6 Tips for Small Businesses to Reach New Customers, but #1 is the BEST One You're Not Doing
As a business you should have a few customers that ALWAYS come to you. They live in a different side of town but would rather drive across town to come to you. How is your relationship with your loyal customer?
Having trouble reaching new customers. Try these tips.
As of the beginning of 2023, you might have set new goals for your business. You already have a steady pace of current loyal customers, but are trying to reach more. New faces and new regulars in a new year would really make you feel great. Try these tips.
Boost Reviews - Boost reviews positive reviews
Emphasize your strengths - People come to you after going to a competitor to fix what they got wrong. Emphasize this!
Shareable Content - If you make content that’s shareable, that reaches people outside of your bubble
Reveal your secrets - Demonstrate why you are the expert and do things the way you do
Sell to competitors - You are not selling the same product or service. Sell them a technique or business model that helped your business
Royal treatment to loyal achievement - Give your LOYAL customers royal treatment! They will spread the word about your business.
6. Boost Reviews
Data vs anecdotes. We did a whole podcast episode on this that you can listen to HERE. When we need reassurance, we look for reviews.
If you had only star reviews (4.5 out of 5 stars ⭐️) vs anecdotal blurbs about the product, which would you trust more? I personally would go for the blurbs. There is a little more human insight to how useful it is and common frustrations that you would like to be aware about.
If you have these on your website or social media, you can boost them on Google or Facebook to give that reassurance to potential customers that are on the fence.
5. Emphasize your strentgths
There is something you do, or provide a benefit that your competitor does not. MAGNIFY it. Why do customers come to you already? It could be that you have:
The best pastries
Friendly staff
Short waits
BEST quality of ingredients because they are local
BETTER knowledge and experience (15 years experience, won competitions)
Let this be known by
Mentioning it on social media
Adding it to receipts
Putting it on a sticker that you add to orders
Put it on your website
Make it sound catchier if to really have an impactful message. This doesn’t mean you will only be known for this, but it does give an edge over a competitor that is clear to the public. “When you come here, you get this.”
Wal-Mart is known for low prices. Nothing against Wal-Mart, but low prices, does not mean good quality. Their promise was low-prices. So now its customers know if they want something affordable, i can look here. They are a multi-million dollar company with that promise.
It is important to note to stick to something you are already doing. If you are trying to implement something new, it may feel unnatural to you and your brand, and will be hard to stick to. Be genuine with your business.
4. Shareable Content
This commercial never said, “Buy ketchup, on sale at your local market.” What makes this ad work? How can you apply this concept to your business.
This one is easier said than done. The days of old style advertising are gone. “Come in and buy this!” People like buying…but they don’t like being sold to. The Futur YouTube channel is great for elaborating on this idea. This used to work because as a seller, you knew more about the product than the customer. Now…not so much. People know a lot more about the product than they used to.
If you saw an ad like this…would you share it? I feel like the only time we would share something like this is if it is a REALLY good deal. Black Friday good. Everyone is being advertised to, how are you going to stand out?
Think of the content you do share now?
Funny
Heartfelt
Very useful
Satisfying
Cringy
This is where it gets more difficult to be creative, but also fun to play around with ideas. Such as when one person plays two people, voice-overs, or just crazy things that happen behind the scenes in your business. When it is shared, this reaches new people outside of your existing circle.
3. Secrets Revealed/Trusted Expert
Crumbs & Doilies is her shop. I discovered her as Cupcake Jemma. She has 2.4 million followers. Check out the comments in the video.
Why do you go out to eat? Or get a haircut? Is it because you do not know how to do it, or because you do not want to do it, or is it to save time?
Unless it is something super specialized and unique, and you are the inventor of the technique or process…reveal the secret. Sometimes people may think there is a secret, and be just as surprised to find out that there is no secret. The secret is you are experienced. Which shouldn’t be much of a secret at all either…
If you are a baker, or a mechanic, your market was only customers that needed these services. What if there are people learning to bake, or be a mechanic? If they try your techniques, you will gain their trust. Trusted expert. If one their friends needs a cake or car work, they will have recommendation.
Chef Ramsey gives away his cooking techniques, would you be able to take his secrets and start your own restaurant with the same success? In the same way, you can unlock a new market.
2. Selling to competitors
You may have something you use that you created that helped you overcome an obstacle as a business.
A spreadsheet
An email template for conversions
Any other strategy that created results
These are things that can be sold to your competitors that can help them out. It may seem counter-intuitive to help them out, but this is still a business and you are still doing what a business is supposed to do, which is make money. This is a new market. If it is valuable enough, this can come with a very generous price-tag.
1. Loyal Customers
Pat Flynn has completely transformed my approach to looking at a business model. What do you think?
This is the best one! If you take anything from this, take this. As a business you should have a few customers that ALWAYS come to you. They live in a different side of town but would rather drive across town to come to you. How is your relationship with your loyal customer?
Do you know their name?
Do they know your name?
Do they have a “regular” thing they come to you for? If you have a restaurant, do they always order the same meal. If they’re coming to you for a service, is it usually the same service?
How often do they come?
Think of things that you and your best friend would know about each other. As business owners, we end up seeing customers as numbers, unfortunately. The personal touch can go a long way.
Learn their name
Introduce yourself
Learn about why they come to you
Figure out their pattern
If you think you need a little reminder to get the conversation going, we have a conversation guide available. Sign-up to receive our emails and get a FREE download of our Customer Conversation Guide.
Once you know a little bit about them, give them the royal treatment.
Upgrade their meal
Have their order out first
Give them a little discount
Have a special place for them, like a special table next to the window, etc.
This in turn makes them realize how important THEY are to YOU. If this were to happen to you, what would be one of the next things you would do? You would probably tell one of your friends.
Picture these two scenarios. Kim is your loyal customer. Khloe is her friend.
Scenario 1
Kim just told Khloe about her experience at your shop. She talked about how she loves this place already, and now they went a step further and got the royal treatment.
Scenario 2
Khloe just came across an ad on her instagram feed about your place. It is a really great reel that is boosted and is reaching a lot of people.
Which of these scenarios is likely to be more impactful to Khloe?
The BEST FRIEND! Kim already has a reputation and rapport that is trustworthy to Khloe. Your reel and ad is great, but there is more history with her friend.
It is IMPORTANT to note that you this doesn’t mean you have to give special treatment to everyone. Figure out who are your loyal customers. If you do this to non-loyal customers, it can become an expectation. This can backfire and expect special treatment every time. It isn’t special if everyone is getting it.
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