The goal of every small business owner is to attract new customers and retain old ones. The more clients you are able to keep and have a relationship with, the more your chances of achieving your business goals.
However, this is becoming increasingly difficult as new businesses emerge daily, offering similar products and services. The competition for new clients is fierce, and you have to put in some extra work to attract and retain as many clients as you can.
Using just seven strategies, we will show you how to practice customer attraction and retention. Study and implement each one to ensure the steady growth of your business.
1. Network
Word-of-mouth may be old-fashioned, but it is still a great way to get the word out about your business. Participate in networking events that are relevant to your particular industry and target market.
In your networking, be more focused on how you can help others rather than what you stand to gain. This way, you can build good relationships that you may be able to convert into buyers in the near future.
You can also leverage Leadar to help connect better with people you have targeted as potential customers for your business. This service can help you get their contact information, social media profiles, work addresses, and other valuable information you will need to follow up and build a relationship with them.
2. Interact with old customers
So many other companies like yours are looking for the same patrons you must have converted some time ago. Some are probably luring your old patrons with juicy offers right now. So, you are at risk of losing some very valuable “old blood” if you are not proactive towards rekindling some old relationships.
Go through your contact lists and leads to find those who have not interacted with or patronized you in a long time. Do this every couple of months or yearly. When you find any dormant clients, reach out to them on the phone or through an email with an irresistible offer. This step will achieve two things—they will be happy to be remembered, and you will retain an old client.
3. Use online reviews to your advantage
If you are not keen on getting positive reviews from clients, you are really missing out on one key aspect of getting and keeping clients. Make the most of your reviews. Encourage them to send reviews through your online channels or website. And if your reviews are on websites like Yelp, urge other clients to leave a review there for others to see as well.
New patrons are more likely to try you out if they notice other people doing the same and having positive experiences.
4. Be active in community events
Most people are more comfortable supporting local independent businesses. Therefore, being an active part of activities taking place in your locality, like charity events and sports, can make you more popular in your locality.
There are many ways to get more people to know you are part of their community. You can sponsor local sports events, donate to shelters and children’s hospitals, or join in cleaning the community. These may be tasking, but they will get you the recognition you seek and bring your business new patronage.
5. Offer an unforgettable customer experience
Leads you get from ads and other marketing efforts will eventually have to interact with your brand. When they do, you should offer them an exceptional customer experience. The way you treat people, handle their queries, and resolve any issues they might have will determine whether they become long-term clients or not.
How you guide them from the beginning of their buyer’s journey till they make a purchase will determine how they view your business. It will also determine whether or not they will encourage others to do business with your brand.
Do all you can to have a well-trained customer care representative both online and offline. If they are great at their job, you will have more happy shoppers than disappointed ones.
6. Work on building an online presence
It is the digital age, and almost everyone is active on the internet. If your business is nowhere to be found in the digital space, you are doing yourself and your brand a great disservice.
Technology has made a lot of things easier. You can create a professional website with your smartphone, get a visually appealing logo, and create social media profile pics as well. The best part? You may not even need to hire a professional website or graphic designer unless you don’t have the time to do it yourself.
Because most users will visit your website to get more information about your brand and what you offer, it should be user-friendly and easy to navigate. Pay attention to every detail, from the brand color to its compatibility with different devices.
Also, you can become a guest blogger for other websites in your niche. By doing so, people will start to recognize your name or brand as an authority in your industry.
Content is also a big part of being active online. Share insights and updates on your company on your website and social media handles as often as possible. Don’t forget to interact with your audience while you are at it.
7. Be relevant
How relevant are your goods and/or services? Are you sacrificing your relevance on the altar of bought loyalty?
You will be paying a high price for customer retention if your strategy relies on using discounts, rewards, rebates, and other juicy incentives to “buy” customer loyalty.
Although loyalty is important as it gives you repeat clients, your business will gain more by serving your patrons’ most relevant needs. These needs vary from one person to the other, and staying consistently relevant in your niche demands that you meet these varying and fluctuating needs.
To stay relevant, the following things have to be in place:
- Clients must feel like your business is in line with their values.
- They must be inspired to make use of your brand’s products or services.
- They should feel like your partners based on how you relate to them.
- They should feel safe when transacting with you.
- Clients must feel that their experiences with your brand are personalized or tailored to their specific needs and priorities.
Be willing to change your processes, product or service quality, and mindset to meet new technologies and trends in your industry. Constantly evolving is a great way to be a living business and attain a high degree of relevance.
Key Takeaways
Gaining and retaining clients is hard work. The market is so competitive, and people have so many options to choose from. Companies should strive to stand out with the quality of products and services they offer.
The seven workable strategies we have explored above can serve as a good starting point for business owners who are eager to grow their client base and keep old clients thoroughly satisfied.
However, these strategies require consistency for long-term results. So put them into practice, and you will be glad you did.
