Ecommerce sales are projected to rise to $4.8 trillion globally by 2021. And over 1.5 billion people shopped online last year.

If you are someone that offers a product or service online, this is GREAT news!

But maybe you’re still wondering how to get clients in the first place.

Great question! And we’re here help you learn!

Read below for simple solutions to gaining quality clientele for your business.

How to Get Clients

You already have a great service to offer and a great staff to support you. So, why aren’t the new clients lining up at the door to work with you?

The truth is that in the age of the internet, businesses of all kinds have more competition. You have to set yourself apart even more than you have in the past.

There are tons of clients out there waiting for you, but in order to reach them, you need proven strategies for digital success. Depending on your business and the clientele you wish to reach, there are nuances to attracting new clients.

But there are a few strategies that should work no matter what your product or business

Let’s start with these 7 steps!

1. Find Clients Where They “Hang Out” Online

Chances are you already have an idea of who your ideal client is. Think about them now.

Are they male or female? Are they young or old? What kind of job do they have? What is their lifestyle like?

Now that you have an idea of who that client is, it’s time to investigate where they spend time online. Social media marketing is largely dependent on finding out where your audience is the most active.

You can use Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter to gain clients. But instead of posting on every media outlet you can think of, focus your energy on posting where you know your potential clients will be able to see and interact with your content.

Many of these platforms are free to join and free to post, so why not give it a try!

2. Leverage Your Existing Network

Whether you have been in business for years, or are just starting out, you already have one of the biggest sources of help to get new clients.

Your network!

Your personal and professional networks consist of the people, groups, and businesses you are connected to. Start making a list of the people that come to mind and brainstorm how you could contact them for support.

If you are a college graduate or part of a professional society, these are great communities to start with! 

3. Host an Event

If you have the means to host potential clients either in person or virtually, take advantage of it. Just because people spend a lot of time online, does not mean that they would turn down an opportunity to learn more about your business in person.

You can host an open house, or a charity event to advertise your business and all that it has to offer. You can also host a virtual event, like a webinar, to market to new clients. 

Choosing a virtual event will likely be the less expensive choice, but be sure that the content of the webinar is valuable to your potential clients while encouraging them to get to know more about you or the business you work for. 

4. Establish a Referral Partnership

Connecting with people in adjacent professions can help you and your business grow through the power of referral. 

Think about it like this. If you own a shoe store, you could partner with a sock store. That way, each of you can refer customers to the other’s business.

Be creative about who you reach out to about partnership. Don’t forget that everyone will want to know what’s in it for them. Make sure that you are also adding value to the partnership by offering money or another form of compensation.

5. Try a Livestream

Video media is up-and-coming as the most popular form of advertising. People would rather watch a video than read an article, so take advantage of it!

A Livestream is a lot like hosting a pre-recorded webinar, but live! This will appeal to clients while also pushing a sense of urgency because they want to experience it live.

Make sure that you are comfortable and prepared on the subject matter if you are going to choose to host a Livestream. 

6. Pay for Advertisements

While there are plenty of free strategies to attract clients to your business, there are also opportunities to pay for advertisements.

Platforms like Facebook offer affordable ad space that you can use to promote your business or services. You can choose the copy or images that are used for the ad, and you have control over how long the ad runs.

Online platforms that offer paid advertising have the ability to reach your target audience based on what they already know about their habits online. 

So, if you have exhausted free options, try a paid ad and see how it goes!

7. Start Your Own Website or Blog

If your business doesn’t already have a website, start one today! There are several easy-to-use website building tools online. Or, you can hire a professional to design your website. 

When designing your website, remember your audience (the ideal client you were thinking about earlier). What appeals to them? What do they most want to get from your website?

Adding a blog to your website can also boost your client numbers. With the right SEO, you will get increased traffic to your company website via the blog. If you are comfortable writing them yourself, go for it! If not, you can hire a freelance writer to assist. 

Good Luck

Now that you have a few new strategies for how to get clients, it’s time to put them into action!

If you are confident and passionate about your business, your clients will be too! Start to see your online potential turn to online success.

If you are interested in other digital marketing strategies, check out some of the other blogs!

Did you know that only 61% of companies feel that their digital marketing strategies are effective?

Digital marketing has become the new norm and if you’re not confident in your digital marketing strategy, then you may want to start figuring out ways to make it even more effective. 

