Piper Blog

With the new year comes new opportunities for small to medium businesses to thrive. With advancements in internet technology, a small business can achieve big business goals. The trick is by combining traditional golden rules of marketing, with new online strategies.

These 3 tips will help you boost sales in the short term, while in the long term build a strong profitable business that will continue to flourish.

1. Focus on keeping your existing customers - build customer loyalty

It will always cost more money to find new customers, than to keep your existing customers. This year instead of fighting to constantly bring on board new business, why not take a moment to see what you can do to keep your existing customers coming back. Show your existing customers that you appreciate their ongoing commitment to you business by:

- Rewarding loyal customers with discounts, incentives and members cards

- Throwing special VIP events

- Give great customer service, so it is a pleasure to deal with your business

- Keep in contact via email marketing, sms campaign or direct marketing so you stay at the front of your customers mind.

- Encourage and reward your existing customers for referring their friends and family to your business

2. Push Sales Online

A website presence is a relatively low-cost way for a small business to punch above its weight. In fact, The MYOB Business Monitor found that three in 10 businesses with a website increased revenue in the past year, compared with 23 per cent without a website.

A Study from eBay Advertising shows that 88% of shoppers plan to research online before buying, and a whopping 85% of consumers intend to maintain or increase their online shopping this year.

More and more shoppers are moving their shopping habits online, and if they can’t find your business and products easily then they are likely to purchase from your competitors. There is so much that can be done online, book a free consultation for some ideas and advice.

3. Leverage from your customer database

Databases are gold for businesses - every person that comes into contact with your business whether online or offline should go into your database. However a database must be maintained and cleaned in order to yield leads and sales. Ideally all of your customer data should be stored in the one place, using a special database software called a Customer Relationship Manager (CRM). Once you have an organised database it will be the working horse of your business, helping you keep in contact with your customers, reminding you to follow up leads, and showing you new opportunities for cross-selling your products.

This is only the tip of the iceberg, for more ideas on how to grow your business in 2011, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook.

Have a great weekend!
Nat

Sources:
http://econsultancy.com/us/blog/4939-outlook-for-online-retail-is-bright-this-christmas-survey
Shoppers flock to online retailers | Courier Mail http://www.couriermail.com.au/