If you’re looking to grow your business, it’s important to have an idea of where you’re going. However, this doesn’t mean you need to be able to predict every aspect of the future—what if something unexpected happens? Instead, focus on what you can do now with what resources are available. In this article, I’ll outline 10 different ways that small businesses can grow their customer base over time. So grab a pen and paper (or laptop) and let’s get started!
Understand who your ideal customer is.
The first step in getting 10K customers for your small business is to understand who your ideal customer is.
To do this, you need to know their needs and wants, what they are looking for in a product or service and how to reach them.
Create a zag and zig approach to company promotion.
Before you even think about what you’re going to do, it’s important to define the problem.
- What is the goal? What do you want your small business or product to achieve?
- Why does this matter? How will achieving this goal help your business grow (and maybe even save it)?
- Who has already done this successfully? Are there any other companies that have achieved similar results by doing something similar to what you’re thinking of doing now–and if so, how did they do it?
Have a brand look that customers recognize and love.
One of the most important things you can do to get 10K customers is to have a brand look that customers recognize and love. When people see your logo, they should instantly know who you are and what you stand for.
This does not mean that you need to have an elaborate or expensive logo design; in fact, some of the most successful businesses in history have kept their branding simple and effective by using either just one or two colors in their branding materials (such as Amazon’s orange). However, it does mean that if someone sees your company name without any other context around it – whether on social media or elsewhere – they should be able to connect with its meaning immediately because everything from how often it appears on social media posts (or even just how often those posts are shared) alludes back somehow towards something about yourself as an individual who started this business venture originally based upon some core beliefs about how things should work within society at large.”
Use social media to build your brand and reach out to new customers.
There are many ways to use social media for your small business, but the most important way is customer service. Social media can be a great way to build relationships with potential customers and answer their questions. It’s also a great tool for promoting your brand, especially if you have influencers in your industry sharing content about what you do.
If you’re not sure where to start or how much time it will take out of your day, here are some tips on how I use social media:
- Post consistently (at least once per day) – consistency matters! If people know they can always count on seeing something from you when they open up their feed or click over onto one of the platforms where we’ve created an account (website), then they’ll be more likely come back again next time around too!
- Be personal – don’t just post links randomly; include photos/videos too so people get a sense of who exactly “owns” this page/account which helps build rapport over time because remember: these aren’t just numbers anymore…they’re real life humans too!
Focus on quality over quantity when creating content for your business.
When it comes to content creation, quality is key. The more you can do for your business and your customers, the higher your chances are of getting those 10K customers.
That said, don’t be afraid to say no when someone contacts you about a potential client or service opportunity that doesn’t align with what needs to happen in order for them or their business to grow. It’s not always easy but it’s necessary if we want our businesses to succeed over time.
As an example: If someone wants me as their marketing consultant but they don’t want me spending any money on marketing (or any other service), then that’s probably not going anywhere fast because no one will ever know about them unless I take action myself (which defeats the purpose). We all need help sometimes but make sure whoever is helping understands what needs done before agreeing on anything else!
Don’t be afraid to reach out to the press about your company, especially if it’s a startup.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to the press about your company, especially if it’s a startup. Journalists are always looking for new stories, and they love hearing from startups with exciting ideas that could make great articles.
To get coverage in a major publication, you need a compelling story–a reason why someone should write about what you’re doing.
For example: If I were starting an online pet food delivery service (and let’s say this was in 2019), my pitch would sound something like this: “I’m launching an online pet food delivery service because there aren’t any good ones out there right now.” And then I’d tell them why that is so important: “Millions of people love their pets but don’t want to take time away from their busy lives; by delivering food directly from farms where animals are raised humanely and fed healthy diets free of pesticides or hormones…
Offer special deals and promotions for loyal customers.
- Offer special deals and promotions for loyal customers.
- Send them a gift, like an exclusive coupon or discount code that can be used on their next purchase.
- Invite them to an exclusive event, such as a private party or product launch party where they get first dibs on new products before anyone else does!
- Give them access to your VIP club where you offer limited edition merchandise/experiences only available through this membership program (i.e., access to secret sales).
Highlight customer testimonials on your website or in other advertising materials.
Customer testimonials are a great way to show off your customers’ satisfaction with your business.
A customer testimonial is a statement about your product or service, written by an actual customer. These statements can be used in advertisements and on social media to prove that others have enjoyed what you offer, which makes them more credible than other forms of advertising (such as celebrity endorsements or product placements). They also give potential customers insight into how someone else feels about what you do–and even if they don’t buy anything themselves, seeing others speak positively about something might inspire them to check it out!
Getting good customer testimonials isn’t always easy though–if someone has had a positive experience with your company then why wouldn’t they just say so? You’ll need some creativity here! Here are some ideas:
- Offer discounts and freebies as incentives for getting their permission first before sharing any information publicly (as part of an NDA agreement).
- Give away prizes/gifts whenever someone refers another friend who becomes active member within 30 days after joining themselves.*
By following some of these steps, you can grow your small business into something big!
- Don’t be afraid to take risks
- Don’t be afraid to try new things
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help from others, especially if it’s something you don’t know how to do or do well (and trust me, there are plenty of people who don’t know how to do what they do)
- Don’t be afraid of failure: if something doesn’t work out the first time around, try again! You never know when success might strike!
Conclusion
If you’re looking to grow your small business into something big, it’s important that you understand who your ideal customer is and how best to reach out to them. By following some of these steps, you can grow your small business into something big!