Strategies for customer acquisition

You can find new customers in 3 ways: cold acquisition, warm acquisition, and online acquisition.

Cold acquisition

Cold acquisition is when you do not know your potential client yet, and you approach them unsolicited. It is a combination of acquisition and marketing. You offer your product or service through different channels. You can use promotion teams handing out newspapers in a shopping centre or give a presentation at the office of a potential customer, for instance.

Step-by-step plan for cold acquisition

Make a plan of action, also known as a sales plan. This will give you an overview of what and who you want to reach and how you will do it. It also helps you keep track of what works. In your plan you should include things like:

1. Identify your target group

Decide exactly who you want to reach. In other words, define a clear target group based, for instance, on industry, company size, or location. To do this, you can consider:

• What problems or challenges do you solve with your product or service, and who can you help? Suppose you provide HR software that automates payrolls. This could be of interest to growing SMEs for example. Their problem is that payroll administration is taking more and more time and that mistakes are being made. Through your software, entrepreneurs can save a lot of time and unnecessary penalties, leaving them more time to work on their business.
• Do you already have a number of clients? Then analyse your current customer database or CRM system. Do you see many similarities, for example, many financial service providers or retailers, often in big cities, and usually around 50-100 employees? Then use these characteristics to make a list of new, similar companies to approach.

2. Selecting customers

Are you clear on who your target audience is? Then select 10 or 20 companies from your list that you will approach first by phone or email. Make this manageable for yourself by spreading it out over a period of time, for example, 5 companies per day or week. Are your clients consumers or self-employed people? Then you may only contact them by phone or e-mail if there is a customer relationship or you have received explicit permission. 

3. Find contacts

Do not just call or email a company's general number or email address, first find out who the decision-makers are regarding your product or service. Think HR managers, buyers, or IT managers. You can search on LinkedIn for job titles in combination with the company in question. This way, it is more likely the person you contact will recognise the problems you outline and be more open to an appointment.

4. Prepare

Do you have an appointment? Then prepare well. Find out what the company's mission and vision are and what is important to them. Has their industry or company been in the news recently? What are they sharing on their website or social media?

5. Pitch

Pitch your product or service as clearly as possible. Know clearly for yourself what you do, who you do it for, and what sets you apart from your competitors. Tune your sales pitch to your listener. Focus first on their problem and challenge and then tell how your product or service offers a solution.

6. Finish, follow up, and stay in touch

End the conversation with an action point such as a next (call) appointment or sending an offer. Take the initiative for the follow-up, so your potential customer does not have to make too much effort. Don't give up too quickly. People need to get to know you first.

“Send an eye-catching card with a personal message and your company details on the back," says Jan Boon, acquisition coach and speaker. "A card stands out because people receive little mail. Contact them after a few days and push for an appointment. Another example is from a graphic designer. He sends a self-designed box, with three different tea bags. He adds a message asking to set up a conversation sometime and saying he will then bring the matching tea glasses.”

7. Process, measure and evaluate

Keep a record of who you spoke to and jot down notes from the conversation in a CRM system or in a document such as Excel. This way, you can come back to any wants and needs your potential client has mentioned at a next meeting and they will feel heard by you. You can also evaluate and measure what works. For example, that it is not convenient to call at certain times, or that some customers prefer e-mail or WhatsApp to phone calls.

Multiple contact moments

Give cold acquisition time. Research shows that you need an average of 7 contact moments before someone decides to do business with you. “Multiple contact moments are important,” says Daniëlle de Jonge, a speaker, trainer and author for entrepreneurs. “Alternate between online and offline contact. And find a way in this that suits you. For example, contact people you like to work with once a quarter.”

Warm acquisition

Warm acquisition is when you approach an existing customer. For instance, you send a special offer for similar products to a customer who has bought something in your online shop. With warm acquisition, you build and strengthen the relationship with your customer.

Tips for warm acquisition

Keep in touch with existing relations. For example, with a newsletter or email marketing. Make sure that you bring added value to those moments of contact. For instance, with new information that might interest them or an attractive discount.

