Keeping and retaining clients is one of the most difficult and stress-inducing tasks for a new or expanding business. Here are 5 highly effective ways to get more clients

1.Actively participate in social events

You need to be there and you need to be visible. Networking is about building trust, showing your personality (in a professional way) and showing your clients you can handle it. Building a strong rapport with your clients builds trust. It doesn’t hurt to be friendly and talk about things other than business but always try to enter conversations with an objective.

2. Have a strong thought leadership presence

Whether this is through blogs, articles, e-books or hard books there is no better way to detail your expertise than by clients using you as a form of knowledge research. Your thought leadership presence should be consistent and topical, the most efficient way to do this is through a blog on your company website.

3. Iron out your client process to get more referrals

How clear is your process from initial client contact to problem resolution – would your clients recommend you? The more simple and clear your process is the more at ease your clients are and the more likely they are to refer you if asked. Always make sure your clients are clear on everything.

4. Pump up your SEO

You don’t want to miss out on organic searchers because your website is on page 209 of Google search. Saying that, if your clients are more word-of-mouth referrals pump up your visibility within your existing client base, attend their work social events whenever invited, invite them to your events or host a grand annual event that your clients look forward to attending every year. These things matter.

5. Be personal

Remember important details about your clients and follow up with them for example if they speak to you about family life or events they are going to it shows them you care if you follow up with them next time you see them. Further, if you see some information that would be useful to your clients email them. A personal touch like this can be replicated in so many ways. Being personal takes time, but its likely to help you stand out and close more clients.