First, watch the recording:
Show Notes:
FIRE Method
Find: Make a list of all the organizations, publications, companies, etc. that you’d like to work for/with. Then use your favorite social media channel to Find all the people who work there.
Identify: Go through each of the social media profiles for the people who work at those places and identify potential good connections — those who are lower on the totem pole who might be willing to share some insider knowledge with you (if asked politely).
Research/Reach Out: Do your homework. Do you share any interests with these folks? What could you compliment them on? How might you start a conversation with them? Is there a favor you could do for them? Once you think you’ve found good connections, reach out and start those conversations. When it’s appropriate, ask them the questions you need answered (e.g., “Who’s the decision maker there? Who writes about X? What’s the process for X?)
Engage: Communicate on a regular basis with these people. Ask how you can help them. Be a good friend. And when the time is right, ask for an introduction to the person you really need to talk to.
I’m Curious…
- Start conversations on social media that will allow you to gather information about interest for a potential product or service offering. Groups are often the most fruitful places for this.
Use one of these or create your own:
I’m Curious…Have you ever wondered how/why…
I’m so excited. I discovered/realized…
I just talked to a client and we worked on…
I’m so mad right now…
This might be hard to hear, but…
- Follow-up on each comment with a private message. Send something tangible (e.g., a checklist, outline, worksheet) that’s properly branded and includes your contact info. Don’t require people to opt-in to your list for this (the less friction, the better).
- Follow-up again. Maybe even again after that.
- Ask questions. What worked for them? What did they struggle with? Adjust your offering as needed.
- Hold a free teleclass or webinar and make an offer.
- Follow-up again.
Leverage Groups & Experiment
If you can’t find a good group to participate in, create your own. Facilitating allows you to set the rules and lead the conversations. Groups have given me the most return on my time in terms of new clients and business.
The DDR group is a great example of how creating a group led to a full-fledged product. It started as an experiment (aka The Test Kitchen) and evolved over time into part of a bigger, paid product.
My new Facebook group, Sunday Brunch, is a new experiment. If you’d like to join, read the “sales page” on the Story Bistro site first: http://storybistro.com/join-us-sunday-brunch/
Then, click over to request access: https://www.facebook.com/groups/story.bistro.sunday.brunch/
Questions? How can I help you implement?