As a small business owner, generating leads is a vital part of your practice’s growth and success. It is something that should always be front of mind when you are thinking about what’s next and how best to improve your business. Taking time, energy, and effort to generate sales leads can pay off in a big way. You’ll learn about potential customers, you’ll increase your client base, and ultimately, create revenue. But where do you start? We’ve outlined some ideas to generate new leads for your business below.
Finding your target audience is an important first step because without that knowledge you are taking stabs in the dark and hoping for the best. Who are your potential clients? What do they want? Where do they work? Where do they hang out? What is their income? Do they spend a lot of time online? These are all questions that will help you figure out who to go after and how to go after them when you’re generating leads. Read our Defining Your Ideal Client blog for more tips on determining your target audience.
Even if we don’t always like to admit it, the power of social media in today’s world is undeniable. And that doesn’t have to be a bad thing! If you start to think of it as a place where you can be playful, creative, and personal, you’ll have an easier time warming up to it. Your followers will notice, too. And it can have a lot of benefits.An easy way to start building your community is by sticking to a consistent posting schedule. Post new and engaging content on your business page regularly so that your followers begin to expect it. This can help you look reliable, trustworthy, and knowledgeable (which of course you are!) to potential clients. How many of us check out someone’s business page before hiring them? It also gives people the opportunity to spread the word about you. After all, it’s a lot easier to swap an Instagram handle than a business card.And if you have the budget, you’d be surprised at how effective it is to put some money towards social media ads or boosted content. Unfortunately, the algorithms aren’t always the friendliest towards small businesses, but sometimes that extra momentum offered by ads is the push you need to getting noticed online.Another way to use social media is to reach out to local influencers. If you offer them something in return – like a free consultation – they might be willing to promote your products or services which can extend your reach by thousands. You could even think about interviewing them for a blog post or collaborating on an Instagram video. Just make sure you are getting in touch with key influencers that are relevant to your industry so that their audience is the one you want to target.Bonus tip: Once you’ve been creating content for long enough, you can recycle that same material. Unlike the fast-changing world of social media, some advice is timeless. This “evergreen” content can be reused and reposted regularly. Change it up, of course – a different image or caption – but you don’t have to be constantly coming up with brilliant new ideas to keep engaging online.
When was the last time you went through your entire website and took notes? If it’s been a while, type in your URL and ask yourself the following questions:
If your website isn’t up to par and high quality or if key information is missing, you might be losing business without even knowing it. What are some websites you love? How does yours stack up? How can you improve it? We know everyone isn’t a web designer and the cost of hiring one can be prohibitive. But if you have the budget, consider it a long term investment.There is so much you can do with a website, too! You can include calls to action to sign up for a newsletter, follow you on social media, or even book a consultation or appointment. And with Search Engine Optimization (SEO), your website will show up in more Google searches making you more visible to potential clients.
We know the very idea of networking can be dreaded by all involved, but it really doesn’t have to be! Start with a goal like how many people you want to talk to at an industry event and then just GO FOR IT. Make it into a little competition with yourself, because everything is more fun when you’re trying to win. And though it might sound silly, rehearse what you’re going to say beforehand! Go prepared with some key talking points. Know your elevator pitch and be able to deliver it with confidence. These are simple things you can do to get yourself networking ready.And networking doesn’t necessarily have to be about going to networking events either. Network within your already established community. Find industry and neighborhood groups on social media. Reach out to friends and acquaintances who might be in need of your services or who could refer you to others. When people know you’re looking to take on more clients, you’ll be surprised at how many new leads you get once everything else is in place.____________________________________________________________________________________________Practice Better is the complete practice management platform for nutritionists, dietitians and wellness professionals. Sign up for free today.
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