I wrote about this in 2010, however, I am going to address it again because I can’t stress enough how important it is.
Every business sector is different in both the products and services they offer and the type of customer they cater to. The key to growth for any business is attracting new customers. But do you know the best way to attract new customers to your business?
Do you know where your customers come from? How do they find out about you? If you don’t know, you should.
There are so many ways a customer can find you: Mass media advertising, Facebook, Twitter, referrals, Google, online ads or driving by and seeing your sign. It is valuable to find out how customers found out about you.
Whenever a new customer calls us, we ask the question, “How did you find out about us?” It would make life a lot easier if they all had the same answer, but of course they don’t. In the past few weeks new customers have found us by searching “marketing” or “large format printing” in Google; our exterior signage, our website and by referrals from other customers. This is the norm for us now. Ten years ago, most inquiries came from the Yellow Pages section of the phone book, now it is through online applications like our website, Google, Facebook or as a subscriber to my marketing tips. Very rarely do people respond that they found us any other way.
How are your new customers finding you? It doesn’t matter what business you are in, you need to know the answer. When you get a random call or visit from a prospective customer ask the question. It just takes a few seconds, and the customer will gladly give you the answer. Keep track of the answers and the results could be the framework for how you market your business in the future. You might discover you have been spending your marketing budget in the wrong place.