Each day, businesses compete to grab potential customers’ attention—on social media, on the web, in print ads and multimedia platforms, and in physical retail spaces. It’s a big challenge for start-ups and new small businesses. So, how do you make your business stand out? How will you turn heads?
In this article, let us learn the effective ways to get your customers’ attention—straight from the experts.
First—Plan, Plan, Plan
Remember that to get your customers’ attention, you first need a comprehensive marketing plan. It all starts with a plan. It includes branding, promotions, products and services, pricing, and advertising across several platforms.
It is essential for a starting business to get out there and be heard. Before establishing your presence, decide on the message you want to convey to your potential customers. What value can your product or service add to their lives? Why are you different from your competitors? How can they reach you?
Be clear with your message and stay consistent. With this, you will be confident to get your customers’ attention and keep them engaged to be regular customers.
Inconsistencies in your themes and message will confuse your target consumers, which will leave a bad impression.
A good business strategy consultant can help you identify common issues or problems that you might encounter as you start your business.
Keep in mind that grabbing customers’ attention is not your end-goal. Of course, they must be interested enough to make a purchase. Then, they must feel valued so you will win their loyalty.
As promised, here are 7 effective ways to get your customers attention. Keep reading!
1. Offer Discounts and Freebies
Even as a business owner, you get interested in discounts too, right? So why not offer them to your customers?
To make a good first impression, you can offer introductory discounts. It’s proven to be one of the effective ways to get consumers’ attention. Discounts and freebies serve as a reward or an incentive. Psychologically, discounts give your target consumers a sense of urgency to make a purchase.
You can offer discounts or free vouchers to the first 5 or 20 customers. Or, free passes will only be available for a week or two. It is expected that people would not want to miss out on these good deals. These purchase incentives will also help those who are still a little hesitant to avail your services or products. It will make them feel good and change their shopping habits.
As you make a first good impression, make sure that you keep your consumers engaged. If you are in the food business, give your new customers a free voucher for their next meal with you, or a complimentary drink or food.
Observe which products and perks are availed most. By determining the trend, you will be able to plan for your next strategies on your business roadmap. A business strategy consultant can help you determine good deals that can help you generate more profits by attracting new customers and repeat clients.
2. Reward Referrals
Encourage customer referrals by giving them perks. If you are offering a good deal, these referrals would be enticed to do the same thing. It’s like a snowball effect.
You may include this in your customer loyalty program. Benefits and rewards will make your regular customers feel valued, while attracting new ones.
3. Expand your Network—Start Local
With social media and other online platforms, it’s relatively easy to advertise to a broad audience anywhere they are in the world.
However, as you extend your reach, make sure that your business is known in your local community too.
You can join community groups or business associations to broaden your network. As you meet new people in these groups, you will gain more business leads and referrals.
These groups also organize regular community events. In these events, you can apply the effective ways to get customers’ attention that you will learn in this article. Tell them who you are and how you can help with your products and services.
If you are into a crafting business, you can participate in fairs and workshops. You may offer samplers during summer art programs and the likes.
The more present you are in your locality; more people will get to know you and your business.
Also, being in a group with the same vision could inspire you with your next steps and strategies in expanding your business.
4. Support a Good Cause—For Real
Customers want to feel good about every purchase. Sure, discounts and freebies can gratify them. But, some, if not most, consumers would be more than happy to spend their money on something that supports a greater cause.
If you cannot afford to support a cause yet, you can include this goal in your business roadmap.
How do you know which cause to support? As mentioned earlier, joining community groups will give you opportunities to learn about relevant issues. Or, go back to the causes that you personally support, and engage your business.
You may commit to donating a fixed amount monthly, or give a percentage of your sales to your chosen charity. It helps to be transparent so that your customers will know that you are sincere with your gesture, and that it’s more than just a marketing strategy.
Customers are smart. They will know if you are just bluffing. So, keep it real.
5. Please Their Eyes
Definitely, this is one of the effective ways to get customers’ attention.
Do you remember how many times you stopped in the grocery aisle to check out a product for its beautiful packaging? How long did it take for you to tap the “Skip Ad” tab when a vibrant commercial played while watching a video?
Remember that aesthetics can make or break your marketing campaign. Aesthetics refers to how your product looks or its visual appeal.
Bold colors and unique fonts are indeed attention grabbers. However, going big is not always appropriate. Or else, you may attract attention for all the wrong reasons.
Make sure that your design, colors, fonts, and style are visually appealing to your target consumers while being consistent with your branding. Also, the visuals should be consistent in all your platforms.
Meanwhile, Wharton Magazine argues that aesthetics is more than “visual elegance”. As they put it, aesthetics is a pleasurable experience derived from buying or consuming a product. Hence, customers would pay not only for the utility of their purchase. Instead, they will be willing to spend for the delightful experience.
6. Post Quality Content
Websites and social media pages are a must for businesses these days. Imagine all businesses in one place. The Internet is a big marketplace. How do you get your customers’ attention?
While a visually appealing website will attract visitors, quality content will more likely generate customers.
What is quality content that will get your customers’ attention?
Put yourself in your reader’s shoes. For sure, you will be attracted to information that will add value to your life.
Answer these questions: What do my customers care about? What is relevant and helpful for them? Does my content educate or entertain?
Remember that quality content come hand-in-hand with a user-friendly interface. Your reader must be able to navigate your website easily. The information they need must be easily accessible. Use tags, links, and keywords.
Make them stay in your page or website as long as possible. This way, you can expect them to make a purchase or consider you once the need arises.
7. Maximize Information Technology (IT)
Investing on the services of an expert IT business consultancy may be the key to effectively get your customers’ attention.
These experts will assess your existing IT solutions and tools for marketing and other business goals. Based on their evaluation, they can give strategic IT advice.
Seeking professional advice, either from a business strategy consultant or an IT business consultancy, will always be worth the investment.
What’s Next?
We have laid out 7 effective ways to get your customers attention. We hope that you will keep learning more about your customers so you will know how to turn their heads despite the competition.
Seek professional advice. Make a strategic plan. Be consistent. Be relevant.
