Having an exceptional product or service that you are sure many people will find useful isn’t good enough, anymore. Finding customers is one of the biggest challenges for startups and small businesses. It’s not up to customers to find you. You are the one who has to go out and find potential clients. Today, there are more ways than ever to reach out to potential customers. Here we are going to present some methods for how to connect with customers and explain what makes them effective.
1. Research your competitors
One of the easiest ways to find out which kind of marketing campaign works best and which doesn’t work at all is by researching competitors in your industry field. It is an inexpensive effort that can give you some ideas to follow for your campaigns.
As both of you are going into business in the same industry, this research will reveal dark spots in your competitor’s method and present new directions for you to take to improve your marketing strategy.
2. Target ads
While most advertising in the real world reaches people through ads on billboards, bus stops, or TV commercials, these targeted ads can locate the people who are most likely to need your service based on various factors. This includes complex data of information about customers’ location, demographics like age, gender, education, and interests as well as their browsing activity.
It is far cheaper than most methods of advertising but nicely shows that a little can go a long way. However, instead of making a big splash with one large ad, plan smaller ads to run over a long time in the same publications.
3. Smart social media
The majority of businesses use their accounts to simply promote their own company. Smart social media managers make sure to strategize relevant posts, link to cool articles, and answer customer questions as soon as possible. These courses of action give online surfers the impression that there’s a human being behind the logo of your company.
When it comes to keeping customers, just a little more effort on social media platforms goes the distance. Companies that successfully retain their customers, give users new ways to use their service or product, and provide help with solving potential problems.
4. Go mobile
In modern mobile society, almost anyone can be reached with SMS at any time and anywhere in the world within seconds. This makes text messaging one of the easiest ways for local businesses to connect with their customers.
More than that, as the experts from https://saicom.io explain, using a bulk SMS platform, you can send hundreds of thousands of messages per day, and it is consumable, including replay path and detailed reporting. ‘opt-out’ option is also included on all messages, giving customers a legal option to dismiss receiving further messages.
5. Post relevant content on the blog
Having a practice of continually publishing relevant and original blog content helps potential customers truly get to know your company better and where it’s coming from. The content on the blog doesn’t necessarily have to be self-promotional, but it should offer context into why your product or service is important.
It should suggest the best ways to solve industry-related problems that arise in the everyday lives of your target group, present valuable knowledge, and generally inspire people who share the same point of view.
6. Use newsletter
Another great way of nurturing prospects is through personalized email newsletters, test advertising, and promotional campaigns. They should be sent regularly, but not too often, once a month is perhaps optimal. The newsletter should have a table of contents up front, a couple of short articles, and include links to useful resources.
It should be filled with free information, and not lots of advertising. It is also advised to integrate social media functionality, by including “share” buttons to various social media platforms.
7. Provide exceptional customer service
One of the crucial steps in marketing and sales business is connecting your clients and your employees. Every interaction between them, whether that is pre-sale, the actual process or after-sales support provides an opportunity to improve your brand and company. The best way to connect and engage with customers is by turning your employees into company ambassadors and brand advocates.
In addition to this, a few studies have shown a direct connection between employee engagement and customer satisfaction and loyalty. A devoted brand manager will deliver on business strategy at every single customer touchpoint.
The hardest thing about starting a new business is making new contacts and building a customer network. If you were having troubles from the beginning, this article will hopefully provide enough valuable information on how to easily reach out to new clients and keep them for good.
