Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Part One: Planning
• Part 2 of 3: Part Two: Advertising
• Part 3 of 3: Part Three: Building Connections

Building a customer base can be one of the most difficult tasks when starting and running a new business. You need to clearly define your target customer, and then think about how to get that potential customer where you can find him.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Part One: Planning

1. 1 Have a plan, but be flexible. Develop a detailed marketing plan before you actively search for customers. Stick to the plan closely, but don't be afraid to make changes as you become aware of what works for customers and what doesn't.
   • Among other things, you should approve your advertising budget. Determine how much you can afford to spend on marketing before considering suitable forms of advertising.
   • After setting your budget, you need to identify the best ways to use the funds available to attract as many potential customers as possible to your customer base.
2. 2 Diversify. Don't invest too much time and money into one specific aspect of your marketing plan. Instead of developing one large ad, it would be better to create several smaller, different advertisements aimed at different ways of delivering them to the consumer.
   • Using a variety of forms of advertising allows you to reach more people. For example, those who do not live in your area may not see your billboard, but they may stumble upon your online advertisement.
   • Plus, when a prospect learns about you from a variety of sources, they become curious and more likely to check out what you do.
3. 3 Identify your ideal customer. Develop a detailed image of what your “ideal” client should be. Ask yourself what personality should be the person who is most likely to purchase and support your company.
   • Try to highlight at least five characteristics of your customer base. Characteristics commonly considered include age, gender, marital status, number of children (if any), place of residence, occupation, and special interests.
   • If you already have clients, try to single out the most loyal of them. Ask yourself what they have in common to help you build your ideal customer.
4. 4 Ask yourself where your customers might be gathering. If you want to find your ideal clients, you need to get to their physical or virtual location where they are going without your help.
   • Try to designate 3-5 places where your customers can congregate. For example, if the client base is mostly single students, then they can be found near dormitories, in cafes and in libraries.
   • Come up with different ways to connect with your ideal clients in these locations. Continuing with the above example, you might consider posting flyers on message boards at specified locations.
5. 5 Research your competitors. Highlight a few successful competitors and watch them grow their customer base. Analyze their marketing strategies and highlight those aspects that might work for your company as well.
   • Since your competitors may not be willing to share their own secrets with you, you will have to do your own research on this issue.
   • Pay attention to what forms of advertising they use and where they place it. Try to find out which professional ad networks they use. Even if you cannot collect accurate data and statistics, a little research will give you an idea of ​​where to start.

