Looking for new clients

[MatSpencer]

Hi All,

 

I've been slowly growing our hire stock for some time now and it's all been paid for by freelance work I've been doing. We're in the industry to be supporting conferences, exhibitions, concerts and live events.

 

We're now in the position to start getting some of our own clients but we're a bit stuck on how to go about that, When you started in your own businesses, What was more valuable to you, Clients or Venues?

 

I'm not directly asking for work, But more of the advice on how to find the people that will give you work, or the venues that need to sub hire equipment.

 

TIA

Mat

[TonyMitchell]

This doesn't answer the question you have asked, but please take it in the spirit it is meant.

 

You have a nice little website that you're obviously still developing and your inventory includes some good industry standard kit.

 

I clicked on the "Engineering" page, expecting to find details of light / sound / general event engineering / technical services. Instead, it's a link to GAS engineering... IMO this detracts from your events business and won't do you any favours.

 

If you also have a gas engineering business, that's fine, but keep the two sites separate, as they are two activities where it's highly unlikely there are any synergies between them and you don't want visitors to draw the wrong conclusion, along the lines of "he must be a gas fitter Mon-Fri that does lights as a hobby at the weekend".

 

Just my 2p

[Jivemaster]

It's a matter of looking at the contacts that you have, and what industry sector that they come from and expanding on each little detail.

 

But nothing gets work like good work done. Getting known for the right reasons takes TIME, getting known for the wrong reasons takes seconds.

 

I've often suggested ranking your prospective clients in reverse order, Start the business on the clients that you don't want, and move onto the clients you DO want -that way you don't make the startup messups on clients that you treasure -cos they will not treasure you for it.

[ImagineerTom]

Another website tip - get rid of links to pages that are "coming soon" or blank - ie your Gallery page and Latest news page. Nothing says "I made this website myself 'cause I can't afford a proper web designer" like an obviously incomplete website.

 

Also if you're wanting to attract pro clients get rid of the links to School websites - no corporate booker wants to compare their event to school end of term shows.

 

 

 

 

Other than that, NETWORK like crazy, do shows, talk to people, get a reputation for being helpful and reliable. I know that when I'm looking for staff or kit providers the first companies I'm drawn to are the ones who've been good and dependable in the past as I'd rather pay a slight premium and know the job is going to be done than risk everything on one of the anonymous companies that regularly contact me trying to get business by promising to be cheaper.