With technology constantly changing and evolving so does the way that companies need to market which is why thinking outside of the box is so important. Adapting your strategy to fit current trends is extremely important when it comes to digital marketing. 

Keep reading for our guide to seven successful digital marketing strategies you should consider for your business. 

1. Give Your Brand Personality

In 2020, your company’s digital marketing strategy should already include some type of social media marketing but does your brand have a personality? Giving your brand a personality on social media is a big thing that you should add to your marketing strategy if you’re trying to revamp and get more creative. 

Having a social media presence and posting content is great for getting followers and advertising your products or services. When your brand has a personality and interacts with clients, that is when you go a step further. 

It’s a great way to help push sales and retain customers who will stay loyal to you. Being authentic and personal will help to humanize your brand and give it some personality that can really shine through on social media. 

2. Instagram Stories

Another huge part of social media marketing that is completely taking over is the Instagram Stories feature. One reason why this feature continues to dominate is because it is the first thing that users see when they open the Instagram app on their smartphones, so it is easily accessible. 

Besides that, Instagram Stories tend to be much more casual so your customers feel as if they can relate and connect with you on a more personal level. This is why you should make sure that Instagram is a big part of your digital marketing strategy.

There are tons of different ways you can engage and interact with your followers using the stories feature as well. For example, you can ask a question to get feedback or even post a ‘this or that’ poll on your Instagram Story. 

For business accounts, Instagram also has a ‘swipe up’ feature which means you can post a link to your products or services and users don’t even need to leave the app to make purchases or view your other content. This is an awesome way to promote anything outside of Instagram but this feature is only available for business accounts on Instagram. 

3. Social Media Influencers

Another great way to promote your brand is to let the pros do it. Social media influencers are a great way to get the word out there about your products to your target audience. 

When it comes to finding the right social media influencers for your brand it will take a little bit of time. You’re going to want to do a bit of research into each social media influencer to make sure that they align with your brand and its values.

Not doing research on a social media influencer before partnering with them could be detrimental to your brand. 

There are a few ways that you can partner with influencers who will promote your products. Sometimes you can send a few products to a social media influencer, and they will make a post about the products for free. 

On the other hand, you may need to pay them for a post or for them to talk about your products or services but in this case, you would get to approve what the post first. Social media influencers can greatly improve the way you market in 2020. 

4. Try Out Podcasting

Podcasting has started to become more and more popular in 2020 and is a great way to market your brand. There are two ways that you can include podcasting in your digital marketing strategy. The first is either by creating your own podcast or starring on other people’s podcasts. 

Obviously, when it comes to creating your own podcast this will be much more work. You will have to be able to record regular episodes meaning you will constantly be needing to come up with new and fresh content. It can also be quite difficult to build up an audience that listens to your podcasts routinely. 

The benefits of having your own podcast make it completely worth it! You will always have an outlet to promote your products as well as a way to express your opinions. 

The easier route would be to network with other podcasts and get a guest spot being interviewed on a popular podcast. Of course, this would be a one-time thing but it would also be a great way to get your company out there to a whole new audience. 

5. Vlogging

Whether you love it or hate it, vlogging isn’t going away anytime soon and is becoming even more popular to help companies advertise. One reason why vlogs are so popular is because more people feel like they can relate and connect with them. 

People like to shop with brands and companies that they can connect with on a personal level. You’ll find that more people will buy from companies who are down to earth and interact with them on social media than ones that do now. 

This is why vlogging has become such a great success! When you vlog you can speak directly to your viewer about behind the scenes events, products or services, or even just let them know about your day.  

Digital Marketing Strategies in 2020

When it comes to finding the best digital marketing strategies for your company you may have to do a bit of trial and error. Finding the most effective strategies depends on what your target audience will respond to positively. 

Overall, when it comes to your digital marketing strategy you need to make sure to stay on top of the changing trends. 

If you’re looking for even more ways to enhance your digital marketing strategy, then get in contact with me! I can help create a digital marketing strategy tailored to fit your needs. 

Trying to attract more traffic to your website? You’re not the only one. 61% of marketers say growing their search engine optimization (SEO) or organic presence is a high inbound marketing priority.

However, many companies are still attached to their outbound marketing tactics. 

Unsure about the difference between inbound and outbound marketing? You’re in luck! Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about the difference between inbound and outbound marketing. 

By learning the difference, you can create a well-rounded marketing plan for the new year!

