How do you approach new business?  Do you put together a list of potential clients, and figure out the best way to connect with them?  Do you go after the low hanging fruit, and call on existing clients for more business?  The most frustrating aspect of generating new business is lots of action on your part, and little to no action on their part.

So, what do you do?  How can you effectively generate face time with the people and businesses who can help you grow?

My answer: put in some face time.  The location of your prospect may pose a challenge in claiming some face time.  If this is the case, opt for a phone call over an email.  I have been on the receiving end of many prospecting emails, where I have never met the person.  Needless to say, these emails don’t get much of my attention.  You will never be remembered by someone because of an email you sent them – however witty and well written they are.

Phone call introductions can be effective, if your message and tone are effective as well.  For the past couple of years, I have been the prospect for a marketing company I met at a conference.  Although I did pick up a business card from the representative during the conference, with all of the other vendors providing me with information that day, I don’t recall ever having a conversation with said company.  To try to get my business, a representative from this company has been cold calling me ever since, and I have yet to return their call.  Why?  The voice mails they leave provide me with no information, show no enthusiasm and quite honestly, don’t give me a sense that doing business with them would be a benefit.

What should you do if your prospect is local, but face time poses a bit of a challenge?  Face time does not need to start with your target prospect.   In fact, putting in some face time with a mutual connection can be more beneficial than trying to get in front of your prospect all by yourself.  Drawing on in-person referrals can give you an inside edge.  If you are hitting a wall with making new connections, call on your current connections and see what bubbles up.