13 Innovative Ways To Get New Customers
So, you want to get new customers. Many businesses chase new customers until they’re blue in the face, but have little success. Why is this? Because, they’re doing it wrong. We’re going to tell you the most effective techniques for getting new business, so you can grow your business and build more brand awareness:
1. Focus on Your Old Customers
Before you can go out hunting for new customers, you need to focus on your existing customers. It’s really easy to keep your old customers just by keeping them happy, but it’s hard to get new customers out of nowhere. By making sure you keep your previous customers happy, they’ll become brand ambassadors for you and recommend you to people they know. It’s all about customer retention and getting a good reputation. Focus on the language you use, your body language, and how you handle complaints and queries. Make it really easy for them to work with you.
2. Offer Incentives to Work With You
Are you currently offering people incentives to work with you? If not, you should be. You’ll get more customers by simply offering free postage, a discount, or a free product. Give them a reason to want to work with you.
3. Give Away Free Stuff
Give away some free stuff to make sure people don’t forget who you are. You could send a free pack of sweets with a product ordered online, give away a free taster version of a product, or something else altogether. If it’s raining, why not give out some raincoats for free? They’ll appreciate it, remember you, and get talking about you to people they know. Show people you care. It’s also common practice to give away branded merchandise like pens and mugs as they get used often and left on desks.
4. Engage With People on Social Media
Social media is a huge marketing tactic that every business should be using. You can engage with a much larger portion of your target market this way. When I say engage, I mean engage. I don’t mean tell more people about what you’re selling. Constantly droning on about what you have for sale won’t get you any extra customers. Instead, ask questions of your local community, and even on a global scale if that’s what you’re targeting.
5. Know Exactly Who Your Target Market Is
By doing your research on your target market and knowing exactly who they are, you can get in touch with them more effectively. Know where you can find them, what they like, what they don’t like, and more. Market research is an essential part of any marketing plan and one of the only ways you can get new customers.
6. Make Videos
Creating videos helps to show people that you’re human too. Make them relevant to your business/industry, but include some information that will engage them too. Tell them what you’re having for lunch and ask what they’re having after you give them some helpful tips on how to put a bike together. That’s just an example. Use your imagination. Make sure you use a quality camera so that your videos look professional, and make the effort to learn how to edit them too.
7. Give Away Valuable Information for Free
As mentioned in the above point, you need to give your audience valuable information. Don’t be too precious about what you know; help people for nothing and they’ll really appreciate it. They’ll be more likely to work with you over any of your competitors.
8. Start a Referral Program
If you constantly get asked whether you sell a certain product or service, you could set up a referral program. Recommend another business to people who ask you, and ask that the business refer you in return where appropriate. You can set this up with many businesses to get a good referral program going.
9. Team Up With Another Business
Team up with another business whose’ service or product could compliment yours. You’ll both reap benefits and rewards from this, such as greater web traffic and visits.
10. Offer Benefits to Loyal Customers
Your loyal customers need to know that they are important too. Offering good customer service is important, but you need to give them more, so they know they’re valued. Offer loyalty cards and point programs; anything you deem appropriate to keep them coming back for more.
11. Try an Image Overhaul
If you’ve had the same look for a while, try an image overhaul. Could you change up your color scheme? Fonts? Layout? Do a little A/B testing to see what works and what doesn’t work. You can then have the best version of your site available to visitors. If fraud is a threat to your business, you might also want to change the way you make sure a customer is genuine, as some techniques can put them off. A simple method of identity verification is best.
12. Network
Networking is a great way to get new customers and opportunities. You can network absolutely anywhere. It’s possible to network online with sites like LinkedIn, where you can meet potential businesses you can work with. In person, you can network at trade shows and conferences. Speak to anyone and everyone, and hand out your business card like there’s no tomorrow. You never know who you might meet.
13. Work With Bloggers
Working with bloggers is an extremely beneficial way to get your name out there. Blogging is very popular, and if you can target some of the best bloggers in your industry niche, then you’re on to a winner. You could ask them to write a guest post for your site, write a guest post for them, or even give them a free product to review. More and more businesses are targeting bloggers because they know how beneficial it can be.