Strengthen your marketing with this guide on inbound and outbound marketing.

What is Inbound Marketing?

Inbound marketing uses well-crafted tactics to attract buyers to your products or services. These tactics involve related content and incentives that inspire people to learn more. Inbound marketing tactics also encourage people to identify their needs and request more information before making a purchase. 

As a result, you’re attracting customers to you, rather than forcing your product or service on them.

Most inbound marketing tactics are aligned with content marketing. These programs allow you to attract unknown people to interact with your business. 

One difference between inbound and outbound marketing is the focus on personalization.

Inbound marketing tactics allow companies to craft personalized messages in order to reach prospective buyers. Companies can also split their audiences into buyer personas in order to develop different messages.

By using personalization, you’re more likely to create brand loyalty and trust. As a result, prospects are more likely to become long-term customers. Then, you can build your business through repeat purchases. 

With digital inbound marketing tactics, you’ll have the data you need to optimize your marketing campaigns. Then, you can make informed decisions regarding how you can improve your campaigns and attract more customers.

Types of Inbound Marketing

Inbound marketing tactics allow companies to attract prospects to inquire about your products or services.

For example, SEO allows you to rank your website higher on search engines like Google. People search Google to find answers to their questions about products, services, or common problems. By writing SEO-optimized content, you can encourage people to visit your website and learn more about your business.

You can also use content marketing in combination with SEO to attract prospective buyers.

Content marketing includes creating infographics, social media posts, and videos. 52% of marketers said video is the content medium with the highest return on investment.

Social media, on the other hand, allows you to connect with prospects and customers.

One difference between inbound and outbound marketing is it creates a two-way conversation. You can use social media to create a dialogue and learn more about your customers.

You can also use inbound marketing to connect your campaigns. Creating a cohesive user experience will help you lead potential customers through the sales funnel. As people learn about your business, they’ll learn to trust you as well.

What is Outbound Marketing?

Even before the term “marketing” existed, companies focused on finding ways to convince consumers to buy their products. However, many of the traditional outbound marketing tactics were and are intrusive. 

These marketing tactics demand that people pay attention. With outbound marketing, marketers are focused on getting the word out about their products. However, they’re less focused on creating a positive experience for their consumers. 

Instead of attracting customers toward your business, outbound marketing focuses on pushing the business on consumers.

Outbound marketing starts with some basic understanding of your target audience. Then, it builds a program to educate those prospects about your products and services. 

One difference between inbound and outbound marketing is the later is a one-way conversation. Outbound marketing focuses on the product and why prospects should purchase it. However, outbound marketing is focused on reaching a larger, broader audience.

As a result, this causes marketers to create a broad message in order to reach the largest number of people. However, this leads you unable to focus on attracting and retaining long-term customers.

Pushing a broad message on your audience isn’t effective. Today, people know how to avoid these marketing tactics. If you’re solely using outbound marketing, you need to consider how to reach your prospects and what will turn them into customers.

Types of Outbound Marketing

There are various types of outbound marketing tactics you can choose from. Regardless of which you choose, these outbound marketing tactics help companies get the word out about their products or services. However, it’s important to remember these marketing tactics are designed to reach a broad audience.

For example, many companies using print and direct mail marketing. 

This outbound marketing tactic allows advertisers to market their products and services in print magazines and newspapers. 

The first magazine was printed in the mid-18th century. Since then, companies have used print ads to announce their products and services. 

Direct mail, on the other hand, involves catalogs, flyers, and “junk mail” you might find in your mailbox. 

One difference between inbound and outbound marketing is outbound is easy to avoid. We’re used to finding and disposing of junk mail as soon as we receive it. As a result, many companies find direct mail marketing a waste of money. 

Another popular form of outbound marketing is TV and radio ads. Back in the 1920s, advertisers began sponsoring shows in order to play their ads. Now, companies use TV and radio ads to craft creative, innovative ads to entertain and attract new customers. 

Billboards are also a common form of outbound marketing. However, it’s easy for customers to drive right by these ads. 

These marketing tactics also lack personalization. Meanwhile, you’ll lack the data you need to make adjustments for improving your ads. As a result, you might fail to strengthen your ads for a better ROI.

Understanding The Difference Between Inbound and Outbound Marketing

Knowing the difference between inbound and outbound marketing can help you craft stronger campaigns. By combining the two, you can reach more customers and ensure your company continues to grow.

