9 Tried and True Tips for Getting New Customers

by Shirley Anderson

Having a career past that includes twenty years in the promotional products industry, I've had several people ask me for ideas on how to go about getting new customers. Quite often, business has gone stale, or a slow quarter has them thinking that it's time to expand their existing client base.

Obviously, increasing the number of consumers interested in your services or products is always a good idea. Sometimes though, you can get stuck in a customer generation rut. You use the same few ideas over and over. There are pros and cons to doing so, of course. Knowing which ones continue to generate sales and which ones don't is an important first step to revving up your customer list. Keep the ones that work, get rid of the rest.

Something that I don't think will ever change, is the fact that word-of-mouth advertising will forever be the mainstay of new customer creation. Nothing beats it. You are practically guaranteed a loyal client when they have been referred by someone familiar with your company and product offerings. Since that doesn't typically happen on a daily basis however, you may want to engage in other strategies for drumming up fresh potentials.

Getting New Customers Means Knowing Who They Are

Your marketing efforts really work better if you are able to keep a pulse on the trends and buying habits of your industry. That only makes sense. Strive for methodologies that make you stand out (in a good way) rather than blending in with the rest. If your target audience is a younger crowd, ensure that you come across as an energetic company that understands what they want. Pitching to an older audience is probably best done in a more conservative tone.

The point is, knowing your target market is crucial. Being fully informed of the perceptions, habits, preferences, etc. will help you to streamline an effective campaign. Honestly, it will cut your customer recruitment time and budget, as well as increase your return of potential clients.

9 Tried and True Tips for Getting New Customers

Without further adieu, here is the list of tips. Give at least some of them a try and let me know the results. Feel free to custom tweak any of them.

1. Call your local business magazine or the business section of the newspaper and get them to run a feature article on anything newsworthy about your company that they might be interested in. For example, if you are launching a new division or product line, are participating in an important event or charity, or are restructuring in an important way. Considering the current economy, if you are hiring a number of people, that will almost guarantee you a written spot in the public eye.

2. In the same vein, issue press releases. Optimize your opportunities by using print and online resources to make public announcements that will draw attention to your business.

3. Offer your existing customers a reward for bringing you new clients. Mention the offer when speaking to them, announce it on your website and in your newsletter. Mine your current clients for new ones and motivate them with rewards to do it again and again.

4. Extend special pricing or discounts to groups and charities. Assuming that you offer exceptional customer service, this will have a viral effect. These organizations are usually multi-levelled, with each department doing its own ordering. If one purchasing agent in one department is happy with you, they will recommend you to others within their organizations. I have personally seen this go a step farther with one charity recommending a company to a different charity.

5. If you aren't already a member of the major associations pertaining to your industry, join them. Place their logos on your website, quote forms, invoices, wherever customers will see them. It adds credibility, which may help a potential client decide to choose your company over a competitor's.

6. Gather and use testimonials wherever possible. You don't have to restrict your glowing accolades to a website. Put them together in a binder to show drop-in trade, or frame and wall mount your best ones. You may even consider putting one or two in each of your newsletters.

7. Join your local Chamber of Commerce or business networking association. Make connections, get business and referrals.

8. Dazzle and delight your clients. Under promising and over delivering is an enormous reputation booster.

9. Get yourself on the radio. Either have a local radio station interview you, or set up your own Blog Talk Radio program. Of course, you are going to want to make up a press release and let everyone who currently buys from you or is on your list know when and where they can listen in.

Naturally, there are other tried and true tips for getting new customers, but this list is meant to stimulate your imagination. Old stand bys, such as article marketing and using classified ads are already known and used by most business owners and they do work. If you add a few more methods to your marketing strategy though, you can increase the number and quality of clients that you attract.

Good luck and have fun with it!