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‘Tis the season for deep discounting. But there are ways to attract customers without storewide sales.

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In 2018, boho Australian fashion company <a href="https://aus.spell.co/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Spell</a> made an unusual announcement: in that year they planned to opt out of the annual<a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-AU/categories/black-friday-sale/locations" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Black Friday sales</a>.“In recent years the Black Friday (BF) phenomenon has swept the globe, encouraging brands to produce stuff they know they’ll sell at discount… more and more stuff,” the brand wrote on their social media accounts.“But that’s not how Spell works. We only make what we think our customers want, and often even then we don’t make enough, and so our garments feel special – we value each garment and know the care and effort that goes into making each one.”The brand went on to explain that their decision didn’t mean they wouldn’t ever discount again (and there’s still a regular sale section on the brand’s e-comm store). However, what they called the “frenzied discounting” of Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) simply didn’t feel like it aligned with the brand’s values.Since then, the brand has consistently preferred to reward their customers with other lead generation strategies and lead conversion tactics such as marketing promotions that added value to their interactions with Spell. Examples include their loyalty-focused ‘Curators’ Club’ and buzzy in-store product launches - rather than simply slashing dollars off the total spend. Many other brands have also announced that they, too, plan to give BFCM a wide berth.With the global threat of rising inflation and its corresponding threat to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-13/consumer-confidence-deeply-pessimistic-business-conditions-boom/101434360" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">customers’ discretionary spend and confidence</a>, it can be tempting for a sales team to think that the only way to attract potential customers, generate new leads and convert them into sales is via heavy price cutting. And while discounting can often translate to a good short-term sales bump, it can have its drawbacks if it’s overused.“One of the biggest mistakes people make is overusing blanket discounting,” says Catherine Erdly, a UK retail expert from <a href="https://www.resilientretailclub.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Resilient Retail Club</a>.&nbsp;“Once you get into that situation, it's hard to get out of it because people get used to the idea that they can always buy at discount.”Erdley says that once you have a person trained to expect constant sales it can be very hard to flip them out of that mindset, even with the best marketing tactics around. “I have worked with clients in the past who were overusing this kind of discount and therefore finding that the customer was getting used to buying from them on sale,” she says. “It was a hard transition to remove those discounts, but they did move to a more varied promotional schedule. They kept the blanket discounts for very special occasions, for example – perhaps twice a year – and that helped them build a much stronger bottom line for their business.”It could be that Black Friday (or the holiday sales) is the right time for your business to jump onto the sale train, but consider pulling back on the discounts and offering your target audience and loyal customers something different at other times.

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“One of the biggest mistakes people make is overusing blanket discounting.”

Here are some other value-add ways to generate new leads and give customers a reason to keep returning to your store:<h2>1. Offer an educational piece</h2>Never underestimate the value of offering customers something free that also teaches them something and, in the process, deepens their engagement with your brand. Lead generation 101 has moved beyond blog posts, but can be as simple as a freebie to sign up to a newsletter. Sustainable UK coffee brand, <a href="https://alpacacoffee.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Alpaca Coffee</a>, has recently begun offering their prospects a free, downloadable ‘Brew Guide’ via their landing page that teaches them how to make the perfect cup of coffee at home. As far as lead generation ideas go, it's a simple but extremely effective one.&nbsp;“It’s a value-add hook that encourages them to sign up to our newsletter,” says founder and CEO Victoria Poon. “We’ve only had it up for a couple of weeks and it’s really working well for us.” Of course, the biggest benefit for the brand is lead generation--in other words, getting those customers onboarded into the email list, but beyond that, Alpaca customers associate the brand with the acquisition of something genuinely useful. “Getting people to make better coffee at home made sense for us as a company, especially as a specialty coffee brand,” Poon says.<h2>2. Look after your VIPs</h2>Your VIPs are your business’s lifeblood – not only are they your big spenders but they are your ambassador, positive marketing messengers who spread awareness of your brand out in the wider world. So, nurture them by giving them something that others don’t get.“Ultimately, one of the best ways to grow your sales is to have a specific strategy for your VIP customers,” says Erdly, who suggests paying close attention to email marketing. “Make an effort to nurture your email subscribers by offering them perks such as early access to sales, or extended time periods for discounts, or perhaps the first view of new products.”<h2>3. Consider gifts or samples with purchases</h2>It’s an oldie but a goodie, because who doesn’t love a freebie?<a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-AU/business/access/smarter-discounting/gift-with-purchase-strategy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> A solid gift-with-purchase (GWP) marketing strategy</a> is one of the best ways to convert ‘maybe’ browsers into buyers and land page lurkers into sales. In fact, a recent Afterpay survey found that<a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-AU/afterpay-day-unlocked" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> 85 per cent</a> of Australian shoppers were interested in free gifts, and willing to spend up to $250 to secure one. Beauty brands are historically great players in this space, as gifts with purchases generate new leads and deliver extra value to customers without affecting brand equity. UK beauty brand <a href="https://trinny-london.zendesk.com/hc/en-au" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Trinny London</a> delivers a successful GWP marketing strategy by including a swag of samples with every order.

