HOW TO GET MORE CUSTOMERS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

For any business to grow and remain profitable, the question of how to get more customers has to be answered. The aim of every business is to catch the eye of its target audience and constantly build its customer base. Such a feat requires innovation and know-how, elements that this blog seeks to focus on.

According to investopedia.com, customer simply refers to an individual that purchases goods or services provided by a business.

The customer is important because he or she is the one who creates demand for the good or service in the first place. Getting customers requires a lot of efforts and activities, which include:

Know your target audience

Before you can first attract customers to your business, you need to know more about them. What are the characteristics of your target audience? What are their spending habits? How do they think and what are they looking for? Effective research needs to be conducted, in order to answer such questions, both on the ground and using social media. Social media is a vital tool for studying trends as well as getting in touch with your target audience in the first place.

Make good use of your network

Any business with a solid network is bound to make strides. Networks can prove to be resourceful, as they serve as a wide pool of potential customers. Who do you know and how can they help you in increasing your customer base? Again, social media comes into play here. In an age where it has become increasingly essential to be technologically savvy, a solid network cannot be completely built without actively employing social media.

It is important to connect and stay connected.

Deliver on your brand promise

Nothing speaks louder than a testimonial! What are others saying about your brand? Setting a brand promise and creatively delivering on it, is a sure way of creating a ‘buzz’ about your brand. Social media is a great tool for receiving feedback on how well your business is doing so far in delivering the brand promise. A positive brand image will attract more customers. And they will ‘tell a friend who will tell another friend’! A typical example is in the case of Zappos, an online shoe company that was virtually built on word-of-mouth communication. Zappos invested in creating such a strong customer experience, expecting their sales to be driven by repeat business and word-of-mouth,  till their customers just could not keep silent about the brand. This strategy proved beneficial, as the company has more than $2 billion in sales as a result!

Invest in advertising

Aside from the traditional ways of advertising, such as personal selling, billboards and television adverts, digital marketing has simply become the way to go! From demonstration videos on YouTube about how and why to use your products, to options such as pay-per-click ads, your customer base can only grow stronger if you creatively spread the word to build awareness of your brand. How visible is your business, both online and offline?

Invest in the ‘little things’

This is one of the oldest and simplest ways of getting and keeping customers, but still remains one of the best. Leave a lasting impression; a kind act, word or just a smile goes a long way and speaks volumes. Companies such as banks invest in the little things like remembering clients’ birthdays, occasionally organizing giveaways, etc. There is nothing like excellent customer service embedded in the little things! Make your customers fall in love with your brand.

It is not only about getting customers but retaining them as well. Great customer service also plays an important role in generating high revenue and sustenance of the client base. According to desk.com, surveys have shown that 86% of consumers would pay more for a better customer experience. What unique experience does your business create? Do not only work towards getting customers but keeping them.

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Now it’s your turn, share with us strategies that have worked for you!