So you've been in business for a while now. Do you know how to increase your customer base?
SummaryProvide great customer serviceUnderstand your target marketUse your networkExplore social mediaWhen you first started, you probably didn't mind having few or no customers. After all, this is normal for new businesses. But now you're probably wondering why you can't keep your business running smoothly.
What will be the fate of a business without customers?
I'm no doomsayer, but it's definitely going to be a disaster. And that's because customers are the sustaining factor of a business.
It's no exaggeration when they say the customer is king. Their patronage provides the revenue on which businesses thrive. Simply put, they are the reason you are in business.
So how do you deal with the problem of few or no customers? Unless you want to go out of business soon, you have to worry about your lack of customers.
Here are four easy ways to increase your customer base.
Charity begins at home.
A good way to increase your customer base is to work on making customers available to you. When you don't give those customers a reason to stay, they run into the open arms of the next available competition. The first contact a customer makes with you is worth over a million dollars.
Do you know why?
If such a customer is satisfied with your delivery, they could negotiate business with you worth more than a million dollars afterwards. A satisfied client is likely to tell friends, family, and associates about your services, thereby referring more clients to you even without you asking.
See also:Live chat for business:the best investment?
Needs can only be met when they are understood.
It is impossible to provide a solution to a problem that you know little or nothing about. You could end up spending so much time and resources doing the wrong things.
Identifying the needs of potential customers gives you better insights into how to provide products or services that are tailor-made for them. When you have the answers to customer problems, they will naturally be attracted to you. And if you meet their expectations, you might keep them for a very long time.
At the end of the day, every customer wants to be satisfied. If you check this box, you will have their full attention.
In the digital age, we are bombarded with different modern marketing strategies with the promise of good results. While some of these techniques are effective, they are still a far cry from the good old tried and tested technique of word of mouth marketing.
You see, your social capital isn't just there to socialize; it can also be a great help to grow your business.
Your network is made up of people who know you personally. While they may not be able to vouch for you in matters of life or death, they trust you enough to give you the benefit of the doubt by trying your products or services. Don't be shy to tell them what you're doing.
Remember that you are your own best marketer. Talk about your business to members of your network. You'll be surprised how many new customers you get.
If everyone is raving about the benefits of social media in business, chances are there's something for you too. It's okay to be a doubting Thomas, but sometimes you have to give the benefit of the doubt.
Look at it this way:
With social media, you can reach people you might not normally be able to reach. When done correctly, you are likely to generate leads from your social media marketing strategies.
See also:4 good reasons to market with Facebook
Technology makes it easier for you to streamline your campaigns to consumers who need what you sell. You can present your products or services directly to people who are looking for exactly what you offer.
There are not too many customers; More the merrier, the merrier. If you made it a point to regularly increase your customer base, you would have more income in your bank account. You can achieve your business goals and even grow. In the end, you won't lose anything. So wouldn't you rather give it a try?
