Customers are the bread and butter to any business, that’s a given. Everywhere, customers keep businesses afloat by buying products, signing up for services, and offering their support. But the big question is, what is the secret to getting customers to choose you over your competitors?

Seeing as there are so many types of businesses out there, there is no magical, one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to attracting new customers, even in 2021. Fortunately, however, there are certain tips and secrets that can make it easier to bring in new peeps to your business. Let’s get started with some.

The 10 universal tips to see your business booming

Although the tactics to successfully attract customers certainly vary from business to business, there are some tips and tricks that apply universally to all businesses. Whether you are an owner of a new café, convenience store, or boutique, the following steps below can prove quite beneficial to helping you get those new customers coming in.

1. Get some referrals

Since businesses revolve around customers, you can definitely turn your existing customer base to your advantage by asking them for referrals. Thanks to how effective word of mouth can be, this makes referrals potent tools in getting you some new customers.

The most straightforward way to do this is by talking to satisfied customers and clients to see if they know anyone that might be a potential customer. For instance, consider asking your existing customers to spread the word for your business to their friends or family members. Or, you can also have them refer your service to friends who need help with a problem that you can fix. Chances are they will be able to direct some good prospects to you this way.

Additionally, this is also a great time to put your business cards to use by handing them out to your existing customers, especially if you have digital ones like @card. With your business cards in hand, your customers will be able to recommend your business by sharing them with others in their social network or circle, paving the way for more customers for you.

2. Networking

Every business has an industry that it belongs to, and networking is an important step in expanding your reach and attracting customers – the more people know about your business, the more customers you will get. Hence, don’t skip out on networking!

The primary reason behind networking is that it allows you to meet new people. There are a couple of good places to start networking in, such as reaching out to personal contacts and joining networking organizations or events. It might seem daunting, but it’s not as bad as it seems with the right approach!

Moreover, when engaging your prospects and clients, do make it a point to forge good relationships and bonds with them by giving them a personalized experience and focusing more on how you can help them. A name card is awesome for this purpose, especially digital ones like @card as not only is it convenient, but you can easily share them via your phone while also allowing you to showcase your business in a more visually-pleasing manner.

3. Have a visible presence online

Nowadays, getting customers isn’t done by just spreading the word to people on the street or handing out pamphlets anymore. The future is now, and online platforms like social media are a new frontier for seeking out new customers, so go ahead and leverage new technology!

Like it or not, a business’s online presence is no longer an option these days – it’s a requirement. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or something else, many people reside on these platforms, making it a great place for attracting many new customers once you make your business visible to them. Worry not, getting started on social media is not too hard of a task.

Furthermore, having a presence on search engines is also quite important as many people utilize online searches to find new products, services, or businesses. Seeing as how Google is the biggest search engine, setting up your business on Google should also be a priority. It might take some setup and tweaking, but the results can be well worth the effort.

4. Work with others

Although the business world is also home to your competitors, that does not mean you can’t work with other like-minded businesses! With the right people, partnerships and collaborations can help promote your business to other audiences and rake in new customers.

The key to doing this right is to identify brands that would make good partners. Don’t jump at the first opportunity of a collaboration when it happens; you should ideally find a business partner that can pair well with your business’s strengths.

For instance, a mutually-beneficial relationship would be something like a sports equipment brand working together with a gym or a food supplier collaborating with a restaurant. It has to complement your business to attract potential customers.

With the right partner at your side, you’ll get to see many more new customers.

5. Reach out to old customers

Not all customers will stick with a particular business forever, and that’s just a part of the business game. Fortunately, this does not necessarily mean your former customers are gone for good – it doesn’t hurt to try reaching out to your old customers to get them back.

Inevitably, customers may sometimes choose to move on to another brand or competitor for a variety of reasons. Nevertheless, this does not mean they’re bound with their new choices forever; go ahead and contact them to see if they are interested in returning to your business. The mere act of reaching out might just be enough to have them give your business another shot. You can even add a special offer or discount to seal the deal.

Don’t worry, at best you will be seeing your old customers again and at worst you might just get a “no, thank you”. It’s not the end of the world for your business.

6. Come up with good content

If you have creative ideas to explore, this is the time to do so! Quality content is a huge boon for attracting customers, so get those brain juices flowing and create good content.

There are many ways to come up with interesting or engaging content, but relevancy is the most important bit here. Whether you are coming up with your own social media content or sharing content by others, make sure they are relevant to both your business and your customers as you really don’t want to waste precious time and effort on irrelevant content.

Not only will good content attract new customers, but this will also help keep your current customers engaged and stay loyal to your business in the long run. This especially applies if your content is shareable as it’ll pave the way for even more new customers.

7. Offer promotions or discounts

If there is one thing that will lure customers in, it’s a good discount or deal. Owing to the simple fact that people love it when they can get stuff for cheaper prices, think about offering promotions, discounts, and deals to really get customers lining up for your business.

Promotions can take form in many different ways, one of which includes sales promotion, and this can be readily adapted to fit any business needs. For instance, if you are an online seller for household products, here are a couple of offers that your customers will enjoy:

Discounts (e.g., 30% off their next purchase)
Buy 1 free 1 promotions
Free shipping
Coupons for certain items

There are many other types of promotions to do as well, so feel free experiment to see which ones fit your business model best. Just remember to tread carefully when doing this as you don’t want to give away more than you can handle.

8. Generate good publicity

Publicity is one of those few things in business that can top advertising in getting new customers. In practice, a good article or story about your business is a lot more memorable and credible than a carefully-crafted ad, so consider generating good publicity a priority!

There are several approaches to get publicity for your business, but one easy way that works for businesses of all sizes is to get involved in some volunteer work or charity. Avoid doing it the plain, boring way, though! You can try taking on ideas that are unique and different, like:

Donating items of value (like food, books, toys, etc.)
Fundraising (with your own neat twist like a contest)
Training sessions or workshops

By giving back to society in a meaningful way, you get to foster a good image for your business to the public, and customers are simply attracted to a business with a good image.

9. Know your competition

One of the biggest obstacles to getting new customers is when a competitor gets them first. For your business to succeed, keeping track of the competition is crucial as this allows you to capitalize on opportunities to bring more customers to your business instead.

Every business has its own competitor to watch out for. If you run a computer hardware store, keep an eye out on other similar stores and their strategies in getting customers. For example, if they are running a promotional campaign, study their approach and take note of its success and effectiveness. This can help you better plan a unique strategy of your own.

By keeping tabs on how your competition operates, you will be better equipped to come up with an approach that’s original and effective to attract customers you want.

10. Don’t become stagnant

The business world is a fast-moving place, and those that fail to keep up rarely see success, if ever. It’s important to remember that existing customers don’t last forever and getting new customers is an inevitable process. Thus, don’t get stagnant in running your business.

Lack of innovation, overreliance on old strategies, not employing new tactics… stagnancy can be caused by many things, such as complacency. Whatever the reason is, don’t let it get to that point – always look for new ideas and initiatives to keep your business moving.

Put simply, don’t stop preparing for the worst even if you have found a strategy that works. Seeing as how the pandemic has shut down numerous businesses that failed to pivot, always seeking new ways for success is the key to keeping your business afloat in the long run.

At the end of the day, attracting new customers is not an impossible task.

It might take some innovation and creativity depending on your business, but the main factor for success lies in being what the customers want. Similar to how one would rather pick something that’s fresh and interesting, business owners should also strive to make their business the best ones among the competition.

While the tips above are no guarantee for success, they should still come in handy for getting some of your customers’ attention heading your way.

How to Attract New Customers in 2021 – The Easy Way