-event, but that was only because the problems were fixed in time.

There *were* problems, major problems, but they got fixed.

[Janet Tokerud]

One way to get business is to use an existing well-made Filemaker product as a vehicle. For example, my firm has a FileMaker-based, customizable product for designers. We are trying to establish designated FileMaker consultants all over the planet to offer our customers local support, training and customization services. If you would like to work with design firms, this could be a good way to get new clients. We refer our customers to the consultant in their area for local support. One of our consultants just got hired to do a $20,000 customization project based on our referral. So in that case, he had almost zero marketing costs. Come check our website to see the product and then, if you are interested, let me know by email. So far, the 3 consultants we have are loving the mutually beneficial relationship.

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Janet Tokerud

Tokerud Consulting

Group

Mill Valley, CA

[email protected]

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[Janet Tokerud]

Oops. Forgot to tell you the our URL. It's www.tokerud.com!

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Janet Tokerud

Tokerud Consulting

Group

Mill Valley, CA

[email protected]

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