If you want your business to stand the test of time, it has to evolve. No matter what kind of industry you work in, you will always need new customers. Finding new prospects isn’t always easy to do and there’s nothing to say you’ll convert those prospects into loyal customers. When you want to find and keep new customers, you need to use a mixture of old and new techniques. Here are some tips on how to do it.
Exhaust Social Media
Social media is a fantastic tool for any business. It’s a great way to target a specific audience, so it makes things easy for business owners. These days, if a business doesn’t have a social media presence it can make the business look untrustworthy or without merit. One of the best things about using social media as a business tool is that it’s free. You can invest in the likes of Facebook Ads if you want to but it’s not a requirement of any business profile.
Fresh Content
The internet is all about fresh content. Without regular fresh content, your business becomes yesterday’s news. If you want to be visible, your business needs to have a continuous flow of fresh content. Whether it’s social media posts, blog posts, videos or images, the point is to stay fresh in people’s minds. The more potential customers can see you, the more likely they are to visit your business pages. Your content can also show people what your business stands for and how active you are in your industry.
Fresh Web Design
A poorly built website can put people off. If a potential customer lands on your website and it doesn’t look secure or reliable enough to purchase from, they’re likely to leave the site. Investing in a web design agency who can help you produce a website that looks professional, reliable and attractive is always money well spent. Your website will say a lot about your business, so it’s important to show your customers how passionate you are about what you do. Whether it’s an ecommerce business or you’re a freelance writer showing off your portfolio, your website is your calling card.
Display Testimonials
It takes more than a good-looking website and social media account to tempt a new customer into a purchase. People will often search for reviews from customers before making a purchase. If your social media pages don’t have feedback and testimonials present, it make people think twice about purchasing. However, if reviews are present, good and bad, people are more likely to take a chance on your products. That being said, you should always respond to reviews. It shows how responsive and interactive you are with your customers.
Personalised Experience
Your customers want to feel appreciated and valued. If you can, establishing a relationship with potential customers face-to-face will often have more success than online. That’s because it’s easier to get to know someone when you speak to them in person; things can get lost in translation online. If you can’t see customers face-to-face, it can help to personalise your correspondence and tailor your emails, offers and discounts to their particular interests.
Listen to Concerns
There may be plenty of people interested in your business but just haven’t made the leap of faith yet. That could be for several reasons, like they’re set in their ways, they aren’t sure about your policies or don’t know if the product would benefit them. The trick is to get potential customers to talk about their concerns. Once those concerns have been voiced, you’ll have the opportunity to put minds at rest. It could be something small and simple stopping you from getting the sales you want. Some people just don’t like to divert from the norm. If someone has been used to using another business or struggling without a product that could help, they may need some convincing.
Use Referrals
One of the best ways to gain new customers is through old customers. It goes without saying that your existing customers will likely know other people who may be interested in what you’re selling. Some businesses offer a friendship discount- invite your friend and you’ll both receive 20% off. It’s a great way to target the audience you need and it will cost you very little to do. Word of mouth is still one of the most powerful endorsements a business can get.
Don’t Forget Former Customers
Nothing is written in stone. Some businesses make the mistake of thinking if they lose a customer to a competitor, that customer is gone forever. That’s far from true. Some customers will realise they’ve made a mistake or some may just go to the business with the best offer. When you want to increase your sales, don’t forget about targeting previous customers as well as potential new customers. You can never be sure of who will be interested in your latest product or offer, so it’s important to cover all angles.
Keep an Eye on the Competition
If you’re not a competitive person, poaching another business’ clients can feel unfair. However, it’s often just the way business goes. For example, if your competitor is having poor results from a recent product launch or offer, it could be time to make a more suitable offer to their customers. The same can be said if your competitor is going through staff changes or shut for refurbishment. That small amount of time gives you a window to show potential customers why you’re a better option.
Don’t Get Complacent
Just because you’re going through a successful period, it doesn’t mean things won’t change. You have to continue to work towards your goal of new customers so you know the methods that work for you. Getting complacent won’t allow you to learn how to gain more custom during bad patches- which every business goes through eventually. Never take your eye off the ball, even when you’re achieving every goal you set.
New customers will always be vital to good business.
