Breaking into Consulting with a Notable First Client

[startinup]

Creating this thread to detail my progress in executing on the clever plan laid out by @MJ DeMarco here:

(speaking about web development)

If I was just getting started again, here's how I would go about it.

1. Find a notable company in a larger industry with a poorly designed website.
2. Find the decision maker and "try" to get authorization to redo their website... TOTALLY FREE OF CHARGE. If they like it, they can use it.
3. If you can't find the decision maker, DO IT ANYWAY.
4. Redesign the website.
5. Make sure it is your best work, and a clear improvement over the original website.
6. Email the entire upper management the link of the new website -- reiterate that it is FREE and that you will change anything they want.
7. Once they see the work and realize it is FREE, they will probably accept it.
8. Now you have your first client -- giving you the ability to say "We recently redesigned XXX's website." -- giving you social proof with a notable company. Now you can look to start charging. If not, repeat.

So what have I done so far?

I found a notable company with an outdated, poorly designed site, in a very large industry. I tried to get authorization to redo the site. So far I've sent 3 cold emails to the appropriate DM. All were opened, but have not gotten a response yet. I've also cold called this DM 7 times. Still, I haven't ever gotten past the voicemail box.

I completed the site. It is by far the best site I've ever designed. I made mockups for every page beforehand and used modern design techniques. Then committed to making it look the same way with code. I'm convinced that if they actually see the site I'll have my first client.

I've sent 2 emails so far to the Upper Management, both have been opened.


Current Obstacles:

My main problem right now is getting someone to click the link and look at the site.

Another problem are bounced emails. I've been using a combination of hunter.io, FullContact and Clearbit to try and get the correct emails.

Today I sent my second email to the upper management. FullContact told me that the emails I used correspond with the Linkedin accounts I want.

But... 6 of the emails bounced back. Including the President & CEO.


Where I am now:

At this point, I don't care if I have to drive for 15 hours down to their office and show them the site in person. I want to make this happen. I'm gonna keep calling the DM and try to get her or other influential people in the company to take a look at the site.

I'd be grateful for advice at this point since I'm having trouble coming up with next steps...

 

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[ljean]

Did you track if they are looking at the site?

 

[MJ DeMarco]

At this point, I don't care if I have to drive for 15 hours down to their office

FedEx or PriorityMail a box with a screenshot. Hand write their names. Send to all decision makers.

Digital mediums are noisy.

A box on your desk, hand written to you, is not as noisy and screams for the proper attention.

 

[andyandy]

FedEx or PriorityMail a box with a screenshot. Hand write their names. Send to all decision makers.

Digital mediums are noisy.

A box on your desk, hand written to you, is not as noisy and screams for the proper attention.

Awesome Advice!

 

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[startinup]

FedEx or PriorityMail a box with a screenshot. Hand write their names. Send to all decision makers.

Digital mediums are noisy.

A box on your desk, hand written to you, is not as noisy and screams for the proper attention.

This is why MJ has 200k+ rep.

Rep++

In the gym with my mouth wide open, people will start staring soon

 

[Scot]

FedEx or PriorityMail a box with a screenshot. Hand write their names. Send to all decision makers.

Digital mediums are noisy.

A box on your desk, hand written to you, is not as noisy and screams for the proper attention.

+1 to this. Get high res screen shots of every page you designed for them, find a local print shop and make a nice bound booklet.

Write out a handwritten letter explaining why you did this and what you hope to gain from this.

Put it ina fedex priority mail box and ship it to them. It'll get opened and hopefully the good presentation will make an impression.

I use this strategy at work. We have a lot of doctors at university hospitals that can't be seen. Going to the receptionist and asking to pass some information back guarantees a one way trip to the garbage can.

But priority mail envelopes with marketing material and a business card have gotten me some results.

 

[startinup]

Pseudo-Weekly Update​

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I sent priority mail packages to 6 DMs. Each with a selection of the best-looking screenshots of the site and a letter with handwritten names to each of them (If I hand-wrote each letter they wouldn't be legible). They arrived early this week, but did not get any sort of response back.

