A smart entrepreneur knows that the success of a business will largely depend on the number of customers or clients buying stuff or subscribing to services from the business. The higher the number of new customers your business can attract, the higher the returns you can expect. This, in turn, skyrockets growth and enhances profits at the end of each month or financial period.
Whether you own a recently launched small business or your startup has been around for a while, you want more people to learn about your business and start consuming its products or services. This is what makes a business sustainable and gives it wings to soar above the competition. However, all this will depend on the strategies you adopt to attract new, return, and (perhaps) loyal customers.
Without further ado, here are some of the most powerful methods you can use to attract more customers to your business.
1. Promotions and Discounted Offers
In the modern-day, life is hard and the economy is often unforgiving. Most consumers are busy looking for ways they can spare a few bucks from each purchase they make online or offline. With this in mind, first-time offers and introductory discounts can be a great way to lure new customers to your business. Think of promotions like “buy two get one free”, or free shipping for the first purchase.
If you’re offering a service, you could have an offer attached as well – like one month free for a two-month subscription. Regular discounted prices on specific items can also help keep potential customers on the lookout for great deals. In a nutshell, it means leveraging the fact that most of today’s consumers look for value and deals that make savings for them.
2. Ensure Consistency in Multiple Marketing Channels
As technology evolves and improves, the number of channels you could use to reach customers and promote your business steadily increases. Businesses that promote their brand, products, and services across various platforms tend to have an edge in the market. As opposed to traditional multichannel marketing methods, a cross-channel marketing strategy is more effective in winning new customers and attracting repeat purchases. This is because, in the latter, your marketing efforts on the respective channels are interconnected, giving a more consistent customer journey.
In other words, these channels work together to give the consumer a consistent purchase journey and experience, despite the device, app, or online platform they use to find or initiate a purchase from you. Also, the buying journey is more engaging, supportive, and convenient, which are among the things most consumers are after. Some incredible benefits you can get from cross-channel marketing include:
- Increase client base
- Study customer behavior
- Improves customer experience
- Cultivate trust and lasting relationships
- Improve ROI
- Save time
- Ease management of marketing processes
3. Partner with Related Businesses
Businesses can have multiple sources of new customers, but how you reach them matters a great deal. To attract more customers, businesses often partner up with other businesses with a customer base relevant to their brand, products, or services. This is viewed as a mutually beneficial arrangement where both businesses benefit one way or another. Such partnerships can help drive sales, improve branding, or increase customer base without necessarily having to spend much. If you sell baby diapers and toys, for instance, partnering with a business that offers maternity clothes could be a good idea,
4. Utilize Referrals
Word of mouth has for the longest time been a major source of new customers for any business. If you have a substantial number of existing customers loyal to your brand, you could ask them for referrals, especially when they make repeat purchases. Some of them will actually refer your business to a friend or a stranger without much influence. Having referral programs as part of your sales process could work wonders in improving your client base. You could also use surveys and follow-up emails to ensure your customers are satisfied, perhaps followed by a price incentive email asking for a referral.
5. Invest in SEO and PPC
Whatever you do, don’t ignore the importance of paid ads and high rankings on Google. Investing well in both SEO and PPC can be a great way to boost brand awareness, increase sales, and grow your customer base. While the two may differ in terms of the approach and budget, they both go a long way in improving your visibility online, thus attracting more customers.
6. Leverage Online Reviews and Ratings
Last but not least, you can also use online review and rating sites to your advantage. Many consumers depend heavily on reviews to make their purchase decisions these days. They turn to trusted review sites when they want to learn more about a business from a previous consumer’s perspective, determine its location, or assess its reputation. Just make sure you keep track of the ratings and reviews from customers on these sites, addressing any negative comments as they could tarnish your brand reputation.
The customer base is undoubtedly the lifeblood of any business. To maintain an edge over the competition, your business needs to stay attractive to new customers. The above are just a few methods you could use to ensure this.
