Getting Clients at a Business Expo: Lessons and Strategies
Introduction
In today's competitive market, finding clients can be tough, especially when trying to build a new business or expand your current one. I recently participated in the Silicon Valley Capital Club’s business expo, where small businesses gathered to showcase their services. As someone trying to grow my marketing agency, I was there to not only pitch but also to offer real value to potential clients. In this blog post, I’ll share insights and strategies I used at the expo to attract clients and lessons learned throughout the process.
Offering Tangible Value to Stand Out
At the expo, my goal was to stand out from the crowd. Most booths gave away standard items like pens or keychains, but I wanted to provide something more valuable. Instead of just handing out freebies, I offered free headshots and digital resumes to attendees who didn’t own a business. This approach gave people a tangible reason to visit my booth and helped me build a connection immediately.
Engaging with Attendees
One key takeaway from the event was that staying behind the table doesn’t work. I realized that to make a real impact, I needed to step out and actively engage with people. Standing behind a booth waiting for people to come to you is not enough. It's about making the effort to approach people, even if it's challenging to give away something free. This small change in strategy made a big difference in connecting with potential clients.
The Challenge of Creating Ads on the Spot
During the event, I came across various potential clients who expressed interest in my services. However, the biggest challenge was figuring out how to help someone who wasn’t quite ready to take action. In one instance, I offered to create a free ad for a contractor who was busy running his booth. While we didn’t have a chance to sit down during the expo, I followed up after the event by reaching out to see if I could still make a free ad for him.
Offering Free Ads as a Hook
Free offers can be a powerful way to get potential clients’ attention. When I followed up with the contractor after the expo, I offered to create a free ad using his before-and-after project photos. This led to a deeper conversation about his business and marketing needs. Though he was initially hesitant due to budget concerns, the offer of free help opened the door for future opportunities.
The Importance of Follow-Up
One of the key lessons I learned from this process was the importance of following up with potential clients. After initially connecting with the contractor, I followed up multiple times, but he never sent me the files needed to create the ad. Despite this, I took the initiative to create ads based on what I could find from his online portfolio.
Over-Deliver to Build Trust
Taking matters into my own hands and creating ads for the contractor, even though he hadn’t sent me the necessary materials, was a strategy to build trust. By over-delivering and showing that I was willing to go above and beyond, I hoped to demonstrate my commitment to helping his business. This is an effective way to win clients who may be hesitant or unsure about working with you.
Creating Effective Ads: Simple, Yet Impactful
When creating ads, simplicity is key, especially for businesses like contractors. For the contractor, I focused on creating before-and-after ads for remodeling projects, which are particularly effective in this industry. Whether you’re using a carousel of images or a video, showing the transformation is a powerful way to attract attention.
Using Trending Audio and Native Content
Another important tip for creating effective ads is to make them feel like native content. This means using trending audio and making the ad look like a natural part of the user’s feed, rather than a commercial. I also used tools like Canva to add text overlays and make the ad more engaging. This approach not only captures attention but also helps the ad perform better on platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
Leveraging AI Tools for Ad Copy
To streamline the ad creation process, I turned to ChatGPT to help write copy for the ads. I provided specific prompts focusing on the contractor’s kitchen and bathroom remodels, emphasizing that he could complete projects in less than 14 days. AI tools like ChatGPT can generate multiple variations of ad copy, making it easy to test different messages and find what resonates best with the audience.
Adding Scarcity and Cost-Effectiveness
One strategy I used to create urgency was offering a discount for the next three customers. This scarcity tactic can help motivate potential clients to take action, especially when paired with a focus on cost-effectiveness. Highlighting savings and limited-time offers can be an effective way to get leads to convert.
Conclusion
The Silicon Valley Capital Club business expo taught me valuable lessons about attracting clients, building relationships, and creating impactful ads. Offering tangible value, stepping out from behind the table, and following up with potential clients were all crucial strategies in my approach. Over-delivering, even when clients aren’t ready to commit, can build trust and open doors for future business.
By focusing on creating simple, effective ads that showcase transformations and leveraging AI tools to streamline the process, I was able to add value to my clients. The key takeaway is that persistence and creativity are essential in client acquisition, and going the extra mile can make all the difference.
