At Custwin I’m happy to say that much business comes from long-term business development activity. This is mainly done through a combination of 3 things:
- Monthly email newsletter which gives free information and insights related to website success strategy.
- Giving away free information in person.
- Being seen to turn away business if we feel the potential client isn’t yet fully ready to benefit.
We’re not talking about a few weeks or a few months but what can often be years before someone we’ve ‘touched’ in some way (and usually on a regular basis) either becomes a client or refers us onto someone they know (because that trust has been built up). Some wouldn’t say that’s business development because it’s non-pushy but in my view it is – a drip feeding of trust being built up.
Today I’d like to give an example of a company who is within the web business sector and who immediately come to mind if anyone says to me “who do you know that is really good at email newsletters design?”.
That company is Top Left Design and there’s been something very consistent about them over the years – a fantastic email newsletter. First of all, a couple of screenshots from the current edition …
Those screenshots don’t really do them justice because there’s more than just the lovely design of the newsletter – it’s the feel of community within that company and the fact that they’re not stuffy.
I’ve known Keren Lerner (head honcho) for about 10 years now and although in recent years there’s been very little communication between us (I no longer do my networking in London), I still get the email newsletters, look at the design work they do and I always look forward to seeing what they’ve produced.
My point is that, through the consistency of that drip fed message to me each month, I’m always aware that I’d particularly recommend Top Left Design for email newsletters design. Whether they would look at their own email newsletters as being ‘long-term business development’, I don’t know but for me, it works.
There are other people and companies who I keep track of, offering a wide range of services and there’s just a few who, if someone said to me “who do you know who ….” that I could make recommend based on long-term trust built up. To be honest, there are not a lot of those types of people who would come to mind and there are many business sectors that I consider to be ‘gaps in my ability to recommend’. For example, if someone said to me “who do you know who are a good legal firm to go to?” I really wouldn’t have an answer.
Whatever business sector you’re in, creating a strong presence online can help build up your name, especially if drip-fed in a non-pushy way through devices such as email newsletters. No business has the excuse that they can’t do it – anyone can, regardless of business sector.
It’s a fact that there have been very few months in which the Custwin email newsletter hasn’t led to at least one signed-up new client, either through people who have received the newsletter for a long time or through people they refer us onto, who trust their judgement that we know what we’re talking about.
So where’s your opportunity for long-term business development via your online presence?