"One of the best ways to grow your sales is to have a specific strategy for your VIP customers."

<h2>4. Try short-term, well-aligned collaborations</h2>Joining forces with a brand that you know has the same values as your own, and that your customers are likely to respond warmly to, is a win-win on all fronts. Recently, Australian fashion brand <a href="https://oroton.com/archie-rose-oroton?utm_source=email&amp;utm_medium=campaign&amp;utm_campaign=20221009_ArchieRoseComp&amp;_kx=Tz_-6Zm4PVgmmJrrq1nc6w_o4NEP5KqAxqNh9B4O3wg%3D.KNU4Nz" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Oroton created a bespoke gin with Archie Rose, one of Sydney’s best-loved boutique spirits brands</a>. They leveraged the partnership by running a competition to Oroton’s email subscribers, where a winner would get a prize pack that championed both brands including an Oroton voucher, several bottles of the Oroton/Archie Rose collab gin and in-store sessions (a styling session for Oroton, a masterclass for Archie Rose).The partnership was a chance for customers to engage more meaningfully with both brands, as well as leveraging each other’s customer bases for intensified lead generation and offering opportunities to create new content marketing.<h2>5. Start a loyalty program</h2>A loyalty program is a well-worn way to create new leads, incentivise repeat purchases and ensure your VIPs feel valued. Independent homewares brand <a href="https://numberfourteeninteriors.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Number Fourteen Interiors</a> has a particularly generous program, and their sales team administer it via an old-school card and sticker that arrives with your first purchase. After that initial purchase, you get a sticker every time you buy. Once a customer has collected five stickers, they’re sent a branded canvas bag that includes several goodies. After 10 stickers, they receive one of the brand’s curated ‘<a href="https://numberfourteeninteriors.co.uk/collections/the-monthly-gift-box" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">monthly gift boxes’</a> (which is another clever marketing strategy to expose customers to new products).&nbsp;“I hope our loyalty cards are the perfect way to show how much your orders mean to me,” writes owner Nicola Walton in a card that accompanies the box.<h2>6. Give back</h2>The primary reason for your brand to support a charity or sustainable initiative is because it’s something that you and your team truly believe in. The added bonus is that it can appeal to a potential prospect, be a way of showing customers that you align with their values, and it may even encourage them to make a purchase. It's a marketing and sales win.&nbsp;You could donate a part of your profits – like Alpaca Coffee, which gives one per cent of their profits to reputable sustainability organisation <a href="https://onepercentfortheplanet.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1% For the Planet</a>. Or you could offer a tangible sustainability initiative like Australian eco store <a href="https://seedsprout.com.au/pages/silicone-take-back-program" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Seed and Sprout</a>, which gives customers the chance to recycle any silicon products they’re no longer using. The company sends a ‘returns slip’ as a CTA to the customer, the customer posts back their silicon products, and Seed and Sprout make sure they’re recycled via TerraCycle.If your brand consistently demonstrates its sustainability credentials to its target audience, it could translate into a higher spend overall. A recent report <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220117005392/en/Retailers-In-the-Dark-on-Consumers%E2%80%99-Sustainability-Sentiment-First-Insight%E2%80%99s-New-Report-Finds" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">by the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania</a> shows that consumers say they are happy to spend more for eco-friendly products, led by Gen Y but closely followed by all other demographics.

