If you are a small business owner and want to grow your business quickly, there are two ways you can do it without having to spend extra money on advertising. Continue reading to learn more.
Many small business owners are not marketing experts. They are entrepreneurs, visionaries and inspirations to everyone else they come in contact with. The default response for many small business owners is to go out and pound the pavement if they want more business. After all, if you want more money, you need more customers, right? Well, not always.
There are two other things you can do where you don’t need to increase your customer base. In fact, many small businesses are stretched thin and can’t take on more customers with their workload. Try these two things instead:
1. Increase the dollar amount of each customer’s order— This is where you really get in, roll up your sleeves and find out what else the client wants. Find out what their problem is and offer them MORE products or services that solve that exact problem.
Suppose you own a hardware store. A customer walks in looking for a screw for 39 cents. You help them find it by spending 15 minutes with them and they leave happy. What if you ask them about the problem they are trying to solve. Maybe they were trying to hang a rusty bird feeder. You can show them your full line of stainless bird feeders, plus a bag of premium seed, increasing your order by 39 cents to $39.
If your business already has a customer and they’ve already made a commitment to make a purchase, you’ll need time to work on solving their specific problem. The customer will be grateful and you’ll make a lot more money in the process.
2. Increase the frequency of your current customers returning to make another purchase– This is where you need to become a master of direct marketing. Using your current customer list, you will need to contact them on a regular basis. Create call-to-action opportunities as you lift the customer off the couch and into your business. This can be achieved through limited time coupons, contests, free consultations, entertainment and many other things designed to bring them back. Loyalty programs also fall into this category.
By doing just these two things, some businesses have doubled or tripled their revenue in just a few months. All you have to do is solve the customer’s problem perfectly and remind them often that you’re still in business.