Customers are the lifeblood of any business, and acquiring new customers is a major concern for all companies, big and small. No matter what business sector you’re working in, you need a constant supply of buyers for your service or product. If you want your business to grow, then your customer base needs to grow as well.
In an ideal world, you would provide a first-rate product and service and the world would come to you. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the way that it works. Promoting your business and constantly finding new ways to generate new customers has to be as much a part of your core strategy as making sure that you are the best at what you do.
Excellent customer support
How you deal with problems and complaints is important. Never write off a dissatisfied customer as a lost cause or a potential irritant. Treat them with respect, be helpful and polite, and do your best to solve their issues.
Great customer support will not only potentially win them back, but it will also mean that theywill likely tell their friends about their positive experience. This is the beginning of converting them into loyal customers. With bad customer support, not only will you lose the initial customer, butthey will also likely tell even more of their friends, and may even post a negative review of your company online.
Connect via email
Sending out a regular free newsletter by email will remind your customers that you’re still there and will help to build a valuable personal relationship with them. You can keep them informed of your activities, including sales, special offers and new products, and you can include useful content and exclusive offers to keep them interested and feeling valued.
Use email outreach tools to find and connect with potential new customers. It’s important to be proactive and to be constantly generating new leads. Work out your key demographic and reach out to them via appropriate channels. Find ways to appeal to a new demographic you haven’t previously sold to.
The personal touch
Customers increasingly expect and respond to a personalized service. Use every method you can to gain insight into their individual needs and do your best to meet them. The extra effort will pay off in increased loyalty and sales. Although some people view automation as contributing to a depersonalized world, it can actually help you to easily offer a more personal service to large numbers of people.
Family circles
In building a loyal customer base, you are building a community. Think of your customer base as radiating out in a number of concentric circles, growing everlarger as they go. In the center are your core customers, who are fiercely loyal – what you provide resonates deeply with their lifestyle and self-image. The further out you go, the more casual the connection with your brand is. However, all of these customers are important. You need to keep your core customer family happy while reaching further out all the time.