<h2>7. Slash or remove shipping costs</h2>Free shipping is another marketing tactic that's an alternative to deep discounting. Data shows that <a href="https://baymard.com/lists/cart-abandonment-rate" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nearly half of all abandoned carts are left to wither because of an unfavourable or unexpected shipping charge</a>. So, wherever you are able to offer free shipping, do – it may help improve your conversion rate.Of course, free shipping doesn’t work for all merchants; particularly if your product is heavy or the bulk of your customers are overseas. If you can’t offer a blanket free-shipping rate on all sales, you might want to consider a tiered system: different prices for different delivery times or distances, or if a person spends to a certain amount. Flat rates can also feel less confronting than a shipping strategy that’s too complicated or only reveals itself once you’ve added an item to cart.And be as transparent as possible. If a potential customer understands your shipping policy as soon as they arrive on your landing page (a banner at the top of the page can be a good way to communicate this), they won’t get any nasty and off-putting surprises in the shopping cart, and your conversion rate will thank you.

"We aim to tailor our offers to customers depending on their phase in the purchase cycle.”

<h2>8. Be flexible about your targeting</h2>The value-adding that works for one prospect may not work for another, and it’s up to retailers to meet their customers in the part of the purchase journey that they’re at."At Coco &amp; Eve we adopt a mix of strategies for turning leads into customers,” says Joshua Pinnavanam, customer relationship manager at beauty brand<a href="https://au.cocoandeve.com/?utm_campaign=14073260820&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_content=536280163195&amp;utm_term=coco+and+eve&amp;adgroupid=126600501538&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwhY-aBhCUARIsALNIC05haYXUZc9W4lEAznWk3_Njx-swWEHdCCAJbKa37fTC1ElOxlsQlygaAuWCEALw_wcB" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Coco &amp; Eve</a>. “Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, we aim to tailor our offers to customers depending on their phase in the purchase cycle.”“Our foundation is a strong welcome offer supported by seasonal offerings onsite which are customised to each market. For example, gifts with purchase and seasonal discounts. We also carefully curate bundles of best-selling products to attract purchases and we continue to educate our audience through blogs and EDMs."The first step to personalising offers and incentives is to efficiently segment your customer base, and there is a range of tools and platforms that do this, from LoyPal to Emarsys and Optimove.The bottom line is that BFCM and lead generation ideas doesn’t have to mean deep discounting; there are many other ways to add customer value and increase sales, without slashing prices storewide.

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‘Tis the season for deep discounting. But there are ways to attract customers without storewide sales.

‘Tis the season for deep discounting. But there are ways to attract customers without storewide sales. Here are lead generation strategies to try.

8 lead generation strategies (that don't involve deep discounts)

8 strategies to capture leads (without relying on discounting)

Lead generation strategies  UK

You’ve got your business up and running, the website is built and staff are on the books. All you need now are customers. And lots of them. But how do you get them? Whether you’re just starting out in business and looking for new customers or well-established and wanting to grow your customer base, here are three killer ideas to bring in more customers.

