Finding Your Next Ideal Client as a DOO
Natalie Gingrich
I certify and mentor operations professionals with project management expertise to become Directors of Operations.
We all want to work in a space of joy, where we love every client we talk to each day and where the work feels easy. That’s so much of why we became entrepreneurs, isn’t it? That and the ability to build our legacy and create the time freedom we want.
But if we’re going to stick with it and build a legacy, we should love what we do and who we do it for. That makes sitting down at our computer each day a whole lot easier.
So how do you find those just-right, top-tier clients as a DOO? I recently published a podcast episode about this topic but would like to share some additional tools and tips.
Know You People & Their Needs
Niching down is probably one of the scariest and most profitable things you can do in your business. Let me explain.
Niching is scary, especially for newer DOOs, because it feels like you’re limiting your opportunities. You’re no longer marketing yourself as the do-all DOO who can handle everything in the operations space for anyone who needs an operator.
First of all, it’s impossible to excel in every area of the operations space. We all have our own innate gifts and our own industries where we shine. Knowing those areas and marketing yourself as that expert makes you more referable. People know what you do and who you do it for and you become the most well-known person in that space.
And when you’re more specialized, you can charge more for what you do.
Think about it: You go to a general internal medicine doctor for a lot of different things--aches and pains, illnesses, immunizations, etc. But when you have a special need, like maternity care or a broken bone, you go to a specialist.
The director of operations space is no different. Specialize, make it well known what your specialty is, and people will flock to you. And it’s a lot easier to identify the people you should be talking to and where to focus your marketing efforts.
If you know your ideal clients are coaches in the wellness space who host podcasts, you can probably make a list of names that fit that description. It’s easy to do some research and make connections. But a target audience of “online business coaches” is so broad that you could potentially have tens of thousands of people in your sights.?
That’s not necessarily a good thing, especially if you provide a 1:1 service and only need four to six retainer clients to hit your revenue goals.
So know who your ideal clients are and narrow that down as much as you can.
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Having an offering that’s incredibly niched down is also important so that others know exactly how you can serve them. Know your offers and stay in your lane.
Surround Yourself with the Right People
Once you know who your clients are, it’s time to find them. I share some ideas on how to do this on a recent podcast episode. But let’s add to this a bit.
Of course, you want to get in front of your potential clients through speaking events, guesting on podcasts, connecting through LinkedIn, and engaging with their content. But there’s something to be said for relationships with your peers too.
As a director of operations, you have a wide network of other DOOs as one of your best referral sources. Especially if you’re niched down.
I’ve seen certified DOOs working together for one client because one focuses on financials and one focuses on SOPs. I’ve seen DOOs partner together to create a successful product suite for similar ideal clients. And I’ve seen DOOs hire one another to better support their clients.
When you become a DOO, you get access to this growing network of potential referral sources. And if you’re not a DOO, you have a network of referral sources in your group of business friends or others who work with a similar client base.
Add to that the incredible network that is online business. I’m so grateful to be part of this online marketplace where the possibilities are truly endless. (Who knew when I left corporate America that this space existed? I sure didn’t!)
The trick is to build online networking into your daily or weekly routine so it’s a natural part of your business. We often get so busy with client work that we forget that marketing and networking is an ongoing and continual part of business. Even if we’re not focused on growth at the moment, it’s still important.
Some regular actions could include:
There’s so much more you can do to find your next ideal client as a DOO and I encourage you to get creative! There’s room for each of us.