0

How to Obtain Customers For Your Small Biz

How to obtain new customers for a small biz may be daunting to you. But if you have a few customers ready to begin with you, it will ease your way into your business.

This is how many businesses begin. By doing one thing for someone, and then for someone else, and then another person until it snowballs.

How do you begin to generate new customers? You could do so by doing a side hustle before launching the new biz. Freelance with your new service or sell products part-time while still at your day job.

Once you do this for a year or so you will know if you are ready to obtain new customers and dive into your business full time.

This is how many businesses begin. By doing one thing for someone, and then for someone else, and then another person until it snowballs. #smallbiztips Click To Tweet

Spread the Word About Your Service or Products

First, tell everyone you know about your products or services. You never know who they know. Even running errands at the grocery store or dry cleaners, mention to those you talk to about your new biz.

Have a business card that you can hand out to others in your travels. And don’t forget to have them with you at all times. I can’t tell you how many times I haven’t had mine on me. Not good!

Have a business card that you can hand out to others in your travels. #biztips Click To Tweet

Go To Networking Events To Obtain Customers

Second, join different networking groups that you can attend and meet with other business people. Oftentimes, they will refer to someone who may need your product or service.

Sometimes, the business will come months later after meeting with a person at an event. Try to stay in touch with the people you meet these events.

You could exchange emails or phone numbers. Furthermore, you could invite them to connect with you on LinkedIn. Be sure to stay in touch with them after making that initial contact. This can be an excellent way to grow your business locally.

Join a Local Chamber of Commerce

Thirdly, your local Chamber of Commerce is a great place to meet new people and others that may need you! A chamber is a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses.

Of course, they often have special events and charity events that you can contribute to.

Next, you could be a sponsor and or advertiser in their promotional events. Comparitively these type of sponsorships or advertisements are not too expensive for a small business to particpate in.

How to Obtain Customers Through Building a Presence on Social Media

Fourth, be social on social media. Fill out your profiles completely on the social entworks you are on. Let your friends know about your business through your social media networks. This can quickly spread the word about what you are offering.

Use LinkedIn with your networking events. Once you meet people there that you make a connection with, add them to your LinkedIn connections.

Lastly, showcase yourself in video to obtain new customers. There is nothing like a video today that can send a message. People can see who you are and see your products or services you provide first hand.

Just be sure not to always talk about your business on social media. Stay personal often on social media as that’s what it’s main function is. (Except in the case of LinkedIn.)

Lastly, showcase yourself in video to obtain new customers. There is nothing like a video today that can send a message. #smallbiztips Click To Tweet

Advertise to Obtain New Customers

Good old fashion advertising never goes out of style! You could purchase Google ads to drive them to your website. Or you could run an ad in the local newspaper if you are providing a local service. Facebook advertising is also a non expensive way to get your message out if you understand how to use them effectively.

“Trying to do business without advertising is like winking at a pretty girl through a pair of green goggles. You may know what you are doing, but no one else does.” Cyrus McCormick

Generate Referrals and Recommendations

Furthermore, once you have some customers ask for referrals and recommendations. One way to do this is to include a review button on your email signature. Another ways is to just ask for it. I like to ask for it after a client compliments my work.

These recommendations can be put on your Google My Business page or your Facebook page or LinkedIn profile. You may also take it a step further and add them to your website.

How to obtain customers is one of the ways to ensure your business will survive in a year from today. I’d love to know how you are obtaining new customers today in this challenging environment.

Next, I will give you insights on how to maintain and keep your customers!

0

How to Grow Your Small Business

To grow your small business and run a business takes time. A lot of time! But it can be done if you love what you do and work at it daily. Yes, that dirty four letter word is part of running a business, WORK! According to Forbes, nearly one-third (29%) work more than 50 hours per week, while 86% work on the weekends.

Most business owners work hard and long hours but they love the freedom to work mostly when they want and take time off when they want.

