Successful SMEs need to be constantly pushing, evolving and growing. It is a fact of any business that you will lose some customers to competition periodically, that is why attracting new customers should a key part of your future growth. They can replace the lost business to competition, and help grow your business by providing new source of growth. It does take considerable effort and time to attract new customers. Here are five ways to reach out to tomorrow’s customers, today.
Social media
Facebook Pages, Twitter and Linkedin are the big three for business social media, but there are so many more which might be worth thinking about, including Pinterest and Instagram. Think about where your ideal customers are, and then use social media to reach them. Where do they hang out? What are they interested in? How do they use their time online, and how do they get online? Are they using PCs or smartphones and tablets? How do they interact with other brands and with each other? The aim of using social media as a business is not just to sell and tell, but to share information, create a voice, and gather your tribe around you.
Support of the local community
Get your brand, logo, and name out there by supporting events or initiatives in the local community. Supporting local events doesn’t just get your name out there, it reinforces perception of your brand as a warm, caring, sociable business which really cares. It’s also a great way of making key connections with other local SMEs, suppliers, advisors and business names who can support your business as it grows.
Live events
Consider sponsoring and supporting live events such as sporting events, music events, festivals and summer events. Where are your key customers, what kind of things do they do in their spare time? Know your customers well and you’ll know where to find them. Get creative with your marketing spend: think branded coffee cups, goodie bags, lanyards, freebies, giveaways, challenges and competitions. Make sure your insurance for business covers you. At the very least, you’ll need public liability insurance if you’re involved in an event attended by the public.
Get to know SEO
SEO – search engine optimisation – is something every SME needs to know about. All your online content, from website content and news items, to blogs and social media, need a touch of SEO if you want to end up on the front page of Google for your preferred search terms. Online writing these days is about a lot more than spelling and grammar. You need to engage your audience with relevant and well written content. If done well, you may become a thought leader in your field.
Face-to-face networking
Don’t forget the power of good old face-to-face networking, both in your local area and in your industry. Go to networking events, trade shows, expos, business think tanks and lunch meetings. You might not meet new customers directly, but the other business people you meet will be able to refer you onwards, helping your network grow.
Very nicely written. I believe the best way to attract new customers is by providing great customer service to the existing customers. If you have managed to provide great customer service along with a good product, of course to your existing customer, they will refer your company or product to others. Referrals are the biggest source of new customers, which unfortunately a lot of companies ignore. But to provide great customer service, companies need to adapt to technology and start using a good CRM Software. One which helps in engaging with the customers in real time, something like Clintra.