From: alexhormozi
Starting with Your Existing Network
Before launching into complex strategies, leverage your immediate connections. This approach simplifies the initial customer acquisition process and helps you refine your offering [00:01:01].
Compile Your Contact Lists
Gather every possible contact you have into three main lists [00:00:17]:
- Email Contacts: All individuals you’ve ever messaged or emailed [00:00:22].
- Social Media Contacts: Every follower you can direct message across all your social media profiles [00:00:30].
- Phone Contacts: All personal and private contacts from your phone [00:00:40].
Combining these lists will result in a significant number of potential leads [00:00:51].
Choose Your Communication Platform
Select one primary platform from your lists where you have the most contacts to begin your outreach [00:01:06]. This ensures you start where you have the largest immediate audience [00:01:12].
Crafting Personalized Messages
The key to effective communication is personalization, demonstrating you took the time to understand the recipient [00:01:22].
The Personal Touch
Use something you already know about the person or prospect to initiate contact [00:01:24]. This could be a recent life event (e.g., new baby, job switch, move) or a shared interest [00:01:39]. The goal is to show you’re not just sending a generic blast message [00:01:50].
Daily Outreach
Commit to reaching out to 100 people every day [00:01:55]. Overcoming the initial difficulty of sending the first message will make subsequent outreach much easier [00:02:06].
The ACA Framework for Engagement
Once someone replies, use the Acknowledge, Compliment, Ask (ACA) framework to warm them up [00:02:17]:
- Acknowledge: Recognize something specific about them (e.g., “Oh, so you have two kids?“) [00:02:22].
- Compliment: Praise them based on that acknowledgment (e.g., “Wow, you must be a super mom working full-time and having two kids!“) [00:02:26].
- Ask: Transition to a question that ties back to the compliment and subtly relates to your service [00:02:34]. For example, if selling weight loss: “How do you have time to eat right and work out?” [00:02:42].
Leveraging Your Connections for Referrals
Instead of directly selling, encourage referrals from your contacts. This is a softer, more effective approach, especially when starting out [00:02:51].
Inviting Referrals
After a personalized conversation, ask if they know anyone who might benefit from what you offer, framing it as you opening up a few slots to help people [00:03:04]. You’re asking for a favor from a friend, not making a sales pitch [00:03:15].
Offering a Free Trial
For those who express interest (“engaged leads”), offer your service for free in exchange for specific commitments [00:03:44]:
- Use the service: They must actively engage with your offering [00:03:54].
- Provide feedback: Their input helps you improve [00:03:56].
- Leave a killer review: If they find value, a testimonial is crucial [00:03:57].
This strategy gets you valuable experience, feedback, and testimonials without the pressure of direct sales [00:04:04].
Addressing Objections to Free Service
If people are hesitant even for a free service, ask why [00:06:40]. Their reasons will reveal “hidden costs” associated with your offering (e.g., time commitment, perceived complexity) [00:06:47]. Identifying and eliminating these hidden costs allows you to refine your service and eventually charge more [00:06:50].
Transitioning to Paid Services
Once you have satisfied customers willing to provide testimonials and referrals, you can begin to charge for your services [00:07:50].
Gradual Price Increase
Start by offering a significant discount (e.g., 80% off for the next five customers) [00:07:57]. Gradually reduce the discount as you acquire more paying customers (e.g., 60% off, then 40%, then 20%) until you reach full price [00:08:03]. Your value proposition will have improved based on the feedback from your free clients [00:08:24].
Managing Capacity and Scarcity
As your slots fill with free and discounted clients, you create true scarcity, allowing you to ethically sell with conviction [00:08:40]. This scarcity increases demand, prompting people to pay full or premium prices [00:08:51].
Converting Free Clients
When you have paying clients, you can approach your free clients and offer them the option to start paying to continue receiving your service [00:08:59]. If they decline, gracefully request the killer review they promised [00:09:10].
Importance of Free Clients
Free clients are invaluable because they provide:
- Killer reviews [00:09:24].
- Referrals for new business [00:09:26].
- Potential future paying clients [00:09:28].
Maintaining Long-Term Relationships
Personalizing communication isn’t a one-time act; it’s an ongoing process to nurture your audience [00:09:44].
Keep Contacts Warm
Regularly check in with your extensive contact list like a human being and provide consistent value [00:09:45]. This builds goodwill and reinforces your presence [00:09:51]. Eventually, people will recognize your value through testimonials and results, and may even solicit your services directly [00:09:57].
This approach aligns with innovative customer acquisition strategies and builds upon community engagement strategies by fostering genuine connections rather than just transactional ones. It also complements branding and audience engagement by creating a positive reputation through authentic interactions.