Customer Acquisition in Practice:
Proven Online Techniques for SMEs
Want more customers, but your marketing budget is finite? You don’t have to think about expensive campaigns. There are proven, cost-effective online marketing techniques that can help any SME achieve spectacular results. Here are three essential tools you can start using today to acquire new customers.
- Local Search Engine Optimization (Local SEO): Be the Local King! People search for services near them. Your most important first step: optimize your Google Business Profile! Upload high-quality photos, collect customer reviews (and respond to them!), and ensure your opening hours are accurate. A well-maintained profile will get you to the top of local search results and Google Maps for free.
- Targeted Social Media Ads: Don’t shoot in the dark. Facebook’s and Instagram’s advertising platforms allow you to target your ideal customers with pinpoint accuracy based on age, interests, location, and behavior. Even with a small daily budget, you can reach people who are genuinely interested in your product, dramatically increasing your ad spend’s return.
- Email Marketing: The Forgotten Goldmine Your email list is your own, independent customer database. Offer a small discount or a useful downloadable guide to subscribers. With regular, value-packed newsletters (tips, news, exclusive offers), you can build trust and nurture potential leads into repeat customers. It’s one of the marketing tools with the highest return on investment.
These three techniques are effective on their own, but when used together, you can build a stable system that consistently brings in new customers.