For any new business owner, learning how to win new business is usually the hardest part of gaining momentum. There is a great deal of competition in any industry today. The good news is there are a number of ways of winning new business and this blog will show you how.

Tip #1Networking

Networking is an extremely important part of your overall game plan for winning new contracts for your business. Networking is all about building relationships and this takes time. So be patient as this does not yield results right away.

By networking with people in your area it exposes you to many other business people and companies. Networking groups allow you to spread the word about your business and that you are looking for customers.

To successfully network you must:

• Be consistent and show up regularly to meetings
• Join several networking groups
• Do your homework to ensure that the ones you join give you the biggest bang for your buck.
• Join networking groups with at least 15 to 20 participants (more is preferable).

Tip #2 Marketing to Win New Business

Mail drops

Mail drops are a great way for drumming up new business in your area. To conduct a successful mail drop you need to create a flyer and sales letter. I don’t need to tell you that what you put on the flyer and in your sales letter will determine the success of your mail drop campaign.

The tough part is actually writing the winning sales letter and creating an eye catching flyer. You can attempt it yourself or leave it to the experts.Dawtek is a professional writing company with over 10 years experience creating marketing material including flyers and sales letters.  So if you don’t think you can do it yourself, give them a call.

Social Media

Using social media is a great way to create new leads. A great marketing campaign utilising Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn etc. will help you gain exposure for your business. Facebook ads are not expensive and your ads can be tailored to target specific markets, persons etc. that could easily generate new business. This marketing option does not have to be expensive you decide how much you want to spend. You can use Social Media Marketing agencies to help you but do your homework or have a crack yourself it’s not that hard.

News Paper Ads

Believe it or not still today the newspaper is actually a good source for obtaining potential clients.

By placing an ad in the Classified section, you can grab the attention of other business owners. Most municipalities have their own newspaper. Local advertising is a great way to create new leads and contracts.

Tip #3 Make sure you have a Web Presence

Having a website for your business is so important. It allows you to tell the ‘whole story’ about your business. Your website becomes your shop front and an avenue to reach potential clients that mail drops or networking can’t provide. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to get a great looking website. Dawtek can design you a great looking website with content for under $2,500.00. It is an investment that you cannot do without.

Tip #4 Encourage Word-of-Mouth Recommendations

Satisfied customers are the best advocates for your business, so urge them to pass on your details to people they know. Ask friends and family to do the same. Give your referees business cards to hand out and encourage them to provide testimonials for promotional literature.

Tip #5 Bidding for Contracts

Another way to win new contracts is to bid for contracts through the tendering process. This is a great way to win bigger contracts but there are a number of things you must do before you should go down this road including:

• Join a tender notification site – This where you will find request for tenders.
• Decide if you are going to attempt to write the response or use a professional tender writing firm.
• To bid or not to bid – ensure that your business can meet all the requirements requested in the tender before spending the time and money on your tender response.
• Have all your information ready to go – there is not a lot of time between the date a tender is released and when it is due. Having your information ready to go is vital to ensuring you meet the deadline.
• Supporting documentation - supporting documents that most tenders request, include: Health and Safety Policies and Procedures, Quality Policies, Environmental Policies and Procedures, Corporate Governance and Customer Service Procedures just to name a few.

The Bottom Line

While there are numerous ways to help you obtain new business, there really isn’t just one sure fire way to do so.

Therefore, it is important that you use a mix of several options. That way, you will be assured of leads coming in from multiple different sources – and, if one source runs dry, you will still have potential customers coming in from other open doorways.