A healthy customer base is key to business success. Attracting new clients is vital to company growth and maintaining relevance in the marketplace. Equally, retaining existing clients is essential as their loyalty ensures stability and bolsters your company’s reputation.
It is therefore important that your marketing strategies to expand your customer base do not alienate your current clientele. Here are three avenues to explore which could help your business reach a larger and more varied audience without you having to change your core offering.
Improve your SEO
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. This is a branch of digital marketing that seeks to improve website rankings on online search engines such as Google.
The three key practices of SEO are technical development, content optimisation and building a backlink profile. In other words, SEO looks at how your website works, what it says and who is recommending your business.
Websites with a higher ranking are seen as relevant and trustworthy by search engines and are therefore shown in a higher position on the results page in response to a query. This means that more people in your target audience will see your website more frequently, significantly improving your company’s visibility.
Prioritise sustainability
Increasingly, consumers are concerned with sustainability. This means that investing in sustainable practices can improve profitability because customers, particularly the younger demographic, will value your commitment to environmental and social responsibility.
A great way to demonstrate a commitment to sustainability is to become a B Corp business. B Corp is a certification that recognises companies that place value on creating positive social change. To become certified, you will need to make your operations as sustainable as possible. This might include switching suppliers, changing product materials and minimising your carbon footprint.
The government is also heavily invested in sustainability, driving green values across a range of industries in their goal to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. A prime example of this is the development and implementation of eco-friendly technologies such as electric cars and heat pumps for houses.
If you are championing a carbon-neutral endeavour, you could explore the possibility of renewable energy insurance to help safeguard your scheme. These projects are complex and often collaborative, and it’s important to take steps to protect your work and business where possible.
Partnerships and collaborations
We are in the age of social media where influencers receive major endorsements to sell products. This is the modern representation of the age-old marketing understanding that people buy from people.
Partnering with high-profile figures, whether celebrities or leaders in your community, is a great way to broaden your audience. Work with like-minded people who share your values to ensure that you are reaching a customer base that will respond favourably to your product.
Collaborations are also a fantastic opportunity for creativity, such as designing special-edition products that will delight clients old and new. You could also start a charity project or simply give a donation which will boost your reputation with those who champion social change.
