Two separate conversations on two different continents, yet with one common denominator.

Episode 1: I was talking last week to a close friend in London. Self employed and working part-time, they are looking to double the number of hours they devote to new customers. “But how?”, they asked me. “Where will I find these people?”

Episode 2: My own client in Jerusalem is currently looking to ramp up their sales. Experienced, intellectually astute and with a long list of former clients, they too posed a similar set of questions. What could they possibly do to bring in a new set of revenue?

So what is the answer?

In the first scenario, we are talking about a top-class service provider, who does not use social media. My advice – talk to friends and acquaintances. Word of mouth, a.k.a. networking, is one of the most potent formats to securing the contacts you want.

As for my own client, I suggested that they create a mass email, offering quality and original content. They could then send it out to all former clients.

In both cases, the person in question was strongly urged to move a fraction away from their comfort zone. They needed to make a very practical effort – talk or contact those people who trust them. This is not old-fashioned cold-calling. What is being described is just ensuring that you put your business in front of people and explain why your core value should be of interest to them.

Obvious and practical, especially for small and medium sized concerns. However, how many of us actually get round to doing so?

I did hear from my Jerusalem client that they immediately received several positive responses to their mailing – all from merely reaching out to those who already know them.