Regardless of the size of your marketing budget (if you even have one) there are a number of low cost activities which every business should be making use of. If deployed correctly these should make an almost immediate impact of the number of leads, and ultimately sales, that your business generates.
1. Google My Business
This is top of my list because it is one of the most under utilised tools for marketing any business and best of all it is FREE!
At the very least you should ensure that you have claimed your Google My Business listing and added the correct contact information. You can then add further details including a location, opening hours and even customer reviews. Keeping your listing regularly updated also helps improve SEO – did you know you can add posts too, just like on Facebook and LinkedIn?. Everyone should be using Google My Business, so if you aren’t then today is the day to start!
2. Prospect follow-up
Many businesses are so focused on generating new leads that they forget the value that their existing database holds, be that prospects or customers. A quick email to prospects who have enquired but not yet purchased may reignite a conversation or prompt a sale. Regular email newsletters also help to keep you front of mind but should provide value, demonstrate your expertise and build a relationship with those on your list.
Whenever communicating with your prospects make sure that there is a clear call to action – ‘Click Here To Buy’, ‘Book An Appointment’, ‘Request A Call Back’ etc. So why not send a quick email or text to anyone you haven’t spoken to in a while and see what happens.
3. Social Media
Regular posting and engagement on social media platforms not only raises your profile and keeps you front of mind, but also increases your credibility. Making use of video (I know for many this can be terrifying) and going live is particularly impactful, generating around 10 times more engagement than a standard post.
One word of caution – it is important that you don’t just post ‘buy my stuff’ content. As a general rule of thumb you should apply the 80/20 principle – 80% of posts should add value, give useful information, showcase products, answer questions, feature before and after images or behind the scenes shots etc and only 20% should be asking for the sale.
If you are trying to target a specific prospect engage with them on social media, show a genuine interest in what they are posting and this will help to build a relationship which may ultimately lead to a sale.
4. Neighbourhood Cards / Flyers
If your business involves visiting client homes or business premises then you should be using neighbourhood cards. Simple flyers which are posted through the letterbox of properties / businesses neighbouring the one you have been working at, highlighting that you have been doing work for one of their neighbours and should they need a similar service to give you a call. This is a great way to raise awareness of your business with implied endorsement and hopefully it will generate a few enquiries at the same time too.
If your business involves people coming to you (hairdressers, restaurants etc) or goods being sent out to people (online retailers or florists for example) then you can make use of bounce back vouchers to encourage people to return or shop again.
5. Referrals
Personal recommendations are one of the most powerful lead generation activities out there. Being given a recommendation from someone you know, like and trust provides reassurance and increases credibility. Asking existing clients or customers for referrals doesn’t have to be a complex process. Just drop them a quick email or text asking if they know anyone who would be interested in or could benefit from your goods or services. You may even want to offer an incentive such as a discount or a reward voucher. If you think of the cost of acquiring a new customer, the cost of an incentive should be more than outweighed by the value of additional sales made.
These are just a few examples of the many ways to get more customers into your business and increase sales. If you would like further information on how to effectively deploy any of the tools above, or to discuss ways to help you get more customers into your business using straight forward marketing techniques, then please click here to arrange a chat or fill out the Contact Us form.