Yes it is true, attracting new customers is a lot more expensive than retaining existing ones. However, there is no harm in attempting to get new customers in a cost effective and creative way. In this way you can kill two birds with one stone: keep your existing customers interested as well as attract new customers. This blog post will discuss nine methods you can use to get new customers, make them aware of your brand and eventually increase your sales.

1. Use promotional tactics (sale or competition)

Running a sale is a great way to attract attention to your brand and your products; it is especially beneficial for attracting the attention of new customers. A sale is like dangling bait, it is tempting, it grabs attention – full stop. Another promotional tactic is the use of creative and catchy competitions. When brainstorming ideas, remember that your competition must have a purpose. Write down the goals you wish to achieve throughout implementation, taking care to link the event to your brand and target market.  Who isn’t a sucker for free stuff? Promotional tactics are great, not only to inform potential customers about the brand, but also to encourage consumers to make their first purchase, lured either by a sale or by a competition. Overall, this tactic is great for increased brand awareness and a possible increase in sales.

2. Partner up

One of the secrets to success for any ecommerce business is to partner up. If you are wondering why, it is very simple: exposure! Use each other to gain exposure and to build your business. Linking up with a partner is a great way to learn from each other and gain some wisdom along the way. Of course, it must be mentioned that any partner you wish to work with must be in a similar line of business as you are, or is in some way linked to the business you run. To give you a great example, we at bidorbuy have partnered with companies such as Shopify and uAfrica to provide additional ecommerce and shipping solutions in order to make the whole process simple for both online sellers and buyers.  

3. Have great content

You may be surprised to hear about the power of articles and blog posts on your business platform. The reason they are so powerful is because of their ability to build your audience. Potential customers can be directed to your content via organic search; this is because written content improves your SEO. Blogs are also a great way to get your existing customers to promote your blog content, thereby organically advertising your brand to new, potential customers. According to Content Plus, 60% of consumers feel more positive about a company after reading custom content on their website. More powerful than you thought, right?

 4. Go for new products and services

Offer something new. This will surely grab some attention and attract new customers. Repositioning or re-packaging or even extending your service is a great way to get people talking about your brand again.

 5. Advertise through Google Adwords

Make use of relevant keywords you know consumers are likely to type in when searching for items. You will also need to ensure your landing pages are relevant. All of that is your secret to success for effective AdWords campaigns. Using the correct keywords is vital. Ensure that keywords are precise and relevant to the items you wish to promote on Google search and display platforms.

 6. Engage on social media

Create stories that allow you to engage, provide useful contributions and most importantly listen to your consumers. Social media are convenient platforms for casual and real conversation. On social media, consumers can open dialogue. Social media is a useful tool as it allows you to record and document data that informs you about what content customers are interested in and what content they are not. Just being present on social media gives you some idea of what consumers want and what your competitors are offering. So how does this attract new customers? With a strong social presence, each day gives you an opportunity to entice a new customer. Through likes, shares, retweets and comments, content is passed on from person to person, hopefully retaining customers and bringing new ones.

 7. Give incentives (first purchase and customer referrals)

Incentives are a great way to attract new customers. First-time purchase incentives are ideal to hook consumers. For example, promotions such as free gift with your first purchase R100 off your first purchase can be a great tactic for getting new customers to start shopping at your store. Customer referrals are extremely powerful because positive word of mouth is highly effective and it is free. Rewarding referrals is an added layer that should ultimately impress potential customers and continue a ripple effect of positive word of mouth.

 8. Utilise email marketing

Giving website visitors the opportunity to subscribe to regular newsletters is a great way to attract and retain customers. Once visitors sign up, you will have many opportunities to present product information to them, ultimately converting a potential customer into a regular one. Remember to use irresistible subject lines that subscribers cannot ignore. The power of email marketing is endless, as long as you are able to keep your content fresh and intriguing. Another advantage is that email marketing is a cost effective method and can reach a large audience of potential customers.

 9. Use marketplaces

Using a marketplace, for example bidorbuy, is a great way to get your products visible on a large platform where shoppers already exist. A recent trend among ecommerce stores is to sell products across multiple channels. If you want more customers to know your store and your products, definitely use a marketplace. This is one of the most effective and instant methods of getting and retaining new ecommerce customers.