Directly Invite Your Best Clients

Directly Invite Your Best Clients

In the first lesson, we will talk about people you have already met or have a relationship with through prior or current gigs and jobs. In the second lesson, we will dive deeper into ways you can bring over new clients you may meet while out working. Lastly, in the third lesson, we will go over some steps you can take to secure clients for your new business.

Who are Good Clients to Introduce to Your New Business?

You may have worked with incredible customers in the past, maybe you delivered their groceries several times or served them in your housekeeping business. The customers who value your service and treat you with respect are the ones most deserving of your focus and the best place to start, as you work to build a good client base in your new business.

When thinking about previous clients you’ve worked with, some things to consider are:

Those who show gratitude and appreciation for your service
Those who order consistently
Those who need(ed) additional services you can now offer them.
Those who have referred you to a friend or family member
Those who request you to shop for them!

How to introduce your business to previous clients from gigs or other jobs?

We’ve established what kinds of clients to invite to your new business. Now, let’s take a deeper look at how to transition these clients into grocery delivery customers.

Reach out to these clients and personally introduce them to your new business. Make sure to cater your message or conversation to the specific client’s needs and lean into your expertise.

Reach out to your clients in the following ways:

Personal text
In-person conversation
Phone call
Direct invite from the app
Postcard

Examples of Communication with Clients

Here are some examples of what you could include in your communication with clients:

Let them know you’ve started your own business and would love to shop for them. Don’t forget to highlight the benefits of your new business.

Get the same shopper every time-someone who will get to know you and your family to make the process much smoother.
No hidden price mark-ups, always pay in-store pricing and get the receipt.
They can shop at nearly any grocery store Visa credit cards are accepted and would be supporting a locally-owned small business!

If you know the client from a gig outside of grocery delivery, you can customize your message to their specific needs. For example:

If you’re a hairdresser you can offer to purchase their salon items for them.
If you have walked their dogs you can let them know you can also shop at pet stores.

You can touch on any pain points they may have had in the past in a positive light by highlighting flexibility or a solution your new business allows.

Finding the Right Clients

As you continue to work other gigs, you will meet new clients who may or may not be a great fit for your business. Knowing how to keep an eye out for potential clients and having an understanding of the right time and place to talk about your business is a big factor in building up a good foundation of repeat clientele.

Remember, some key things to look for in potential clients are:

Those who treat you with respect
Those who will show gratitude and appreciation for your service

How to Approach These Leads

Now that you have figured out who you want to invite, the big question is HOW to approach them. A good practice is to wait for the lead to open up the conversation or show interest in something related to your business.

Here are a few examples of opportunities to watch for, when speaking to potential clients:

“Can I get you every time” or “Are you working here on such and such day?” - This means they are enjoying the level of service you are providing and would like to work with just you in the future!
“Can you provide X service or store?”
If they have a frustration with their current service that your business can do differently, such as “Why don’t I get my store receipt”, “All of my items are always out of stock”, or “I received a bad replacement”. You can really highlight your ability to go above and beyond here, such as being able to check another store.
You can also reach out and ask the client how their previous deliveries have gone or how they like the service so far. You can utilize their responses to offer your service as a solution!

Once one of these opportunities presents itself, these are the best ways to invite these potential clients to your business:

If you have their phone number, directly invite them in the Boss app or send a personalized text message.
If you don’t have their phone number, give them your business card or send a postcard to their home

Pro-Tips for Inviting Clients

Pro-Tips

When you are transitioning former or current clientele over to your new business it is important to be aware of any terms from your current or previous jobs.

Here are some things to keep in mind as you start to find people you would like to introduce to your business from other avenues:

Having a face-to-face conversion is always the best way to introduce your business. That way you can swap contact information with the client you are already serving and you can then text them directly.
Remember that an invite from the client tab of the Boss app is going to be your preferred method of getting a potential client connected to you in the app!
If you do not get the opportunity for a face-to-face conversation, mailing a Thank You card with your contact information in it would be the next best way.

If you are advertising on social media it is best to refrain from using competitor names or even speaking poorly about other delivery options, as that can leave a bad impression for people in your community. Instead, focus positively on what you can do differently. You can say things like “I have two years of delivery experience” or “I always include the store receipt at drop off”.

Brand Yourself and Get Recognized

You may have been providing services in your community for some time before you started your own business - and you probably even left (or are leaving) a great impression with some of that clientele along the way! Let’s talk through some additional ways to make people aware that you have a delivery business or even recognize you from a previous encounter.

Wear branded clothing to showcase your business while out shopping. This can help people open the conversation so that you can introduce your business!
Car magnets or decals can help you advertise as you drive around town

Pro Tip: If you are considering advertising on your vehicle be sure to be aware of any rules within your state or the terms of your car insurance.

Always keep business cards or flyers on hand so that you can hand them out as the conversation comes up.
When creating social media advertising or flyers consider using a photo of yourself that is similar to any previous professional photos that clients may recognize. And if previous customers knew your name be sure to include that within any marketing.

For more help and ideas on how to create marketing material, there are plenty of sites out there that you can use to create branded marketing material (such as t-shirts or decals) for your business. You could utilize a local print shop near you or maybe you know someone who can make these for you. You can also check out places like VistaPrint.

For more information on creating flyers, check out our Guidebook post here.

Right Person and Right Time

Don’t invite everyone, wait for the right person and the right time. This could include:

Those you have a close relationship with already.
Someone who has shown the qualities that you would want in a regular client: respects your time, easy communication, and shows appreciation.
Someone who was recommended to your business

Summary

The ability to create your own clientele base is a huge benefit of running your own business. You don’t have to settle for clients who won’t respect you and your time, or those who just see you as their “help”. You are able to pick and choose the clients you want and are able to build lasting relationships with each one of them.

You might be frustrated with your current work or gigs, I’ve been there as well! It is important to make sure you are considering your audience when talking about your business. Overfocusing on the negatives can make people uncomfortable. Remember to always stay positive and focus on what your business can bring to the table when you are talking to potential clients. Your business has so much to offer, make sure they know this so they can feel good about ordering with you!