<h3>Get your digital channels working for you</h3>To really maximise foot traffic in your business, you need to look outside your four walls. That’s where your digital channels can help. Promoting your business through digital channels, such as your website and socials, is a great way to raise awareness and increase your reach.It’s worthwhile considering paid social media, paid search and display advertising. To manage costs, start with your owned audience who are familiar with your brand—existing customers, email subscribers, website visitors and followers. Think about targeting them with special offers they can only redeem in person.&nbsp;It’s also a good idea to think about search and how people can find you. <a href="https://gs.statcounter.com/search-engine-market-share/all/united-kingdom/#monthly-202107-202207" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">More than 91%</a>1 of all searches in the UK are done using Google. Building a profile with a Google My Business account is a great way to connect with customers and put yourself on the map.You should also think about geotargeting. It’s a form of advertising that specifies the location of where your ads will appear. Using your Google My Business account, you can set up a radius around your business so that you’re serving up ads and content to people who are near you. This can be particularly powerful when you’re running a sale. Combine it with window displays that turn heads and the customers will be lining up in no time.

<h3>Grab their attention with alluring visuals</h3>When done well, visual merchandising (VM) can be one of the most effective ways to boost sales. VM is how you layout your store and display products and signage to motivate customers to shop with you.&nbsp;The first job of VM is to entice customers into your store. Your window displays and signage need to grab a passerby’s attention and draw them in.&nbsp;Your window displays should show a preview of what’s instore. They’re perfect for showing off new arrivals and limited-edition must-haves. Avoid the temptation to show too many messages or items. It makes the space look cluttered and overwhelming for customers. Balance is key.&nbsp;If you’re running a sale, call it out big time with signage that promotes your offer. Go for eye-catching colours, bold fonts and place the signage at eye height so it can’t be missed. Be sure to keep window displays fresh for your regular passers-by.

<h3>Create unique instore offers &amp; experiences </h3>A sure-fire way to get people through your doors is by offering exclusive instore deals and experiences. Use all your channels to promote instore sale events to drive more shoppers your way.&nbsp;Consider offering personalised instore shopping experiences to reward and recognise your most loyal and valuable customers. Think: new product launches, live product demos, workshops, special guests and performances. And don’t forget to keep the story going by encouraging your customers to share their instore experiences via their socials. online.&nbsp;Having a cracking offer that’s only redeemable in-store means you can attract more customers. Once inside, your VM and staff can help support your customers’ buying decisions, which could increase your average order value.&nbsp;With the right techniques, visual displays and promotions, you can start attracting more foot-traffic to your store. Combine it with <a href="https://www.clearpay.co.uk/en-GB/for-retailers/access/operations/designing-memorable-instore-customer-experiences" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">great customer experiences</a> and you’ll create customers for life.

Source:<ol><li>Search Engine Market Share, statcounter Global Stats, July 2021 - July 2022.</li></ol>

Whether you’re just starting out in business and looking for new customers or well-established and wanting to grow your customer base, here are three killer ideas to bring in more customers.

Open your doors to more customers

Open your doors to more customers UK

This powerful form of mobile marketing is a huge but often underutilised opportunity for business sales. Text for success with these 11 steps.

Text messages have come a long way.When SMS or ‘text messages’ were first introduced in the late nineties, most phones were the size of bricks, emojis hadn’t been invented, and people generally used their mobile phones for texting and calling – and nothing else.Fast-forward to today and SMS is one of the most widely used data services in the world. An estimated<a href="https://techjury.net/blog/sms-marketing-statistics/#gref" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> 23 billion text messages are sent every day</a> (that’s 270,000 every second), and<a href="https://www.tatango.com/blog/90-of-text-messages-are-read-within-3-minutes/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> 90 per cent of texts are opened within three minutes</a> of being received.Not surprisingly, text messaging is increasingly seen as a powerful channel for businesses to communicate with their customers.&nbsp;“Brands began experimenting with SMS messages a few years ago, but I think we started to hit an inflection point around the time of the COVID-19 outbreak,” says Josh Siegel, vice president of SMS at<a href="https://www.klaviyo.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Klaviyo</a>. During the 2021 Christmas sales period, the marketing automation platform experienced more than a 10-fold increase in the number of messages it sent on behalf of clients.This new form of mobile marketing sees businesses send a variety of texts to their customers: welcome or opt-in messages; sales alerts; appointment reminders; birthday messages; product launches; abandoned trolley reminders; and customer service follow-ups.&nbsp;The potential to engage with customers via SMS is high, given that texts have an estimated open rate of 98 per cent, compared to 20 per cent for email. According to research from Klaviyo, over one third of consumers choose SMS messages as their preferred channel to hear from brands. For younger consumers such as Gen Z or Millennials, that number is even higher, at 50 per cent.

