Ways Of Increasing Customer Base For Business Owners

WAYS OF INCREASING CUSTOMER BASE FOR BUSINESS OWNERS

              Do you want to increase your customer base? That’s a question I expect every business owner to say ‘yes’ to. An increase in customer base will bring about an increase in sales and you will eventually make more profits in business. 

One of the key drivers of your company is the value of your customers. As a business owner, you should always be in search for new customers and also on a look-out for ways to keep the existing ones. 

To increase your customer base, it is necessary to stay in constant contact with potential costumers and preserve the existing ones. The two is important.

 If you gain new customers and lose the existing ones, you won’t see your customer base grow. That is why, while getting new customers is irrefutably important, keeping your existing customers happy is arguably more so.

Customer base however is the group of customers of clients who consistently patronizes a particular business. In other words, customer base are those clients to whom a business sells their goods and services. 

Every business starts with no customer. So, building a customer base takes a deliberate effort. Studies have shown that customer satisfaction with a brand leads to more purchases from the same and new customers. 

A satisfied customer expresses their enjoyment in a product/ service you offer, or even shows a friend or family the product/service and tells them to try it out. A dissatisfied customer on the other hand may speak against a product or not speak of it at all.

The following easy steps will help you increase your customer base- keeping the existing ones happy and getting new ones.

·        Networking 

     One major way you can increase your business’ customer base is by networking. The term ‘networking’ implies cultivating productive relationships for your business.

    Events that pertains to your kind of business is a very good place to network. You’ll through this meet new people who can introduce you to new customers. 

     You should always go with your business cards so that you can give those cards to new people you meet who can be potential clients. You never can tell the kind of people you can meet at these places and where meeting these people can take you. 

    Unarguably, events and conventions that pertain to your business is a perfect place to immerse you in the right crowd of potential customers.

Joining industry groups and associations is also a very good way to network and meet new people in your line of business.

·         Make use of the social media

     The social media is an effective tool for establishing business relationships. The social media has proven to be an integral part of business these days; it helps to increase and broaden your customer base. 

    The social media is not an option, but a necessity for any successful business. Today, many people get their information about a business on social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, Whatsapp, BBM, etc. 

     If you desire an increase in your customer base, get active on social media. Apart from the fact that the social media exposes your people to people, it also makes the relationship with your clients smoother.

The email is also effective is creating an ideal relationship with your customers. You can use it to send newsletters to customers, get feedback from them and so on.

·      Get to know your customer 

     A clear knowledge of your customers will help you offer better service to them. If you know what they want, and you give them what they want they will be satisfied and they will tell others about your business. Their approval is important for your business. 

     You can do this by getting their opinions. Believe me, whatever they say is based on how outsiders really see your business, which matters more than the way you see your business, because your business is for people. 

    You are not selling products and services to yourself but other people who are your customers. You can get customers opinion or reviews by providing a book to that effect in your office or by asking them through mouth-to-mouth conversations. 

     You can also get their view through your social media accounts. Even Facebook creates a space for reviews on a Facebook page.

·        Partner with other businesses 

    Partnering with other businesses can also help to improve your customer base. Engaging in partnership with other firms that offer complementary services help your business to reach new audience and also potentially offer more to your customers. 

     For instance, a stationery/ bookstore can partner with a school while an animal feed production company can partner with farms. This partnership will help both companies by offering both a new number of customers.

·     Offering freebies, discounts and promotional offers also helps your customer base to grow. People love free and discounted products. Offering discounts will entice potential customers into choosing you especially in a league of competitors.

     Growth is inevitable if you put these tips to practice. Your customer base needs to increase and that depends seriously on what you are ready to do with the above tips. Yes, you can!