When you run a small business, you are bound to face some competition, in spite of the promotional strategies you put into place. While innovative marketing methods are often the key to ongoing success, they can be costly. In today's technological world, many small business owners enlist the help of external experts to provide a strong marketing campaign. Oftentimes, however, your customers can be your very best marketers. Here are some ways in which your loyal following can help your business grow and reach new audiences:
Word of mouth is essential
Word of mouth typically travels fast—especially if your customers have large social media followings. By providing innovative offerings and prioritizing service, you can encourage consumers to spread the word about their positive experiences with your business.
People value the opinions of their loved ones
While online reviews may be all the rage, they can also be quite misleading. Some business owners take advantage of a poorly implemented system and get their friends and family members to write favorable reviews for their products or services. Likewise, some companies may pay others in exchange for a good word. This, in turn, has led many consumers to rely on the word of a friend or relative over that of strangers and popular brands.
In the 2015 Nielsen Global Trust in Advertising report, 83% of respondents revealed that they trusted recommendations from friends and family members. In contrast, only 70% of respondents claimed to trust branded online channels. In this way, your patrons can serve as your best marketers.
Cutting expensive marketing costs
Many small businesses can not afford to have extensive marketing budgets in place. Thankfully, your customers can do some outreach for you. Not only can they spread the word about your small business, but they can also answer any questions that new prospects might have. This natural way of marketing can increase your overall reputation, leading to new clientele and higher satisfaction ratings. As a result, it is clear that you can sometimes increase your profits without investing in expensive advertising.
Focusing on customer satisfaction
When small businesses focus too much on external marketing and advertising channels, they may lose sight of what is truly important to their success: ongoing customer satisfaction. While conventional promotion can assist in finding new customers, you will often need the most ingenious marketing plans to stay ahead of the competition.
Thus, your time will be better spent by placing a greater focus on producing quality products and services. This devotion to providing consumers with the best possible experience will encourage your clientele to recommend your business to others. By expanding your audience in this way, you can help your company flourish.
Figuring out what your patrons want
Business 101 dictates that you should find a need and then fulfill it to the best of your ability. This task becomes more manageable when you have a solid understanding of your audience and the types of products and services they want. Once you have this knowledge base, you can develop a powerful marketing road map.
Get to know your consumers by way of surveys, newsletter campaigns, studies of shopping behavior, and analyses of how they react to your newest offerings. This will enable you to attract your desired customers, who will hopefully spread the word to new prospects.
Consumers play a critical role in your business success. As such, you should take every encounter and interaction seriously. By providing optimal service, you can encourage your customers to become your best marketers. Once you earn their trust, many of these consumers will happily introduce you to their circle of friends, family members, and acquaintances, allowing you to increase your overall audience.
