Are you having difficulties getting customers for your business? Or have sales been crawling ever since you launched your business? Follow the tips in this business guide to find out about 39 ways to get clients for your business.
As a business owner, the goal is pretty simple.
Develop an amazing product or service line.
The next step after this is to market it to your target consumers, rake in the sales, and do a bit of after-sales support.
That should be enough to keep you afloat.
But if you want to grow your business and stay ahead of the competition, you need to look for ways to attract new clients.
While there are plenty of gimmicks and strategies to generate more leads, sometimes the best way is to focus on the little things to convert those leads into sales.
This is what most like to call hard cash.
39 Ways To Get Clients For Your Business
Traditional Marketing
Have A Unique Selling Proposition — And Stick To It
The first tip on our list of 39 ways you can use to get clients to your business is identifying a Unique Selling Proposition.
Before you can attract clients to your business, you first need to know what your USP or Unique Selling Proposition is.
Simply put, your USP is what sets you apart from your competition.
It’s the one thing that gives your brand the wow factor.
It can be a unique story behind your product or the way that you deliver your product to your client.
As long as it differentiates you from other businesses, then you have your USP.
Surprise Your Existing Client List With Freebies
They say that it’s much more expensive to win new clients than keep existing ones.
Still, do find ways to surprise your existing clients with exciting freebies.
For example, you can set up a frequent buyer program with exclusive perks and discounts for every sale.
Also, if you’re feeling extra generous, you can send them branded merchandise “just because.”
Doing so will help you to build brand loyalty among your existing customers while attracting new ones since there are a lot of rewards in store.
Give Away Snacks In Your Store
If there’s free food, you can expect people to come right over.
Anything that involves food is sure to attract attention.
So, if you want to increase foot traffic to your store, make sure to stock up on some snacks.
One way you can make this a win-win situation is to partner up with food businesses and have them supply the snacks in exchange for exposure.
Send Out Coupons
The next tip on our list of 39 ways you can use to get clients to your business is by sending out coupons.
Instead of sending out a newsletter in the mail, why not send out coupons to prospective clients in your mailing list?
Whether these come in digital or printed format is up to you.
Make sure that the design and content are fun and colorful with a simple and yet strong CTA or Call To Action.
Most people who are part of your mailing list are already interested in your business.
They just need a little bit of nudging.
Prepare Gift Bags For Influencers
Identify who the influencers are in your community and reach out to them by preparing branded gift bags.
Make sure to reach out to influencers who, aside from being well-known in your community, are also a good fit for your brand or niche.
Remember, the more clout they have, the better for your business so make sure that your gift bag is set to impress.
Join Forces With Other Small Businesses
You don’t have to go through this ordeal alone, especially if your business is still a startup with limited resources.
One of the most effective ways to attract new clients is to partner up with a non-competing business and set up a promotion together.
It can be hosting an event together or giving discounts to their customers and vice versa.
Throw An Event In Your Store To Develop A Fan Base
Speaking of events, another way that you can attract people to your store is to throw a meet-up in the hopes that it will develop into a fan base.
Instead of hard-selling your products and services, start advocacy that people really care about.
If, for example, you own a pet shop, you can invite pet owners to your store for a one-day event that will benefit your local pet shelter.
Start An Employee Perks Program In Your Community
Every month, you can offer perks to employees from different businesses in your area.
Make sure to target businesses that have a lot of employees so that you can make this worth your while.
However, do check with their company HR first to know what kind of discounts or perks they would appreciate.
This will also help to make sure you aren’t breaking any rules by posting their logo in your store.
Web Marketing
Have A Unique Logo And Use It
The ninth tip on our list of 39 ways you can use to get clients to your business is creating a unique logo.
Truth is, no self-respecting business would be complete without a logo.
So, again, if you don’t have one, have a professional graphic artist draft one for you.
Your logo is the symbol that your brand is going to be known for.
Therefore, make sure that it’s visible on your website and all online marketing materials.
Create A Beautiful Website That Works
Since your website is an extension of your physical store, you need to ensure that it’s not just beautiful.
It should also work perfectly for the purpose that you intend for it.
So, if your website is mainly designed to generate online leads, you need to check if all forms and buttons work.
