In this article, we will discuss the ten ways to increase sales and win more customers for your business. This is a transcribed interview of Florence Chikezie. If you are looking to grow your customers then enrol in our program- Start Your Business in 30 Days. The program takes you from idea to starting your business in 30 days. Also, you will learn creative ways to increase your revenue in the program. Click to enrol now.
How to Get Customers And Increase Revenue
Here are 10 ways to get customers and increase revenue for your business.
1) Know your product or service
Don’t sell a product you are not familiar with or interested in. People will notice if you are not interested in what you are selling. Make sure you are always informed about the product. The clients need to know you know what you are talking about.
2) Keep close contact with your client
This applies not just to the high net worth clients but also to the non-regular ones; the ones easily neglected. Keeping close contact is understandably difficult. It might require keeping records of client info – names, birthdays, addresses, anniversaries, and other information. Make it a point to messages on national holidays, festive periods, and personal celebration days. This works like magic. Personal relationships are important for sales success.
See Also: 100 Profitable business ideas to start now for aspiring entrepreneurs and investors.
3) Never assume
Never assume in business. Don’t judge possible patronage by appearance. Dress sense or fashion consciousness are not always pointers to net worth. A lot of stylish people may not have the money they claim to have. Most millionaires are not looking to impress.
4) Ready to work extra hours
A client of yours might only be available at the golf course at the weekend and at a particular time. This means working extra hours on your free day. It might also mean learning about golf or any other hobby the client has.
5) Word of mouth always works
A satisfied customer is one of the most effective marketing and advertising tools a small business can have. People are increasingly becoming suspicious of paid advertising. There are a lot of advertising and sales of products that are not real.
There is a natural human tendency for a satisfied customer to share his experience with people in their circle of trust or influence – family members, friends, colleagues, etc. If I am happy about a product, I go out of my way to talk about it. Satisfied customers become foot soldiers and advocates/evangelists of your business and products.
How to ensure you get word-of-mouth advertising:
- Make sure to sell a product or service that functions and provides value to users. If a product delivers on its promise, then it is already a winner for you. This means that any product or service idea you come up with must solve a problem or satisfy a need.
- Ensure great customer experience always. Most times, the competition doesn’t matter if you are giving great customer experience. Target a niche and deliver it to the customers there. You will be successful. People love attention and good treatment. They will return if these are provided.
- Sometimes, it is important to give the customers a reason to advertise your business. This word-of-mouth advertising might not come automatically. It is important to give the customers a reason to advertise and market for you. People naturally want to gain something. Therefore, motivate them with incentives and commissions for their referrals. This will trigger their interests and make them take action.
See Also: Manufacturing business ideas to start now for aspiring entrepreneurs.
6) Offer discounts and deals
Discounts and deals are another creative and low-cost way to attract customers. These usually influence customers to buy more products than they initially planned. There are deal websites advertising deals to customers, e.g. DealDey. When you advertise deals there, you are advertising your business.
7) Get a website
You need a website, even if you are small. The Internet is an influential tool for business growth. You can easily use smartphones to search for products and services. E.g., if you run a small laundry business in Ikeja, get a web presence and optimise it to make sure it comes up in the search results when there is a desperate customer that needs a quick service. Websites are not a luxury; they are a necessity.
Websites can be gotten for free these days, for example, on Blogger.com. More importantly, make sure your physical address, email, and phone number are listed on that website. Come talk to us in ReDahlia if you have challenges with setting up a web presence.
See Also: How to start a successful logistics business.
8) Be present on social media and advertise online
Social media has revolutionised the way business is done today. It makes it possible for your audience to talk about your business and engage with you. On our Redahliabiz social media accounts, we create awareness about the brand. More videos are being watched on YouTube than on TV nowadays. Online magazines are now bigger than their paper versions. So companies now advertise more online than traditional methods. Therefore, you need to follow the trend.
One of the most popular ways of advertising online is with Google AdWord. It is easy to set up and maintain with a small daily budget of as little as $1/day. It is important to note that online advertising works best if there is a website which customers can be directed. There is a limit to which you can reach people organically. To reach more, it is advisable to spend some funds on advertising.
9) Print and distribute fliers
This seems outdated, but you need to merge your online advertising with offline action. Fliers are a simple but effective way to publicise your business. They usually work best for small businesses targeting customers within a particular area – university campuses, residential or industrial estates, etc. There is no need for expensive fliers. Just focus on the core message. Fliers can be designed by oneself. Canva is a great tool to use for this.
Distribute these fliers and use word of mouth to talk to curious passers-by. We even did this when we started ReDahlia Workspaces. If you are passionate about your business, you will not be shy to do this.
10) Get involved in volunteer work
This is an often overlooked opportunity to enjoy free publicity. Get involved and even sponsor an event in your community, church or mosque. Customers love to support businesses that give back to society. In ReDahlia, we do this through different initiatives like our monthly Entrepreneurs Meet events, our community initiative and more.
We are passionate about helping entrepreneurs scale and helping aspiring entrepreneurs start their businesses. If you want to work with us to implement these strategies, write to us at Business@entrepreneurs.ng or WhatsApp- 08038874148. Or enrol in the Start Your Business in 30 Days Program where we take you from idea to starting your business in 30 days.
How We Can Work with You to Start And Grow Your Business
If you want to work with us to start a profitable and sustainable business, then enrol in the Start Your Business in 30 Days Program. We will take you from idea to starting your business in 30 days.
Every week, our founder, Florence Chikezie teaches practical business lessons that have helped thousands of entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. If you want to benefit from her teachings, click to sign up for the weekly business lesson here.
She is an internationally trained award-winning entrepreneur running three profitable businesses and a member of the prestigious Forbes Coaches Council. She helps aspiring entrepreneurs start and set up their businesses through her program- Start Your Business In 30 Days.
And, she work with companies and established corporations to scale their impact and revenue. Reach her at Florence@entrepreneurs.ng if you would like to transform your business.
See the different ways we can help increase your business success.
This text is derived from the live video of the 23-04-2018 broadcast from Wary Pen at ReDahlia Workspaces, 43B Emina Crescent, Off Toyin Street, Ikeja. We are happy to give you a FREE tour of the facility anytime. Please call or walk in.
