The best ways to attract new customers

As an owner of a business, you must always be attracting new customers. Even if you have a big group of loyal customers, you should consistently attract new customers. Once you have a product or service you know people will like, it’s time to attract new customers. In this article, we show you how to by covering the following topics:

• Identify your ideal customer
• Build a community 
• Offer something for free
• Loyalty programmes
• Update your website
• Word of mouth
• Register for online directories

A lot of business owners skip this crucial step when thinking of ways to attract new customers. The most important question behind an effective marketing strategy is “Who is my ideal customer?”

Small to medium businesses can build a loyal customer base and increase revenue by niching down and focusing on a smaller, more relevant audience. You can do research online and break down your ideal customers into various demographics, including:

• Age
• Location
• Employment
• Hobbies and interests
• Everyday problems  

One of the most effective ways to build a relationship with new customers is to make an email list. There are several ways to interact with your customers; however, recent studies have shown that email marketing is the best way to interact with them. In addition, email generates $38 for every $1 spent, a massive 3,800% ROI, making it one of the most effective marketing options available.

One of the best ways to create an email marketing campaign is to:

• Create a piece of content that users will want to sign up for on your business website.
• Create an opt-in where visitors can sign up with their name and email address.
• In the first email, you should send them the content they signed up for and a thank you.
• You can then send them automated emails promoting your products and services with different Calls to Action (CTAs). 

For more information about setting up an email marketing campaign, read our article: A beginner’s guide to email marketing.

While giving away stuff for free might seem counterproductive for many companies, especially for newer ones just starting. However, it’s often a small cost that you can make back over time. 

Giving away free things or discounts are great ways to attract new customers and create loyal customers. Some popular ways of doing this include:

• Giving first-time customers a discount on their first purchase.
• Reward customers for referring new customers by giving them a £5 discount for every new customer they refer.
• You could offer a seven day free trial for customers to try out your service, and if they enjoy it, they can sign up for the premium version.

Similar to free stuff and discounts, loyalty programmes are not only a great way to attract new customers but also to retain new customers as well. Attracting new customers can be up to five times more expensive than retaining a customer. 

Offering deals and discounts for loyal customers is a great way to increase revenue. People often buy more products or services than they planned to when they see a great offering. More word-of-mouth referrals will spread and attract even more customers with more deals and discounts for loyal customers. 

No matter how big or small your business is, it will need a website. A website is essential for new customers to find your business online. Creating a simple website for your business is easier than ever with website builders such as Wix, Squarespace or WordPress. 

You should have your products and services listed on your website and your brand’s story and contact details. You can build up your website even further and create content that will improve your SEO rankings, resulting in more customers finding your business. 

Word of mouth marketing (WOMM) is one of the most effective ways of marketing your business. WOMM refers to the conversations that consumers have about your business both in-person and online. These conversations are vital for your business as people are 92% more likely to buy or trust a brand if family or friends recommend it. 

While it can be challenging to control, there are certain things that you can do to encourage people to talk about your brand, including:

• Online reviews: enable customers to write about your product or service and reward them with discounts and offers if they leave a good review.
• Use social media: to interact with your customers. You can use it to respond to reviews, run competitions and offer exclusive discount codes.  
• Attend/host events: hosting online webinars and seminars is a great way to promote your business and show your expertise in the field. 
• Create shareable content: This is another excellent way to showcase your knowledge. By creating helpful content, you’re attracting new customers. 

With the internet, it’s easier than ever to get listed on online directors. One essential for businesses to register with is Google My Business (GMB). GMB allows companies to appear on the right-hand side of the Google results page, which focuses mainly on local businesses. Some other popular ones include; Yahoo Local and Bing Places.

Countingup is the app that automates time-consuming bookkeeping for thousands of self-employed people across the UK. 

It’s a two in one business current account with built-in accounting software. With automatic expense categorisation, receipt capture tools and cash flow insights, you can confidently keep on top of your business finances and save yourself hours of accounting admin, so you can get back to doing what you do best. Find out more here.