Or if it’s for marketing an ebook, make sure that all pertinent details are there.
Optimize Your Website With The Right Keywords
What’s a website without SEO?
Basically, dead weight.
So that your website gets found by your target market, you need to make sure that it’s optimized for the right keywords that will help you rank on search engines.
Use Google Adwords To Target An Audience Online
If your website needs more setting up and keyword research, you can always hire a professional to use Google Adwords to target keywords.
Google Adwords is one of the best tools to use if you want your brand website to be noticed.
Invest In Search Advertising Or Pay Per Click (PPC)
If you want to take it up a notch and create a strong Internet presence with the minimal wait time, then you can also invest in PPC.
PPC or search advertising gets you in front of your target market when they’re at the search-and-buy stage.
It’s also a good way to get traffic to your website while waiting for your SEO efforts to kick in.
Build An Email List Using A Landing Page
In online marketing, leads are basically gold so if you want to build a mailing list.
Hence, ensure that you use a landing page with an offer that your potential clients can’t refuse.
Make your pitch short but compelling and feel free to use videos if you have to.
Set Up A YouTube Channel
The fifteenth tip on our list of 39 ways you can use to get clients to your business is setting up a youtube channel.
Speaking of videos, did you know that almost all businesses online today have videos in their marketing arsenal?
That’s because the video is now considered as the most popular form of media online.
Whatever your niche is, you can find ways to promote your brand and products using a video.
Make Your Presence Known In Local Listings
Think local listings like Yelp and Craigslist are so 5 years ago?
Well, think again!
Many people still use these websites to find local businesses that can cater to their needs.
Social Media Marketing
Make Sure All Your Social Media Accounts Are Aligned
If you’re handling multiple social media platforms to promote your brand, make sure all content and media are up-to-date and aligned with one another.
You don’t want one lagging behind the rest as it will make your branding seem sloppy.
Hold Social Media Giveaways Or Contests
Giving away free stuff via social media giveaways and contests is still one of the best ways to grow your following and even get some love back through mentions.
Since there are countless online contests happening at the same time, get creative so that yours stand out.
Be Funny But Interesting, Relevant, And Helpful On Social Media
Being on social media makes you relatable to your target market.
It’s however important that you use a tone that isn’t just helpful but also funny and interesting at the same time.
Set yourself apart by creating a social media persona for your brand.
Use Instagram Stories To Show Off Your Brand’s Personality
One of the newest and most popular ways to convey your brand’s personality is through Instagram Stories.
Whether it’s behind-the-scenes posts for your upcoming product line or clips of you and the staff having fun, IG stories can bridge the gap between your brand and target audience.
Go Live On Facebook
If you’re looking for a way to connect with your audience while getting their input, then Facebook Live is your best bet.
You can schedule a live Q&A broadcast and address questions from your audience that they’ve been dying to ask.
Never Stop Networking On LinkedIn
Even though some business owners of B2C (business to consumer) companies find very little use for LinkedIn, it’s still a good way to reach out to influencers in your industry.
Don’t let your LinkedIn profile go stagnant.
Make sure to update it every once in a while or whenever you reach a milestone in your brand.
Use Your Social Media Accounts As An Extension Of Your Customer Service Hotline
The twenty-third tip on our list of 39 ways you can use to get clients to your business is the use of social media accounts.
These days, customers want to feel that they’re being heard.
So, if you receive queries, suggestions, and complaints on any of your social media accounts, make it a point to answer back as soon as you can.
This shows that you’re serious about your business.
It also shows that you’re willing to meet your potential customers wherever they are.
Content Marketing
Start A Blog On Your Company Website
People in general love reading interesting content online.
So, if you still don’t have a blog on your company website, you’re missing out.
The key to promoting your products and services without resorting to a hard sell is to create relevant content that speaks to your audience.
Just mention your brand or your product once or twice and you’re all set.
Pay For Sponsored Posts In An Online Magazine With A Huge Audience
If you’re still trying to build an audience for your company blog, you can get published on an online magazine with a huge audience for a minimal fee.
These posts are usually referred to as sponsored posts.
This is because while the content is generally helpful, there’s a part where they can promote brands.
