Find New Clients
using your competitors' clients pain

New Clients

What if to find new clients was as easy as a few keystrokes and a search on Twitter. “How can this be?” You might ask. It is very straightforward, if you understand your potential clients and know their wants, needs, pains and fears. In this case, we are going to focus on the pain with the Twitter search using sentiment analysis.

Where to Find New Clients

Simply put, we are going to use Twitter to find the pain that the potential client is currently facing. The pain is going to be to the front and centre of their minds, that they are going to take to social media to express it to the entire world. Or at least those willing to listen!

Scenario - Identify New Clients

Let’s take an example, as it will make the explanation and plan easier to follow. Suppose you’re an IT company and looking for new clients. You already offer fantastic service, you’re there for your clients when they need you and, of course, you go the extra mile. It’s what makes your service so fantastic. But not all businesses think like you do and offer the same level of support. They do not go that extra mile, and so their service is not top-notch. In fact, they might well be unhappy with their current suppliers. This becomes a perfect time to approach them and make them a new client of yours. What better time to be the knight in shining armour and come to their rescue?

We all have different likes, dislikes and mood changes when it comes to brands and suppliers. Sometimes they are fantastic, doing a wonderful job, other times, it’s simply fine and others we’re not so happy with. Understanding this change in sentiment or mood is crucial and brands typically use sentiment analysis to understand the public’s mood and opinion of the brand. We can use this general technique not to understand the mood about the brand, but to understand the exact pains of individual users of the brand.

How to Find New Clients

In our example case, we want IT users who are currently suffering pain with their current supplier. Then we need to find people in the correct geographical area for our business. Let’s say in London. Now we can find people who are in London, who are bemoaning their current IT supplier. Once identified, we can reach out to them with an offer of support. Or perhaps some solution to their problem. Choosing the correct option here to build trust and start that long-term relationship. Remember, our goal is to convert them from their current supplier to us as the new supplier.

The how to reach out, is beyond the scope of this guide and depends on the way you conduct business and what is right at the time for this individual. The key factor is that you have direct contact with someone who has a real IT pain right now. They want it solved and their current supplier is failing to provide that solution. In our context, they are not providing the pain relief that you can.

Solution - Sentiment Analysis

Using sentiment analysis, find new clients right when they need you the most. They are in an active pain mitigation mode and are looking for what you have to offer. While you might not gain a client right now, there are all kinds of factors, such as a tie-in contract that will prevent them switching, you have made the first steps to a long-term relationship. You helped them when they needed it and you have gained an ‘in’ when it comes to communication, and further interaction. After all, you are someone who can be relied upon and is trustworthy. They don’t need to take your word for it, you have already proven it.

Sentiment analysis works in many other situations, not just the IT scenario outlined above. Whenever you want to find new clients, look for their motivation and solving their current problem, is exactly what they need. Use it across industries, from retail, to professional services. People use social media for all manner of wants and needs. They express their pains and fears. If you look, then you can connect with them and by doing so, gain new clients. Remember, they need to be the right kinds of clients, those whose wants, needs, pains and fears you already understand and for whom you have solutions, that is products and services.

Summary - Find New Clients

In summary, when you understand your potential client, tailored social media targeting becomes possible. Use sentiment analysis or other similar techniques to target just the people you want and at a time they’re ready. Start building that long-term relationship and create new clients.