Actually, let me brag on my client just a little more… they were featured in the TOP FIFTY of the Fortune 500 list. Not too shabby, right?
YET, these companies are often pretty tough for people to get into. Like a celebrity hiding behind big sunglasses and baggy clothes, these large companies (that make lucrative clients) typically hide behind fortress-strength red tape. Right? Sound familiar?
And businesses usually go the typical B2B marketing route to reach these corporate clients. You know… spiffy websites, glossy pamphlets, the usual. Calling, trying to make appointments, following up, etc.
As you might imagine, I didn’t do any of this. This corporate giant — in the most conservative industry possible, no less — came to ME! Instead of running for the hills when they read the content I post on my site, they actually contacted me. They reached out and said, “I think you’re exactly what we need!”
Keep in mind, I certainly wasn’t writing for THEM.… I was writing for YOU — the small business person with true grit, huge goals and dogged determination… not some corporate giant. But, somehow, the message resonated. They called. We talked. They paid. We danced. The rest is history.
My point is that if I had pursued them in typical B2B fashion, they would have ignored me. My corporate (or personal) resume would have done me no good. I’ve never held a corporate position. Before them, I’d REALLY only had one ongoing corporate client…but COULD stretch that “resume item” to two clients and been able to justify it…. BARELY. Bottom-line: A traditional approach would have cost me a lot of time and money AND left my ego battered and bruised from the constant rejection.
Instead, I just put out content that gives companies (from the biggies to the solo practitioners) a snapshot into HOW I THINK. We either connect or we don’t.
So, I want to challenge you to continue to do CONTENT marketing… REGARDLESS of what industry you’re in.
Keep putting out great content. Regularly.
Learn how to “tag” it well, from an SEO guru or a great SEO book.
And let the content be your calling card and sales person.
Content IS King. And Queen. And Princess of relational marketing.
Beautiful post! I love how your authenticity and service mindset drew the client right to you. You’re inspiring me to do the same!
Congratulations! And you know what’s funny, I had a similar experience – I had a very corporate-style client approach me after finding me through my Youtube video reviews of project management tools. They wanted me to consult on usability for their product. It cracked me up because all of the other team members were very traditional business men in their 40s, and then here’s me with my blue hair. But you’re right – if *I* had approached *them* there’s no way it would have worked out so well!
Congratulations Michelle! So happy to hear the good news. They picked you for a reason, and I do agree with them… You’re exactly what they need. xoxo