• Send a personalised gift as a contact moment. De Jonge: "Give something that benefits someone. Say your customer is concerned about the environment. Then give a sustainable coffee mug. Choose an unexpected moment, because at Christmas everyone already sends something. Think: the first day of autumn, the longest day of the year, or when you have been in business for 10 months. That's how you stand out."
• When approaching customers, timing is key. If you sell personal care products, for instance, you will know when they are likely to be running out and you can offer the product again. Ask customers for feedback. Are they satisfied with the product and is there anything else you can do for them? 
• Ask your clients and customers to post a review or recommendation on your website, aggregator websites, or search engines like Google. A study by the Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) showed that increasingly more customers read reviews before making a purchase. Did you just start, and do you not have any customers yet? In that case, have your product or service tested (for free) and ask for feedback.
• Encourage your customers to recommend you to others. Word-of-mouth advertising brings in new customers. Pepijn van Rooij of Performance College gives surprise gift vouchers to enthusiastic clients for them to pass on. 95% of the gift vouchers used became a new client with Van Rooij. “The advantage here”, he says, “is that you and the new client immediately discuss the core of what you have to offer. You no longer have to spend time on cold acquisition.”
   

Online acquisition

Online, you get assignments and customers through social media, your website, influencers, or online platforms, for example. If your online and offline branding is consistent, you show credibility and strength. While you are talking to a potential customer, they might be looking at your website or social media at the same time.

Tips for online customer acquisition

• As a self-employed professional, you can use online platforms to look for projects or to promote yourself. Examples of online marketplaces for freelancers in the Netherlands are: Freelancer.nl, Werkspot.nl, Hoofdkraan.nl, Freelance.nl, Twago.com, Lancelots.nl, Marktplaats.nl, Indeed.com, and Planet Interim.nl.
• Deploy lead generation. This is a process where you entice potential customers to buy something. For example, your potential customer sees your post on social media and clicks through to your website out of interest. They will then be directed to a special landing page where they can,for example, download a white paper or fill in a form for more information. To do so, the customer leaves an e-mail address (with permission). Boon: "After the download, you build up the contact by sending follow-up e-mails with interesting content such as webinars, to eventually steer towards an appointment. Be patient, sending five emails in a week is too much. Patiently build up the frequency and exceed expectations, for example, send a discount code after a while."
• You can also reach new customers through influencers or search engine marketing, SEA and SEO. If you plan to find new customers online, create a marketing plan. 

Acquisition via LinkedIn

“Social media are the new networking,” De Jonge believes. “Networking has mostly moved to LinkedIn. You can choose to go to a 3-hour networking lunch. Or you can spend that time on LinkedIn and approach more people in the same time. Want to connect with someone? Then personalise your LinkedIn invitation. There is always a reason why you want to connect with someone. Also look for a reason why the other person wants to connect with you.”

Two examples

1. "I work a lot for the legal profession, I see you work at firm X, we don't know each other yet, would you like to link with me?"
2. "I see you are attending event X soon, would be nice to meet you there, shall we link in advance?"

Content, content, content

According to De Jonge, the use of online content is important for every entrepreneur, as it allows you to reach your target audience through various channels. “This contributes to brand awareness and customer loyalty. Preferably, you create content yourself, because then your personal tone and style resonates through it. Creating content takes time. Yet this does not always have to be a long article, think of a short text, photo, or video. For example, post a message on LinkedIn every Tuesday, something about yourself or what is going on in your relevant market. This way, you ensure consistency and recognisability.”

Be the expert

Boon thinks LinkedIn is a good medium to increase the engagement of your followers. Because people use LinkedIn for business purposes. To expand their network or gain knowledge on a specific topic. “Write posts and respond to others' posts. About what? Things you experience or customer stories. Don't just try to send, ask questions, draw people's attention to meetings, and participate in discussions. Make sure you are seen as an expert in your field. Reviews can also help you do this.”

Advertising via social media

You can also sell your product or service in a targeted way by advertising on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, or LinkedIn. “Target your ads specifically to your audience, so make sure you have your target audience clearly in mind. Everything starts with figuring out who your customer is and what your customer wants. What problem are you solving, how do you tackle it, and what results do you deliver?"