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You are here: Home / Customer Service / How to Attract and Keep Customers for a Small Business

How to Attract and Keep Customers for a Small Business

September 30, 2014 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

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Guest Article

Corporate Lady Swiping Her Card To PayIn this article, we’ll focus on some of the effective ways to tap new customers and never lose them. Here are my six best tips to attract and keep customers for a small business.

Make time for Networking

Let people in your community know that your business has a face. Don’t just spend time in doing business, also find the time to get new business. Firstly, you need to know why you are networking and who you intend to do business with. Having clarity before networking will help you in targeting the right networking groups, which eventually will help you attract new and loyal customers.

Make your business ‘the talk of the town’

Let the people in your community know who you are and what your business is all about. Develop content to spread the word. You are lucky to have the internet, where information travels faster than light. So use online social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to create an online buzz.

It is also a good idea to engage your current customers with your brand by asking for testimonials to help you to spread the word; it creates a positive impression of your brand in the eyes of potential clients, after hearing directly from your current customers.

Don’t ignore free listings in Local Business Directories

Since you are a small business owner, it is imperative for you to be known by the local audience.  Therefore, be present on the most widely surfed local business directories. This will improve your organic search rankings, and it is a free listing.

Make the use of Google Maps

Using the technique of listing your business on Google Maps will produce effective results especially because it will help your business to be ranked high on Google Search rankings – and it is free, too.

Showcase your Expertise

Try to get an opportunity with local associations and volunteer to conduct a workshop or be a guest lecturer showcasing your knowledge and experience in your field. You should be a great communicator to persuade your audience.

You can also display your knowledge online by being a guest blogger on industry specific blogs.

Be Sincere

This is the most difficult of all techniques for attracting and retaining customers, but the most effective of all. You should be honest about what you have to offer. Always put your customers first! Building and maintaining relationships should be your priority because money will follow eventually. Acknowledge your mistakes quickly and do not offend unnecessarily. Studies have shown customers value those businesses that genuinely apologize for errors rather than those that play blame games.

Hopefully you have gained a better perspective on creating effective and affordable marketing campaign for your business. Start with baby steps initially and then find out what best suits your business.

Corporate Lady Swiping Her Card To Pay courtesy of stockimages / www.freedigitalphotos.net

Ella RichAbout the author:  Ella Rich is an advertising expert with specific knowledge in business development, Internet marketing and market optimization. It is important to get business the right exposure and that is why Ella has been exploring a lot about potentials of business directories in Australia, like My Business Central. She believes that business directories have great possibilities for businesses to grow.

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Filed Under: Customer Service, Guest Articles Tagged With: @ellarich15, customer attraction, customer retention, Ella Rich

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Melinda F. Emerson, “SmallBizLady” is America’s #1 Small Business Expert. She is an internationally renowned keynote speaker on small business development, social selling, and online marketing strategy. As CEO of Quintessence Group, her Philadelphia-based marketing consulting firm serves Fortune 500 brands that target the small business market. Clients include Amazon, Adobe, Verizon, VISA, Google, FedEx, Chase, American Express, The Hartford, and Pitney Bowes. She also has an online school, www.smallbizladyuniversity.com, that teaches people online marketing and how to start and grow a successful small business and publishes a blog SucceedAsYourOwnBoss.com. Her advice is widely read, reaching more than 3 million entrepreneurs each week online. She hosts The Smallbizchat Podcast and is the bestselling author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months, Revised and Expanded, and Fix Your Business, a 90 Day Plan to Get Back Your Life and Reduce Chaos in Your Business.

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