Most business owners work hard and long hours but they love the freedom to work mostly when they want and take time off when they want. Click To Tweet

Getting Over Fears to Own and Grow a Small Business

My greatest fear leaving my 9-5 job and running my business full time was having health benefits. It cost me years from going full time into business full time. Until I actually went and started to get estimates on the costs of healthcare. Never assume in business!

Getting Rid of Fears to Start a Business

If you are going to start a business you must be fearless. You can’t worry about this and that. Once I got over the fear by doing and investigating, I was on my way to growing a business.

The fears I had of paying for healthcare were relieved once I realized it only cost a fraction more to pay on my own versus through a company I had worked for. That let me move on and focus on the business itself. What was I going to do to generate enough money to sustain my way of living?

If you are going to start a business you must be fearless. You can't worry about this and that. Once I got over the fear by doing and investigating, I was on my way to growing a business. #biztips Click To Tweet

Getting Started – The First Few Weeks

The first few weeks were the hardest. I had several accounts I already was working for part time with my business so I went back to them by request to do more work and quickly grew the business within a month.

From there I gradually went back and saw some businesses I had worked well with in the past. Before I knew it I had all the business I could handle. But of course, one wants to make more money, right?

Things began to happen fast after 3 months. People started to call me for my services. It was word of mouth and through my online presence.

Hence, I started to delegate a few projects to freelancers. It all happened by accident at first. One conversation led to another and before I knew it, I had 3 freelancers I could delegate work to.

Learning to Delegate to Grow Your Small Business

Learning to delegate didn’t come easily for me but I caught on quickly. I knew I had so many tasks to accomplish. I was keeping track of money coming in and money going out – investing in myself and the business.

The more work I took on the more tools I needed and the more I needed to learn. Learning takes time. So I had to delegate to grow. Remember this one! “Delegate to Grow Your Business!”

Price Your Products or Services Right

Don’t price yourself too low when you start to grow your small business. Oftentimes an owner might want to generate business fast and price themselves too low.

Really think about your time and how much time things take time to do.

Every aspect of what you do to make a product or provide a service. How much time will be needed? What if you need to do a re-do? Are the products or processes expensive?

Think ahead of the curve when it comes to your pricing strategy. Don’t forget taxes, you know the tax man or lady always come around!

Really think about your time and how much time things take time to do. #biztips #pricingstrategy Click To Tweet

Learn to Say No!

Learning to say NO when growing your small business is another must. You will not be able to attend every networking event that comes along. Time is precious!

Therefore, you will not be able to answer every call and give away advice to everyone that asks you for it. You may not be able to talk long to folks who drain your time.

Your time becomes your biggest asset when growing your small business.

Your time becomes your biggest asset when growing your small business. #businesstips Click To Tweet

Focus on Your Tasks at Hand

Learn what you need to prioritize. You won’t be able to do everything at once. And if you think of ideas write them down immediately before you forget!

Being focused on what really needs to be done to generate business and then manage the business will be the key to your business’ success.

If you are scatterbrained and all over the place, you may find that nothing is getting done. You will not be able to meet your own goals that you have set up for yourself with the business.

Be sure to write down your daily tasks so you can really focus on them. Be careful of emails, social media networks and the mobile device. If possible shut them down for a period while you really get things done! You will be amazed how much you can get done without these interruptions.

Learning More Each Day

As your business grows so will you. You will learn so much everyday. I know the more I learn, the more I know I need to learn.

There are some days I have to set aside a few hours just to learn something new. Something that will help my clients succeed. If I can help them succeed then I’ve made my goal of helping others complete.

Knowing When To Grow Your Business

You may just know when it’s time to grow the business. Oftentimes it may happen on it’s own. You get busier and more money is coming in. You may not be able to keep up!

If you are unsure if it’s time to grow your business check out these 4 signs to look for from Fundera. You might be surprised!

Oftentimes many business decide to grow too early and then they fail. So be careful of that mistake in your new business. 30% of all new business fail in their first year and the number is higher in the first five years. 🙁

Finally, Your Turn

I’d love to know what you would like to learn about starting or growing your own small business. What keeps you from jumping in?