As a service provider, acquiring new clients is the foundation of your business. However, the process is often easier said than done. If you’re stuck in the vicious cycle of marketing without any significant results, this guide is for you. Here, we will delve into practical strategies on how to land your next client as a ND service-provider so you can grow your business.

1. Revisit Your Ideal Customer

Sometimes as ND humans we have been taking advice from NT coaches and mentors for a LONG time. So we have done everything that should work by the book, but in that process we may have ended up focusing entirely on the process and the steps involved, and we may have forgotten about including our special character in what we’re writing about.

So, I’d urge you to go back throw the lists out the window and think about WHO you really WANT to work with and then assess if what you have been saying is really speaking to that group of people or not.

1.1 Re-define your niche and your services

Once you’ve figured out who you’d be really excited and motivated to work with, the next thing I’d love to have you consider is whether or not the NICHE you’ve chosen and the services you’re offering really reflects who you are and what you want to be doing.

As ND humans we have special interests, or we’ve hyperfocused on certain things and therefore we have an absolute breadth of knowledge and we can connect things others cannot. And when you’re wondering how to land your next client, the answer could be hidden in here.

Is that coming through in your niche and your offers? A great way to distinguish yourself from others offering similar things to you, is by combining the things that you are really on fire for with your work. That will also make sure your work holds your interest.

1.2 Understand your customer’s needs

Now, at the end of the day our clients have challenges they want to overcome, they have things they DO want in their life that they currently don’t have. And our service has to help them to get there. A lot of the systems I build help ND service providers to stay on top of what they need to do so that their business can run efficiently. So I combine my knowledge of running different types of businesses, marketing, tech and systems to build solutions that work for businesses NOW and in future.

So, when you’re wondering how to land your next client, ask yourself: What are the pain points your services address? By understanding your customer’s needs better, you can position your services as the perfect solution – particularly when you are weaving in aspects from different areas of interest.

2. Build an Online Presence that reflects YOU

Oftentimes we again follow the latest trend, we write copy that speaks to pain points, and we hide who we are. We hide those moments or thoughts that make us ourselves. We hide the bad days because we’re supposed to appear like we have our shit together all of the time.

And in result the people who may connect with us over this kind of stuff are turned away by our seemingly perfect online appearance, because they believe what we have isn’t attainable for them.

So, let’s revisit all of your online platforms.

2.1 Optimise your website

Revisit your website and make sure that it reflects who you you truly are. Re-read your blog posts and see if they really speak to your ideal audience.

Then invest some time into looking at your data. How many people are landing on your website, from where? What is your SEO performance looking like?

You can also install a tool that records visitors on your website to identify places where you may not communicate as clearly as you thought. Or find out where they are frustrated.

Read More: Increase your website conversions with Lucky Orange

2.2 Leverage social media in a way that works for you

We always hear advice like “to reach new people on Instagram you have to post Reels”. And to convert and get people to DM you, post in stories. Well in my instagram account my feed posts reach 80% new people and my reels reach 20% new people.

So not everything you HEAR is necessarily what works for you.

Or maybe you hate the fakeness of Instagram like I do and you’d much rather make TikToks where you just talk. Or maybe you’d much rather just interact on Facebook.

Just cut out the stuff that you hate, because most likely it’s not really getting you any results anyways. How to land your next client? It’s not by doing shit you hate every day.

3. Network Actively

A lot of my work has come from connections with others. So I’d very strongly suggest you find a community where you feel at home. Because likely when you feel at home somewhere you have a connection with people in that community and you will therefore open up more opportunities to get in front of their audiences, and those people may also have a strong connection with you.

There is no point to rub shoulders with people where you feel like you could never be yourself. I’ve tried.

3.1 If you can handle it attend events in person

Meeting online is one thing, but it doesn’t match up to the connections that you make in real life. If it’s possible for you find events that are most likely going to attract people that you’ll vibe with. And don’t worry. You can always leave if it’s too intense and spend a couple of hours alone. Coming out and just spending some time with others can work wonders, and then you can always retreat.