Have kept persisting, but still silence... I'm sure this is the result of some executional failure on my part and am still convinced that my site is much better than their current site. Maybe they're too busy currently (they just expanded and opened a new office) and are not interested in taking the time to deal with the site. Even if it is free.

---

Either way I've decided a change of direction is in order. I feel too lazy sitting at home looking for other smaller companies in the same industry to reach out to after I get them as a client. Making 2 cold calls a day, leaving 2 more voicemails, sending cold email follow ups. Today I was wondering if the only reason I am still reaching out to them is because I've invested so much time into it.

So I've decided that although I'll continue to reach out, I'm also going to build sites for smaller local companies. It'll give me something to make real progress on while I continue to persist with the most one-sided conversation I've ever had

What I've Done so Far:

• Researched and created a list of local companies that NEED a new site and make enough from a single job to justify a decent investment.
• Created a cold email template for the first email to potential clients.

My Simple Process:

• Add 5 new companies each day to my list
• Send 5 cold emails each day
• Make 5 cold calls each day, both to companies I've emailed and companies with no email

---

As always, I'm grateful for any feedback, advice, or criticism.

Thanks for reading!

 

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[startinup]

Pseudo-Weekly Update​

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

First Client:

I just met with my first client. It went really well and I was very prepared. He's got a good little business going. I think I can make a huge improvement on his current site and get his already growing business even more clients.

I'm gonna write up a quote and send it by email tonight.

Seems like the biggest concern he had is customer service. How available will I be to make changes in the future? He had a bad experience with another guy in the past who took 2 weeks to get back to him. I think I convinced him with my attitude toward customer service that I won't be like that guy. I want to be known for instant response to emails and picking up the phone on the first call.


Cold Contact Process:

No positive responses from any of the other people I reached out to so far this week, but doesn't matter to me. Just gonna keep doing my 5 calls and 5 emails a day. I might shorten the email script I wrote a bit and see if that gets a better response. So far my response rate is only around 5% and that can clearly be improved.

I was going to use yesware and mail merging to reach out, but since I'm going after blue collar types of businesses, phone seems to be the better tool for outreach.


No More Notable First Client:

Decided to stop reaching out to the Notable client. They either don't think they need help, are too busy, or didn't like the way I presented myself. Regardless, 10 more cold calls isn't going to be the tool to convince them and I'd rather focus on working with local companies I can really impact for.

That means the title of this thread doesn't exactly fit anymore, but I'll keep posting here to avoid adding to the clog of new threads.

---

As always, I'm grateful for any feedback, advice, or criticism.

Thanks for reading!

 

[Joe Cassandra]

Pseudo-Weekly Update​

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

First Client:

I just met with my first client. It went really well and I was very prepared. He's got a good little business going. I think I can make a huge improvement on his current site and get his already growing business even more clients.

I'm gonna write up a quote and send it by email tonight.

Seems like the biggest concern he had is customer service. How available will I be to make changes in the future? He had a bad experience with another guy in the past who took 2 weeks to get back to him. I think I convinced him with my attitude toward customer service that I won't be like that guy. I want to be known for instant response to emails and picking up the phone on the first call.


Cold Contact Process:

No positive responses from any of the other people I reached out to so far this week, but doesn't matter to me. Just gonna keep doing my 5 calls and 5 emails a day. I might shorten the email script I wrote a bit and see if that gets a better response. So far my response rate is only around 5% and that can clearly be improved.

I was going to use yesware and mail merging to reach out, but since I'm going after blue collar types of businesses, phone seems to be the better tool for outreach.


No More Notable First Client:

Decided to stop reaching out to the Notable client. They either don't think they need help, are too busy, or didn't like the way I presented myself. Regardless, 10 more cold calls isn't going to be the tool to convince them and I'd rather focus on working with local companies I can really impact for.

That means the title of this thread doesn't exactly fit anymore, but I'll keep posting here to avoid adding to the clog of new threads.

---

As always, I'm grateful for any feedback, advice, or criticism.

