

Ask HN: How can I get more clients? - anon99

(This is a throwaway account.)<p>I run a small, niche, software company.  We do mostly contract work.  We have some of our own products, but nothing that will pay the bills just yet.<p>We're not going to starve or anything, but it would be nice to get some new clients.  Until now we've gotten by with AdWords as a sales lead strategy, but competition is heating up, and I predict that may no longer work for us in the near future.<p>I really need to be doing more in-person networking, but in typical programmer fashion I have no idea how to actually go about this.  Most of my contacts are other developers or current clients.  Networking events here are mostly cleaning companies or computer repair services, which don't make good clients for custom software in general.<p>I guess what I'm looking for is a book or guide to b2b sales from a hacker point of view.  Most of the resources out there are targeted at selling mass-market products and are mostly obvious platitudes ("Set Yourself Apart From Your Competition").   What I'm looking for is more of a set of actionable steps:  1) Find networking events by doing X Y and Z, 2) Attend said networking events in business casual attire, 3) Listen to customers and focus on them and their problems, 4) Follow up after X time by tailoring one of these e-mail templates, etc.  If Amazon carries this book, I cannot find it.<p>What can I do today (or this week) to get better at selling and get more clients?
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gexla
I could tell you bet then you might start poaching my clients. ;)

