CUSTOMER ACQUISITION – 5 TIPS:

Today I will once again write about a typical sales topic. One that is unloved by most people and which they prefer to avoid: Acquiring new customers. However, without it, it doesn’t work either. When customers quit, change or close down, you need enough new ones to close the gap and to keep sales stable or even growing. 

From time to time you have to tell customers that your company exists. Of course it is also the job of marketing to make potential customers aware of you. Nevertheless, Acquisition is still the most direct way to get into conversation with customers – and above all the best way to address certain, particularly interesting companies.

With one of my current customers, I’m working on this topic and so I thought I’d put together five tips that could make your life easier when it comes to acquisition.  

1. Phone calls are the most direct way:
   Of course, you can take a detour and mail, write or wait for answers to a campaign first. But the fact is, the easiest and most direct way is to contact potential clients by phone. You get an immediate response and can respond to it. You can ask for relevant information and you will know more afterwards. And with the right skills, you will get objections right out of the way. But I admit, it is also the method that needs the most courage.
2. Develop a strong elevator pitch:
   It will be a bit easier if you already know what to say at the beginning. To do this you need a smart elevator pitch. Ideally you will be able to explain in 10-20 seconds why it’s worth spending a few minutes on the phone with you. The elevator pitch should clarify which company you are calling from, what you are doing (ideally in one word) and list the two benefits that experience has shown to be most beneficial for the target group. With the company I mentioned before, we have just developed a really cool elevator pitch. It is tailored to the product and the target group and the salespeople can easily and naturally talk about it.
3. Always sell the next step:
   When you’re doing cold calls, you don’t have to sell everything at once, you just sell the next step: – The elevator pitch shows the customer that it’s worth talking to you for a few minutes – In the following minutes, you convince them to give you an appointment (which can also be done over the phone) – Once you’re in the appointment, you try to sell your actual service.
4. Acquire in the morning:
   Especially if you feel uncomfortable, I recommend that you call first thing in the morning. Just start and get the job done is the motto. If you plan to do it in the afternoon, you have far too many ways to talk yourself out of it. Besides, you start the day with a good feeling and an even better conscience when you already completed this important task successfully.
5. Keep a record:
   Write down the result of each conversation. Did you get an appointment? Can you come back in a few weeks or months? Can you send an offer and follow up? All these are successes. I go even further. Whenever the contact continues in any form, confirmed by the client, you can count it as a success. This way you can easily achieve a 90% success rate. Just tick off a tally sheet and you’ll see what I mean.

By the way, I support teams and individuals in optimally preparing for the sales talks, including the elevator pitch. The results are acquisition calls that sound natural and give the customer enough space so that a goal-oriented conversation can take place. Click here to find out more.