How can you build relationships with difficult-to-reach clients?

If you can't reach a client because is difficult to find, then highly likely you are not reading the room. what I am saying is not absolute but definitely something is wrong in targeting. For example, if you are serving to small and mid-sized businesses and supposing you are doing a great job, then you are aiming way to high with this entrepreneur given that he/she is not interested in your services/product. If this customer is so unreachable then he might be a heavy weight with a lot of consultants/advisers and he simply has no time to meet with you. Do your research and talk to someone he trusts. Publicize your work at venues he participates i.e. chambers of commerce, New Year events, donate to one of his philanthropic interests, etc...

When it comes to reaching those difficult to find clients you have to meet them we’re they are at. Not answering the phone? Connect to them on LinkedIn. Not accepting your request? Find out which events they might be attending and meet them that way. Still no luck? Look for mutual connections who can introduce you. There is always another way and it’s your job to find it!

The people difficult to reach are often the same ones that all vendors like to talk to...decision makers. It is key to only reach out if and when you bring something valuable and relevant to the table. If you have a relevant message to bring, then it is a matter of drawing his/her attention. No better way to do that through a trustee of your target person that you hopefully have in your own network. A warm introduction always outperforms a cold call. If you don't have such a trustee in your network, it may take a bit longer but it may be more efficient to address that trustee first and get your warm intorduction.

Build relationships with challenging clients by first understanding their needs and concerns. Tailor your communication style to resonate with their preferences. Demonstrate empathy, actively listen, and show genuine interest in their perspective. Deliver consistent value and exceed expectations in your interactions. Find common ground and establish trust gradually. Be patient, adaptable, and persistent, creating an environment where difficult-to-reach clients feel understood and respected.

I think perseverance is the greatest weapon (after God) for a sales person. It's taken me on an average 2-3 years each to breakthrough & get ARCs from major Indian & MNCs... Jindal, in particular, took me 8 years...

Whenever you have challenges reaching someone the best bet is to find a mutual connection or 3 and ask for a proper introduction. Perhaps it's a phone call. Even better if it can be a meal. People do like to eat. Tell your friend what you'd like them to highlight about you and be sure to say you're always happy to return the favor.

Breaking bread with our fellow humans is an outstanding connection builder! Have used it for years in exploding my network! I'm open! Let's eat!

Keep trying, and take your time. Reach out through different ways, so your name comes up from different sources. You may engage with their posts on social media once in a while...ADD VALUE and one thing that I have found really helpful is if someone the person trusts mentions you. That's why having a big network is crucial. In a big city and top-level business, everyone often knows someone. I often get introduced to potential clients through mutual connections, and it makes a big difference. Building a network pays off!

You need to understand how your clients want to communicate. Many don't want to use email, yet many companies use this as the holy grail. If you work with your clients preference you will have so much more success - so start asking the right questions.

When working leads, try as many channels as possible. Emailing only from 8-11 AM guarantees that I am not telephoning someone too early anywhere in the contiguous United States. After that time of day, phone and text are the best way to reach out. Emotional intelligence does not mean starting out calls to strangers with “how are you, today?” People with higher emotional quotients know to value a prospect’s time. Get right to the point with something they can relate to.

Be persistent but patient. You can try different channels to approach so that your name pops up from a few directions. Mentions from relations that are trusted by the target are key. This is why it is important to invest in a broad network. Although working in a big city, in the top level business echelons most people do know each other. Network that you can leverage is key!

Persistence is key. Don't give up and continue to follow up while remaining professional. It is important to not cross the line and push too hard. How far you can go depends on the individual and I'd rather recommend a cautious approach initially until you know more about the person you are trying to connect to. Be natural and authentic. As long as you don't give up, you will be successful at some point.

Pushy and aggressive will put people off. But that doesn't mean you should give up on the first attempt. The golden rule is that 'no' means NO, but until then, there is still an opportunity and they haven't closed the door. Be tenacious but polite. Listen to what they ask, ask smart questions, make the experience about them and ALWAYS do what you say you will do.

For me it is about being consistent as well as persistent. And adding value along the way. If you add value, you will always leave a postive feeling. Pushing your agenda almost never works. Who likes to sit beside the dinner guest who just talks about themselves and what's wanted by them. We map customer journeys and start our communication with awareness in mind before we move to things more linked to purchase. Digital is such a great enabler for this. It is all just a conversation, and the prospective customer does respond, you just need to read the queues. Then you deliver the right piece of content at a time that person is ready to recieve it. Serve those prospects, aim to delight, and the results will come.

