Attracting new customers is one of the most important tasks for any online business. But once that initial launch rush has died down, pulling in new customers on a regular basis can be quite the challenge. In fact, failing to do so is one of the main reasons why so many fledgling businesses fail within the first year.
However, there are some quite simple strategies that every online business owner can implement immediately that will help draw in those elusive customers.
Get active on social media
There really is no excuse for a business not being active on social media in this day and age. In January 2022, there were over 3.96 billion active social media users in the world. Like we said, there’s no excuse for not being active on social media.
That said, it’s not just a matter of setting up a profile and pumping out the content. You’ll first need to see where your target audience is spending the lion’s share of their time and then focus your efforts on that channel. For example, a fashion store may target Instagram users while a consultancy firm will have much more success on a business-focused platform such as Linkedin.
Once you have chosen your channel, you will need to create and post content on a regular basis. Consistency is key here both in how often you post and the tone of your content. Invoking a sense of familiarity with your potential customers is a surefire way to build trust and could be just the push they need to try your product or service.
It’s also important to engage with your target audience (customers). This means answering their questions on social media, asking a few of your own, and replying to comments.
Run some promotions
Promotions are an excellent way to encourage potential customers to give your product or service a trial run and show them exactly what they’re missing out on.
This is a highly successful strategy that is used across many industries. For example, in the gambling industry, online casinos might offer free spins to encourage potential customers to sign up or try out a specific video slot. These bonuses allow a customer to test the waters without risking any of their own cash. The idea being that they will enjoy the game and decide to continue to play by making a deposit.
It goes without saying though that promotions need to be very carefully planned so that the reward for your business is greater than the freebies you’re giving away. Ideally, as with the free spins bonus promotion at online casinos, it will cost the business nothing. Of course, this isn’t always possible and if that’s the case, set a budget for your promotion and stick to it.
Start a blog
There are many advantages to starting a blog for your business but the two that we’re interested in here are:
It sets you up as an authority in your field
Industry tips and advice, detailed guides and tutorials, even opinion pieces on developments or trends in the industry are an ideal way to build authority in your niche. Just remember that just like your activity on social media, it pays to remain consistent in your tone of voice and your content.
It brings traffic to your website
Spend a little time researching what kind of content your target market is interested in and what your competitors are doing. While many businesses simply go out there and copy their counterparts, it’s a better idea to try to offer something a little more unique. After all, while you want to rank on Google for specific keywords, you also want to stand out from the crowd. So think outside the box and make your blog something that is both informative and memorable.
If you create a blog remember the 80/20 rule. This states that 80% of your content should be all about helping and informing your audience while only 20% should be self-promotional. The truth is that if you can offer genuine value to a potential customer through high-quality content, that should be enough to convince them that your business is worth a shot.