Make sure you plan in some time to rest after your trip.

4. Cold Outreach isn’t bad

Cold outreach gets a bad rep unnecessarily. It works. It doesn’t have to be slimy, and you can just be short, sweet and very direct. And I’d much prefer that over all the fake content creation.

4.1 Personalise your approach

If you see someone you really want to reach out to because you genuinely think they are interesting, then make sure you check out what’s going on in their life right now so you can send a genuine message to connect. Generic messages rarely get a response.

4.2 Follow up – honestly!

The amount of times people have thanked me for following up because they misplaced my original email and didn’t get a chance to look at it there and then is insane. We have gotten multiple agency clients after the third follow up, because they’re busy.

5. Collaborate and Partner Up

Collaboration can open up new avenues for getting in front of ideal clients. Consider partnering with businesses that offer complementary services and have a similar vibe to you.

5.1 Collaborate on projects

Working together on a project like a joint webinar or a summit or bundle is a great way to showcase your skills and build relationships with potential clients.

5.2 Participate in guest interviews

Guest interviews on podcasts, webinars, or live events can help you reach a wider audience and showcase your expertise AND you’re connecting with a fellow business owner. If you’re focused on working with business owners that match your vibe this could be your answer to how to land your next client!

6. Use Long-form Content

I personally don’t think that our thought processes are simple enough to make a 30 second video and be done with it. We often see all of the potential ways something could go and this is not always something that can get communicated in a 30 second video.

So, write long-form content, record podcast episodes, or YouTube Videos and just let it flow.

Then you can repurpose the best parts into short-form content.

6.1 Write long-form content

Long-form content like blogs, whitepapers, and case studies can help you demonstrate your expertise and provide value to your audience. Plus they live on your website for a long time and end up getting found long after you’re done writing them. Plus you can use Pinterest to keep bringing traffic back, or just design a couple new images and re-post on social time and time again.

6.2 Create content that lets people hear your voice

I love podcasts because I don’t have to worry about how I look, and I can just hit record, but videos if you’re up for it are also a great way to communicate your message. I’ve always found that I had people that really resonated with what I had to say and I don’t think my written content always comes across in the same way.

7. Ask for Referrals

Word-of-mouth is one of the most powerful marketing tools. Don’t hesitate to ask your existing clients or contacts for referrals. Just say “hey I have some spots open for x would you know anyone that could benefit?”

7.1 Provide excellent service

Ensure you provide an excellent service that your clients are happy to recommend to others. I know it can sometimes be difficult to pull through all the way to the end when stumbling blocks have been coming up time and time again in projects and sometimes we have a defiant response to the situation. The only outcome here is that you will definitely not get this person to come back, AND they won’t recommend you to someone else.

So sometimes the short-term uncomfortable situation is better for long-term success and this will make sure you never end up asking yourself how to land your next client again.

8. Stay Persistent and Patient

Landing your next client takes time, and the important thing is to keep going and try and have fun. Do things differently, try out a different approach if what you’re doing isn’t working the way you’d like.

8.1 Keep refining your approach

Look at your numbers and look at how you feel. If something is dragging you down and making you resent starting your business, then maybe it’s time to let that shit go.

8.2 Celebrate small wins

Every new connection or positive response is a step closer to landing your next client and gives you additional data to work with. Celebrate these small wins to keep your motivation high and take notes on what’s working and what’s not.

How to land your next client as a service provider – Conclusion

When you’re a new service-provider (or one that hasn’t been marketing consistently) and you’re wondering how to land your next client – just know that it takes time and refinement – and that’s okay. It’s important to not let our brain get the better of us and enter some downward doom spiral thinking. Let’s pretend that we’re scientists looking for the marketing cure. Let’s gather data and be curious about what we can figure out, instead of going into those old familiar thought patterns.

If you’d like to explore this together, you’re always welcome to book into a Breakthrough Session.