Tips to attract new customers quickly

Whether you’re a new business or have been in operation for several years, getting more customers is probably your top priority, here are some pointers:

1. Partner up with other businesses

Find other places that serve the same clientele. Make a list of retail establishments, lifestyle brands and charitable or business organizations your ideal client might support. Approach that business about creating a partnership.

Come up with what you would offer their existing clientele. For example, if you run a sports bar, maybe partner with an outdoors or camping store to add some coupons for free appetizers to your place with a purchase. If you are a personal trainer, partner with a local designer’s boutique to offer a free training session with the purchase of a certain fashion item.

And don’t stop there. When you do attract customers from your partnership, you’ll need a way to convert that customer on their visit. For this, you could try punch cards, membership discount cards, or coupons for a second repeat visit.

2. Hold in-person events

Getting to know people where they live is a great way to make and keep new clients. Gyms can hold public workouts or yoga classes in the park. Hair salons can do style shows and ask for hair model volunteers.

When you host your event, make sure you have a place for visitors to sign up for freebies given away throughout the programming. When you collect information, let people know you’ll also send coupons via email or to home addresses. Create a special hashtag for your event and hold a social media contest to involve the new customers in your online marketing.

3. Offer discounts (or better yet, give something away for free!)

While giving away freebies might not seem like the best plan for a business looking to grow, we promise, this will pay dividends down the line. If you’re a gym owner, for example, why not offer a free trial for new customers, so you can convert them into a loyal customer down the line?

Offering your services for free in exchange for a customer’s testimonial is also an effective way to drive more customers. Just remember, don’t give away more money or time than you can afford to part with.

4. Get on ‘Google My Business’

Google My Business (GMB) is one of the best (and free!) search engine marketing tools for businesses looking to target local customers. Why? Because most people are searching for products and services near them. Whether it’s a place to eat or a new dentist, Google tends to give local listings prime placement in search results. Also, consider the fact that 76 percent of people who make a search on their mobile go on to visit a related business within a day, with 28 percent of those visits resulting in a purchase. If you operate a local business of any kind, getting properly set up on Google my Business is a no-brainer.

5. Motivate current customers to advocate on behalf of your business

We all know the old adage that acquiring new customers costs much more than retaining your existing ones. And while that still holds true, your current customers hold value in more than one way: they can also help you bring in new business by spreading the word about your company to friends and family and their wider social network.

6. Get on ‘Google My Business’

Here’s how to get started:

Step 1: Create an account and claim and verify your listing.

Step 2: Properly optimize your business listing.

Add photos and videos of your business. Include details like a description of

your business directions, opening hours, phone number, your website URL and more. Be sure to leave appreciate responses to any Google My Business reviews left by current customers, too.

Step 3: Share offers.

Google has been busy rolling out new ways for businesses to attract people to their listings this past year. Now, you can share details on events, special offers and new products to attract new customers to your business directly in the search results. Just think of all the potential new customers you could be driving, all from a simple online search!

Top Ways To Attract More Customers to Your Business