Winning New Customers
Straightforward ways to lure buyers to your business
Landing new customers doesn't have to be a daunting task— even in these challenging times there are things you can implement now that could quickly lead to new business. If your business has some strong prospects who have yet to take the next step and become customers, or some previously steady clients who have backed off on their activity, consider these tips to nudge them into action:
- Reward referrals. Gathering referrals from current customers is a great way to capitalize on the loyal fan base you already have. If you reward customers for introducing new people to your business, you can encourage the strongest form of advertising: word of mouth. Offer discounts, coupons, and special gifts exclusively to those customers who refer their friends.
- Remove any barriers. Are you possibly missing out on business because you're not making it easy enough for customers? Even simplifying your website, taking the consumer's point of view rather than your own, can make a difference.
- Build an alliance. It can sometimes be a smart move, depending on the type of business you own, to partner with other businesses. Choose another business with a similar client base to yours, but with whom you're not in direct competition. For example, if you own a high-end jewelry store, you may consider partnering with a high-end dress boutique. If a customer buys a nice dress and asks for a recommendation on where to buy jewelry to match, there's an instant reciprocal referral. You each expand your customer base from the loyal customers of the other business. It's a win-win situation.
- Change the way you sell. Become a "soft" seller — in other words, master the art of selling without selling. Rather than practice traditional methods of hard-selling, focus on building customer relationships and listening. Turn cold prospecting into warm referrals, convincing into asking, closing into qualifying, and selling into partnering.
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