Over one third of consumers choose SMS messages as their preferred channel to hear from brands.

“SMS is going through that curve of wild adoption, but because it is a new marketing medium, many businesses don’t know the rules around using it and how to set themselves up for success,” says Siegel.Follow this guide to nail your SMS strategy.<h3>1.	Get the basics right</h3>To start, you’ll need to sign up to a marketing automation provider, such as<a href="https://www.klaviyo.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Klaviyo</a>,<a href="https://www.attentive.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Attentive</a> or<a href="https://www.smartrmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> SmartrMail</a>. These platforms will allow you to send text messages in bulk – generally from an online SMS dashboard – and will manage your data and permissions.Costs will vary, with many SMS marketing platforms offering tiered pricing, whereby you can send a specified number of messages for a monthly fee.With SmartrMail, sending 1000 contacts one SMS of 160 characters costs roughly £30, says Nicolas Vibert, the company’s growth manager.<a href="https://marketerhire.com/blog/sms-marketing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">According to MarketHire</a>, sending one SMS campaign per week to a list of 10,000 subscribers would cost around £350.By comparison, sending your customers marketing emails via a basic automation platform can cost as little as a few dollars per month (with Mailerlite, you can get free plans for up to 1000 subscribers, while if you have 10,000 subscribers, sending unlimited emails costs around £42 per month).&nbsp;Keep in mind, though, that the costs associated with executing an SMS marketing campaign are lower than that of an email campaign – with no need to pay for a designer or long-form copywriter.<h3>2.	Secure customer consent</h3>Before you start sending texts, customers need to agree to receive messages from you.&nbsp;In the UK, consent to receive SMS messages must be expressly received rather than inferred. This means customers have to tick a box stating that they’re happy to receive SMS marketing texts. If you have an international client based, be aware that laws vary within Europe and the US, so it’s worth working with a provider to make sure you’re complying with the relevant legislation.&nbsp;You can collect permissions during the checkout process or through a landing page or form that appears on the website. Consider giving the customer a compelling reason to join the SMS list, such as VIP membership or an exclusive offer.

"It's a bad customer experience to send SMS messages to customers who don’t want to receive them.”&nbsp;

<h3>3.	Set your goal</h3>Next, consider the motivation behind your SMS marketing. With each text, are you seeking to welcome new customers, alert them to a promotion, invite them to an event, or re-engage with lapsed customers?Remember, every text message is an opportunity to engage with your customer and work towards converting a sale. According to Anup Khera, vice president and general manager of international at SMS marketing provider<a href="https://www.attentive.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Attentive</a>, a recent customer survey found that 63 per cent of respondents who subscribed to a brand had made a purchase based on a text message exchange.See some examples of different types of texts below.The Welcome SMS:

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The Sales Pitch SMS:

The Lure-Back SMS:

