The short answer:
Take a market-first and not a marketing-first
I’ll use all the scamps spanking out cold and canned messages to randos as an example of what market first vs marketing first looks like. A market first approach would not include haunting DMs on social media like you’re sending dikc pix on grindr to strangers hoping to score.
Instead it looks more like this:
+ Pick 10 businesses you like, follow, respect, believe in what they are doing/selling – and, even more important, have bought something from and used it and benefited from it
+ Research them on their sites, their social media, Google, etc
+ Try to get an intro from a mutual friend
+ Or stop being like a timid little woodland creature hiding behind the internet and write them a snail mail letter, sent via FedEx, signature required – guaranteed to be received, noticed, opened, at least read
+ In that letter don’t pitch them or try to be cute… just tell them you’re a fan, how much their business has helped or inspired you, whatever it is you truly think…
+ Do not give them unsolicited advice, they don’t care
+ Instead tell them you would love to work with them in some capacity, any capacity, you just want to be a part of what they’re doing – all this has to be true, of course
+ Don’t give any deadlines or CTA’s – this isn’t a pitch, it’s a warm, personal, fan letter telling them how much you respect them and want to be a part of what they’re doing, even if it means doing some menial tasks for free for them that are way below you, that they could hire someone at minimum wage to do
+ What that would be would obviously depend on what intel you get from researching them
+The key is to offer to be useful – chances are you will see stuff about their businesses where you could be useful, make their lives easier, take stress off their plate
+ Will you get 100% response/replies? Absolutely not – but if you do it right, do your homework, aren’t a money twitter schmuck about it… I can almost guarantee you will hear from at least one or two, and even if they can’t use your help for something, you can always ask if they might know someone who does
+ Don’t pester those who ignore you or aren’t interested, you’re not that persuasive
+ In the meantime, if you are low on cash then get a real job so you don’t “need” a response – and come from a place of financial security instead of neediness, which people can smell like shyt on a shoe and want nothing to do with
+ I defy anyone to do the above and not come away smarter, better connected, be more respected, with more referrals/leads – and, also, with “tentacles” out in the marketplace you would never get by blindly spanking out cold DMs to strangers on social media
Is that it?
No.
You should be growing an opt-in list you mail each day to demonstrate your knowledge, that you have a work ethic, that you are someone worth hiring. Do that right and you may just find clients coming to you, instead of you going to them.
But ideally do both ways.
That’s how you grow a solid customer base who never leave you nor forsake you.
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Ben Settle
