Growing professionals

     Free daily tips, info, advice, ideas and examples from businesses
     from personal experience starting, operating and growing businesses.

     Small businesses have been slow to use social media to grow and expand. Finding new clients can be particularly difficult for professionals--therapists, accountants, lawyers, consultants, medical practitioners and others. 

     Example: Talisha is a CPA specializing in taxes. After asking for and receiving permission, she regularly takes pictures of clients as she tells them they are getting big tax refunds. The surprised and smiling faces of clients now pop out on Talisha's website and they adorn her Facebook page as well. The word spreads and the calls come in. 

     Example: Herb is a business coach. He helps business owners with cash problems, growing pains, product branding, and other concerns. To expand his client base, Herb put his profile on LinkedIn. He followed up by targeting small business owners and connected with them, writing a brief message introducing his private services and listing his private email address. It worked. New clients regularly respond directly to Herb with questions. He has entered into a coaching agreement with several of them.

     Example: Tom is a young attorney. After passing the bar exam, he rented an office and began spending several hours a day at his computer. He set up a website and began writing a blog two or three times each week. The blog explains common problems people face--traffic tickets, minor traffic accidents, getting sued, the differences in various type of business organization--incorporations, partnerships, LLCs, etc. Tom does not give out legal advice in his write-ups--they are designed to educate and inform. He drives people to his website, and to the blog, with a presence on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and others. Potential new clients regularly call his office. 

     Other professionals can use social media to find new clients. Therapists, dentists, chiropractors, consultants, engineers, designers, medical practitioners, and others can tap into the general public's thirst for information.

     It can be a three step process: 1. Attract attention on social media. 2. Point to your website. 3. Provide useful information. Throughout the process, build trust, be friendly, show that you are qualified, and give out general information on what you do--from the reader's point of view. In other words, it's always about them, not you.

     Many additional examples are scattered throughout these write-ups. Examples are taken from real businesses, but the name is always changed. Tell me about your experiences with what works and what has not worked for you. Email me at AlWarr16@gmail.com, putting BLOG in the subject line.