Thread by Hunter Hammonds
Thread
I sold $7m in new business last year
I used a repeatable process - you can use it too
7 tactics for getting your first customers👇
I used a repeatable process - you can use it too
7 tactics for getting your first customers👇
One quick thing...
Before you start selling, I want you to do an exercise
Imagine you are your own first customer
What would make the sales process, onboarding, and actual engagement perfect?
These are your first tasks
Before you start selling, I want you to do an exercise
Imagine you are your own first customer
What would make the sales process, onboarding, and actual engagement perfect?
These are your first tasks
I always start by building the best customer experience
I anticipate their questions or concerns
I create sales materials that address them
Thoughtfully prepare so you can make their experience seamless
I anticipate their questions or concerns
I create sales materials that address them
Thoughtfully prepare so you can make their experience seamless
1) Know Your Customer
Understanding your market segment is crucial
Who is the buyer? What's their biggest problem?
What would convince them to work with you?
Understanding your market segment is crucial
Who is the buyer? What's their biggest problem?
What would convince them to work with you?
Do extensive customer research
Be a sponge
Learn everything you can about your target customer
This will help you craft a winning sales strategy
Be a sponge
Learn everything you can about your target customer
This will help you craft a winning sales strategy
2) Start With Your Network
This is this easiest way to find your first customer
Start by selling to 1st or 2nd degree connections
Put yourself out there - talk to everyone you know
This is this easiest way to find your first customer
Start by selling to 1st or 2nd degree connections
Put yourself out there - talk to everyone you know
Collect feedback from your network to perfect your pitch
You won't get it right first try - it will take iteration
Pay attention to points of friction
Improve these areas
You won't get it right first try - it will take iteration
Pay attention to points of friction
Improve these areas
3) Cold Email is a Super Power
Use tools like Apollo or SeamlessAI to find prospects
Craft personalized emails that clearly explain your offering
I like to test campaigns in batches of 500
Use tools like Apollo or SeamlessAI to find prospects
Craft personalized emails that clearly explain your offering
I like to test campaigns in batches of 500
After 500 emails, you should know what's working and what's not
Iterate and improve your approach
Send another 500 emails
Repeat
Iterate and improve your approach
Send another 500 emails
Repeat
4) Offer Referrals
This is an easy hack to building a bigger sales team
Ask your friends and colleagues to keep their ears open
Offer them a % or flat-rate for opportunities they bring in
This is an easy hack to building a bigger sales team
Ask your friends and colleagues to keep their ears open
Offer them a % or flat-rate for opportunities they bring in
True story: I offered a friend 3% of any deals he brought me
Then he helped me land a $5m contract
I wrote him a check for $150k
Talk about a rewarding friendship!
Then he helped me land a $5m contract
I wrote him a check for $150k
Talk about a rewarding friendship!
5) Sell to Those That Are Already Buying
Let's say you write ad copy for fitness brands
Target brands that have job listings for copywriters or similar roles
Use a tool like @meetapollo to find them
Let's say you write ad copy for fitness brands
Target brands that have job listings for copywriters or similar roles
Use a tool like @meetapollo to find them
Pro-tip: Usually companies with multiple open roles in one function are desperate to make progress
Tailor your offering to clearly explain how you'll help them make progress faster and cheaper
Tailor your offering to clearly explain how you'll help them make progress faster and cheaper
6) Say Yes To Everything At First
When you're getting started say "Yes" to every opportunity
It's low-risk at the beginning to take on smaller deals
It helps you build a portfolio and gather testimonials
When you're getting started say "Yes" to every opportunity
It's low-risk at the beginning to take on smaller deals
It helps you build a portfolio and gather testimonials
Don't be too proud to take a project because they're small or their budget is tight
If you can make the deal work for you, then do it
No one lands Nike for their first sale
You have to work your way up
If you can make the deal work for you, then do it
No one lands Nike for their first sale
You have to work your way up
7) Constantly Focus on ROI
Customers only care about what the value they're getting
Make your value 10x greater than your price
This makes you impossible to ignore
Customers only care about what the value they're getting
Make your value 10x greater than your price
This makes you impossible to ignore
It'll be hard at first
As your customer base grows, you'll collect more and more proof on the value of your work
Collect this data from customers
Use it in your testimonials
Make your value clear
As your customer base grows, you'll collect more and more proof on the value of your work
Collect this data from customers
Use it in your testimonials
Make your value clear
Want to learn more about getting your side hustle started?
Read this next
Read this next
I hope this is helpful - let me know how it goes
Follow me @_hunterhammonds for more tactics
Like/Retweet the first tweet below if you can:
Follow me @_hunterhammonds for more tactics
Like/Retweet the first tweet below if you can:
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Nick Huber @sweatystartup
·
Sep 21, 2022
Great thread Hunter