Starting a business is a challenging task to undertake. To have a shot at real profits, you’ll eventually need to expand your business, but deciding where to start can be daunting. You’ll need to focus on the products and services people really want, make your operations as cost-effective as possible, and equip your staff with the best tools. Here are a few relatively low-cost ways you can start building your business.
Customer Analytics
One of the best ways you can learn to attract new customers is by paying close attention to your existing customers. By tracking their buying habits you can determine your most popular products and services and begin figuring out why they bring in so many buyers. Identifying the influencers that bring customers to your popular products will help you replicate that success with future offers.
Call Center Technology
Every business needs a customer service department, and depending on the size of your business, you may already have an entire team assigned to this. It’s impossible to overstate how important the support you provide is to the overall customer experience, and because of this, you should be equipped with the best possible tools. A virtual call center software program is a great investment.
Virtual call centers are staffed by remote agents, meaning you can recruit from anywhere you want. Call center solutions make any customer support tasks easier, and some are equipped with omnichannel technology, meaning your agents and customers can seamlessly communicate across multiple communication avenues, which makes for a better and more personalized experience for all involved.
Voice Drops
Speaking of phone technology, voicemail drops have a great deal of applications for most businesses. This technology allows you to skip the calling process altogether and leave messages directly on a recipient’s voicemail server. You can, of course, use this for telemarketing purposes, so long as you’re abiding by the TCPA guidelines, but there are other applications as well. Your agents can use this technology to speed up leaving messages for unanswered calls. Instead of having to read the script for each call, they can simply click to leave your desired message and move on to the next call. The system can also be automated to leave messages for pre-approved clients.
Offer Package Deals
If certain products or services aren’t selling as well as you’d like on their own, you may just need to look for ways to combine them. Customers love convenience, and showing them how your products and services can work together to provide an overall better experience may be just what they need to see to convince them to buy. This also helps them feel like they’re getting more for their investment, so it can be a win-win.
Use Social Media
Creating an effective social media campaign is no easy feat, but it could be just what you need to stand out from the competition. In addition to a traditional advertising campaign, there are other steps you can take to engage with potential customers. Look for ways you can answer people’s questions or present your products as solutions for people’s problems. Engaging on social media feels different from a traditional sales pitch, and it can lead to more conversions. The more conversions you make this way, the more word of mouth about your business will spread.
Email Marketing
Email is often overlooked, but when used correctly, it can be a great way to nurture leads or encourage future sales. This doesn’t mean sending email bombs to every potential customer you can find, as this will come off as spammy. You can, however, follow up with any leads you’ve spoken to further demonstrate how your products and services could be beneficial to them. You can also let customers sign up for an email newsletter on your site that includes news about your business and special offers for returning customers.