We live in a business-friendly age. Indeed, it has arguably never been easier to get a business started than it is right now. However, the ease with which people can start a business provides something of a double-edged sword. You can get up and running, but so can everyone else, and that means that competition can be fierce.
While you might hope that people will naturally flock to your business, that’s unlikely to happen. You’ll need to actively work on getting people’s attention. So how can you do this? Let’s take a look at some of the most popular options.
Have a Story
You need to stand out from the crowd in one way or another. If you try to be like everyone else, then you can’t be all that surprised if people aren’t paying much attention to you. After all, why would they? You’ll have your own backstory and reason for getting your business underway, so make sure that you share it. Indeed, “the story” of a small business is one of its most potent weapons. Large, multinational companies usually can’t share their stories because they’re not endearing. But if you began yours with nothing but passion and a dream, then yours will be.
Get the Look
People are drawn to all kinds of different things. For example, sight. If something looks good and noteworthy, then a person will be more likely to pay closer attention. So it’s worthwhile ensuring that your business has the right “look.” This will come down to a few different factors.
For instance, your branding. Is your branding cohesive, modern, and in line with the message you want your business to send? You can also attract attention by more conventional means too. For example, you could look at investing in banners to put outside of your work premises. This is a highly effective way to make your business look more visually appealing and to brighten up what might otherwise be a relatively dull environment.
Figure Out Which People Are Your People
You might hope to attract all types of people to your business. But realistically, that’s not going to be the case. You’ll only attract a small percentage of consumers to your company. In order to do that, you’ll need to figure out who those people are. It’s much easier to create marketing materials if you know which type of people you’re trying to reach. There aren’t too many positive methods for getting the attention of everyone, so don’t try! Once you know the type of person who is likely to be interested in your business, you’ll be able to put together marketing materials and other resources that bring them on board.
Customer Experience
It’s a good idea to focus on the overall customer experience. This means thinking about how the customer will interact with your business from the first moment that they encounter your business through to becoming a long-term customer. Given how important this is, it’s not something that you should let take control of itself.
It needs to be carefully managed. If you can put together a solid plan, you’ll find that you’re able to create customers. Sometimes, the difficult part isn’t getting people’s attention; the difficult part is turning that initial attention into something more concrete. This is something that you can make easier just by working on the customer experience.
Great Content
Content is king, and don’t forget it. In an age when people are spending more time online than ever before and when they’re enjoying more content than ever, it’s clear to see just how much of an impact putting together great content can have. There are many different ways to get people’s attention through content.
For example, you might create an engaging infographic, podcast, or blog post. Remember that there’s a lot of content out there these days, so if you’re going to get people’s attention, then you’ll need to dedicate time and energy towards creating something valuable. If you’re not entirely sure what content you should be posting, look at handing over the task to a third-party company.
Discounts and Promotions
Who doesn’t love to get a freebie? We sure do. When you’re looking to get people’s attention, look at offering them something of real value. People will be more likely to try a product if they’re getting a big discount. Once they know how good your products and services are, they’ll be more likely to become regular customers, paying the regular price. Periodic sales can also help turn people who had some interest in your products into customers too.
Hit the Streets
There’s a lot of talk these days about the power of digital marketing. Yet, while there’s no doubt that this is deeply important, it’s not the only place where you should be trying to get new customers. People who use the web are also out in the real world, too! So why not look at hitting the streets and engaging in a real-world marketing campaign? If you have something that’s easy to share (such as product samples), then all you’ll need to do is place yourself somewhere that’s popular with your target demographic and engage with them directly.
Bring Enthusiastic Energy
Finally, be sure to be enthusiastic when you’re interacting with the public. People are always attracted to positive energy, after all! All too often, businesses just assume that the public should have an interest in them, and when there’s not an immediate engagement, the mood can sour. But if that happens, then it’ll be unlikely that things turn around. Of course, running a business can’t be fun at all times, but it should be more fun than not. Also, don’t forget just how much an impact having a positive mindset can have.
Conclusion
It’s not easy to get people’s attention, especially in an age when competition can be so fierce. However, it’s far from impossible. Take all of the tips that we’ve outlined above, and it won’t be long before you’ve generated interest!
