Getting Customers

Your company may have the best product or service in the world. But without any customers, it doesn’t matter, because you won’t make sales. That’s a surefire way for your company to go under quickly.

So, how do you attract new customers and grow your business?

How to Attract Customers

There are many strategies for attracting new buyers to your product or service. These can include:

• Offering incentives to generate interest from your ideal target market
• Following up with previous customers
• Updating your online presence to keep potential customers interested
• Talking and listening to your current customers
• Sharing your expertise
• Networking
• Partnering with complementary businesses
• Leaning on testimonials and reviews
• Maximizing your advertising methods

Offering Incentives to Generate Interest from Your Ideal Target Market

Sometimes, potential customers need a gentle nudge to move forward. Incentives are an intelligent way to bring people in the door. They can also help keep current customers coming back. There are many ways you could offer incentives for people to buy, such as:

• Coupons or other discounts
• Free trial period
• Bonus items (like buy one get one free)
• Customer loyalty/rewards program
• Referral fees

Following Up with Previous Customers

Your prior customers may have stopped buying from you for many different reasons. These may include changing needs or a bad customer service experience. Therefore, you can reach out to these individuals or companies and give them a reason to re-engage.

Updating Your Online Presence to Keep Potential Customers Interested

Studies show that people form first impressions in a few seconds. With that in mind, your company must put its best foot forward online and in person. This may include redesigning your business’s website for more seamless experiences or retraining customer service reps to solve clients’ issues more quickly.  

Your company must engage with its customers. Typically, everything should lead to a live conversation. This can make customers feel they matter and that their business is important. 

Some key strategies for updating your online presence include:

• Leveraging social media
• Optimizing content for search engines 

Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow you to share information and educate people on how your company’s offerings provide value. There are programs to automate your social media posts to go out at certain times. Make sure to put links to your social media pages on your website and in the signature section of your company emails. 

You should also optimize your online content for search engines like Google and Bing. Incorporate keywords and key phrases into your website, blogs, social media posts, and other online communications. 

In addition, you could set up a free Google Business Profile so your company’s physical location will show up on Google Maps and in local search results, along with other information about your business. 

Talking and Listening to Your Current Customers

Talking to your customers is critical, but listening is even more important. Allowing your customers to provide feedback on good and bad experiences can help you narrow down what is and isn’t working – and to do more of the former.

Sharing Your Expertise

Content marketing focuses on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent information to attract and retain a clearly defined audience. The goal of content marketing is to drive profitable customer action.

Your company’s content marketing efforts can take various forms, including:

• Blogs
• Articles
• Videos
• Webinars (i.e., online seminars)
• White papers
• Reports
• Podcasts
• Newsletters
• Infographics

Regardless of which method(s) you use, consistency is vital. So, make sure that you post regularly. 

Networking

Sometimes, marketing the “old-fashioned way” works well. This includes attending in-person events like seminars and conferences where you can network with potential customers. You could generate even more business if you are a speaker or presenter at the event so more attendees can hear your message. 

Charity and philanthropic events are other avenues for meeting quality prospects, as long as they align with your company and customers’ values. You could consider hosting this type of event. 

Partnering with Complementary Businesses

Another method for finding good customers is to partner with complementary businesses. These are companies and organizations whose offerings and customer base are related to yours. 

For instance, if your business sells computers, you could pair up with local IT technicians who refer their clients when they need new hardware. Your company could return the favor by sending business to the IT techs. 

Leaning on Testimonials and Reviews

Customer reviews and testimonials carry much weight when making a business decision. Studies show that over 32% of online shoppers cite review scores or ratings as the most important factor in their purchasing decision. 

It is also a good idea to respond to your company’s reviews. If the review is negative, you could apologize and tell the reviewer how you will make it right. Thanking customers who leave positive reviews is also a way to build and maintain good customer relations. 

Maximizing Your Advertising Methods

There are many possibilities for advertising your company and its offerings. These include:

• Television
• Ratio
• Newspaper
• Website
• Blog posts
• Social media
• Postcards
• Direct mail
• Cold calling 
• Coupons 
• Referrals  
• Seminars 

While your target customers may respond to one over the others, it is best to use several options. 

Is Your Business Bringing in the Right Customers?

There are many ways to bring potential buyers to your business. But the best option(s) will depend on your company and its target market. If your business isn’t attracting enough of the right customers, a business marketing specialist can help.