Customers are the lifeblood of any business and without customers, a business won’t survive very long. Unfortunately, you can’t rely on existing customers to remain loyal. Because of this, it’s important to have strategies in place to find new customers, so you can replace the ones who don’t place repeat orders and continue to expand your customer case.
There are lots of tools you can use. For example, Nuwber.com lets you search by name and address, so see who’s living in the same street as existing customers and find their contact details. Or perform a more general search and harvest names and telephone numbers. Remember, personalized marketing is always more effective.
Here are a further 10 ways to expand your customer base.
1. Offer Freebies
Everyone loves a freebie. Offer website visitors a free discount or free shipping. Give away small promotional gifts or extras to in-store customers.
2. Social Media Promotions
Most people use social media in some capacity. Create social media channels for your business and encourage people to like and share your content. This helps to spread the word about you beyond the reach of your geographic area.
3. Provide Great Customer Service
Great customer service is a powerful promotional tool. Treat customers with respect and look after them. The more satisfied they are, the more likely they are to become repeat customers and recommend you to others.
4. Local Advertising
Don’t dismiss the power of local advertising, such as posters, flyers, and billboards. If your business relies on local custom, this should be number one on your list.
5. Email Newsletters
Email newsletters cost virtually nothing to produce and distribute. Create a branded newsletter and fill it with useful content. Build an email marketing list and use an application like Mailchimp to manage your newsletter distribution campaign.
6. Radio Ads
Radio ads can be very effective if you want to target certain demographics. There is a cost involved, but this can be minimized if you keep it simple. Run surveys to see which radio station your customers listen to and make this your advertising platform.
7. Mailshots
Have leaflets or brochures printed and distribute them locally. A mass-mailing mailshot can easily reach several thousand homes in a day. Remember, though, mailshots are a numbers game, as the vast majority of your marketing materials will be tossed out with the trash.
8. PPC
Pay-per-click is a relatively inexpensive way of reaching a target demographic. Bear in mind that the more popular keywords will cost more, so research which keywords are likely to be the most effective in your niche. Do A-B testing to see which ads generate the most impressions and click-throughs. For best results, optimize your landing page.
9. Website SEO
A website can be a powerful marketing tool, but only if it can be found. Optimize your website’s SEO so customers can find you. Create keyword-rich content, add useful information, and encourage visitors to sign up for marketing newsletters.
10. Elevator Pitch
Develop your elevator pitch so you can sell your products and services to everyone you meet. You never know where the next customer will be, so make sure you’re ready!
Monitor the success of your marketing campaigns. When new customers come on board, ask them where they found you – if you spot a pattern, prioritize this channel for your future marketing endeavors.