Write A Book To Establish Your Authority In Your Niche
For those who want to establish their credibility in their niche, writing a book is a great way to do it.
These days, you can write a 50-page book and have it self-published online.
However, if you don’t have the time to write a book, you can start with a white paper that is relevant to your industry and pitch it to other industry leaders.
Give Away Free e-books
The twenty-seventh tip on our list of 39 ways you can use to get clients to your business is giving away free e-books.
Once you’ve written your first book, why not give away digital copies of it to your client list?
Everyone loves free content, whether they’re your existing clients, potential leads, or just visitors to your website.
The great thing about this is that, once the ebook is ready, you can just deliver it via email, thus eliminating postage.
Encourage Existing Clients To Write Online Reviews
Online reviews are crucial in establishing your credibility online and converting lurkers into paying clients.
If you still don’t have any, now is the perfect time to do after-sales and ask your customers what they think of your product.
Offer your customers a freebie or discount in exchange for reviews.
Throw A Webcast Event
If you have a very specific niche that you’re working on, you can also try hosting a webcast event to share your knowledge.
It doesn’t have to be a long event since most webcasts only run for an hour or two.
In your webcast, make sure to have a Q&A segment to encourage potential clients to engage with your brand.
Volunteer Your Expertise
This works wonders for business owners who are trying to attract a B2B (business-to-business) audience.
Why?
Because business owners like yourself can’t get enough of free and relevant information.
However, this only works if you’re particularly known in your industry as an expert or your brand already has a good reputation.
Try To Get A Popular Figure To Endorse Your Brand
This is similar to influencer marketing wherein you get influencers to mention your brand on social media.
But the difference here is, you get a popular figure in your community to actually endorse your brand and talk about your products.
Think interview-style articles or videos that you can post on your blog.
PR Marketing
Pitch Stories To Your Local Reporters
This one’s pretty old-school with a twist.
Invite the beat reporters in your community over to your store for coffee and snacks and have an open dialogue with them.
Make their jobs easier by pitching stories that are relevant to your industry and then offer yourself as the authority source so that they can mention you in their articles.
Build A Media Contacts List
If you still haven’t started building a media contacts list, then you’re already late in the game.
Remember, the more your brand gets mentioned in your local media, the wider the reach for potential clients.
Give To Local Charities
The thirty-fourth tip on our list of 39 ways you can use to get clients to your business is giving to local charities.
If your business can already afford it, set up a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) program where you help out a charity or cause that is close to your heart.
Having a CSR program will not only establish your reputation in your community, but it will also make you and your brand more visible to potential customers.
Sponsor A Sports Team
Another way that you can give back to your community and get some good press for it is by sponsoring a local sports team.
Most sports teams lack funding, especially those in non-professional leagues.
So, if you can help in any way, their fans will genuinely appreciate it and will be more likely to patronize your business.
Tell Your Unique Story
Do you have a unique brand story that will get the attention of clients?
Then make sure to tell that story.
Prepare a ready-to-run well-written article about your brand and send it to different papers in your community.
Land A Guest Interview With Relevant Shows On Local TV
TV still isn’t dead.
So, if you get the chance to appear on a local show for your brand or product, don’t think twice, just grab the opportunity!
Remember, all publicity is good publicity.
Offer A Reward For Word-Of-Mouth Marketing
Always find ways to give back to the people who got you where you are.
Your past clients in a nutshell.
Reach out to them with a referral system where they get discounts for every sale that you get through their recommendation.
Think of this as a perk you’re willing to give them because if your products and services are any good, you won’t have to bribe them to do word-of-mouth marketing.
Do Something Crazy
Lastly, on our list of 39 ways you can use to get clients to your business is doing something crazy.
When all else fails, get out there and do something outrageous.
Of course, you need to make sure that it’s the good kind of crazy and not the kind that will cause you to lose both existing and potential customers.
There are plenty of unusual or controversial ways to spark interest in your brand.
However, remember to steer clear of religion, race, politics when formulating your strategy.
We do hope you have been able to learn one or two tips from our list of 39 ways to get clients for your business.
Feel free to send us your comments or questions in the comment section below.
Thank you.
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