<h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>4. Keep it brief</h3>As illustrated above, briefer is better when it comes to SMS marketing.&nbsp;One reason for this is cost – if you exceed the 160-character limit, you’ll pay for it. A message of 200 characters, for example, will incur the cost of two SMS messages; a message of 500 characters will be priced as three messages.Short and snappy texts are also preferable from a user perspective. “Clear, brief messages tend to perform well," says Siegel. “People glance at their phones quickly, so you have to capture their attention and it has to make sense. If you push the call to action too far down, it can be lost.”<h3>5. Experiment with images, videos and emojis</h3>“Using a picture [in a text] can be effective, but be careful what you choose,” says Siegel. “Test to see what works for your audience. The research on the use of emojis is mixed… Some people don't like it – it depends on the context and the type of business.”&nbsp;Adding emojis, images and videos to your messages will also incur extra costs. And with the current tech, a video can only be sent via a link, rather than embedded in the SMS message itself.<h3>6. Get personal</h3>Avoid a generic blast. The most common mistake made by retailers is overlooking the personalisation that an SMS marketing strategy requires.8“It’s really important to tailor the message, as opposed to [sending out] a blanket offer,” says Vibert. “Many merchants think that they can simply export a list of phone numbers that they accumulated over the years through their in-house booking system and just blast them with an SMS campaign every week. It will simply not be effective.”Khera agrees, adding that there is no need to use guesswork in targeting different segments via SMS. “For marketers, text messaging stands out as a channel that’s uniquely data-informed and measurable,” he says. “Its immediacy allows brands to segment and personalise messages in real time to [turn] browsers into buyers.”A partner like Attentive, LoyPal, Klaviyo or SmartrMail can pull in multiple data sources to set up segments. For example, you could group together the customers who have purchased before and are interested in the same category – then send them a relevant offer.&nbsp;“Leverage the data that you've got to tailor the message,” says Vibert. “Don’t just shoehorn email content into an SMS script. Even a little bit of personalisation will go a long way.”

“Clear, brief messages tend to perform well."

<h3>7. Ensure you meet content regulations</h3>In Britain, the<a href="https://www.asa.org.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)</a> will provide all the info you will need to make sure you are meeting content regulations. If you market to an Australian audience, visit the<a href="https://www.acma.gov.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Australia Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)</a>. &nbsp;It’s worth noting that in the US and Canada, SMS marketing content relating to<a href="https://smsbump.com/knowledge-base/view/prohibited-content-sms-marketing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> SHAFT</a> – sex, hate speech, alcohol, firearms and tobacco – is either entirely permitted, or requires age verification. See the<a href="https://www.wmcglobal.com/hubfs/CTIA%20Short%20Code%20Monitoring%20Handbook%20-%20v1.8.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> CTIA Handbook</a> for specific guidelines.Content restrictions around topics such as alcohol vary internationally, too. Wine retailers often fall foul of this because they simply do not realise they are contravening the rules, notes Vibert.<h3>8. Give customers the option to opt out</h3>Always ensure there is an option to unsubscribe at the end of your texts – across the world it’s mandatory to send an opt-out message upon sign-up. In subsequent texts, it’s widely considered best practice, and is a legal requirement in some jurisdictions. Check specific regulations with your SMS marketing provider.“Aside from getting banned by the provider, [not giving customers the option to opt out makes for] a bad customer experience,” says Julian Casson, co-founder of SmartrMail. “It's such a highly personalised channel. If you're invading people's space, it will be viewed very negatively.”<h3> 9. Set and forget with automation</h3>Automated text messages can spur revenue growth by promoting flash sales and sending re-engagement messages and prompts following trolley abandonment. It is preferable to run this in tandem with related email messages, but be mindful about a disjointed experience for the customer. SMS messaging can be particularly powerful for targeting customers who haven’t made a purchase for a long time (whereas an email is more likely to stay unread in the promotions folder).However, it’s important to find the sweet spot in terms of frequency when setting up automated SMS campaigns; sending text messages too frequently will lower the open rate as customers begin to disengage.“You probably don't want to send a SMS message more than once a week,” says Siegel. “If you push that further, you have to really understand the audience and be careful about your content strategy.”

"If you're invading people's space, it will be viewed very negatively.”

