marketing, united-states, b2bLet’s say you offer small businesses a service, such as web design, in America. If you walk into the business, the owner more than likely isn’t there, and the employees might not be comfortable giving you his or her contact information. And the official email/phone number is for customer service, and often the owner isn’t the one who answers.
What’s the most effective way to solicit the business owner directly?
I would try the obvious things
For the US, there are a few specific things I have come across
I would suggest that once a business reaches a certain size, then other senior management within a business would have input into that process, so perhaps the marketing manager would also be appropriate.
you can always go on their sites and email them. Set up a phone/in person interview.
Or when you visit your premises, leave your contact information and best time to reach you, and a brief “hook”.
I used to have the same dilemma. Here are things that worked for me:
Tip: If you see that they’re short on budget, visit them on a regular day wearing the same kind of clothes you would wear whenever you go there. It will make them feel like your services are cheaper than others.
Tip #2:I once showed them a quick look at the responsive site I built (that was similar to their niche) while checking out. Give them a quick glimpse of your awesome work and they’ll feel to want to see more because of the short amount of time you gave them.
Join local groups. I’ve found some active groups on Facebook in my area that are very passionate about growing their business. Some of these people forget that they need to market online because 70-80% of consumers google a business before they purchase. (I’m also an SEO professional so it definitely helps to know this stuff).
Find stores and become a regular customer. You should calculate how much you’re willing to spend for a lead. Some stores only have one of the ff: Facebook page, yelp listing, google business listing, website, and sometimes nothing at all. This is another chance for you to visit / reach out to them and see if they’re interested.
Tip: try to see them personally if you can. You can get a feel if they’re interested or not. Never push. Don’t look desperate. Plus, they are likely to reply when you decide to email or send them a letter later.
Go to your city hall and request to see business licenses. My mentor taught me this tactic. The city hall has a copy of all the business licenses and anyone can see them when requested. From here, you can do tip #3.
Figure out were local businesses go to find help/information. You can try becoming a member of the Chamber of Commerce and ask to be a guest speaker. Trust me, they love this. They’re always looking for ways to help the members of their business and not everyone knows the importance of having a site online.
I hope this helps!
There are a variety of ways you can opt for that some of them are as follows:
Calling them on their business number
Emailing them on their business email
Fill in the details in their contact us form
Sending them a Mail by Post
Connecting with them over social media
Visiting their physical address
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