Part 2 of 3: Part Two: Advertising

1. 1 Advertise on the Internet. The society gradually continues to immerse itself more and more in virtual reality, advertising on the Internet is becoming more and more important than it already is at the moment. Check out the different ad options that you can publish using social and professional ad networks.
   • If you have not yet established yourself on the Internet, do so immediately. Websites, blogs and social media accounts on behalf of your business will increase your presence in front of potential buyers and help them find you.
   • Additionally, you can order advertising of your business on the Internet. Explore the options for posting CPC ads, Google Adsense ads, and Facebook ads.
2. 2 Consider print ads. Print ads are a fairly inexpensive way to move from virtual reality to the real world. You can send small and large format print ads.
   • Newspaper advertising refers to large format print ads. Given that newspaper subscribers are falling, you should do your own research first and make sure your potential customers read the newspaper in which you plan to advertise.
   • Flyers, posters, postcards, and mailing lists are another type of print advertisement worth considering as well. It is reasonably available, but you will have to determine the best way to distribute or send this advertisement so that it can reach your target audience.
3. 3 Turn to television and radio. Television and radio advertising is a traditional classical form of advertising, but it is usually quite expensive. However, you may be able to afford this luxury (it all depends on the type of your product and the ideal target customer).
   • Television advertisements are usually more expensive than radio advertisements.
   • If you choose these forms of advertising, study the program range on the TV channel or radio station where you plan to advertise. Instead of running a broad marketing campaign, focus your campaign on 1-2 specific broadcasts that are most likely to be favored by your target customers.
4. 4 Sponsor events that are close to your line of business. If your budget allows, organize an event that allows you to showcase your product to potential customers. To encourage people to attend your event, you should consider making it entertaining rather than turning it into a purely promotional project to boost sales.
   • For example, if you offer catering services, provide service for a well-attended event, or encourage local businesses to organize a new event that you could serve. For example, you can submit an idea to local craftsmen and craftsmen to organize an exhibition, which you will be responsible for servicing.
5. 5 Attend events related to your industry. Stay tuned for news and exhibitions related to your products. Attend these events and use them to meet potential customers who already have interests in your industry.
   • Look for local communities and organizations that may be interested in your products or services, and follow the events they organize. For example, if you sell books, then you can attend events organized by groups of readers and writers.
6. 6 Provide trial samples. A good way to demonstrate the value and quality of your product is to distribute small prototypes to potential customers you come into contact with. If a person likes the sample, then he can return to you to buy a larger product or for an improved version of it.
   • Cosmetic and perfume companies, as well as food manufacturers, use this practice extensively. Small samples of perfume samples can entice customers to invest in a full bottle. Free tasting of chocolates can encourage a customer to purchase an entire box of a given type of chocolates.
7. 7 Reach potential customers with special deals. Send coupons, vouchers and other special offers to groups of people who suit your ideal customer.When someone comes to you to take advantage of a special offer, use the opportunity to colorfully present your product to a customer to turn them into a loyal customer.
   • For example, if you open a coffee shop and offer free coffee with a promotional voucher, try to get people who responded to your offer to buy a pastry or sandwich with their coffee. Alternatively, give them a free loyalty card that allows the customer to get another free coffee after they have made 10 coffee purchases.
8. 8 Keep in touch. If you are in direct contact with your potential customers, consider periodically calling your customers or sending them emails to keep them interested in your business.
   • Be polite and straightforward.
   • Remind the client who you are and what products you offer, ask if they are interested in your offers.
   • If this time the client was not interested, do not rush to delete his contact information. Ask if it is possible that his interest will arise later, and if he knows anyone to whom your suggestions would be useful.

Part 3 of 3: Part Three: Building Connections

1. 1 Involve friends and family. Your personal connections can be a good source for building business contacts. Even if people close to you are not interested in what you produce, they can direct you to those who could show this interest.
   • Family members and friends can be a source of cheap advertising. If they test your product and like it, they will most likely recommend it to other people at the opportunity. Their personal connection with you usually increases the desire to contribute to your success.
2. 2 Connect with existing clients. Get to know your customers a little better. Find out what brought them to you and what they like or dislike about your company. Adjust your marketing plan based on the information you collect.
   • Remember that everyone is different, so one client's opinion may not be the same as another's. Instead of trying to tailor your marketing campaign to the tastes of all customers, focus on aspects that are common to most of your consumers.
3. 3 Set up a customer acquisition program. Encourage your existing customers to attract new ones by offering them discounts for it. In most of these programs, discounts are received both by the one who brought a new customer and the one who became one.
   • For example, you can offer your existing customers a 10% discount on their next purchase, subject to attracting a new customer, while a new customer will receive a 5% discount.
   • Another option is giving a small present or gift card for attracting each customer. Just make sure that you choose the kind of promotion for this purpose that will be pleasant or beneficial to the client.
4. 4 Make friends with other organizations. Find companies that also attract your ideal customers without competing directly with you. Organize mutual advertising that will benefit both you and the other company.
   • For example, if you sell beauty products, then your customers are very likely to visit hairdressing salons, clothing stores, perfume stores, jewelry stores. These organizations will be related to your business through a common customer base, but since they do not sell cosmetics, they are not your direct competitors.
   • Try to negotiate with one or more of these organizations. Offer the clients of these companies a discount or free trial of the goods so that they are interested in using your offer. For your part, inform your own customers about your business partners, organizing mutually beneficial cooperation with each other.
5. 5 Collect reviews. Constantly collect feedback from existing and potential customers, employees and partners. Analyze the information carefully and use it to identify the need for any changes.
   • Testimonials are especially important when a potential customer abandons a purchase. Find out why he chose not to make a purchase so you can fix things that customers usually don't like in the future.