What does every company wish for? Is it because of the money, the fame, or the ostensibly limitless resources? Customers, to be precise. Customers are the surest way to keep your company afloat in the long term. No matter how excellent your product or service is, you won’t go very far if no one buys it. On the other hand, establishing a client base is one of the most challenging tasks a company has, particularly if it is just getting started.
If you own a company and are looking for customer acquisition ideas, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll show you how to get your first 100 clients using tried-and-true methods.
1- Leverage and broaden your existing network
Without realizing it, every company uses its existing network of friends and relatives. You tell your friends and relatives about your company hoping that they will buy something. This is the starting point for everything.
However, you can significantly expand your reach with a bit of preparation, even with your current network. What you can do is adhere to the criteria outlined below.
Encourage your friends and relatives to spread the news about your company to their networks by tagging you on their social media sites.
If you already have a business, urge your current clients to check out your new startup’s goods or services. It will be much simpler to persuade folks who are currently satisfied with your current company and have faith in you.
Market research may also assist you in targeting the current audience of a comparable product.
Contact your investors and ask them to help you spread the news about your company. They’ll gladly do it since they’ve invested much in your company, and most investors have an extensive network.
2- Start your blog
The ancient adage “the pen is mightier than the sword” still rings today. However, in the digital realm, it converts into blogs. You can reach out to the whole globe via the internet and your blogs. Now comes the question: why blogs and not other types of media? As a result of the following factors:
Blogs allow you to connect with others who share your interests and form long-lasting relationships.
By reading your blog, your readers will learn about your company and how it may help them solve their problems.
Through your blogs, you can demonstrate to people that you are an expert in your field and that they can rely on you for information.
Blogs are also efficient to increase your website’s internet visibility and authority.
They also help you establish your company’s tone in the eyes of prospective customers.
You may also get quick feedback on your goods or services through blogs.
You may use your blogs to provide product sales and gain dedicated consumers and influencers for your company.
3. Increase your reach by making cold calls and sending emails
It’s fantastic to get your first 100 consumers using your current network. However, you will need to contact strangers or prospective consumers at some point, which is where cold calls and emails come in.
Cold emails are messages sent to persons interested in your services but unfamiliar with you. Cold emails are most successful when you have a reciprocal relationship with the sender that you can use as a reference. Wade Foster, the co-founder and CEO of Zapier, wrote an email to Andrew Warner that emphasized this point.
Even if your email is excellent, there is always the possibility that the recipient may delete it without reading it. Calls, on the other hand, are a bit harder to disregard. Make cold calls to potential consumers to uncover why they want to purchase and don’t want to buy.
4- Make freebies available to the whole population
Freebies are something that shoppers cannot resist. You may easily persuade prospective customers to buy your goods if they like it during free trials, whether it’s a product sample or a software trial demo. You might even give your prospective customers a discount coupon to entice them to buy.
You must, however, guarantee that prospective consumers have a terrific user experience while using your product; else, you will lose a client for good. At this point, you will either acquire or lose their trust since first impressions are everything.
5. Make pay-per-click advertising work for you
Ads have long been shown to be one of the most successful marketing tactics. The reach of paid advertising has grown considerably due to digital platforms such as social media and search engines.
You may choose search adverts on Google, Bing, and other search engines. You may also choose between the display and video advertising on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Because of the microtargeting options and low cost, online advertising is one of the most successful ways to grow their consumer base.
6. Make the most of internet forums and communities
Online forums and groups where like-minded individuals may argue their views, thoughts, and opinions about anything include Quora, Reddit, and Inbound.
Most consumers believe in products or services that have received favourable customer feedback, which is why internet forums are so beneficial. It aids in the development of client trust. People who like your product will enthusiastically promote it in these forums in various ways. If someone is looking for evidence, they will find it in the perspectives of others.
7. Don’t forget about social media
In today’s world, social media has a remarkable impact. Over 4.8 billion individuals will be using social media in 2021, implying that your potential customer base on social media may be extensive.
You may use social media to sell your company in various ways. Among them are the following:
Influencer marketing refers to those who have thousands of social media followers. Their material has the potential to influence their target audience. You might work with people like them to sell your company.
Making a buzz on social media platforms with your posts, tweets, and videos may help you quickly attract your first 100 customers. To pique people’s attention, highlight special deals, contests, and so on. Keep up with social media trends and use them to communicate with potential consumers.
8. Schedule one-on-one meetings with each of your customers
The fact that you have fewer responsibilities and more free time in the early stages of your business is a plus. Make the most of your time by connecting with current customers and learning about their problems; to improve your product or service, solicit and integrate feedback.
It aids in the development of long-term connections with your original clients and the increase in the market worth of your brand.
Conclusion
These are just a few ideas for getting your first 100 clients. You may always experiment with different strategies to broaden your reach and earnings during the early stages. It all comes down to market research and determining what works best for your target audience.