One recent article at AfricaEconomicAnalysis.org notes that the Nigerian economy, like many other economies worldwide, is upheld largely by small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) which employ 250 people or less.
Lack of government support for SMEs can make starting a new company in Nigeria difficult, but it’s a worthwhile endeavor, as SMEs provide about 50% of the employment and industrial output of Nigeria.
As a start-up company, you’re hoping to overcome the odds with a great product and a solid business plan, but now it’s time to put that plan into action by attracting new customers.
This is undoubtedly one of the most difficult parts of starting a new business, but there are plenty of options and tools for attracting new customers as quickly as possible to your business.
Here are five great ways to quickly attract new customers to your business:
How to Attract New Customers to Your Business
1. Know Your Niche
If you don’t already have detailed information about your target demographic, it’s time to get to know your niche.
You need a more detailed target than “females aged eighteen and over.”
These days, consumers are bombarded by advertisements and connections that they are likely to respond only to those that are really targeted towards them.
So now is the time to define your target audience and to understand your niche.
While this step won’t directly attract new customers, it will help you hone your entire advertising and social marketing campaign, which will attract more customers in the long run than a broader campaign targeted towards a larger but less defined audience.
2. Piggyback on an Established Business
One excellent way to reach your target audience is to use an established business with a very similar target demographic to reach new potential customers.
Find another business in your area that isn’t a competitor but that provides products or services to a similar audience.
Then, see if you can team up with that business to promote your own while giving them an edge.
For instance, offer the established business some of your products or gift cards to give away with a purchase.
This makes you both look great and can give you an easy way to reach potential customers.
3. Give Away Samples
Even if you can’t give away products through another local business, you should give away samples of your products if at all possible.
Offer free samples at local markets, free samples with purchase, or free samples through social media websites.
People love free things, and you can easily gain long-term customers if your samples show that you offer high-quality, interesting products.
4. Connect on Social Media
This one is a no-brainer right now. Social media is a free – or at least incredibly cheap – way to connect with potential customers, and if you want to start a successful business today, you have got to connect with social media.
Facebook and Twitter are the obvious options, but you should also start a company blog and check out other options like LinkedIn.
Then, start connecting with potential customers by leveraging the social media connections you already have.
5. Give to Get
When trying to win new customers for your small business start-up, remember that you have to give to get.
This means starting with a plan for spending your advertising dollars wisely so that you can get new customers for your small business.
If you don’t have the cash at the moment to “spend money so that you can make money,” credit card reviews can help you choose a great business credit card that can give you the financial boost you need for your advertisement spending.
As long as you spend with a purpose and have a plan in mind, credit cards and other types of loans are great options for attracting customers to your new business.
