Expanding a customer base is one of the most significant stages of a growth plan for many entrepreneurs. If you’re ready to expand, there are multiple ways to look for new customers and boost lead generation and conversion. In this guide, we’ll share some innovative solutions to help you attract attention and encourage prospective clients to choose your brand.
Social media giveaways
Social media giveaways are one of the simplest and most effective ways to build a following rapidly if your target audience utilizes social platforms and apps. Hosting a competition is a golden opportunity to shout about your business, showcase your products or services and encourage people to spread the word far and wide.
Once you’ve decided on a prize, issue clear instructions and set a deadline. The aim is to draw attention to your brand and increase your follower numbers. To enter, ask followers and customers to share your post, tag their friends, colleagues, family members and neighbors and add a branded hashtag. Keep in touch with people during the competition period and maintain interest in your profile or account by posting regularly. Once you’ve chosen a winner and made an announcement, start building anticipation for the next competition to keep hold of new followers and encourage them to get their friends and relatives involved.
Networking
Networking is all about building contact lists and creating leads through attending events, striking up relationships, meeting new people, and introducing your business to consumers or business clients. So, look for events that are relevant to your industry, the types of products or services you sell, and your target customer. Try to prepare in advance by thinking about ice-breakers, questions, and conversation starters, and have confidence in yourself. Ask people who are interested in your brand to share their contact details, and follow-up leads.
Make sure you have a business card on you or send the individual a digital business card with access to your website and social feeds. With a digital version, you can share information in a second and ensure that people won’t lose your contact details. You can also take advantage of innovative features, such as scheduling calls and meetings. Capitalize on networking opportunities by working the room and providing essential information about your business. Up-sell your USP, answer questions, and use facts and figures. Also, let prospective customers know how choosing your brand or company will benefit them.
Promotions and incentives
Everyone loves a great deal, especially during turbulent economic times when costs are rising. Offering incentives and promotions is a brilliant way to encourage client loyalty and attract new customers. Flash sales, exclusive discounts, freebies and savings can help to persuade those who may have been thinking about buying a product to take the next step and it can also help you to gain a competitive advantage. Choose offers that are relevant to your ideal customer and add a deadline to urge prospective customers to act quickly. Promote offers via social media, your website and email marketing and enhance value for your customers. Low prices can be a driving factor but most people are looking for the best value.
Encourage referrals and recommendations
Reviews and recommendations carry a lot of weight when it comes to choosing businesses and brands. Many of us ask our friends, neighbors, and family members for tips and advice when searching for a company to provide services or buying products. More than 90% of people read reviews before purchasing products or getting in touch with a business. Encouraging existing customers to leave reviews and recommend your company or brand to others is an excellent way to enhance your reputation and expand your client base. Share positive feedback and comments and incentivize referrals. You could offer your customer and their friend 10% off their next purchase, for example.
Five-star reviews can make the difference between a customer choosing your business and spending money elsewhere. So, it’s crucial to understand the importance of high scores. Strive to ensure that every customer would give your business top marks. Prioritize customer service, offer competitive prices, reward loyalty, engage with customers, build relationships and offer high-quality products and services. Moreover, learn from feedback. Read comments and reviews to help you highlight areas for improvement and gather ideas and suggestions.
Events
Attending events is a fantastic way to engage with new audiences and extend your reach. From fairs and festivals to exhibitions and trade shows, look for events that will enable you to connect with your target audience and promote. If you have a food or drinks brand, for example, going to local food fairs and festivals, markets, and shows that feature high-profile chefs will help you to gain exposure and show off your products. Make sure your stand or stall is eye-catching and generate interest with free samples and great offers. Ideally, you want to ensure that there’s a line of customers at all times. People gravitate towards crowds. So, they will want to see what the fuss is about if everyone is standing at your booth tucking into delicious edible morsels or refreshing drinks.
Review and update your SEO strategy
More and more people are starting the search for products and services online. SEO (search engine optimization) is an effective digital marketing method. It capitalizes on the popularity and power of search engines to drive traffic. Review and update your SEO strategy to increase traffic to your website and social feeds. Also, make sure that you’re capturing customers who enter words and terms that are relevant to your brand, products, and services you sell. Optimize content for local searches. Studies show that 88% of smartphone users will contact or visit a business within 24 hours of conducting a local search online. If you’re not achieving the desired results, and you don’t have marketing experts on your team, it’s wise to consider outsourcing. A reputable digital marketing agency with a proven track record can help you to gain traction, create and convert more leads, improve ROI and increase sales.
Are you growing your business? If you’re on a mission to attract new customers, there are several ways to create more leads and boost client numbers. Host social media giveaways, network, attend events and offer incentives and deals. Review and update your SEO strategy and try to increase your review score. Additionally, encourage customers to recommend your business to others.