Thanks for reading!

I'd actually disagree with going after 'notable' companies with poor sites...the reason being it's not obviously a concern for them.

I'm a copywriter. I wasted TONS, TONS, TONS of hours doing a similar process as you did...finding ragged sites with poor copy...I'd screenshot various points and offer copy tips.

Did that probably 40-50 times....

ZERO clients. A few 'mumbled' emails saying 'thanks, but we're not interested.'

It wasn't until I went after clients who obviously already used copy and NEEDED copy all the time --- everything clicked.

IDEAS:

---> Find companies who do a ton of landing pages or even print ads. Every FB ad you see...click-thru and look at their design. HINT: If they advertise online, they need you.
---> Reach out to those companies with BIG IDEAS on what they can change.

I GUARANTEE you'll get a higher, more positive response.

[POST YOUR EMAIL SCRIPT HERE, I'LL CRITIQUE IT. I've sent thousands of cold emails with great success.]
------------
Closing Tip:

Take it from someone who's done mega-outreaches...never spend that much time on one prospect EVERRRR. Not unless they were a referral, you FOR SURE know they have a need, or they've expressed interest before.

 

[startinup]

I'd actually disagree with going after 'notable' companies with poor sites...the reason being it's not obviously a concern for them.

I'm a copywriter. I wasted TONS, TONS, TONS of hours doing a similar process as you did...finding ragged sites with poor copy...I'd screenshot various points and offer copy tips.

Did that probably 40-50 times....

ZERO clients. A few 'mumbled' emails saying 'thanks, but we're not interested.'

It wasn't until I went after clients who obviously already used copy and NEEDED copy all the time --- everything clicked.

IDEAS:

---> Find companies who do a ton of landing pages or even print ads. Every FB ad you see...click-thru and look at their design. HINT: If they advertise online, they need you.
---> Reach out to those companies with BIG IDEAS on what they can change.

I GUARANTEE you'll get a higher, more positive response.

[POST YOUR EMAIL SCRIPT HERE, I'LL CRITIQUE IT. I've sent thousands of cold emails with great success.]
------------
Closing Tip:

Take it from someone who's done mega-outreaches...never spend that much time on one prospect EVERRRR. Not unless they were a referral, you FOR SURE know they have a need, or they've expressed interest before.

Thanks so much for the great advice. Getting my computer repaired so I've been off the FLF grid for a bit, but it's awesome to get some participation from people like you who want to help.

My current email script is mostly just the one from foxes web school. I decided to join last week after my frustration created the need.

Before that I was using a format like Alex Berman talks about:

[Compliment related to their business]
[2-3 sentence what I do pitch]
[Ask for a follow up call]
[p.s. about something personal to the dm]

Have you ever used anything like this? What kind of format has worked best for you?

Your closing tip is on point. Looking back I should've stopped pushing for the sale a week or so before I did. But on a positive note, painful lessons are better learned.

 

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[TheNewRich]

Either way I've decided a change of direction is in order. I feel too lazy sitting at home looking for other smaller companies in the same industry to reach out to after I get them as a client. Making 2 cold calls a day, leaving 2 more voicemails, sending cold email follow ups. Today I was wondering if the only reason I am still reaching out to them is because I've invested so much time into it.

So I've decided that although I'll continue to reach out, I'm also going to build sites for smaller local companies. It'll give me something to make real progress on while I continue to persist with the most one-sided conversation I've ever had

In Grant Cardone's book Sell or Be Sold he said he once called a client 15 times in one day and didn't feel it was accessive because he felt the client absolutely needed what he had to offer.

 

[Joe Cassandra]

Thanks so much for the great advice. Getting my computer repaired so I've been off the FLF grid for a bit, but it's awesome to get some participation from people like you who want to help.

My current email script is mostly just the one from foxes web school. I decided to join last week after my frustration created the need.

Before that I was using a format like Alex Berman talks about:

[Compliment related to their business]
[2-3 sentence what I do pitch]
[Ask for a follow up call]
[p.s. about something personal to the dm]

Have you ever used anything like this? What kind of format has worked best for you?

