IT Services in Flux: Trends and Insights
August 29, 2023
Every business owner wants to attract new customers. Here are 10 tested ways to help you bring in new business.
The goal of supply chain planning is to fulfill the demand for consumers
Suppliers are an integral part of any company’s supply chain management system
This can be done the old-fashioned way, by getting involved in community organizations, or attending business functions, such as trade shows. Social functions — dinner invitations, book clubs, etc. can also lead to potential business. According to this article Be sure to approach networking with the attitude of “How can I help others?” rather than “What’s in it for me?” By thinking about how you are of service, you’ll build relationships that lead to new customers. Networking has also taken a different turn, with the rise in popularity of social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. It is easier these days to network and connect to a lot of potential customers. Many business owners can take advantage of this type of networking and make contacts through users online.
Use customers who have been happy with your products to help generate references and referrals. Satisfied customers can help you sell to others by offering positive testimonials. You can also develop a referral offer whereby customers are rewarded when they refer-a-friend. This approach also employs word-of-mouth marketing. Enabling your customers helps you grow your business by giving them the ammunition they need to tell your story to others.
One way to do this effectively is to ask your customers where they heard about you so that you can measure what is effective and leverage the said platform. In addition, advertising done without proper research will only lead to money wastage, you also must carefully pick your markets for advertising to make sure you’re reaching your exact target audience. For example, if you’re targeting an older audience, newspaper ads might be the way to go. But if it’s millennials or Gen Z’s you’re after, then you may be better off advertising on social media or at events. Define your target audience properly before developing your advertising plan.
Suppliers are an integral part of any company’s supply chain management system
The goal of supply chain planning is to fulfill the demand for consumers
One way to drive growth in your business as a small business owner is via collaboration. Team up with businesses that sell complementary products as yours and drive new businesses to each other. For example, a fabric vendor and a shoe and bag vendor could collaborate with each other and help each other expand their customer base and increase sales. Platforms like CICOD Merchant makes collaboration with complementary businesses easier as it allows businesses to connect with resellers, find suppliers and trade together all in one place. Regardless of the size of your business, you can easily collaborate with a supplier of your existing products or with a supplier of a complementary product and trade together.
Joining and participating in communities gets your name out there, which helps bring in new customers. Most people like to support businesses in their communities, and this will go a long way in increasing brand awareness and sales. Join a community and increase awareness by taking part in events and organizations.
Introductory offers, such as a buy-one get one free sale can lure customers in your door. Afterwards you can come up with a plan to track which customers redeem the special offer, then target them with a marketing message encouraging and enticing them to keep buying from you.
Leverage technology These days, consumers and B2B buyers alike find new businesses primarily by searching online and going through several pages on the web. This technique is not so reliable as many illegitimate and unreliable businesses can easily parade themselves as reliable and legitimate online. However, leveraging technology makes the process of connecting with suppliers/re-sellers and growing your network as easy as ABC
Examples of such advanced technology is CICOD Merchant, a platform aimed at creating a connected ecosystem of B2B resellers collaborating with a supplier of their existing products or with a supplier of a complementary product.
You no longer have to worry about skimming through lengthy web pages to find reliable suppliers and resellers for your business. Click here for more information.
