I learned why I tripped at the brink of success — trying to win a client on Facebook last year. And I’m here to show you how not to make the same mistake I made — how to do better and win your prospect.
I had always been hungry for success as a copywriter. Studying my courses. Practicing my writing. Researching. Day and night. In cold, heat, comfortable conditions, and amidst relentless mosquitoes — because I wanted success, so badly…
So now that my time of meeting clients had come, the mistake I made was letting my strong drive for success push me to say the wrong thing — and at a critical time.
While it’s a great thing to be hungry for success and charge towards it, the wrong mindset can backfire on you.
In this case, I was responding to a post where I was looking to connect and land a client ASAP. My intention was to engage a prospect and turn her into a client. I replied to her comment and she was super-excited to hear from me. But my next statement turned her off and I never heard from her again.
So I examined what happened and came out with these lessons…
Three hidden principles you need to adhere to if you want to be an effective B2B networker.
Ready? So here we go!
Focus on how you can serve your prospective client.
While of course you’re prospecting because you want to land clients and start earning fees for your writing, “the money” should not be your primary mindset because you will turn prospects off immediately.
No one wants to work with someone who gives off an “in it for the money” or a “desperation” vibe. (That can be difficult when you are feeling desperate, but it will have a detrimental effect on prospects.)
Instead, you should be focused on how you can help your clients and add value to their business.
In exchange for that, you will be paid the professional fees you deserve.
You need to build trust with prospective clients by:
- Being positive with them.
- Learning what their goals and objectives are so you can be a better partner.
- Showing them they will experience minimal risk in giving you a chance.
- Demonstrating the value you can add to their company.
- Providing proof that you can serve them effectively.
Get it right at the foundation — a healthy and positive relationship.
I know you’re prospecting to win this client, with the hope of earning fees from them as a result…
But don’t let the money side get a grip on you.
Try instead to focus on developing a healthy and positive relationship with them…
Because focusing on “making money from them” will backfire. And there’s a good chance you’ll harm your reputation as well.
Marketers want writers will work hard and contribute as part of their team. And having a long-term view will increase your income in the long run as well.
Put your best food forward by making sure you use kind and positive words in your emails, on the phone, and on social media — whatever medium you’re using to reach your prospective clients.
Be respectful of their time and the pressures they are under. If you aim to serve them and be a partner, you will build long-lasting relationships that benefit both of you.
And if your communications focus on the problems you’re solving for the prospective client and how their business will benefit, you’ll further improve your chances of continuing that relationship.
Be a helping hand.
As Napoleon Hill said, “It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed.”
Help your clients achieve their goals, and you’ll automatically set yourself up for success too.
You can help them by offering some advice on developing their website… by proposing to write a free email, ad, or social media posts for one of their key products… or by demonstrating in some way your desire to help them achieve their goals.
Show them their business life would be better because you became part of it.
Do them good. And don’t wait for them to ask for it.
So, as you go out there …
While it’s a good thing to burn with the desire to succeed as a copywriter, focus on building good and healthy professional relationships, based on service, respect, and trust.
Make yourself their “business-angel.” Don’t wait for them to ask you for help.
Financial success will follow, with time.
Have any questions on using any of these principles? You can drop them here. Or you want to add what you discovered? We’d be happy to hear about it!