Your closing tip is on point. Looking back I should've stopped pushing for the sale a week or so before I did. But on a positive note, painful lessons are better learned.

I usually send:
- 1 opening email
- 3 followups

If they don't answer, I stop.

BUT:
If they show interest:
- I'll send 2-3 follow-ups after they respond [after initial reach-outs]
- Put together some ideas for them [outline them...DO NOT DO THEM]
- If they never answer again, stop

Make sure you track the opens as well. If they've opened it a zillion times, they're interested, just not ready. Mark them down to follow-up in 3-6 months.
--------
For the email script, definitely similar. My only change: I used to ask for a phonecall or such. But that's a BIG ask of someone. It's time, moments of stress/uncomfortableness, small talk...etc.

I started going down to a smaller ask. For example: I ask: "Do you ever work with outside copywriters?"

It's much easier for them to say "Yeah, Joe...but we're set right now." or "No, we keep it in-house."Then to say: "Umm...no thanks for a call." I think about it like this: They don't me, don't trust me, why do they want to get into an obvious sales pitch?'

For some asking for the call works and it's pushed by the likes of Grant Cardone...I'm only telling you what's worked for me.

 

[startinup]

Pseudo-Weekly(Monthly) Update​

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Was feeling drained just in time for a break me and my girlfriend had planned. I was hoping the bit of downtime would get my head straight again and I would be excited to start back up. Unfortunately still feeling unmotivated, but at least now I'm definitely not overworked. I'll probably feel better when I just get started again.

I think the real problem I'm having is accepting the time I've spent as a bunch of learning experiences. I feel like I've wasted that time and it's getting under my skin. Everyone always talks about the doubt and fear, but you can't know the feeling until you've spent a couple months trying to get something moving with little definite progress.

On a more positive note, I'm definitely going to grow a ton through this process. Rejection, fear, doubt and pressure are all working to make me a better human

---

I know this update isn't much, but I just wanted to get the momentum started again in any way I can.

As always, I'm grateful for any feedback, advice, or criticism.

Thanks for reading!

---

Bonus: How have you dealt with fear/doubt in the past to get yourself back on track?

 

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[TheNewRich]

Cold Contact Process:

No positive responses from any of the other people I reached out to so far this week, but doesn't matter to me. Just gonna keep doing my 5 calls and 5 emails a day. I might shorten the email script I wrote a bit and see if that gets a better response. So far my response rate is only around 5% and that can clearly be improved.

Hey man, I think the biggest issue here is the fact you're only making 5 cold calls a day. Honestly, I think you need to be pushing numbers like 75-100 calls a day.

Instead of investing the time into showing them whats wrong you should ask them what they'd like to improve on. Ask them if they're interested in having their website be on the first pages of google. If they would like to double their monthly website hits etc. (They probably paid a lot of money for someone to half a$$ the site for them and people don't like to be reminded that they messed up.)

Ideas:
1. Outsource to a VA to find websites/businesses in the area of your liking that would meet the standards for your service. Have them make an Excel Spread sheet with the company name, phone number, and website address. (You can find a good VA for a 2-4 Dollars an hour. You might have to test a couple VA's out to find one that is efficient.

2. Literally, pick a day like Sunday or Every morning before 8 am to research and find prospects. Just open Excel and click through sites and then copy and paste their contact info.

3. Go to the 3rd,4th, 5th,6th....and so on and just call each business down the line and mention the fact they are on that page.


4. Maybe go for smaller Niche / Smaller Businesses where the owner is likely available to answer calls.
Try calling 30 mins prior to open and After Hours you may be more likely to get ahold of someone in charge. Most hourly workers get the hell out of there ASAP.

5. Try Craigslist call people advertising their services on there like Tree Cutters/Welders/ECT.

6. Make a landing page to collect emails and use Facebook advertising to get an email opt in of people interested in your services.

7. Even if not everyone is a suitable prospect you'll get experience calling them and eventually you'll have the phone game locked down and able to get past gate keepers and secure a 1on1 meeting with the owner. Tell them all you need is 10 minutes in person to show them how you can solve their problems.

