As a service-based entrepreneur, attracting clients is an essential part of running a successful business. No matter who you are or what service you provide, having clients is what keeps your business moving forward – it’s what allows you to make the impact you want, earn the income you deserve, and feel the fulfillment that comes with knowing that you’re making a difference and earning a living doing something you love. But, attracting clients is arguably one of the most difficult parts of entrepreneurship for so many of us. 

It can seem like every direction we look in is filled with contradicting advice from online experts, each telling us something different. So many entrepreneurs end up getting stuck in “paralysis” because it seems like attracting clients is nearly impossible, and so many more try to do anything and everything, spreading themselves so thin that their efforts don’t get any results. 

As an entrepreneur, it can be so hard to sift through all the noise to find guidance we can trust. Through an abundance of options, tons of contradicting advice, and new “gurus” surfacing every single day, how do you know where to focus, and who to trust? Then, once you have found a new tactic to try, how do you stay consistent? How do you know when to change tactics because the consistency isn’t working? I could go on and on about the struggles that new community members consistently ask for help with, but an overwhelming majority of what I hear is, “How do you get new clients?” 

I’ve been in business for over 11 years, and throughout that time, I’ve learned that the ability to attract clients ultimately boils down to one simple rule: 

KNOW, LIKE and TRUST

For potential clients to choose to invest in your programs and services, they must FIRST, know you, like you and trust you. This is a timeless marketing rule, so even if you’ve heard it before, please don’t stop reading, thinking “yeah, yeah … why don’t you tell me something new???”

In your haste to attract clients, I want you to STOP and honestly ask yourself, “Am I doing what it takes to build the Know, Like and Trust my clients need to choose to invest in my services and products?” Perhaps when you ask yourself this question, you realize that while “Know, Like and Trust” is a concept that’s thrown around a lot in the marketing world, you don’t actually know what it looks like in real life.

So let’s break it down, and then I’ll share some specific marketing tactics you can use that are known to build Know, Like and Trust exceptionally fast.

Here’s What “Know, Like, and Trust” Looks Like in Action:

KNOW

In order for clients to truly know you, they must know what you stand for. So, transparency and honesty is key in sharing why you’re in business, what you do, and who you serve. It’s important to make sure that you clearly present the problem you solve, or the goal you help your clients achieve. In order to help them get to know you a little bit better, share your brand story, share parts of your life, and share what led you down the path of entrepreneurship in the first place. 

LIKE

For clients to like you, they first must know who you are, what you do, and what you stand for. Think about your own friends – what makes you like them? To start forming relationships and build the “Like” factor, you’re going to have to get vulnerable with your audience. Share your beliefs and perspectives, share your personality, your values, your personal interests, hobbies, and passions. You’re going to have to go beyond sharing tips and quotes. Share inspiring content. Be personable in your communication, and be approachable and open so that your audience feels welcomed into your world. 

TRUST

The “Trust” factor is where the work you do really comes into play. There are so many options out there for any and every service – what would make someone choose you over your competition? In order to build trust with your audience, don’t be afraid to show off case studies and client work that you’ve done so that they get to see what you can offer them that nobody else can. Show up consistently, show them behind-the-scenes, and show them the results that you’ve gotten for other clients. 

Now that we’re clear about what it actually takes to build Know, Like, and Trust, let’s explore the best marketing tactics to achieve it. Let me be clear, you don’t need to pursue every marketing tactic on this list, in fact, I recommend you don’t! 

Contrary to what some “experts” might try to convince you, it really doesn’t matter which tactics you choose from the list I share with you, what matters is that your marketing tactics:

• Align with your personality. If you dread marketing, you’ll never show up for it. When you choose tactics that align with your personality, it makes marketing FUN and sustainable. 
• Are high-touch, high-value activities (all examples below meet this criteria). This means your marketing activities will build Know, Like, and Trust quickly … which also means they’ll lead to new clients quickly! 
• Are done consistently. If your audience can’t count on you to be a constant presence in their lives, they'll quickly lose trust and take their business to someone else. 

