10 Ways to Get More Clients
Are you a business owner? Do you have a sales funnel set up?
If you’re not sure what that is, don’t fret. You probably have one but don’t realize it.
A funnel is a way to attract new customers and convert their interest into a sale. Whether you’re a brick and mortar or operating strictly online, every business needs a funnel. Below are 10 ways to gain more customers. If you’re a new business owner, don’t feel overwhelmed. Pick one and give it a try. For existing business owners, hopefully this will give you some fresh, new ideas.
Source: Shopify
Social Media
Most businesses realize the importance of having a social media presence. However, did you know Facebook’s and Instagram’s algorithms prioritize personal pages over business pages? In order for your business posts to show up on your audience’s news feed, you need to post consistently (among other strategies). While Facebook continues to dominate the landscape, there are other social media outlets you may want to consider: Pinterest (surprisingly, I get quite a bit of traffic to my website from Pinterest), YouTube, LinkedIn, Vimeo, ParaScope, and SlideShare. If you have a brick and mortar, add your location to Google (so it pops up on mobile maps) and add Google’s 360 degree view.
Email
Although social media is a good way to get your name out there, that shouldn’t be your main focus. Why? Because Facebook could disappear tomorrow. In addition, people are more likely to purchase from email versus social media. If you have a customer’s email address, you can continue to connect with and serve them. So how do you get their email addresses? With a….
Freebie!
You may have heard of an opt-in or a lead magnet. They’re all the same thing. The goal of a freebie is to get people in the door or to your website. Here are some examples: discounted haircut or dance class or a free consultation, lotion, budget, etc. Try to think of something your ideal customer would want. If you’re rolling out a new product or service, use a related freebie a month or two before your launch. For example, if you’re going to sell a full-price course, you could offer an overview or a small section of the course for free beforehand. The whole idea behind a freebie is for your prospect to say, “Wow! If this is free, their paid content must be really good!”
Educate
In addition to a freebie, you may need to educate your shopper as to why they need your product or service. For example, “Did you know our teeth whitener is safer than store-bought brands?" or “You can use this workout even when you’re injured!”
Quiz
Who doesn’t love a personality quiz? I’m a sucker for them! You can customize quizzes and assessments to attract clients or cross-sell another product. For example, an accountant could ask prospects to take an assessment in order to determine whether he/she could save them money. If you put a quiz on your website, you can also use this as an opt-in to gather email addresses.
Publications
Getting interviewed by your local newspaper, a reputable podcast, or getting featured in an online publication will help you stand out from the crowd and spark potential customers’ interest. These publications actually pay for your contributions!
Collaborate
A great way to gain visibility is to collaborate with other businesses. You can trade blog posts, podcast interviews, referrals, or offer a package deal with both of your products/services.
Membership program
A membership or subscription program can be used to entice new clients or keep existing customers satisfied. You could mail a box of goodies on a monthly basis, offer a points system, or package your products/services at a lower rate.
Contest
People love small challenges that hold them accountable or help them achieve their goals. There are so many samples to choose from: 30-day clean eating, become debt-free in 10 years, or meditate daily. The marvelous thing about contests is they can be used to attract and retain customers.
Cross-sell
Once your prospect has converted to a customer, you can increase the frequency of sales by cross-selling another product or service. For example, “Thank you for purchasing our t-shirt. We thought you might be interested in our new sweatshirts as well!” This is where email addresses would come in pretty handy!
Which strategy has been most effective for you? What is something new you would like to try?
Here is a downloadable list of these ideas:
