How to attract new clients to your business quickly and correctly - working methods and channels for attracting clients. Ways to attract customers to a store or other establishment How to attract customers' attention with advertising

Hello! In this article we will tell you how to attract customers and increase sales in , and introduce you to the principles of customer focus.

Today you will learn:

  1. What does "customer centricity" mean?
  2. What are the main ways to attract clients?
  3. What acquisition channels can be used.

The success of the development of any business project directly depends on the number of clients. The issue of attracting them remains the main one for any enterprise that is interested in a stable increase in sales and making profits. Any methods and techniques are used, different ways of presenting information that help to interest potential buyers of the product.

Customer Focus

Customer centricity refers to an important element of any business, aimed at finding ways to satisfy customers and their needs. This helps ensure the most complete and constant flow, increasing sales.

In simple words, companies direct all resources to studying the needs of consumers, and the principle “the customer is always right” is put into practice.

It is customer focus that can make a business project more effective and increase turnover. This is not just about improving the quality of service or sending SMS messages with promotional offers. This is the desire to please in everything and turn a casual visitor into a regular customer.

Basic rules of customer focus:

  • All staff must be attentive to visitors and try to anticipate their wishes;
  • Customer focus needs to be developed within the company itself and directed towards employees;
  • Any changes to the range, models or modifications should be dictated only by the desire to give consumers maximum benefit, and not by the whims of business owners;
  • Service must be ahead of the demands of visitors.

Establishing customer focus starts from within the company. To do this, management can encourage sales managers and other personnel with cash bonuses for high quality service. Regular trainings, where conflict situations and the peculiarities of communication with “problem” clients are worked out, have a good effect.

Basic principles of customer focus

  1. Conscientious attitude to work. To satisfy the needs of customers, you should be diligent in serving each person and offering them only high-quality, high-quality products.
  2. Attention to every detail. It is necessary to take into account points that may cause dissatisfaction or irritation, and eliminate shortcomings in the work of service personnel.
  3. Studying customer needs. In addition to studying wishes and requirements for products, you can establish feedback. This will help you understand whether the expectations from the quality or properties of the purchased item were met.
  4. Working ahead. To attract potential customers, you need to provide better service than the potential buyer expects. Having received positive emotions, he will definitely return and tell his friends about the company.
  5. Desire to understand the consumer. A good way to work on weaknesses is to put yourself in the shoes of a potential client. This will help to understand whether he is comfortable making a purchase and how high-quality the product is offered to him.

The company must understand who its potential customers are and what they expect from the product or service. It is necessary to build relationships based on trust and mutual understanding. This is not always profitable for the company in the early stages, but it will certainly bring excellent income in the future.

Main channels for attracting clients

Customer acquisition channels refer to various ways of establishing contact between a buyer and a seller. They should be created by the entrepreneur himself, who is interested in increasing income. He can use active or passive channels, adjusting them to the characteristics of goods or services.

The most interesting active channels for attracting customers are:

Dealership

The channel involves the redistribution of sales between different companies (direct manufacturer and intermediate distributor of goods).

Among the positive aspects of such a recruitment channel:

  • High productivity and achieving results in a short time;
  • Availability of trained marketers and personnel who understand the intricacies of advertising, display or promotion of brands;
  • Savings, which consist in the absence of the need for the manufacturer to hire such employees, spend time and money on advertising campaigns.

Direct sales

In this case, the channel is sought by the entrepreneur himself, who tries, during a personal meeting, to persuade the client to buy and to conclude a deal. It is actively used in the field.

Has the following advantages:

  • The goal is to obtain a result, i.e. a product or service sold;
  • It gives high productivity, because in a personal meeting the chances of achieving a positive result are much higher.

Disadvantages of the direct sales channel:

  • High costs for training and constant retraining of personnel;
  • There is a risk that the time spent on a potential buyer will not pay off;
  • Finding an individual approach to each customer, which requires time.

Partnership

This channel involves concluding a cooperation agreement between two companies or private entrepreneurs. It aims to share the customer base, increase it and cater to a large segment of the market.

Such a union has advantages:

  • Saving the budget of enterprises;
  • Quick launch of projects and the possibility of wide coverage.

But with a partnership, there is always a risk of losing profit or part of the clientele if the other party is deceived or unexpectedly withdraws from the project.

Telemarketing

A popular and well-known channel that is actively used by many commercial companies. It does not involve direct sales and meetings with the client. Managers limit themselves to a short telephone conversation, where they voice a proposal and talk about the merits of the product.

Benefits of telemarketing:

  • A fairly economical channel that eliminates unproductive trips and loss of time moving around the city;
  • Short period before the channel launch.

Of the negative points:

  • Minimum opportunities for product presentation;
  • A small number of products that can be sold under such conditions.

The so-called “word of mouth” has always been the best channel for attracting new consumers. Many satisfied customers not only return, but also willingly recommend the company or its products to acquaintances and friends, and post reviews on the Internet.

The main advantages of such a channel:

  • Big savings on advertising;
  • The effectiveness of reviews based on trust among friends.

Disadvantages:

  • The need to find an individual approach to each client, which requires professionalism from the staff;
  • The duration of promotion of the method, which takes several months or even years.

It would be a mistake not to use all channels to one degree or another. Experienced entrepreneurs skillfully manipulate the strengths of each, achieving good results and sales.

Ways to attract clients

When opening a new enterprise, there is a need to find consumers. At this stage, you should use various methods that will help make the brand or store more recognizable.

Simple and inexpensive ways to disseminate information include:

  • Post advertisements in areas with the highest traffic volumes of potential buyers.. This method is designed for consumers who do not have the Internet or older people. Ads should be original and eye-catching.
  • Ask acquaintances and friends to spread information about the new company among their circle. This will help not only attract your first customers, but also create a certain positive image from reviews and improve your reputation.
  • Distribute leaflets periodically to passers-by on the street. A good marketing move would be to exchange such a leaflet for a discount, bonus card or small gift. It can be passed on to friends or work colleagues, which will only increase the circle of people who know about the company or brand.
  • Take advantage of different advertising options using the Internet, television or print media. Inexpensive options include colorful billboards, signs or banners.
  • Presents for first clients. A small discount on a purchase will not hit the enterprise’s budget, but will attract attention through word of mouth, bring in new guests, and quickly pay for itself in turnover.

For new businesses, it is important to create a positive first impression. If you immediately choose to focus on a satisfied client, the company will quickly and more confidently consolidate its position in the market.

For businesses that want to increase profits due to a large number of customers, marketers suggest using a wide range of interesting and creative ways:

  • The right approach to product demonstration. It is better to involve display specialists (merchandisers) who will help present the products with a “face” and design the display windows in an original way.
  • Give customers the opportunity to save. This is a normal desire for most consumers, so a small gift on your first or regular visit will attract attention (an additional bonus service in a beauty salon, a free cocktail for new cafe clients).
  • Issue of limited coupons. A good way of advertising and an option to increase sales. With quality service, some visitors with coupons will remain regular consumers.
  • Discounts and discount cards for regular customers. This option works well with a cumulative bonus system, stimulating purchases of goods or services in one place.
  • Drawing valuable prizes and holding lotteries. The costs will be more than recouped by attracting a large number of new customers.
  • Original design of all signs. They should attract attention, inform about promotions and evoke a positive attitude, and be remembered by random passers-by.
  • The highlight of the service. A good example is pampering customers with a cup of coffee and candy with the establishment’s logo on the wrapper.
  • Spectacular appearance. In any store or salon that wants to attract customers, attention is paid not only to the presentation of goods or the sign. What matters is an unobtrusive pleasant smell, convenient arrangement of shelves, level of illumination and cleanliness of staff uniforms.

Such methods can be combined and combined in different sequences. Only by constantly reminding about your brand can you achieve an increase in demand and an increase in customer flow.

How to attract clients during a crisis

The latest financial crisis hit the pockets of consumers at all levels. Sales of non-essential goods have dropped noticeably, and many services are not in demand. With the aim of resource economy and the desire to interact more closely with potential buyers, many companies are intensifying their work on the Internet.

In times of crisis, searching for an answer to a question “how to attract new clients?” becomes the main task of all management personnel. Among the latest developments of marketers that will help during a crisis are:

Use of advertising on the Internet

During an economic downturn, banners in print publications become a luxury and do not bring the expected profit (and circulations themselves are reduced). Using contextual or useful articles with links and interesting information will perfectly attract attention to the product.

Development of your own website

You can use it as an excellent economical option. With its help, the main information is presented well, it is easier to describe the positive aspects of a service or product, and stimulate its purchase.

In the age of technology, every company strives. It will bring good results if an experienced specialist handles the filling and promotion. Much attention must be paid to the quality of design, extraordinary presentation of materials, and adaptation of the site to mobile devices.

Increasing active sales

This is a good option for attracting customers, which can increase income if presented correctly. It is better to invite a trained specialist to play the role of call manager. He will try, using various techniques, to persuade someone to conclude an agreement or transaction, and will be able to present the product in the most favorable light.

These can be conducted not only through telephone conversations. A new option is sending emails to clients with offers or auction coupons.

To increase interest in the manufacturer and the company among Internet users, creative and extraordinary methods should be used: holding competitions and drawings for valuable prizes, producing humorous content, and giving subscribers more positive emotions.

How to attract new clients using the Internet

The number of active Internet users is growing rapidly every year. Therefore, you should not ignore such a simple and very effective channel for attracting customers to your business. With the right approach, it can reach a large number of potential consumers living in remote areas.

As we said, every company tries to have its own website. To attract visitors, it must become a real showcase with perfect layout, interesting design and the most convenient feedback.

It can be used as or as a product catalog, conduct surveys about products or organize prize draws.

The best ways to attract customers to your business using the World Wide Web are increasingly showing greater effectiveness than conventional marketing techniques.

The most popular options available to any entrepreneur:

  • . We are talking about “promotion” using modern techniques. It is better to attract a marketing specialist who will select high-quality content and help raise the site to the first place in the search engine.
  • Managing groups and communities on social networks. Entertainment sites like Odnoklassniki or Vkontakte have long become an excellent trading and advertising platform. Attracting customers with their help is an inexpensive but very effective way. In some cases, the group perfectly replaces the website, giving consumers quick feedback and maximum information about the products. But the result will only come if you regularly fill it with good and meaningful content and maintain activity in the community at a high level.
  • . Another way to attract customers on the Internet, which is based on searching for certain phrases or words. It is often resorted to in the initial stages of “promotion”. It is quite expensive, so it is better to use the services of professionals to set up contextual advertising.
  • . The method of attraction is to distribute letters with a commercial or promotional offer to the email addresses of potential clients. This is a fairly effective channel that requires certain skills. Therefore, it is better to entrust email campaigns to an experienced specialist who knows how to prevent these advertising emails from ending up in spam.
  • Teaser advertising. It is configured for a specific group of potential consumers and appears in different parts of the monitor. Offers the company's services to people most interested in it.
  • . The new method is gaining momentum and allows you to attract customers with interesting reviews and testimonials in video format. You can use hidden advertising by inviting famous bloggers or media personalities to “praise” the products for a small fee.

If you have no knowledge in this area, you can contact. On specialized sites you can find specialists who will help you attract clients for a reasonable fee. In times of crisis, it is brand promotion via the Internet that can generate the largest percentage of new consumers with minimal investment.

Mistakes that prevent you from attracting clients

Many businesses spend huge amounts of money on attracting new customers, but complain about low returns and lack of the desired result.

By studying the principles of their operation and maintenance, you can identify several typical errors:

  • There is no clear portrait of the consumer of goods or services. A successful company always collects and analyzes information about customers. This helps create advertisements and promotions targeted at a specific niche.
  • The staff is not familiar with new customer optimization techniques and does not participate in special trainings.. Interesting programs in the form of webinars are often demonstrated on the Internet, and experienced psychologists can help organize training.
  • A small number of methods are used. Management must skillfully manipulate any available methods to attract new customers. You can simultaneously combine active advertising on the Internet and hand out flyers to passers-by, hold prize draws in the store and post videos on your own channel.
  • There is no specific selling proposition that will make the brand and products stand out from other competitors. It should explain all the benefits of the product, the features of the manufacturer and the benefits for the buyer.
  • Managers do not master cold calling techniques and do not know how to provide information as profitably and completely as possible.

One piece of advice that business and marketing coaches often give to small and medium-sized business owners is that in order to attract new customers, you need to offer them something free, something they will find difficult to refuse. And initially this is really correct advice.

The free first step perfectly removes objections, can significantly increase conversion, and allows you to warm up a “cold” audience and instill trust in them. Particularly successful examples also create a viral effect. By the way, the first step may not be free, but simply very cheap, that is, risk-free for the client.

However, usually training comes down to the fact that the speaker offers several outstanding examples from the world and makes a call in the style of “And you can come up with something like that!” But no one knows how to think, where to look for examples, how to do something cool.

In this article, I will give 14 working methods for attracting new clients that you can implement the very next day after reading. Just try each example on your business and think about how this particular option can be implemented.

Let me clarify right away that these tips are relevant primarily for attracting clients to small businesses, and have nothing to do with information business, auto funnels and email newsletters.

Test drives and its types

It seemed that this was the most banal example, if we talk about simple and understandable goods - trying on clothes and test driving a car have long set one’s teeth on edge. But don’t rush to skip this point - below I’ll tell you how to implement it using the example of goods and services that are difficult to test.

Idea No. 1 – renting goods for testing

With everyday goods, everything is simple - offer a tasting in one form or another, depending on the purpose of the product. Cosmetics - apply, products - try, equipment - use.

But there are products whose effect will not be immediately clear. For example, the furniture may not fit the interior, the bicycle may turn out to be uncomfortable after some time - in this case, a test drive will be a longer rental.

Invite your customers to borrow the product to use for a while.

It might even make sense to make rent paid. As an alternative to buying, if the buyer is very doubtful and is close to giving up completely.

This idea came when I wanted to buy a country house. I have already started looking at the land and studying the proposals. And then I thought - what if it would be uncomfortable for me to live outside the city? And instead of buying, I decided to rent. As a result, after a few months I realized that the idea was not the best and moved to an apartment in the city.

Yes, in this case, renting did not lead me to buying, but there was definitely a chance.

Now I always try to rent an item before purchasing. Likewise, I decided not to buy a scooter, but decided to buy a cedar barrel for home. (Of course, the rental must be legal, with a deposit, or under supervision to eliminate the risk of damage).


Idea #2: Give the gift in just one step!

This option works great in cases where the service consists of a large number of steps. You can offer to do some of them for free, and not necessarily the first one.

When I was writing a book, an editor offered to edit one page for free. In the end, I decided to work with her, even though her services were 2 times more expensive than most other options. I came across a similar offer when I was ordered to advertise to an English-speaking audience, and I had to translate the contract - they gave me one page as a presentation.

Repairs often offer a surveyor to come out for free - but this is already hackneyed. The cleaning service can only clean the hallway for free, and offer a full cleaning after that. So why not offer to do a mini-renovation in one corner, just to show that hands are growing from that place? I have heard that some workers do this, but, unfortunately, I have not encountered this myself.

If you decide to use this method, keep one caveat in mind. There is no point in suggesting cutting half your head, drilling holes in the wall for your painting and offering other irreversible options. It is important that for the client this step is simply some kind of analogue of a test drive, which does not obligate anyone to anything.

If you have a service, break it down into all possible steps and think about which one you can offer for free.

Idea No. 3 – trial period

This option works great in cases where a person pays for the time of using the service - various online services, home Internet, IT services and other types of subscription business. As you probably already guessed, the test drive here will be a trial period. Moreover, it can be expressed both in time (the first week is free) and in money (we give 1000 rubles for a deposit). Use, evaluate and decide whether you are willing to pay for it permanently.

If the product is really high-quality, saves money or time, and makes life much easier, it will be difficult to refuse it later.

I once switched from a car to a taxi (I got 3 free rides and realized that it was much more convenient for me). It’s not for nothing that aggregators such as Yandex.Taxi, Get.Taxi and Uber send generous promotional codes if you haven’t used their service for a long time.


Idea No. 4 – help us look into the future!

It is difficult to test a service that expects some kind of result after a while. How to test drive an interior design, for example, or a new hairstyle? What will the suit look like after sewing? It’s difficult to give someone a suit to try on that doesn’t exist, or offer to cut half their head.

Modern technologies allow us to look into the future. Photoshop, 3D modeling, 3D printing allow us to visualize something that will only be ready after some time. There are programs that can even predict what you will look like as you age.

Many editors are available online and there are a large number of applications. Some will have to be made to order. In most cases, simple work in Photoshop can be done by a freelancer.

By the way, a portfolio is also one of the first known ways to look into the future.


Involvement in the process

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to test a product. Behavioral marketers say that the client must be involved, evoke emotions in him, and create a user experience that he does not yet have. Various interactives help this a lot. Factory tours, quests, games, competitions, flash mobs and festivals are what the world's leading brands, such as Nike or Red Bull, often use. However, the same thing can be applied to small businesses.

Idea No. 5 – games

Everyone loves to play, and if a game is offered for free and is intriguing, no one will refuse it. Through games you can create a user experience and convey some unobvious benefits. The main thing is that the game is associated with your final product.

So, I have a client - the owner of an elite perfume boutique in St. Petersburg. The boutique offers home fragrances that evoke a certain mood. (For example, there are aromas that “turn on” the working mood). She and I came up with an interesting game for buyers. The fact is that different smells evoke different associations, and perfumers have studied them for a long time. The idea was for the presenter to blindfold the participant, give him a particular smell to try, and invite him to select one of the proposed objects (glass, wood, etc.) by touch. As a result, the presenter was able to “guess” in advance what exactly the client would choose. It looks like a card trick, but you must admit, it’s not at all so hackneyed, and most importantly, it perfectly conveys the properties of smells to influence mood. The game was tested at several events and received a lot of interest.

In a bookstore you can offer fortune telling by pages and lines in a book. Quests and virtual reality are gaining popularity. For example, one St. Petersburg chain of fitness clubs conducts quests around the city once a year, distributes tasks in each club, and offers generous prizes to the winners.

Games perfectly sell the idea of ​​a purchase and remove skepticism, so they can be combined with a simple test drive.

I once visited a latex factory in Thailand. There I was offered to lie down on an orthopedic mattress. At the moment when I lay down, the whole group for some reason laughed. It turned out that they secretly placed a handle under my back, but I didn’t even feel it - in this way the sellers both amused everyone and clearly demonstrated the orthopedic qualities of the mattress.


Idea No. 6 – the opportunity to win something

Most people are gambling. And, if games simply intrigue and involve, then betting is also a competitive effect, drive, adrenaline.

The quest from fitness clubs from the previous paragraph is a combination of the game itself with interesting tasks, and the excitement of competing with other participants for the main prize.

There are interesting examples of betting between a seller and a client, when in case of loss the client agreed to a presentation of the product, and in case of winning he received a good discount for him. And it didn’t matter at all whether he won or not - the very fact of such a game, the excitement already created great confidence.

This also includes the lottery - give a person a chance to win by simply spinning the reel!

An important point - we are talking about free entry points. “Collect 5 caps and 100 stickers, and get a chance...” - also interesting, but a little from a different opera. I propose to give a person the opportunity to win something without the obligation to buy anything for it.


Idea No. 7 – participation in production

Some companies, as one of their services, offer... participation in the production of a product that you will later buy. Why not do it for free?

An excellent example is painting dishes. You choose a “naked” plate and decorate it to your taste - you will be given all the necessary tools for this. How can you not buy it after that? Consider how the customer can participate and contribute to the production process. As with the steps, break down the production and you'll likely find an interesting and safe step. As an option, you can even offer to work for one day as an employee if the position is interesting, but not particularly responsible. The main thing is that it is really intriguing, and does not look like a “do it yourself”. Therefore, it is more difficult to work with services - imagine a cleaning lady who playfully invites you to wipe a couple of shelves yourself.


Idea No. 8 – access to the “holy of holies”

Of course, it is more difficult to come up with such an interactive activity in strict topics, for example, in construction. (Although there you can also find tours of construction sites and facilities.)

In such cases, you can give access to places where no one is usually allowed. Any business has its own closed areas - offices, meetings, production processes, quality control. It would seem that there is nothing interesting in them, but the forbidden fruit is sweet, and curiosity takes over. Invite the client to your office, show how the business works and how decisions are made. If possible, have him attend the meeting.

If you have your own production, arrange a tour of it, it’s always interesting! A trip to the ice cream factory was one of the most vivid impressions of my childhood, and I still look for products from this factory on the shelves. And one of our clients, who produces advertising signs, was thus able to show potential customers their quality control. (By the way, for this purpose I strengthened it, so that there was also a side benefit).

If you have order everywhere, then this method will significantly increase the trust of your potential clients. Of course, this idea won't work in a restaurant with cockroaches running around in the kitchen.

If you don’t have a production facility or an office that you wouldn’t be ashamed to show off, there are alternative options. For example, access can be given virtually, and not just physically. One company that sold a smart home system installed cameras in its office and posted a live broadcast on its website. This allowed her to satisfy customers' curiosity and show the capabilities of her system.

By the way, except for premises, documents, events, and some individual processes (advertising shooting) may be closed.

So, one day I was talking with an entrepreneur, and just as part of an exchange of experience, I showed him some of my internal documents, incl. a very unusual charter of the company. After that, he turned to me for services, because... he liked my approach. Although, within the framework of that communication, I didn’t even think about selling to him.


Education

This block is very interesting, because by training the client, we kill three birds with one stone. Firstly, we give him valuable knowledge, show him our approach, become authorities in his eyes, and create trust. Secondly, we “warm” the client and push him to the idea of ​​buying: in the learning process, “dormant” needs are revealed that he might not have been aware of before. Thirdly, we find out the person’s personal needs and give him a personal solution. This method works great in topics where an individual approach is important. It will also work well in new niches.

Idea No. 9 – audit

Often people don’t even suspect that everything is bad for them, because they don’t know how it can be good. Analysis of the situation brings to light problems that sometimes have been hanging around for more than one year. This idea comes from medicine, where the diagnosis is established based on the results of tests and diagnostics. In addition, it is very often used by advertising agencies - we will look at your advertisement, tell you what is wrong with it, and offer a good option.

Analysis of the person himself works very well. It is not for nothing that astrologers and fortune tellers flourish in the 21st century, because they fulfill one of the most desirable human needs - to hear about themselves. You can measure a person’s physical characteristics, psychotypes, find out his lifestyle and his goals, even analyze his handwriting and, based on the data, offer him a personal solution. So, I have a stylist friend who, before creating an image, analyzes a person in detail. Thanks to this, complete harmony is created between the internal state and external appearance.

In addition, the setting or situation can be analyzed. A well-known survival trainer in Russia, Ed Khalilov, conducts a safety audit of a personal car or apartment; electricians study the correct wiring in the apartment and its fire safety; cockroach fighters are studying the likelihood of cockroaches appearing in the apartment.

Think about what tests will be interesting for the person and informative for you, and prescribe treatment!


Idea No. 10 – master class

Some goods and services are classified as “wants”, so their purchase is constantly postponed. Others seem too complicated to buyers or do not inspire confidence (for example, in China for a long time they did not want to switch from horses to cars). To encourage a person to buy such products, conduct a master class. On it you can show all the advantages of your product/service and move them to a higher position in a person’s priorities. In addition, during master classes there is a high probability of spontaneous purchases.

For example, at one time I started by selling hookahs and invited potential clients to training on their preparation in order to gather a client base.

Many restaurants offer cooking classes. I also heard about courses in finance that offered brokerage services, and in pet care that sold new foods. Think about what you can teach your potential clients and organize a master class for them. (Not necessarily on your own - you can find a performer for this).


Idea No. 11 – consultation

Many stores make the same mistake - they sell goods and do not focus on their services at all. When everyone has the same product, there is no point in talking about how wonderful this product is - in this case, people will read your description and buy it where it is cheaper.

Retail is, first of all, a service of convenient delivery of goods from the manufacturer to the buyer. “Delivery” includes not only the delivery itself, but also quality control, assistance in selection, training in use, and much more.

Let's dwell on the choice. It's no secret that too many choices make it difficult to make a decision. As a result, many simply refuse to purchase. But why not help a person with this? Consult him, ask your questions, answer his. This is where both audits and training come together. With the help of a consultation, you can show your competence, involve a person, and help him. Aerobatics is to dissuade him from buying. If you do it right, saying “you better not buy yet, try this solution,” then you will get a free sales representative who will tell everyone about you, and if necessary, will still make a purchase from you. After all, against the backdrop of everyone’s hype, it looks very beautiful, trust soars to the skies and borders on fanaticism.

The best food market traders are the ones who discourage you. Remember - if the seller quietly tells you “don’t take this meat, it’s yesterday’s meat, better look at this and that,” everyone else seems like a deceiver compared to him, and you no longer want to deal with them, even if their prices are much lower.

Look for the hidden needs of your audience, teach them something, and they will become your eternal customers.


Free goods or services

Idea No. 12 – product-locomotive

Many people know the locomotive product strategy, when supermarkets set a very low price for some popular product. This price attracts customers, and they, of course, fill carts full of other goods that are already sold at the regular price.

But it's not often that someone makes a locomotive free. Although this makes sense in the case when it is very difficult to leave empty-handed.

For example, I have already talked about culinary master classes in restaurants. This helps build trust, but not only that. After the master class you will probably want to eat, and you don’t have to go far for that.

Some stores offer free tea in winter. You go into a store to warm up, drink a cup of hot tea, and your eyes wander around the product shelves.

In this case, something free is just a reason to come to you.

If you have a high conversion rate from store visitors to buyers (that is, the main thing is that the person just comes in), then the locomotive is an excellent solution.


Idea No. 13 – limited version (Freemium)

This option can often be found on various services on the Internet. For a large number of people, these services are free, but those who need advanced functionality will have to pay. In this case, a small number of clients finance the entire content of the service. You don’t have to go far – bulletin boards are a prime example of this.

But such examples are possible not only on the Internet. For example, free museums make money from tour guides and audio guides, and skating rinks make their profit by renting skates.

That is, in essence, the main goal is free, but related products are not.

Think about the purpose of your product and what related products it might have.


Idea No. 14 – making money on another audience

It happens that some people are willing to pay for the presence of others.

For example, in advertising. Gather a large number of people in one place for free, and earn money from sponsorship contracts. The main thing is to find an excuse for people - flash mobs, master classes, cinema, museums, sports competitions.

But the matter is not limited to sponsorship. Many contextual advertising agencies provide free setup services, receiving a commission from Yandex (I do not support this method, since it often leads to a conflict of interest between the agency and the client, but the example is indicative).

In addition, in some cases you can make money on by-products and production waste. For example, you can clean the area for free in the fall, collecting fallen and rotten apples and processing them into fertilizer; or even just mow the lawn so you can sell hay or feed your animals. This principle is used by those who remove large waste and collect scrap metal, and also pay extra for it.

Think, maybe someone really wants to get rid of what you really need?

Customer attention is a resource with enormous commercial potential. Interesting news stories, technical innovations, viral effects - all means are good in the fight for conversion. And if you also pay attention to the problems and needs of the buyer himself, sales will increase noticeably.

In this article you will read:

    What do clients pay attention to and how to manage it?

    Rules for attracting clients that will never let you down

    6 ideas to attract customers' attention

Attracting customer attention– this is what is especially valuable today and not at all difficult. Let's remember the rules for attracting customers, and also look at 6 examples of successful advertising.

Understanding what customers pay attention to can be difficult, but most rules for attracting customers are still a fairly simple truth. The Walker restaurant chain used spot advertising right in the sky of Moscow. To do this, a series of drones were launched into the air carrying short and concise advertisements about the opportunity to order food with the delivery service phone number.

The print was made monochrome: there was no need to attract the attention of customers with bright colors. After all, it’s hard not to notice an object, albeit a small one, that hovers a couple of meters from a person - right outside the window of a skyscraper. Flying machines were sent to demonstrate advertising in front of each window of a number of business centers, and the result was not long in coming: customers simply could not help but pay attention, as a result, the number of orders at these points increased by 40%.

2. Promotion through worldwide scandals

Momentary reasons are good for advertising. If you link the creative with the news that everyone is hearing, then the advertisement will definitely be remembered. This is what the glue manufacturer did when a scandal broke out at the Cairo Museum in early 2015. Museum workers carelessly damaged the mask of Pharaoh Tutankhamun: its beard broke off.

Horrified, the culprits decided to cover their tracks and glued the beard in place with ordinary construction glue. The incident came to light, appeared in the news of all agencies and caused an explosion of responses on social networks. The UHU company, which produces construction adhesives, was not at a loss in this situation. She released a print with a very laconic design - a mask of Tutankhamun (with a beard), a small tube of glue and the inscription: “What is broken, let it be fixed.”

3. A swimsuit that sends messages to a cell phone

The French company Spinali Design attracts new clients with unusual but useful developments. She created a women's swimsuit that protects the wearer's health: the product has a special sensor built into it that analyzes the spectrum of ultraviolet radiation.

  • Promotion on Instagram: effective tools

If necessary, it sends a warning to the owner’s mobile device about the danger of sunburn. The startup’s plans include not only a series of “smart” women’s swimsuits of different colors, but also children’s models. It is promised that they will track the child's location using geopositioning and warn carelessly sunbathing parents that he has run off the beach.

4. Banners in the form of stickers

The manufacturer of various stationery Post-It notes, instead of the usual banners with advertising, showed users banners in the form of sticky notes on which they could write notes. And in order to “throw out” one of the virtual pieces of paper or edit a previously made note, you need to go to a special advertising campaign website.

To carry out such a campaign, the Proximity Russia agency developed a special script using several banner networks. The possibility of spreading the unusual action beyond the RuNet is being considered.

5. Construction set for adults

The Tide brand uses various means of promotion on social networks. I would like to note one of the most successful ideas, which takes into account several behavioral factors of buyers, namely: people love step-by-step instructions with pictures and love to make something useful, especially if it is easy and simple; people don’t like to throw away things that may still be useful to them; people like to know that they are helping to protect the environment.

The brand reflected these features in instructional pictures that show how you can use empty plastic laundry detergent bottles. With the help of scissors, tape and glue, consumers can easily turn a bottle into a flower watering can in the shape of a funny face, a container for plastic bags in the shape of a baby elephant, or a convenient and bright basket for needlework. The company posts similar pictures on the social network Pinterest.

The Moscow Italian grocery store Don Giulio Salumeria has placed an unusual roller display. The poster “Prohibited Italian Products” changed to another as ... the police approached. Instead, an advertisement “The best nesting dolls in Moscow” appeared. To do this, they used a camera and recognition technology tuned to police badges.

The main goal of the campaign was to attract the attention of the client through a viral effect with a video showing how the advertisement “hides” from people in uniform. And the video has already been watched by more than 460 thousand people. The technology has broad prospects for use. If a billboard can differentiate between target groups and show different posters, for example to mothers with children and young people, the advertising will become more effective.

Have you ever wondered what your customers pay most attention to? You may be surprised, but if you have a first-time buyer, he scans literally everything and everyone with his eyes. He notices every little thing not only in the dialogue with the seller, but also everything around him.

What influences a client's first impression?

Anything that makes a negative impression on the client will work against you. Let's figure out what attracts the attention of our customers and what, accordingly, can scare them away.

  • In the first place, of course, is the attitude of employees towards their work and clients. How they communicate, how they try to help the client, their competence in professional matters. When people are rude to you or talk nonsense, it is certainly annoying and it is simply impossible not to pay attention to it. Slang and familiarity irritate and even offend the buyer - he does not feel respect for himself.
  • Exterior of the store/office. Building facade and entrance. Almost every second client inspects the entrance of a store or office that is still unfamiliar to him. Dilapidated steps, railings, a sign - there are still a lot of this goodness you can see. Business owners believe that this is not the main thing, that it does not affect sales. But they are wrong. This is a deterrent factor; you can and should work with it. The condition of the front door, lighting, repairs and other interior items can tell the buyer a lot about you as a company. Don't forget about
  • . Many buyers, especially women, pay attention to the clothes of employees. If a secretary, manager or cashier is dressed untidy, this causes disgust and pity for the employee. What will the buyer tell his friends? Not only about the quality of the product and service, but also about the things that he noticed and which alerted him. “It seems like a decent company, but the employees wear shirts with holes. Horror!"
  • The neatness and well-grooming of the staff. In addition to clothing, clients notice unkempt nails, dirty hair, unpleasant odors, etc. This is not only alarming, but also scares away customers. “Can you imagine, the seller’s breath stank so much that I could barely listen to him!”
  • Corporate culture within the company. What is the atmosphere around the client? If employees use foul language and bark in front of customers, this is certainly an indicator of a low corporate culture in the company. and thinks first of all only for himself, and only then for the client. In such an environment, the client feels like an unwelcome guest. I would like to say: “I’d better come back later”
  • All sorts of little things are very striking to the client - such as old ballpoint pens, a dirty badge, dilapidated furniture, dirty windows, used document files, crookedly printed documents, worn-out equipment (calculators, tablets), etc. All this subconsciously shapes the buyer’s attitude and distrust of the entire company as a whole. “I signed an agreement to buy an apartment that had been chewed by someone’s pen. Moreover, they gave me the documents without a file or folder. Rednecks!
  • And of course the toilet. As many say, the toilet is a reflection of the level of the company. Dirt, smells, lack of repairs speak about the company’s attitude towards its customers and employees. It might seem like a small thing, but it makes a colossal impression. “It looks like a decent company, but were you in their toilet? This is a nightmare! Like at a train station"
  • The irritating factor is chaos and disorder around the client. The hustle and bustle that reigns around forces customers to simply leave as quickly as possible. “I’ve been standing here for 20 minutes, will anyone come to me?”

As you already understand, every little thing can affect your business results. Conduct an audit of your company to identify factors that irritate your client, and you will probably find them. Now you know approximately what your customers may pay attention to and you can quickly eliminate the causes of negativity in order to save customers and your reputation.

What do you think makes a strong impression on your clients? Write about it in the comments!

 

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