This week, in part 3 of our focus month, we’re continuing our focus on Business Administration but this time delving into the meat of it all to discuss gaining new clientele (among other things). This can be one of the most daunting tasks to undertake regardless of profession, but in my experience, any art based or creative type will find it difficult to both consider their worth and charge for their time proper, or can be somewhat introverted at the start of their career - which made this post all the more important to write so I can try and help.
So let’s dive in!
It’s Who You Know
Over the years, one thing has brought me new clients more than anything else, and that’s simply word of mouth and reputation. Between playing shows, ad making friends with the bands on the night, to churning out good work each and every time no matter the band, the people in it or the music itself, each time a band leaves I’ve known I’ve done my best to bring that vision to life, which has then translated into the members of those bands to speak kindly of the sessions - resulting in the generation of new leads and new clients.
To put it even more simply, by just making friends with people, going to shows and being myself to anyone I came across, I’ve managed to build my studio up without gaps in booking or dry spells, and better yet, I’ve made some genuine friends along the way. As already discussed in previous blog posts, word of mouth marketing is by far and away the more powerful and criminally understated form of marketing as there’s usually context in what’s said, and if you can crack the code of getting people to talk highly of your business by just taking an interest and supporting them at a show and getting to know them, then it’s very likely that new client won’t just be a one time thing either!
Get The Best Landing Page
If you don’t have one already, a website will make your life so much easier. You won’t just have a way to communicate with people, you’ll have a platform from which to show your portfolio, who you are, and entice more clients that just happen to come across you.
If you have worked in marketing or sales, you may already be aware of the idea of a sales funnel. If not, the best way I can describe it is a way of converting new potential clients into actual returning clients. It’s not too difficult to understand, but to put into practice will take a lot of trial and error, small changes and so on; thankfully with a website a lot can be taken care of in one place and you have more control over it than say social media which can’t have its layout changed.
If you have new potential leads, or have networked with new bands, having a place for them to access everything they need to learn more about you is essential. On a website, you won’t just have your branding & portfolio to hand, but also links to all your social media, photos of sessions, bands videos with music you’ve worked on, an about section with more insight into who you are, and way more to help new clients make an easy choice to work with you.
Consistency Is Key
Consistent content is a must. Not just that, but a consistent, and constant turning of the cogs is just as key. Unfortunately, we live in a world where attention spans are limited by a flurry of varying engagement, and there’s many options to choose from no matter what business you might have. One way to keep your head above the parapet is just by making quality content and pushing it out regularly so people know you’re still doing things in the background.
I've just finished up the 3rd record and the 5th time Maystones have recorded with me, largely thanks to consistent results each and every time
If your content is regular and engaging, then it’s likely that more people will not only return to see what you’ve been up to, but thanks to clever algorithms on social media, you’re been shown to those people that engage with you much more often. That in turn, then results in a much more organic reach from which people will contact you to work with you due to liking what content you make - and that is key. Clients that find you, that want to work with you because they actually like your work, your content, and have been impressed without you talking to them, will likely also be the kind of clients that are easy and enjoyable to work with simply because they actually want to work with you and made up their own mind with no push required from advertising for example.
I hope you’ve been enjoying this month's focus topic, and if you’re not already a part of the JZ Members Area and own one of our products, go and join and get involved with our wonderful community. Until next time though, stay creative!