so...how do you find clients???

[arbonne_tonya]

ANYONE?? For me...I talk to people in McDonald's or WalMart, anywhere and everywhere!!!

[sahm629]

I don't have a job where I find clients, but just an idea that I want to share is to go to,or start a playgroup, where you can network with other moms. Plus your kiddos will have fun too!

[Andrew M]

Trolling for clients and potential business partners at Walmarts, McDonald's etc is very Amway 1980-1990's. Sorry, don't take this personally but your time is valuable so I would start generating your own leads online so you find high quality targeted prospects. Prospecting at malls etc is and act of desperation so you want to attract people to you.:)

Have great weekend!

Andrew Murphy

[Audrey]

Andrew,

I disagree with you. I believe everyone can be a potential customer or team member.

I do not at all believe that speaking to people locally is 80's and 90's.

[Andrew M]

Audrey,
That is fine if it works well for you but the home business/network marketing industry has had a bad rap for years because of people prospecting by "trolling" and hitting up anyone. Every business must find their target market and therefore will save time and money on advertising. I am just saying that by using the internet and generating leads online is far more productive. However, I firmly believe that you must have phone and face to face encounters with your customers and business partners to build a long term business. :D

Andrew

[Alan]

Here is something to consider from an established client base...

"The generous soul will be made fat: the one who waters will be watered as well."

As I have learned: To know, I must be known; take great care of the field you already have, whether great or small, and it will continue to produce a harvest...

(HINT: Referrals may be likened to a king's smile).

[Audrey]

Alan,

Have I mentioned how happy I am to read your posts?

[Lori]

I have an opt-in list for FreelanceMom, but I don't sell to the list currently. I send out a newsletter and keep in touch with them. I have an extremely low opt out rate so I know the list is loyal and full of warm leads.

But FreelanceMom earns its keep through advertising revenue and I'm so busy with my 'real' business (http://www.outsourcingideas.com) that I haven't completed any products to sell... yet!

My clients for ROI are almost all from word of mouth. I cringe when my business partner/husband bids on work at elance because we have so much work already -- and he seems to always win whatever jobs he bids on. But we do get clients that way as well.

Lori

[Alan]

I hear a lot about lead generation tools via the internet.

What about the effectiveness of offline techniques such as customer base referrals, follow-up service questionnaires, thank you letters or phone call, etc.?

[kevinw1]

You could try going to places online where people hang out who tend to use VA's, find out if they have a cheap advertising option, and use it. (MY cat just noticed the animated characters beside the post editing window, so I am typing blind as he parks himself in front of teh screen).

For example, visit the Warrior forum (http://www.warriorforum.com) where there are lots of internet marketers who like to outsource some of their work, go to the Classified Ads section, and post an ad for $20.

Kevin