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Using that, we've just researched through a few hundred $1 million to $10 million revenue range companies; while we've found some leads, we're not seeing any interest in that size of spending - more people looking to break the water with a handful of pages at $2k - $5k.
So I ask - where's the bigger clients out there? What's selling right now in the larger ranges? I hate to take on these $2k, 7-page jobs, but cash flow is cash flow...
Who's buying those $20k Flash-enhanced sites? Or whatever... I know we have the skills and the cojones to take on the bigger projects, I'm just not 100% sure where to start poking around for them now...
Seriously though, unless you fall into something, it is as with the larger company you mentioned - knowing someone. My trade secret (I expect cash in the mail!) is very basic.
In my "spare" time I research companies. I note web site or not, quality, branch offices, who is responsible for what, etc. I especially note both listed customers and suppliers. Eventually I know somebody who knows somebody and I get an introduction.
I do not try to sell anything directly, they are all expecting that and are very wary. I simply stay in touch, am a friendly resource, and am there when needed. So far it works a treat.
Mind you I am a me, myself, and I business (with fabulous subcontractors who on occassion subcontract to me, etc.) so I may not need the cash flow a multi-person company requires.
All of the companies you have done work for have customers and suppliers. Hopefully they will provide heartwarming introductions if asked. So ask. Good luck.
I guess I should have asked what industries, or what revenue range of clientele is a good place to start? Another forum suggested that back-end web apps are the place to go - solving business problems with internal websites. But that's not really our area of expertise. Plus, I think you need an independant consultant to recommend those - I mean, imagine a web dev guy who comes in and says, "oh yeah, that business problem can be solved with a website" - that's convenient.
None of us have a problem being direct, and contacting managers once we know what companies we should be targetting. I just don't know what to target... especially when the larger companies appear to have websites already. But unless we're in their minds, I guess we'll never know how happy a firm is with their web solutions...
Who cares what industry - you are designing a web site. If you have to supply content you do some research or sub it; if its very technical or proprietary they will likely supply it - if not charge more! At some point if you work at it you will have enough large accounts that you can decline small ones (try to find someone good to refer them to - makes you look good and may be commissionable!).
So what if they have web sites already. Much of my work is in redesign. Companies are used to depreciation and replacement - they expect to redo their web site at some point. The trick is be on their mind when that time comes. They also understand maintenance - start with a maintenance contract so you will be the obvious person at redesign time.
Research is the key. You have to know them, their business generally, and what their competitors are doing. There is no quick fix, a long sustained effort is what is required. As I mentioned earlier, target the suppliers and clients of the companies who are happy with your work. They can give you the in you are looking for. But research the target before asking for the intro and plan out the best approach, it will vary from company to company, person to person.
Good hunting!
Its a different sell though, there will be more buying groups .. more individuals you need to influence in the target client, lead times may be longer as a result, while budgets are larger there is likely to be more burocracy involved so you will have to cope with it ...
Promoting yourselves based on your most complex work is going to make you more attractive to larger clients with more complex demands and less to smaller clients with simpler needs.
In your own positive communications its relatively easy for you to focus on larger clients but .. I certainly would mean and I guess you also mean ... clients with a likely larger spend rather than a likely larger overall size.
With that in mind its likely clients with the most to gain from internet marketing and perhaps those with more net savvy staff in decision making positions will make your best targets ..
I dont agree "there was no correlation beween your clients from this last year"
Plainly there was the correlation that they each felt comfortable justifying >$10k on web site development. [1]
What you need to decide is why?
And you ought to know that really as I hope you sold "the benefit" to them in the first place :-)
So which others need the same benefit?
Get at em :-0!
Mark
note [1] And on top of that I am sure that some clients out there would have probably paid $20k for that same work and some others happily $6k for the same work ...
It's all about building a relationship built on trust.
Interesting stuff all around - and I appreciate it.
One comment to Mark -
And you ought to know that really as I hope you sold "the benefit" to them in the first place :-)
- ah ha! That's the thing - I don't do sales, per se.
But... We obviously "sold" our professionalism, our understanding of their goals, or they wouldn't have chosen us. Hmm.
I guess it really comes down to profitability on behalf of the company. A law firm or other services firm is almost inevitably going to have a higher profit margin, and sell larger accounts than a small manufacturer with big overhead in a factory and money tied up in product...
Thanks again for your thoughts.
