Getting your first leads
Capital Ideas members share how they found their initial business leads
“Our first few customers came from friends and neighbours, as Primp & Polish is a home-based business. But our most significant and loyal customers that we gained early on came from a networking group we joined. They’ve also been our most successful referral customers!” — Jackie Appleby, owner of Primp & Polish Beauty Boutique — primpandpolish.ca “When I started my sales training business, I had a non-existent network and even fewer leads. I did latch onto one unsuspecting potential client. I shared with him, on several occasions, how awesome my sales training program was. With a customer base of zero, and an unproven product, I was fuelled by sheer bravado. He was very patient as I’m sure I bored him with a lot of unrelated, selfserving features. He finally said, ‘OK, let me speak to a few of your references.’ I think my heart stopped. Now what? I paused, then said the only thing that came to my mind, ‘OK, no problem, my mom will be home in an hour. We can give her a call.’ He said, ‘Seriously?’ I said, ‘Yup, you’ll be by first gig and my first reference.’ He chuckled and said, ‘OK, I’ll give you three hours with my team at our next sales meeting.’ It worked out well, and he did become a loyal client. My lesson learned: persistence and a quiet confidence has its rewards. I was able to slowly build my client base. We just celebrated 23 years in business.” — Tim Breithaupt, president of Spectrum Training Solutions Ltd. — spectrumtraining.ca “Our first customers were individuals who had experienced our style of helping individuals and/or families, those who witnessed the facilitating process of bringing relief to families. They knew our family story, how we thrived despite mental illness.” — Mona Cooley, CEO and founder of Cool Family Solutions — coolfamilysolutions.com “My first client took seven months of fulltime work and heavy engagement. I helped them work through everything from internal opportunity assessment process all the way through the legal and procurement work. I called the key stakeholders daily and stayed on top of their minds. Writing an ROI calculator based on all lessons learned and presenting this to the sponsor produced the final signoff. Lessons learned: earn the client’s trust and create a relationship with all parties involved.” — Dan Giurescu, founder of Caledonia Solutions — caledoniasolinc.com
Marjorie Munroe, codirector at Workplace Fairness Alberta (marjoriemunroe.com), says that her first business leads came from an unlikely source. “You might think it is counterintuitive to share your business goals with your ‘competition,’ but my first customers came from referrals from those same ‘competitors.’ Colleagues who work in the same market, but have a slightly different niche, have been an important source of customers for me.” “The key for my business was to figure out where potential clients look for solutions to their needs. As a doctor of Chinese medicine, I marketed myself to local holistic businesses, posting targeted ads on their bulletin boards to pull in the ideal clientele. I would also leave business cards at the coffee shop, in the ladies restroom, and at the local library.” — Tanya Hartz, doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture at The Fire Within Acupuncture & Wellness — fireacupuncture.com “My first customers found me by having a problem that needed solving.” — Ralph Meyer, president and founder of RMMT Enterprises Delivery — rmmt.ca “I started by connecting with people who already trusted me. I met with past employers and co-workers to explore how I could help them as a consultant. Luckily, I knew a lot about their needs. While I let the conversations naturally unfold, I also came prepared with ideas for how I could help them. This was coupled with consistent and respectfully relentless followup. I took action on every opportunity, every introduction and every promise, no matter how big or small.” — Nadine Nicholson, chief focus officer at MeJane — mejane.ca “I started with a clear presentation of myself and the benefits that I offer, and I went to networking events where I could meet my ideal clients.” — Ave Peetri, owner of Coaching by Ave Peetri Inc. — coachingbyavepeetri.com “A former co-worker referred us to help sell his grandmother’s home. Relying on referrals from friends and family is a great source of business in the early startup days, and 12 years later, it is still a very important component of our business.” — Russ and Bonny Rasmussen, real estate agents with Century 21 Summit — wesoldit.ca “My first customer was also the boss of the first company I worked for after graduating college. He was the branch manager of a national company. When the company downsized and closed the branch, he started his own company, which needed a freelance designer. I did a great deal of networking to build my business after that.” — David Saxby, president of Spark Communications Inc. — sparkcommunications.com “While studying for certification in the various modalities with which I practise, and developing my tailor-made programs, I provided potential clients the opportunity to work with me in exchange for a reduced rate and testimonials (or) feedback. This was valuable for me and the clients, and sure enough, word-of-mouth soon brought more clients. The experience brought me increased confidence and ironed out the creases!” — Sam Tattersall, founder of Mamaita’s Journey — mamaitasjourney.com “Our methods for obtaining our first customers have not drastically changed from how we do it now. The key is empathy. If you are able to truly empathize with a potential client, it enables you to build a whole new level of trust and rapport. If a customer knows that you take them seriously and have taken the time to understand them, you’ve not only won their current business, but their future business as well.” — Michael Tighe, managing partner of Solid Site — asolidsite.com “Last year, hitting the ground running, I printed hundreds of promotional flyers and visited local businesses — literally doorto-door. It was a highly intimidating task. However, I met some fantastic people, some of whom have become long-term, loyal clients. Soon after, I discovered the power of networking, which is solid gold! It has been a key factor in the growth of my business. With all our current technology, I notice a stunning amount of anti-social behaviour within our society. I feel that now, more than ever, it is important to make the effort to reach out and meet people.” — Jaime Wedholm, design director of Jaime Wedholm Graphic Design Solutions — jaimewedholm.ca