Let’s just stop for a moment and ignore that ever growing to do list.  I know you don’t have time for this, owing a small business is a busy task, you have to be the owner, the receptionist, the shipper, the receiver, the bookkeeper, the manufacturer, the sales department, and the small business marketer. Wow that’s a lot. Have no fear I am here to help.

I’m quite sure that getting more clients is at the top of your to do list so today we are going to tackle that together. So, who am I to help you with one of the most important things on your list? I am a business owner, a branding and marketing expert. I bring over 20 years experience to the table. I have many successes and many failures and have honed my craft. So today we are going to look at the best and brightest techniques to get more clients, let me save you the struggles by learning from my mistakes.

1. You are not necessarily your target customer.

   • You are selling a product or service; your personal tastes and ideals may factor into some of your clientele but not all of them. Focus on the problem your business solves and remember it isn’t just on type of customer that has that problem. Be open to everyone even if you’re not for everyone.

2. Cheap never equals quality.

   • When you are marketing your business digitally, you’re going to get a lot of looky loos. To help weed some of them out, focus your marketing efforts on quality targets. Including geographically, take advantage of look alike audiences, only pay for keywords that will drive intended buyers.

3. Social Proof is so worth it.

   • In the era of digital marketing, word of mouth has been replaced by reviews and testimonials, likes and follows on social media. Anyone can have a website; the world like to know that you are as good as you say you are. They need to establish trust and that is best done by hearing about the experience of their peers.

4. Be consistent and be everywhere.

   • When a client is searching for a solution, they like to see and engage with the brand of their choice on more than one platform, however, with multiple digital spaces comes more responsibility. Plan to update your digital spaces at least once per week. There are several options out there to make this easier such as Hootsuite to schedule posts.

5. Focus yourself on what you do best.

   • Focus your energies on what you excel at and leave the rest to someone else. Delegation is hard when you know exactly what you have created and how to best represent it. But the tasks you struggle with are the ones that take you away from the things you do best. They cost you time, resources and money.

6. Take an unbiased look at your marketing efforts and your digital presence.

   • You take time to make your physical space perfect, sometimes we don’t do the same for our digital space. In 2021, we have just as many if not more clients engaging with our businesses online as we do in our store/offices. Take the time to make those experiences warm, inviting and professional. Customer first in person and online

7. One size fits all is not your size.

   • Your business is unique, and your branding and marketing needs to have that same unique feels. Avoid cookie cutter solutions, it is not going to work, it is going to be a waste of money and resources If you choose to use an external service for your marketing make sure they are giving you a customized solution.

8. Understand your customer’s journey!

   • You need to know a lot about your customer to market to them. You should know the average sale, the lifetime value of a customer, how they move through the purchase funnel, and what drives their purchase decision.

9. Lead with value and benefits

   • A client cares about the solution to their problem. Their purchase decision is made from a selfish point of view. They want the best value and the most benefits for their hard-earned dollar. It isn’t enough to be the best, with the most experience. You need to provide value, do this by focusing n the benefits of your business/product. Don’t sell products, sell lifestyle and experiences.

10. BE true to your brand.

    • Changing your brand and your business values will not help you win more clients; it will help you lose more clients. Consistency, integrity, and honesty are among the most valued attributes of a brand as viewed by consumers today. Don’t get lost trying to appease.