They say that most deals will close on the fifth or sixth attempt. When working a system, after the initial contact by email, phone, or text, immediately follow up with another attempt by a second of these types of media. After a couple of months of weekly attempts it’s time to clear them out of your system. This way you can constantly be replacing the old with the new. Always work your freshest leads first, eventually making it back to the older ones.

When dealing with high-profile difficult-to-reach clients, try providing a service/solution that would free-up their time. Because for them, Time>>>>Money. Do something that would help them saving some extra time, and in return they would help you get you some extra dollars ?? ??

A key question to ask when breaking down initial barriers is asking ‘how can I help you?’ This immediately removes any preconceived notions about networking and ‘takers’ or if you are just talking about yourself. You may be able to assist with a further introduction if you can’t directly help. This also then keeps the door open for you to follow-up and even meet up again.

In my experience, onboard such customers to be a partner in something bigger than just value for money and profitability. Create partnership rather than customers. Create blue ocean rather tnah red ocean sell strategy.

If it's a client, discuss how they prefer to be contacted. Email, phone, text? Ideally do this when you are onboarding a new client. If it's a prospect, people are swamped with email. Send a handwritten postcard. Add a QR code with a link to an article or useful information. Be sure your contact information is on the card.

When a customer is difficult to contact, it is rarely free. One aspect to review is your own relationship with him: do you feel that he trusts you? Do you feel like he enjoys talking to you? If the answer is yes, chances are your client disappears often because they lack time. In that sense, the best task you can do, even if you don't contact each other often, is to make him feel that contact with you always saves time for him later. If you find a way to save them that call to the next area, or that manual coordination of the next team they need to contact, your client will be grateful and little by little they will see that meeting with you is a space that doubles the value of their time instead of draining it

This is the KEY to building relationships with not only difficult to reach clients, but every single prospect, lead, or person that you interact/work with. Building rapport and trust are skills that not everybody is comfortable or natural at, nor do they know how to develop these skills. They are often overlooked as a skill and/or unique personality traits. Building rapport & trust comes more naturally, and is not scripted. Tips: - Try to really listen and find commonalties with those you speak with. - Learn their interest and goals. - Get to know them, their story… - Find common connections in your network to speak about. -Tell a relatable story. Once trust is established the walls come down and the doors open up.

Treat them the way you would like the person in your family you admire most, to be treated! I work with my prospects like I would want my Grandmother to be respected.

This might be the easiest question I’ve ever seen. First off, make sure you have qualified staff who do their jobs well. Secondly, connect with your clients. Don’t push your agendas on them. They are coming to your business because they want/desire the service. Not to hear your social justice values. Keep politics and virtue signaling out of the business model. Your sales will skyrocket. Market your company, not what’s trending politically.

The truth is: More often than not, this won't work out. It is important to understand that there are certain phases two people have to go through together to eventually develop trust. And also, trust is not only a factor of time and effort. If you put all your efforts and expect a person to sign a deal after a few meetings, this is not networking. That's sales. Instead, find finding common areas of interest and spend some time with each other. Be authentic. See if your personalities "click". Then take it from there. If not, be OK with having a weak tie to this person. You need such connects in your network as well.

To connect with hard-to-reach clients, I find social media very helpful. Engaging with them on your social platforms, gives us the visitbility and makes it easy to build a connection. Commenting on their posts and take part in discussions, shows I truly care about their ideas, creating a friendly online connection.And also from what I've experienced, giving something valuable right away, like industry tips or solutions to their problems, grabs the attention as well. It's not just about showing what I know but mainly about solving their immediate issues. This makes me look like a partner in their success, not just someone trying to make a deal. Being helpful from the start builds trust.

Research your clients' closest relationships to understand their business environments, interests, and how your offerings align with them. Ensure your proposition not only aligns with their needs but also adds substantial value to their business. Hard-to-reach clients highly value their time and prioritize their business commitments. To capture their attention, present a proposition that stands out from the multitude of approaches they receive. Carefully select and articulate the unique value you bring, creating an opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

Intensive research & never say die are my tools for getting the initial breakthrough... After that, your value proposition & your skill at addressing the customer's most vulnerable points is the key.