Marketing Monday: Competitors = Referral sources?
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Could your competitors also be your referral sources?
Could the people you bid against also be a source of work for you?
I say yes, if you decide to see them that way.
Let me start by outing myself: for many years I avoided consultants that I perceived as my competition.
I am not even sure what I was thinking, except ignoring them seemed like a good idea.
Then, I started getting referrals from these consultants. In fact, some of my best clients lately have come from one so-called “competitor” — David Baker of ReCourses.
Why is he referring me?
- Because it turns out we actually do very different things, offer very different services and have very different approaches and strengths.
- Because when he can’t provide what a prospect needs, he needs someone to send them to. Not everyone who comes his way is a good fit.
- Because he’s not, in fact, my competitor. He’s proved instead to be a generous colleague and referral source.
So here’s the question for you: which of your so-called “competitors” could you see differently and develop a mutually beneficial relationship with?
That’s your task for Marketing Monday. What else are you doing?
BTW: The basic marketing strategies for any designer or creative professional, for that matter, are outlined very clearly in my book, The Designer’s Guide to Marketing & Pricing.
Mon, 16 May 2011 12:20:10 GMT
Tags: Client Relations, competition, David Baker, Designers, Featured, Freelancers Union, Growing Your Business, Ilise Benun, Illustrators, Marketing, Marketing Monday, Photographers, ReCourses, referral sources, Speakers, Writers,
Over 50,000 professional and freelance designers and developers. Post your design project once and review up to eight proposals. Save time, save money. Over 5000 projects delivered since 2006.
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