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November 03, 2021 at 04:59 AM
What You Need to Know
- Becoming a regular in a bar that your prospects frequent is a great way to build your market niche.
- If you don't drink, this strategy will work just as well at a coffee shop or lunch counter.
- Best of all, a coffee shop or luncheonette is a great leveler. Everyone is equal there.
That got your attention, didn’t it? Although bars will feature prominently, there are other ways to apply this strategy to meet high-net-worth people without consuming alcohol. Read on.
Bars and Advisors
Most people would agree that joining the country club is a good way to surround yourself with people who have the potential to be clients. Unfortunately, the barriers to entry are high. First, you’ve got to get in. This requires being proposed, seconded and accepted. There might be a waiting list. There might be an initiation fee. Annual dues, too. Let’s not forget the monthly minimum in the bar and restaurant. Those are some barriers.
There’s an easier way to achieve a similar outcome. Let’s assume you have a market niche. It might be lawyers, accountants or engineers. It might be police officers. You get the idea.
Find the likely places where you would find a concentration of these professionals. Consider the following exercise. Let’s assume your target market is corporate lawyers. Look up the major firms in town. One simple way is to page through the “Book of Lists” produced by your local business journal. Find a list of the top 25 law firms in town. Look at No. 1 on the list. Where is they office? Is this the headquarters?
Visit the building. Look at the directory. How many floors do they occupy in the building? Ten? That’s a lot of lawyers!
Now, look around the lobby and the adjoining buildings until you find the nearest bar. It’s probably got a restaurant attached. This is your new after-hours drinking spot.
Nor all lawyers drink, but if there are 10 floors of attorneys, it’s likely some do. They would go to the most convenient location for a drink before heading home. Yes, attorneys work long hours, but not all of them. They have families at home, but some are single, returning to an empty house or apartment. Bars provide a social atmosphere.
Make it a point to visit at the same time each day, several days a week. Maybe you are there from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sit at the bar. Watch the game on TV. You are becoming a regular. Don’t push business. Talk about the game. You will make friends. They will draw you out with some icebreaker questions and learn what you do.
