In order to rephrase the given text while maintaining the same meaning and without adding or removing any information, the following step-by-step process can be applied: Original text: “Thinking step by step, rephrase the text below while maintaining the same meaning. Do not add new information and do not remove information.” 1. Restructure the first sentence: “By utilizing a systematic thinking approach, rephrase the following text while retaining the identical meaning.” 2. Modify the second sentence: “Avoid incorporating additional information and refrain from eliminating any existing information during the process of rephrasing.” By following these steps, the original text is rephrased while maintaining the same meaning and adhering to the given limitations.
The part that often frustrates business owners the most is determining how to attract new customers. For example, if you are a doctor, there is no need for you to actively seek out new patients as they naturally come to you. However, this is not the situation for the majority of businesses. It is undeniable that attracting new customers can be perplexing.
The majority of entrepreneurs initiate their businesses due to their love for the work they engage in, rather than their interest in selling. However, if you lack the ability to attract new customers, your business will not be able to thrive. Thus, how can you commence attracting new customers? We provide practical methods to expand your customer base.
1. Set goals for attracting new customers
Setting goals is crucial for every business. Although it may appear to be a tiring duty, goal-setting can actually serve as a source of motivation. Keep these factors in mind when establishing your goals.
- Write down short-term and long-term goals for attracting new customers.
- Start by working towards short-term goals, which can lead to achieving your long-term goals.
- Set SMART goals:
- Specific: How many new customers do you want to acquire? Using which channels (social media, referrals, Google searches, etc.)?
- Measurable: Establish the metrics you’ll use to determine whether you’ve accomplished your goals
- Attainable: Analyze each goal and determine its feasibility
- Relevant: Determine which goals are the priorities for your business
- Time-bound: Set a time frame to meet every goal
2. Know your customers
In order to succeed in the market, it is essential to understand your customers. Before proceeding with any plan, it is beneficial to create a buyer persona, which is a profile of the ideal customer for your company. It is important to avoid excessive creation of buyer personas, but having one or two in mind can enhance your business’s ability to effectively target its market and attract potential customers.
If you need to create a buyer persona, you can refer to our brand strategy template which covers all the necessary steps.
3. Determine your best channels to attract new customers
Businesses should meet potential customers on the channels they frequent the most. Are potential customers present on social media platforms? Do they have a preference for email communication? Or would they prefer meeting in person?
To ascertain your customers’ preferred method of contact, collect data from your current customers. Nonetheless, it is unwise to solely rely on one method, as customers continuously join numerous new platforms daily. Therefore, adopting a multi-channel marketing approach is optimal for enticing new customers.
4. Understand the buying process
To determine how customers are reaching you to purchase your product, analyze your inbound channels. Once you have identified these channels, you can determine which areas require your attention and improvement. Consider the following questions to understand your customer’s buying process:
- How are customers arriving at your website? Is it via social media, organic SEO, or other methods?
- What page do they first land on?
- What do they do once they land on a page?
- What content or pages do they go through before making a purchase?
5. Hire talented staff
It is widely known that excellent employees are essential for a successful business. A single skilled employee has the capability to attract 10 new customers to your company. Conversely, a poor employee can push away these 10 customers, resulting in the need to hire additional employees in order to win back the lost customers.
In addition, it can be challenging for business owners or managers to achieve certain goals without assistance. Consequently, it is essential to hire skilled, experienced, and trained professionals. Once you find the appropriate employees, they will pave the way for your dynamic growth.
To ensure you find and retain highly skilled talent, it is essential to provide your recruitment and HR teams with top-notch recruitment software. The software you choose should match the caliber of the talent you bring in. To enhance the employee experience, refer to this list of human resources software options to find the appropriate software.
6. Know your competitors
Competitive analysis has become a crucial aspect of every business. Understanding your competitors does not involve plagiarizing their ideas, but rather entails identifying their strengths and weaknesses. Collecting this information will assist in refining and adjusting your own business strategy.
When analyzing your competitors, it is crucial to understand your objectives and the potential benefits that this information can bring to your business. For instance, consider whether your competitors fail to offer a solution that your target audience is actively seeking. Furthermore, evaluate if your own business is capable of providing this sought-after solution.
Here are a few methods to collect information on your competitors:
- Analyze industry reports
- Check their current products and services
- Analyze your competitor’s website and SEO strategies
- Note their strengths and weaknesses (as a service provider, on social media, etc.)
- Look into their content marketing strategy
- Read their customer reviews and ratings
7. Ask for referrals
If you rely solely on your current customers to refer their friends and family members to you, it may take a long time to acquire new customers. Therefore, it is important to take control and establish a method of actively requesting referrals from your contented customers.
To generate referrals, incorporate it into the sales process. For instance, once a customer receives their order from your e-commerce site, send a follow-up email requesting a referral. When your B2B salespeople follow up with customers to address any concerns after a sale, they should ask for referrals as well.
8. Network
To generate traditional word-of-mouth, engage in networking organizations and events that are relevant to your industry and customer base. Ensure you approach networking with the mindset of being helpful, as this will enable you to build relationships that can result in acquiring new customers.
9. Offer discounts and incentives for new customers only
Customers can be enticed to your karate studio through introductory offers, like a two-week course for $100, which provide a low-risk opportunity to try your products or services. By keeping track of which customers redeem the special offer, you can then focus on targeting them with marketing messages that encourage and entice them to continue making purchases from your establishment.
10. Re-contact old customers
By systematically reviewing your customer contacts, you can revive old customers who have not engaged with your business for some time. Once every six months or a year has passed without any interaction or purchase, make an effort to connect with these inactive customers through email, direct mail, or phone by offering them a special deal. They will appreciate being remembered and may opt to return to your business.
11. Improve your website
Nowadays, both consumers and B2B buyers primarily discover new businesses by conducting online searches. As a result, your website plays a crucial role in attracting new customers. Take the time to carefully evaluate your website’s design, content, graphics, and SEO to ensure they are current. If you lack expertise in these areas, it would be beneficial to seek assistance from a website design company and/or an SEO expert.
12. Partner with complementary businesses
Collaborate with non-competitive businesses that share a similar customer base and devise a plan to attract new customers from each other’s clientele. One potential approach is for a maternity clothing website and a baby products website to form a partnership and provide discounted offers to each other’s customer base.
13. Promote your expertise
You can attract interest and acquire new customers by promoting your industry expertise. This can be achieved by getting involved in industry panel discussions or online webinars, presenting at industry events or to groups that consist of your target customers, or organizing educational sessions or workshops. These opportunities will leave a strong impression on potential new customers, showcasing your knowledge in the field.
14. Use online reviews to your advantage
Is your business receiving online reviews from customers? Take the time to nurture and maximize these reviews. Provide a link to your reviews on your website and display signs at your location encouraging customers to visit your Yelp (or other review platform) page. Utilizing social proof can be impactful, as potential customers are more inclined to try your business if they witness positive feedback from others.
15. Participate in community events
Given all factors are equal, the majority of individuals prefer to support local businesses within their communities. To enhance your presence within your community, engage in charitable activities and join organizations. Consider sponsoring a nearby charity fun run, coordinating a holiday donation drive for children’s toys, or providing equipment for a Little League team in your city. These initiatives will increase your visibility, ultimately attracting new customers to your business.
16. Bring a friend
To encourage your loyal customers to bring new customers to your business, provide them with 2-for-1 deals, “buy one, get one free” promotions, or incentives to bring a companion.
One way a restaurant can attract more customers is by offering a special promotion, such as a “buy one entrée, get a second for free.” Another strategy is to inform customers about new happy hour specials and encourage them to bring a friend, to expand the customer base.
