Starting a new business can be hard; not only have you got to find the finances, new premises, and hire staff, you also need to find the most important element – customers. Customer habits are changing (gradually at first and then accelerated by the current crisis) towards a new way of buying facilitated by the growth of the internet.
All of this points towards the possibility that traditional methods of selling have changed. Whereas previously a customer would walk into a store and be heavily influenced by the expert opinion of the salesperson, when shopping online, they are more likely to be dubious about being sold to and are likely to have completed much of the decision-making process before they even approached a retailer or service provider. Read on for some tips on how to establish a new start-up business successfully.
Be there at the research of the purchase
The influence of inbound marketing can play a major role in this initial phase. As several Google searches have now replaced the salesman’s pitch, it will be seen as positive if one or more of those searches has useful, relevant information provided by you. This can put you in the expert’s position and give you considerable influence over where the customer is likely to make a purchase.
The potential customer’s research will not just stop at the product itself but also involve the prospective places where the purchase of that product can be made. For this reason, a positive impression of your business on social media will be beneficial. This does not just extend to having a strong brand, but also your ethics as well.
Concentrate on how your brand is seen on social media
Modern customers are likely to be influenced by how and where your products are made and tested and who you associate with, including where you choose to advertise. For this reason, it is often the case that a new company will engage a specialist agency to take care of their inbound marketing.
This also extends to reviews and feedback, which heavily influence your potential customers. As a new start-up, the first reviews will be all-important to the first 12 months of your business. With customers likely to be put off by negative reviews, your after-sales and customer service must be of the highest quality and available 24/7.
Customer service, feedback, and reviews
With the trend towards everything being available, customers now expect answers to questions very quickly and react negatively if the information they need is not forthcoming. However, excelling in this area can boost your profile online and amplify any early success.
The advantage you will have over established competitors, however, is that while they are trying to adjust to the needs of this new type of customer, you will be in a position to build your start-up (possibly with help from a specialist company) to cater for these customers from day one. Therefore, you should not fall victim to the same mistakes currently causing issues for companies across the globe.
Use these tips to help build a trusting relationship with potential customers to your new start-up.