Hailed as the World’s Leading Business Strategist, award-winning professional speaker, management consultant and business strategist, Scott Steinberg is the creator of The Future is Yours, a new board game that can teach anyone to be more creative, innovative and resilient. Among today’s best-known trends experts and futurists, he’s been a strategic adviser to over 2000 brands, and is the bestselling author of “The New Rules of Business Development;” “Think Like a Futurist” and “Make Change Work for You.” His website is FuturistsSpeakers.com.

In an age of AI and remote work, it can be challenging to build meaningful relationships with business prospects and connect with potential customers in ways that establish mutual empathy and trust. All of which begs the question: How can you successfully court clients remotely and get deals done online? And, how can you capture and hold their attention on a consistent basis?

Luckily for those looking to engage in sales and business development outreach efforts from afar, there are many creative and resourceful ways to bridge the gap remotely. Happily, just by taking a few different tacks on traditional approaches to networking and outreach, you can not only successfully land time on their schedule but also close more business without having to step away from your computer.

Establish Thought Leadership

Begin by positioning yourself as a trusted online presence in social circles and thought leader in your industry by sharing valuable insights and knowledge. Create informative blog posts, webinars or whitepapers that showcase your expertise. Share these resources online via social channels to demonstrate your commitment to others’ success. Leverage social media platforms like LinkedIn to contribute to shared articles, host online webinars and engage in opportunities for virtual networking. Also make a point to join relevant groups and engage in discussions to expand your professional network. Posting regular updates about your business and industry insights can help you stay on clients’ radar.

Research and Customize Your Approach

Once you’re ready to make direct contact, before reaching out to a potential client, invest time to research their business, industry and pain points. Tailor your pitch and proposals to address their specific needs and challenges. Essentially, successfully engaging in business development requires you to think more like a consultant (who can recommend problem-solving strategies and solutions) than a salesperson pitching one-size-fits-all offerings.

Be More Approachable and Human

Think of social media as the world’s largest cocktail party. Just like you wouldn’t walk up to a stranger and immediately lead with a sales pitch, don’t directly message a business prospect online and do so out of the gate either. A better approach here is to get to know your prospect and consider how you can help them before asking for something. In other words, when approaching digital prospects, think of ways to catch their attention and incentivize a response. Remember: People do business with others they like, not random strangers popping up out of nowhere to raid their pocketbook.

Create Scenarios That Benefit All Parties

Rather than come around asking for favors that largely work to your benefit, your goal should be to create win-win scenarios that prompt interest and enthusiasm from both sides. That means having to create upsides to responding to your sales efforts. A few ways of encouraging prospects to engage with you might be to offer them chances to grow their resources, capabilities, or insights; demonstrate their skill and expertise to new audiences; or enjoy free services and solutions. Examples of approaches here might be, say, asking to interview them for a publication, inviting them to participate as a subject matter in an event panel on trending topics, or putting together a fireside chat with potential leads for your user community. Alternately, you might offer hopeful clients exclusive access to events featuring VIP thought leaders or early hands-on access to breaking research.

Find Good Excuses to Stay in Contact

If you want to stay top of mind with prospects, also create good reasons to regularly appear in their inbox. Rather than simply checking in, for instance, perhaps you reach out to crowdsource their contributions for articles, stories and videos; partner to raise awareness for new initiatives; or create newsletters and internal learning programs that feature their ideas and opinions.

Alternately, you might seek their participation in advisory boards, invite them to take part in industry consortiums that tackle emerging topics and trends, or inquire regarding involvement in new charitable efforts. In effect, outreach should feel more dynamic and organic: It should always appear as if exciting things are happening on your end, and opportunities exist for prospects to engage with you in ways that are equally compelling.

Nurture Virtual Relationships

Building and maintaining client relationships in the virtual realm requires ongoing effort and attention. Here’s how to nurture these relationships for long-term success once you’ve begun to build them:

Regular Communication

Consistent communication is important to keeping clients engaged and informed. Schedule regular check-ins, updates, and progress reports to demonstrate your commitment to their success.

Personalization and Recognition

Remember the little details about your clients, such as their birthdays or important work milestones. Personalize your interactions by sending thoughtful messages or small gifts to show your appreciation.

Listen and Adapt

Actively listen to your clients’ feedback and adapt your approach accordingly. Incorporate their suggestions and make improvements based on their needs. Doing so demonstrates your dedication to their satisfaction.

Provide Exceptional Support

Responsive customer support is essential in the virtual world. Address client inquiries and concerns promptly and be proactive in resolving any issues that may arise. I&FMM.