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4 Ways for Businesses to Reach Out to New Customers

Posted on by in Business

In the competitive world of business, a great product or service can sadly go under the radar and remain underappreciated. Offering something innovative and valuable is a huge component in a business’ success, but companies can live and die on how they reach out to new customers. While having a loyal client base can help to sustain a business, having the apparatus in place to attract new customers is what helps businesses to grow and thrive.

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Here are 4 ways that businesses can reach out to new customers, whether a multinational company or a small start-up business.

Social Media

Having a strong social media presence is an effective way in attracting new customers, particularly reaching out to those who may not have otherwise considered the business. This is achieved through having social media accounts that are unafraid to diversify their output beyond simple promotional material and brand-specific content.

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By taking a more whimsical approach to social media, branded accounts can capitalise on trends to generate higher online engagement. Even if the social media content only sporadically, or even never, touches on the actualities of the business, an account can attract an eclectic group of followers who are now instantly familiar with the company name.

While it is not easy to go viral overnight, ensuring that the right image is projected by social media accounts can go a long way. A social media presence is perhaps the most effective way in humanising the company, allowing people to develop an affinity with a brand even before they have bought a product or a service.

Blogs

Social media is not for everyone, a truism when it comes to both businesses and consumers. While social media can have many benefits, it is not without its difficulties to navigate. This is why a blog can be a more constructive medium for some; it still gives businesses a chance to demonstrate their personality, while it allows the sharing of expertise that can attract people to a service.

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For example, if a company offers plumbing services then it is useful to present a blog that details how to respond to certain plumbing emergencies. This is evident in the blog from Len The Plumber, one of the many plumbers who offer online guidance to complement physical service. Identifying how a problem can be solved for free endears the business to customers, while building up a relationship of trust that guarantees custom if more severe plumbing mishaps arise.

Blogs can also provide a platform from which to encourage individuals to sign up to a mailing list, thereby staying up-to-date with any offers or news. With the dominance of smartphones, people are more connected to email than ever before. While social media posts have to be unearthed through scrolling, an email notifies the recipient immediately. While nobody likes intrusive and incessant emailing, a well-timed and informative message reminds people of why they signed up to the mailing list in the first place.

A Welcome Gift

Even if your service is better than the competition’s, other business may be coming from a position of strength in having a long-standing and positive reputation that has attracted a loyal clientele. New offers help new names to stand out from the crowd, particularly if that signing up bonus is just a little bit bigger than all of those available from contemporaries.

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An introductory offer is an effective way in encouraging new consumers to consider a service. The risk is that they merely take advantage of the sign-up offer and never return, but that is where the strength of the product or service comes to the fore. If that introductory offer elicits a positive experience, that will create an affinity towards the business. Even if that affinity doesn’t result in immediate repeated custom, its subconscious influence could return to the fore in the months ahead.

Loyalty Schemes

This may seem slightly counter-intuitive, as loyalty schemes are generally designed in order to maintain repeat custom rather than attract new consumers. This is true in the sense that a sign-up bonus may encourage a fleeting engagement, but regular rewards stand a much better chance of building up a consistent clientele. However, the understanding that repeat visits will elicit rewards can be integral in driving new customers to a company. This is particularly evident when the loyalty bonuses begin at the first purchase, rather than offers that arise months down the line.

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For example, many coffee shops hand out a loyalty card at the first purchase of a coffee, with five or ten coffees needed to unlock a free drink. This is even true at fast food giants, where the loyalty card from McDonald’s can simply be removed from the coffee cup before becoming a constant feature in a wallet or bag. By beginning that loyalty scheme from the first purchase, consumers are instantly drawn into a process in which gaining rewards feels not only highly achievable but almost imminent.

There is no clear path to securing a growing clientele, but these four techniques could provide the key to attracting new customers. As with many facets of business, it is advisable to keep the approach varied in order to reach out to as many people as possible.

Author: Sophie Staff
Sophie Staff is a professional writer for Quertime.com.

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