In the past, we relied on information about the best products from the salesperson at the store or our doorsteps. These salespeople leveraged information they knew about us or what they could deduce on the fly to suggest or recommend products.
This system has changed, though.
Today’s customer has access to many different sources of information and numerous options to choose from. Often, their main concern is not whether or not they want to purchase the product or service, but whether or not it solves their problems.
Worst of all?
Traditionally tactics like cold calling and making presentations may not help you find these informed customers looking for personalized experiences.
But there is good news…
Just because these strategies no longer work effectively does not mean there aren’t others that can. And, in this post, we list marketing tactics you can leverage to attract more new customers.
Let’s get right to them.
1. Become Data-Driven
Most businesses use gated content like white papers, case studies, etc., to attract new prospects and get their contact information.
However, for prospects to give you this information, your content needs to offer value, be relevant, and educate them.
But how can you create relevant, valuable, and educational content?
Identify the patterns and trends of your current customers.
Data collected from current customers can show you patterns in shopping behavior and search. This data can then help you personalize your messaging and speak directly to your potential customers.
What’s more?
Determining how sales-ready these prospects are will also depend on your ability to analyze data. Gathering information on how they engage with ads and interact with your site can help your team determine which leads they should follow-up with, nurture, or try to convert.
And the good news?
You can automate most of the data gathering and analysis by integrating artificial intelligence. Leveraging subsets like deep learning, advanced analytics, and machine learning can amplify the value of data collected many times over.
2. Provide Value-Added Content
Did you know that by the second quarter of 2020, 45% of people aged 15 to 25 used an adblocker?
And that’s not all. In fact, 42% of those aged 26-to-33 and those aged 45-to-65 used adblockers as well.
Now, if people don’t engage with your ads and, instead, continue actively avoiding them, how will you attract new customers?
Value-added marketing.
In this case, you give your prospective customers more than they expect while emphasizing your brand’s desire to add value instead of just making money.
Value-added marketing allows you to create content that moves your relationship with potential customers from transactional to emotional. It puts your customer’s needs first and becomes the valuable trigger that makes your products or services appealing.
And what kind of value-added content can you use?
- Educational content like webinars, workshops, how-to-videos, explainer videos, etc.
- Blog content
- Expert advice and interviews
- Free products
- Surprise samples
- Discounts
- Product tutorials
- Demos
Note: In all these content types, you should endeavor to offer value. This way, you make customers feel you have their best interests in mind and increase their chances of doing business with you.
3. Improve Your Store’s Design
What kind of message does your store send to those who pass by or visit?
Does it represent your brand values? Is it visually appealing?
If you own a brick-and-mortar store, critically access it from a new customer’s point of view.
Have you designed it to fit your customer tastes and brand image?
Can customers easily move through it, or are there areas that need rearranging?
Most importantly, ensure that your display strategy increases the chances that customers linger a little longer to see more of the products you offer.
If you have an online store, ensure that it delivers the best possible user experience.
How? You can leverage A/B testing software to compare different website variations and determine which ones drive better conversions.
You should also ensure that:
- Your messaging and logos fit your brand image.
- The site works as it should.
- Pages load fast.
- Visitors can search easily.
- Links work and direct users to relevant content.
- You have easy-to-use shopping and payment mechanisms.
4. Leverage Hyper-Targeted Advertising
Each day, millions of people hop online to search for solutions to problems they want to solve, a restaurant near them, products they want to buy, or services they’d like to try.
Now, wouldn’t it be great if your business appeared on the first page of search results whenever it was what those consumers were looking for?
It would.
Which is why you need to understand search marketing and how leveraging search engine optimization (SEO) and paid search can boost your chances of reaching new customers.
However, while SEO increases your chances of getting listed on the first pages of search results, paid search marketing gives you a higher level of control.
With it, you tell Google which search terms to show in your ads. You can even ensure that they are the search terms that increase the likelihood that a prospect will click on your ad.
And best of all?
You can increase your chances of conversions by using hyper-targeted ads to reach your ideal buyers.
In this case, you redefine your ideal buyer, their demographics, locations, interests, search behaviors, etc., and use this new information to create your ads. Secondly, use the AI tools on various social platforms to target lookalike audiences or those with characteristics similar to current customers.
Most importantly?
Retarget old customers who’ve stopped buying from you and get them to start buying from you again.
5. Use Word-of-Mouth Marketing
Did you know that there are different types of word-of-mouth tactics you can use to gain new customers? They include:
- Referral programs
- Affiliate marketing
- Influencer marketing
- User-generated content
- Customer reviews
- Testimonials
- Employee advocacy programs
But how can you ensure success with these word-of-mouth strategies?
Start by ensuring the products or services you offer deliver as promised. Then, provide exceptional customer and employee experiences, offer value with each program, and have an active social media presence.
Doing this then increases the chances that customers, employees, and influencers will happily share information about your products or services with their friends, families, and followers.
Final Thoughts
Want to get more new customers?
Offer prospects valuable content, use hyper-targeted ads, focus on value-added marketing, and leverage the word-of-mouth tactics above.
Most importantly, try all of these strategies and then focus on the ones that bring in more new customers.
Do you need help with any of the strategies mentioned above? Comment below, and we can offer additional tips to increase your customer acquisition rates.
