3 ms·

I find my clients by networking and leveraging of successful completed projects. For example, if I just completed a project automating some aspect of a travel

I find my clients by networking and leveraging of successful completed projects. For example, if I just completed a project automating some aspect of a travel agency (yes they still exist). Then we contact all other travel agencies in our area and offer to solve the same problem for them or something similar. If the completed project is in the area of a common business area, e.g. follow-up for contract renewals, then we would look at other industries with a similar issue, pick the most likely one and then call those. We have tried using sales people and they generally don't know enough about our solutions nor the clients' problems to conduct consultative sales process. And asking for referrals is a key part of the discussions that you conduct with past clients as well as prospects who say "no thanks".

SantiagoQ 5y ago
Yes niching or narrowing down is usually the most effective way. For example I do 5-hour week consulting to pre-seed startups as a Fractional CTO. My value proposition is: I guide non-technical founders take their startups from pre-seed to seed and I focus on the Mexican market. In less than a year I'm already well established in the niche and I even go further by specializing in AI startups. My job is usually building a team and mentoring more junior developers. Also, participate in product design, assuring what they try to build is feasible, cost effective and meets the goals. Besides founders, me relevant network include family offices & angel investors, startup mentors & accelerators and college professors & junior developers. If I wanted more work, I would offer developing personalized newsletters for seed startups charging a higher hourly rate. But I rather wait, and let some of my customers grow.