by Steve Slais
Sugar Rush, a small bakery in upstate New York, built a loyal following by creating what many locals thought to be the most delicious pastries and cakes they had ever tasted. While these patrons were indeed loyal, they made up a relatively small circle. So when the bakery owner wanted to attract even more customers, he developed an incentive program that would reward his existing customers for bringing in new business.
The program was inexpensive yet highly successful: Both the referrer and new customer each received a free pastry. The small bakery owner discovered that his customers were eager to share their love for Sugar Rush with friends, family and coworkers. Soon the program brought in more new business—and greater revenue.
Like this small bakery owner, you may be hungry to grow your small business. Here are a few lead-generation tips and ideas to help you create your own sweet success.
Cater to your ideal customer.
Knowing your target audience is the first and most important step in any lead-generation strategy. You need to understand who your ideal customer is. At Spoke, we call this an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). Determine their needs and desires and what motivates them to take action. This information will help you create a message that engages your audience and motivates them to make a purchase.
Spice up your email marketing.
Email marketing is a cost-effective way to reach a large number of potential customers. By collecting email addresses from your website, social media or other sources, you can send targeted and personalized messages to your audience. Make sure to segment your email list based on specific demographics or interests to ensure that your messages are relevant and engaging. You may also want to include a section in your emails (and social media) that features user-generated content, such as customers sharing photos and stories of their favorite products and services. Customers love to hear from fellow brand followers who share their interests.
Create delectable content.
Offering benefit-oriented and thought-provoking content is an essential component of lead generation. By creating high-quality blog posts, videos and other content, you can attract new customers and establish yourself as an authority in your industry. Make sure your content is shareable, includes calls to action, and gives your audience all the information they need to make a purchase decision during every phase of their customer buyer journey.
Develop enticing offers.
Like the small bakery owner, look for more ways to create excitement and keep things fresh with your customer base. Promote offers and incentives to keep them coming back to your business. Give them reasons to spread the word about your products and services. And reward their patronage by offering discounts. Also, explore frequent buyer and referral programs as well as special sales initiatives.
For your business to stay relevant and expand, you need constant sources for lead generation. Treat these quick tips as idea starters for building your business. Soon, your growing customer base could be treating you to greater sales and revenue. Questions or comments? Feel free to reach out and discuss what your business is cooking up.
Steve Slais is Partner and Chief Creative Officer at Spoke Marketing. Spoke Marketing (www.spokemarketing.com) provides fully-integrated marketing and sales programs that define and activate the customer buyer journey.