As a business owner, there is nothing more important than getting new customers to increase sales. Every day that your business isn’t growing is another day that it could be put in jeopardy by the competition. There are many ways you can get new customers for your business, and some ways work better than others depending on what industry or niche you’re in.
1. Data-Driven Marketing
More and more businesses are starting to use data-driven marketing strategies to create a targeted focus on the right customers. These strategies can include everything from creating a marketing campaign with ads that will only go to those who have been active online in the past few months or doing something as simple as creating Facebook posts or tweets aimed at people in your local area who would be interested in your brand.
However, a lot of businesses tend to focus on social media when it comes to digital marketing. As the experts from Quantum Lifecycle Marketing point out, email and SMS marketing helps to create a really personalized message that hits home, that other forms of marketing just can’t achieve. Besides, email and SMS marketing are both very affordable, effective, and efficient ways to connect. For example, to kick off SMS marketing it simply takes integrating an SMS Gateway API in an already existing software and scheduling bulk SMS to reach many recipients at once with a well-written customizable pitch. Using the data you have to turn a casual buyer into a loyal customer, or even a fan of your business is the best thing you can do for the bottom line.
That means looking at things like consumer purchase history, what they’ve commented on or liked in the past, and other interactions that can be analyzed through data.
2. Networking
A tried and true method of getting new customers is networking, both online and offline.
Get out there and attend as many networking events as you can to expand your network, meet new people, and hopefully build a relationship that will lead to a sale. Another great thing about networking is that it’s a two-way street. While you’re going to want to focus on bringing new people into your business, there are ways for you to network with some of the competition as well.
Look for people who are in the same industry but aren’t your direct competitors. They can still drive traffic to your website, or even refer customers.
3. Referrals
When you ask happy customers to refer their friends and family to you, you’re creating a marketing campaign that lasts long after they’ve finished their purchase(s).
If your business has a good reputation, then it shouldn’t be too hard to get referrals from your current customers. When people have had a good experience with your business, they will often want to tell others about it. In fact, if you’re not already asking for them, then you need to start right now.
A lot of people respond well to the idea of doing a referral bonus. You can give your customers a coupon code that they can share with friends and family, and if their referral makes a purchase then you’ll refund them some money or throw in something extra for free.
4. Promote Values
If your business is already established, then you might have a good idea of what kind of person would be interested in buying from you.
You can reach out to them and get the word out about your business by promoting the values that they could get behind. So, for example, if your ideal customer is environmentally conscious, then it might be a good idea to create a campaign that is focused on protecting the environment. Find out what makes your audience tick, and incorporate that in your brand.
You can see a lot of big companies who do this well. Some do it more successfully than others – it’s important not to be too obvious about it.
5. Leverage Existing Platforms
What better way to market your business than to have people already talking about it?
If you can get significant exposure for your brand, then you could see a huge jump in the number of customers coming through your doors or purchasing your products.
So find out where people are talking about certain things, looking at hashtags on Twitter or Facebook, and then see how you can create content that matches what’s already being said. You can start up your own conversations online, but make sure to carry them over into the real world as well if you want to really build rapport with your audience.
6. Create A Powerful Narrative
This one sounds a little more complicated than it actually is – you just need to make sure that whatever story your business has, it’s compelling and interesting. People need to want to know more, and they’ll follow along as you tell them what the brand is all about.
This narrative can be about something that happened to you, or it can simply be about what your business stands for. You can even make it a little bit controversial if you want – this will get people talking. Once they’re actually in the door, take some time to show them why you’re different from all the rest in a positive way, and stand out in the market.
When it comes to these things, it’s always a good idea to implement more than one technique, as well as to consult with experts if you’re at all unsure about how to go about it. The more exposure your business gets, the higher the chance that you’ll be able to find new customers for yourself. It will take time and effort, but if you can get people talking then you could see a huge jump in interest. It’s simply a matter of getting noticed.
