As a business owner, you’re probably well aware that your client base is your company’s lifeblood. A consistent inflow of new consumers allows you to expand your firm and achieve your goals.
Farzana Irani understands the value of a strong client base for all small businesses, including virtual ones, which is why she recently questioned the community: “What is your best technique in developing a client base for your online business?”
It turns out that a seven-step approach works best for attracting new clients.
1. Identify Your Ideal Client
It’s easier to find customers if you know what kind of customers you’re looking for. You wouldn’t know where to start looking if you didn’t have a composite of your ideal customer.
Nicole Beckett, president of Premier Content Source, advises, “Have a crystal clear picture in your head of exactly who you’re addressing.” “Consider what makes those folks happy, sad, afraid, or relieved, and then consider how you may make their life simpler.”
Avoid broad target market phrases like “every lady,” “every guy,” or “all Baby Boomers” by narrowing down the focus of your ideal client. Few items appeal to such a large audience and overstating your market can prohibit you from implementing effective tailored marketing techniques. Sign up for our Business Class: Weekly Newsletter to remain informed.
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2. Discover Where Your Customer Lives
According to Jeff Motter, CEO and chief marketing officer of East Bay Marketing Group, “find those venues where they are likely to be discovered (media, internet, offline, mail, etc.) and then build messaging for them.”
The kind of your business will determine where you look for consumers. Forums and social media pages, both your own and those of comparable or complementary firms, are fantastic online places. Offline, you might meet a lot of potential consumers at industry conferences and conventions.
3. Know Your Business Inside and Out
Thoroughly understanding your industry and having a firm knowledge of your product or service is critical to being able to attract interested clients. When you know your product backward and forwards, that fact comes through.
The people who would be interested in your offerings can see how knowledgeable you are and may seek your assistance.
4. Position Yourself as the Answer
Give potential clients you come into contact with a good reason to try your services, which is your first step to making them loyal customers, suggests Jason Reis, owner and lead programmer for Flex Corp.
“Provide value and identify yourself as someone who knows a lot about the challenges they’re trying to address,” he advises. “Creating content in the form of webinars, blog posts, guest blogging, and physically networking with people are all examples of this.”
You’ll start to build a following as a result of all of this, and as long as you have a well-structured sales funnel in place, you’ll be able to convert your followers/fans into paying clients.”
5. Try Direct Response Marketing
Your best bet for reaching out and touching customers may be to use tactics to encourage them to complete a specific action, such as opting in to your email list or requesting more information.
Create messages that are tailored to your target audience, advises Motter. “Learn how to develop advertising that attracts your ideal clients by providing them with something of value for free to get them started in your funnel.”
Learn everything you can about direct response marketing techniques since they will teach you how to concentrate on the most important outcomes. Create persuasive messaging that explains why your desired audience would be a fool not to collaborate with you.
Demonstrate that you comprehend their suffering and that you can alleviate it more quickly and cheaply than they could on their own. “
6. Build Partnerships
Combining forces with companies that provide complementary services allows you to take advantage of synergy, which can be quite beneficial in growing a firm. Consider partnering with a firm that produces websites if you have a company that specializes in SEO.
After all, developing relationships, whether with other business owners or clients, help you build a client base, according to Beckett. “Pay attention to the development of human interactions. Your clients are more likely to tell their friends about you if your relationships are solid.
The more likely they are to return, the better.” For Your Business, a New Suite of Services Product SolutionAdvertising For Your Business, a New Suite of Services
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7. Follow Up
After your efforts to bring in business, always remember to close the loop, suggests Josh Sprague, CEO of Orange Mud. Remember to set follow-up tasks (follow up on samples sent, etc.), and execute your plan.
So many leads and great conversations are wasted because you forget to follow up. ” Doing this simple step can help you get your client base to grow.
Related:
Product Diversification: Stages, Benefits, and Examples
Tips to Improve Customer Retention
The Importance of Having a Business Strategy