Maybe I'm not hitting the head on the nail but I just think you need to 10x your prospect cold calls.

 

[startinup]

Hey man, I think the biggest issue here is the fact you're only making 5 cold calls a day. Honestly, I think you need to be pushing numbers like 75-100 calls a day.

Instead of investing the time into showing them whats wrong you should ask them what they'd like to improve on. Ask them if they're interested in having their website be on the first pages of google. If they would like to double their monthly website hits etc. (They probably paid a lot of money for someone to half a$$ the site for them and people don't like to be reminded that they messed up.)

Ideas:
1. Outsource to a VA to find websites/businesses in the area of your liking that would meet the standards for your service. Have them make an Excel Spread sheet with the company name, phone number, and website address. (You can find a good VA for a 2-4 Dollars an hour. You might have to test a couple VA's out to find one that is efficient.

2. Literally, pick a day like Sunday or Every morning before 8 am to research and find prospects. Just open Excel and click through sites and then copy and paste their contact info.

3. Go to the 3rd,4th, 5th,6th....and so on and just call each business down the line and mention the fact they are on that page.


4. Maybe go for smaller Niche / Smaller Businesses where the owner is likely available to answer calls.
Try calling 30 mins prior to open and After Hours you may be more likely to get ahold of someone in charge. Most hourly workers get the hell out of there ASAP.

5. Try Craigslist call people advertising their services on there like Tree Cutters/Welders/ECT.

6. Make a landing page to collect emails and use Facebook advertising to get an email opt in of people interested in your services.

7. Even if not everyone is a suitable prospect you'll get experience calling them and eventually you'll have the phone game locked down and able to get past gate keepers and secure a 1on1 meeting with the owner. Tell them all you need is 10 minutes in person to show them how you can solve their problems.

Maybe I'm not hitting the head on the nail but I just think you need to 10x your prospect cold calls.

First of all, some great advice here, thanks!

I've been thinking about upping my numbers for cold calls. Currently, I've been sending out emails first and then following up with the call. I want to keep the emails as personal as possible for better results and that is limiting the amount of people I can reach out to, since I need to personalize each email. I'm thinking you're right though. I do need to up my numbers in general to get results quicker and get past the learning curve.

Well, guess it's time to push myself even further out of my comfort zone

 

[startinup]

Pseudo-Weekly Update​

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After thinking through the entire idea of scaling up my outreach, I decided not to do it. Sending out 50 emails a day sounds great, until you remember that customization is the key to a successful cold email. So writing templates may work in some cases, but I'm writing each email by hand for now to keep them completely custom.

Have stuck to the original plan that I was pursuing. And my original process:

5 calls every day, 5 emails every day.

I don't need to add leads to my list everyday because now I have implemented @Joe Cassandra's advice to follow up with each client a couple times and already have enough leads to keep me busy for a couple of weeks.

So what did I actually do this week...

Action taken:

- Created my own little basic CRM on excel since I don't like streak and don't have the budget for a better CRM.

- Followed my process every day starting Tuesday.

- Created a mockup for and met with an interested potential client after a cold call. He seemed like the perfect first client. (Low converting site, using adwords and getting no results) He is not very tech savvy and is definitely mis-managing his Adwords, so it's hard for me to know for sure if his website or his Adwords methods are the problem. I think it's both so I will continue to try and close this sale, and if it turns out that his Adwords methods are preventing him from getting conversions, I'll be reading up on @Andy Black's threads soon too

- Got a reply from a very interested potential client on email, she's currently going on vacation but after she gets back I will follow up with her and see if we are a good fit to work together.

---

Overall, I'm very satisfied with how the week turned out. Was feeling strong doubt at the beginning of the week and am proud of myself for jumping on the phone anyway and pushing through the uncertainty. It will pay off eventually even if neither of these potential clients are a good fit.

---

As always, I'm grateful for any feedback, advice, or criticism.

Thanks for reading!

 

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