Ready to get started? Contact me today to start using inbound and outbound marketing to grow your business.

92% of individuals trust word-of-mouth recommendations. It only shows the power of peer to peer marketing. 

Peer to peer marketing is very powerful because it relies on who you listen to the most. Your wife, your closest friends or co-workers could be the reason why you make a decision. 

More importantly, your peers reflect your choices. That’s why peer to peer marketing is on the rise and a pivotal part of our lives if it’s looking at what our peers say on Yelp or Google to what they say to us in person. 

Peer to peer marketing is becoming more important than ever, especially with Generation Z influencers on social media. 

This kind of marketing is incredibly important to your business and how to get people to talk to other people about your business. 

Here’s what you need to know about peer to peer marketing and how it’s changing the future of advertising and business. 

Pick a Niche for Peer to Peer Marketing

As with any kind of advertising, you have to pick a niche in order to for peer to peer marketing to succeed. 

You have to solve a problem for a specific audience. This will help you uncover what kind of marketing you want to do for a specific audience and help you develop your product. 

More importantly, figuring out your niche will help you discover what kind of problems your customer has and who is your current competition that is also serving your customer. 

Figuring out your niche, specifically who your core audience is, can help you figure out how to best reach your audience.

You’ll find that influencer or peer to peer marketing is something that Millenials and Gen Z heavily rely on when they make their decisions.

They are looking for authenticity over just a brand name. 

You can find more about digital marketing trends in 2020 on our website that help supplement your marketing approach, specifically how to stay on top of market trends in your industry.  

The Do’s and Don’ts

You don’t want to pick 5 different niches as an attempt to sale to everyone. The broader you get, the less valuable people see you because you are trying to serve everybody. 

You do want to pick a niche, focus on the customer, and show what authentic your product is and what it can do for them. 

Influencer Marketing Strategies

After you’ve picked a niche and figured out who your target market is, you’ll need to create an effective message. More importantly, you need to figure out how to send this message.

Influencer marketing is on the rise because it takes into account the authenticity of the message over the salesmanship. 

People want a genuine message about a product that relates to them. They want to hear from people who have had the same experiences and struggles that they have had. It’s why people buy from influencers because they have the answer. 

This is why businesses are hiring influencers to speak about their products. 

An influencer who has millions of fans gives a shout out to your business will often do wonders for your business as opposed to doing something yourself.

The Do’s and Don’ts

Don’t try to market your product yourself with your influence if you don’t have any followers. 

What you should do is reach out to influencers who take your product to the next level. Influencers can show the authenticity of it. They can make it more relatable to your ideal customer. 

Offer Incentives to Your Customers

A coupon or points can act as an incentive to your customers. 

Peer to peer marketing is about appearing authentic in how you tell people about your product, which can then lead to other people telling their friends and family about your product. 

This is called word-of-mouth. 

Word-of-mouth or someone who refers to your business is also a form of peer to peer marketing that doesn’t necessarily involve influencers. It just involves other people telling other people. 

One way to increase the likelihood of this happening is by offering customers an incentive every time they refer somebody to your business. You can send out an email that offers a discount for when they fill out a review of your business. 

Or you can have a referral program that offers promotions and discounts to your customers every time they refer somebody to your business.

The Do’s and Don’ts

Don’t tell your customers to refer to other businesses without an incentive. 

What you should do is offer an incentive that gives people a reason to talk about your business. It also gives them a reason to come back to your business.  You are creating a lifelong customer. 

In addition to peer to peer marketing strategies, you should also figure out how to build a brand name to attract influencers. You can read more about how to build a social media campaign on our blog. 

How Does Peer to Peer Marketing Affect Your Business? 

Peer to peer marketing is about creating authenticity. And authenticity is built on trust and peer to peer marketing. 

Newer generations want to be able to trust the product, and who better to trust than someone who is exactly like them, like an influencer. 

Influencer marketing is becoming more prevalent because it’s less about the history of the brand name and more about the personalized message. Marketing is more personal than ever because it focuses on the individual and their needs. 

As a business owner, you have to decide how to get your message to your audience with peer to peer marketing. Who is spreading the news of your product? 

It can be influencers on social media. It can be offering discounts to past clients as a way to incentivize them to spread the word about your product. 

You can find more information on how we help businesses with peer to peer marketing by contacting us.