Last week we spoke about how increasing your customer retention can be a valuable strategy where your business is facing a downturn. While it’s easiest to retain existing customers, it’s also important to entice new customers to your business. So, how do we increase leads?
First, ensure you have a strong online presence. Most people find new products or services on the internet, so make sure you’re easy to find. Use Google My Business to increase your visibility in Google searches. Maximise your SEO ranking and ensure your website is modern, demonstrates your value and has clear contact information.
Implement a referral programme to reward customers for referring new customers to you. This could be a cash reward, a discount off their next purchase, or a small gift. Ensure you promote your referral programme.
Attend networking events and form relationships with other business owners who offer complementary products or services.
Host seminars, webinars or other events. Education marketing events are a great way to generate leads. For example, a bike sales company might hold regular evenings where attendees can learn basic bike maintenance, or a lawyer may record regular webinars on updates to legislation, delivered in an easy to understand way.
Carry well-designed business cards and utilise LinkedIn to stay in touch with people you could network with. You never know when you might bump into someone who you could help. When you help others, they’ll help you in return.
Sponsoring a local sports team can be great marketing. You could pay for their uniforms in return for your logo being on them.
Send entertaining newsletters to your database. These should be quick, interesting reads, with a call to action. Ensure you include an unsubscribe button and don’t bombard your database with daily emails.
