I used to hustle for every new client at Chamber mixers... now I just focus on my existing customers and let word of mouth do the work

Back in 2019 I was hitting 3 networking events a week around Detroit, collecting business cards like crazy. Spent like $60 a month just on parking downtown. But after the pandemic hit in 2020, I stopped going to those things entirely. Found that when I started giving my regular clients a little extra attention, like a quick follow-up call after a job or a small thank you note, they started referring me way more than any handshake ever did. Has anyone else seen their best leads come from old customers instead of pounding the pavement?

3 comments

3 Comments

joel_clark3728d ago

Man that parking cost thing really hits home. I remember dropping like forty bucks just to stand around a hotel ballroom eating stale crackers and pretending to be interested in someone's HVAC business. Once I stopped chasing strangers and started sending a quick text to regulars after I finished their work, people started calling ME instead of me chasing them. Had this one customer who was a quiet guy never said much, then out of nowhere he sent me three referrals in a month. Its wild how just being good to the people who already trust you pays off way better than trying to impress a room full of people you'll never see again.

angela58728d ago

You ever have one of those customers who just kind of... becomes part of your life whether you want them to or not? I had this older lady, must've called me six times in two years for stuff her son could've fixed if he wasn't living three states away. She always paid cash, always offered me a glass of sweet tea, and every single time she'd tell me about her neighbor who needed this or that done. After a while I started bringing her extra parts I had lying around just 'cause I knew she couldn't drive to the hardware store. Her neighbor ended up being this big shot real estate guy who now sends me all his rental properties. Funny how that works...

max_torres4427d ago

That old lady basically built your whole business without even trying, didn't she?