Over the last year or so you’ve been busy developing your product. And, on the whole, it’s been going well. You finally have something that is ready for the market. Now, though, you face a different challenge: getting customers. You’re eager to grow your business, but you’re not sure how to do it. What does it take to expand your client base? And how should you go about doing it? Here’s are some creative ideas to help you along the way.
Leverage Your Networks
The first place many entrepreneurs look to grow their customer base is their existing network. This could include your current clients, old work colleagues or even other businesses. Reaching out through your network can prove to be very lucrative. Happy clients and partners will usually pass on the message that your firm is good if they’ve had a good experience.
You can also mine your social network friends and look for people that would benefit from your product. Focus on the low hanging fruit first and build up more customer relationships that way. Once you’re established on a social network, you’ll be in a much better position moving forward.
Reach Out To Experts
Online marketing isn’t the easiest of things to get right. It takes a certain degree of patience and expertise. Today’s digital marketing strategies are often highly complex, integrated processes. And it’s unlikely that a lone entrepreneur will have to knowledge to do it effectively themselves. That’s why so many people are now growing their companies through a separate online marketing agenzy. Thanks to competition in the sector, prices are coming down. And thanks to the growth of e-commerce, agencies now generate a significant bang for each company buck.
Send Out Free Trials
If you really want to build relationships with customers, you’ll do everything you can to reel them in. One strategy companies have been using for years is the free trials. Free trials are great for a couple of reasons. For starters, they introduce customers to your product – no strings attached. But they’re also good because customers feel as if you’re giving them a gift. It’s a great way of instantly creating good will between you and your customers.
It’s also worth noting the fact that free trials provide ample opportunity for constructive feedback. Because customers aren’t paying for the product, they’re less likely to be angry when things go wrong. Hopefully, you’ll be able to have some candid conversations with people using your product. And hopefully, you’ll be able to use that information to improve your services for paying customers.
Speak At An Event
The most successful companies tend to be those that have a great persona. And nothing creates more of a persona than a prominent CEO. People love companies, like Apple, where they can attach a name, like Steve Jobs. It’s because it allows them to relate to a company more personally than just though it’s corporate brand. Standing up and getting your message out there doesn’t just help build a customer base. It helps you to create your very own fan club or following.
