Five Ways To Attract More Customers

Your business exists to make money, and you can only accomplish this if you have customers who want to purchase your products or services. I know this sounds pretty simple, but one of the biggest issues for small businesses and startup who have just launched is how they can attract more qualified customers.

Now, you are eager to expand and grow your business. But, growing your customer base is a lot easier said than done. How do you get more clients for your business? Let’s take a look at the top five tactics I have used to grow my business, and you can use for your own business today!

1. Speak At Events & Host A Meet Up

You have a lot of experience in your industry, and there is no better way to get involved in your community than speaking at local events. Not only does speaking establish you as an authority, but it also exposes you to a new audience who you might not have been able to reach on your own.

By sharing your experience and becoming involved in your business at a local level, you will have the chance to grow your connections, as well as your reputation as a thought leader in your industry.

I am a co-founder of a small business Meetup in Orlando, FL and I have loved the chance to meet local business owners and give back to the community. During each of our monthly Meetups, I share my knowledge about digital marketing strategies with small business owners. This exposure helps me grow my brand and increase exposure for my business. In turn, I get to help entrepreneurs with first-hand knowledge and feedback.

Go out and speak at local events, and host your Meetup. This will surely help you grow your business brand and meet new people in your local community!

2. Focus On Local SEO

Enhancing the local SEO of your business is the quickest, easiest, and least expensive way to drive organic sales through your website. Instead of focusing on general keywords that rank throughout the nation, you should focus your time and resources on developing a strong local SEO strategy.

Local SEO is the solution for your company if you’re working to build a strong online presence on a comparatively small search engine optimization budget. If you are like many small businesses or startups, then you don’t have a lot of money to waste on ranking for generic keywords. The best way to dominate your local market is to create great online content for your business that is relevant to your customers in your local market.

Instead of looking for general focus, you would be better off to concentrate your restricted budget in your neighborhood or regional marketplace. Dominating your national market will offer the highest ROI and fastest growth opportunity compared to spreading your focus across a larger geographic area.

To take your regional SEO strategy one step further, you also need to look at developing a company account with different local business directories. Some of the tools you should focus on and optimize are:

1. Google My Business
2. Bing Places
3. Better Business Bureau
4. Merchant Circle
5. Thumbtack

3. Engage with Loyal Customers

Whenever a person chooses to do business with you, you should consider them one of the most valuable assets to your company success. This is especially true if you are just starting out, and your current customers could be your best marketing strategy. Not only is word-of-mouth marketing the bread and butter of growing a company, your customers know people like them.

Interact with your customers whenever they reach out to you- whether their message/question is positive or negative. Boost customer engagement by replying to comments on social networking and spotlighting loyal customers.

Engaging with your audience can make your company more personable, which will make your clients like you even more. Should you make a good enough impression with these favorable interactions, your existing customers are more likely to talk highly of your company to their loved ones and friends, which can lead to even more clients.

By making your customers feel valued, it is possible to make clients feel confident to share your business to their social circles and hopefully start a domino effect for your company’s advantage.

4. Collaborate with Local Business Partners

There is no shortage of small business or startups in your community, and you should look for ways to work together to make partnerships with local businesses. You could find businesses that provide products and services that enhance or compliment your business offerings. This approach means that you will increase your exposure, and you could benefit your company operations in some ways outside of just sales.

Partnering with local companies is mutually beneficial for both parties involved. It may get your respective customer bases interested from another business, which can attract more customers and increase sales for both companies involved.

Though you may have certain businesses in your mind because of personal friendships with their workers, make certain to pick businesses that are right for you. You should consider companies that are nearby and whose target audience is comparatively similar.

Dealing with a local business is also an excellent way to bring legitimacy to your organization, especially if you haven’t existed for that long. Your partnership could benefit your business in several ways including:

1. Co-hosting a local Meetup for your industry.
2. Guest blogging on each other’s website.
3. Hosting podcasts and other interactive media.
4. Provide giveaways on social media with your partners.
5. Split the costs of various advertising and share the profits.
6. Increase your product and service offerings based on your partnerships.

5. Leverage Social Media with Balance

Your small business and startup depend on personal connections in the early stages of operations. You can leverage social media to increase your presence and build your brand.

Many small business owners are intimidated by interpersonal networking, but this is, in fact, one of the easiest-to-use and many cost-effective marketing tools available. Marketing is about connecting with the men and women who will become your clients, and social networking is a natural vehicle for building connections.

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other networks let you to interact directly with prospective clients in your market. Get started by making a Facebook profile for your company if you haven’t already. Make sure it includes accurate information regarding your hours and location, and upload a profile photo and a cover photograph to showcase your shop in its best light.

Be sure to use social media to share your brand and build a relationship of trust with your audience. Don’t use social media as just another way to spam your newest products. Instead, talk about your customers more than you speak about yourself and focus on how your products/services help your ideal clients!

Build Your Business With A Customer-Focuses Approach

Your small business or startup will always need to generate more revenue, and the best way to do this is to attract qualified leads to your website or online store. The early stages of a business are often the hardest because gaining new customers is difficult, expensive, and time-consuming.

However, you can use the above five tips to attract more qualified leads to your business by building personal relationships and a great brand for your company. Use the five strategies listed above to help you grow your business today!

Author Bio:

Chris is a Digital Marketing Consultant who helps small business owners grow their business. He is passionate about digital marketing, emerging technologies, and transportation issues.