7 High-Touch, High-Value Marketing Tactics for Service-Based Entrepreneurs

Podcasting

No, you don’t have to start your own podcast and hit the top ten list within two weeks (although It’d probably be pretty helpful if we could all do that). If you’re the type of fempreneur who doesn’t like being on camera, or writing isn’t your strong suit, then podcasting may be the perfect high-touch, high-value activity for you to partake in! Another option without starting your own podcast, is to be a guest on other’s shows. Whether you find a one-time opportunity or consistently pitch yourself to various shows, this is a very effective, high-value way to get in front of new audiences. 

YouTube

There are so many gurus out there who will tell you over and over again how YouTube is the “north star” of marketing, and how it’s made them tons and tons of money. And while this may be true for them, it’s definitely not true for everyone. But, YouTube (and other long-form video content) is a perfect example of high-touch and high-value. With each (relevant) video posted, you’re showing your audience that you have the answers to their questions, that you’re truly an expert, and that you know what you’re talking about. Not only that, but this is also a great strategy for relationship building efforts. 

Webinars

If you’re looking for something that offers a little more flexibility in terms of rigid consistency, but that’s still high-value, then webinars may be a great option for you. Whether you’re hosting webinars weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or only on occasion as a supplement to your other forms of marketing, they work wonders for building yourself as an authority and fostering trust within your community and audience.

Networking and Relationship Building

I’ve said it before and I will say it many more times again, relationship-building is the most important thing you can do for yourself as an entrepreneur. Whether you’re attending the same event each month, or testing the waters of different types of events, showing up as the face of your brand confidently and consistently at networking events will help you grow your business through word of mouth and the relationships you create. 

P.S.  – If this one sounds like something you’re interested in trying, register for The Daring Fempreneur’s next free monthly networking event, Dare to Connect! 

Facebook

Specifically, Facebook Groups and Facebook Lives. Running a Facebook Group that’s focused on your niche or broader business category not only allows you access to your member’s notification walls and home feeds, but it also has the potential to grow as members invite their friends to join and new potential members find your group organically. The important part of running your own Facebook Group is showing up consistently. Facebook Lives are also a must-have if you have your own Facebook Group (or even if you don’t). Live videos and their auto-saved replays are the perfect high-value, high-touch activity to capture your audience’s attention. 

Meetup

If you don’t know, Meetup is a platform built for bringing local communities together on topics of common interest. Actually, Meetup is where I found my start as an entrepreneur looking to build a tribe around entrepreneurship. Creating and building The Daring Fempreneur meetup group has allowed me to build real relationships that have actually transformed my life and business, consistently show up as an authority in front of my audience, and offer the benefits of community to others.

Interviews

Interviews and collaborations with other entrepreneurs are a great way to not only provide lots of value to your audience, but also to share audiences with one another and introduce an expert in a different niche (that is still relevant) to your audience. Not only does this allow you to sit down with your audience for a long-form video or audio content piece, but it also shows them that you truly have their best interest and top questions in mind by bringing in experts to talk on topics that aren’t your specialty, but are still relevant to your audience.

No matter which of these activities you choose, the important takeaway is that the best way to get new clients as a service-based entrepreneur is through high-touch, high-value activities that build your Know, Like, and Trust factor.

There are so many options that fit that criteria, and what’s going to work best for you may not be what works best for someone else. If your strength is communicating, then Meetup and Networking might be perfect for you; if your strength is speaking, then Podcasting is probably a good option; if you love to be on camera, then YouTube might be right for you. 

Finding what works best for you may take time, but the important part is that you find the right fit and then establish consistency and high-value with your community, giving them the opportunity to know, like, and trust you. 

Want more helpful tips and tactics like these? Join me in the Impact Tribe where you’ll get access to a growing library of biz-booming courses, an ever-evolving resource library, monthly laser coaching calls and mastermind sessions, a members-only group, a tribe of inspiring biz besties, me as your guide, and SO much more! 

If you want to learn more about the importance and strategy of high-touch, high-value marketing tactics to bring in new clients for your service-based business, watch the replay of my Facebook Live where I dive deeper into this topic in our free Daring Fempreneur Facebook Group!