<h3>10. Allow for a two-way exchange</h3>SMS was never meant to be a one-way channel. So, what happens if a customer writes back to your text, seeking more information on a product or deal? Your SMS provider platform will likely be equipped with basic features that let you text directly with customers. You could also consider implementing auto-reply keywords, which let customers receive more information by sending a one-word reply (for example, ‘Text DEAL for a discount code’ or ‘Text INSTA to check out our feed’.)<h3>11. Think outside the box</h3>While many merchants stick to sales promotions and order confirmations for SMS marketing, Australian online artwork retailer<a href="https://bluethumb.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Bluethumb</a> has utilised a more creative marketing strategy. Post-purchase, they send every buyer an SMS with a photo tile of the artwork they purchased, which can be shared on social media.“With a couple of thumb clicks, the buyer can share it on their social sites: it’s quick and seamless and it plays to the strengths of SMS with a personalised message,” says Casson, who founded Bluethumb as well as SmartrMail. “The tiles are branded [with our logo], which drives awareness for Bluethumb. It’s been a game changer.”<h2>What does the future hold for SMS marketing?</h2>When Apple recently released the iOS 16 software update in the United States, it introduced a promotions tab for SMS, just like the promotions tab for emails.As a result, are business SMSs more likely to be left unseen and unread? “It could make SMS marketing less effective,” notes Siegel. “However, that is not necessarily going to be the case. What we're seeing with email is that people are less likely to unsubscribe if the email stays in the promotions folder, because it isn’t annoying them every day. They can shop around in the promotion tab on their own accord.”He adds that there is a lot of mileage for businesses who are doing SMS marketing right, and likens the current period of SMS marketing to the early days of online sponsored ads, which delivered huge sales for brands. He foresees SMS marketing becoming more sophisticated – with the possibility to even complete purchases via text – before saturation point is reached, and new mediums emerge.

This powerful form of mobile marketing is a huge, but often underutilised, opportunity for business sales. Text for success with these 11 steps. 

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How to use SMS to drive sales UK

Shopping carts that never made it to checkout are an untapped gold mine. Here’s how to win back customers and recoup your revenue.

Every day, hundreds of thousands of virtual shopping carts disappear into the internet ether. Seemingly keen online shoppers fill them with products, only to walk away before completing the transaction: perhaps shipping costs were too high; maybe the customer got distracted; or they simply decided to wait for pay day.Whatever the cause, these abandoned carts are a costly problem for e‑commerce store owners across the globe. In fact, it’s estimated that e‑retailers collectively lose more than £14 billion in revenue due to shopping cart abandonment each year.Meanwhile,<a href="https://baymard.com/lists/cart-abandonment-rate" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> research from the Baymard Institute</a> found that nearly 70 per cent of all shopping carts are deserted before purchase, highlighting the pervasiveness of the problem.The good news is that businesses can win back these customers and recover lost sales with a smart and considered email strategy.In fact, customer data management platform<a href="https://www.klaviyo.com/marketing-resources/abandoned-cart-benchmarks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Klaviyo analysed data</a> from approximately 3000 e-commerce clients over a three-month period and found that businesses that implemented abandoned cart email strategies recouped more than £49 million as a direct result.<h2>First, a few basics…</h2>What is an abandoned cart email?Abandoned cart emails are trigger-based, automated messages that land in a shopper’s inbox, reminding them of the items they’ve left behind in their cart and enticing them to complete the transaction.How? In short, with sharp, snappy copy, a sense of urgency and, often, an incentive or discount to get customers over the line.Before you get started…It’s important that these emails comply with privacy requirements. “Depending on where you're based and the applicable legislation, abandoned cart emails can often only be sent to [people] you have marketing permissions for,” notes Adeola Sole, consultant at<a href="https://www.holisticemailmarketing.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Holistic Email Marketing</a>. “Abandoned cart emails are seen as a form of marketing rather than a service-based email, like an order confirmation email.”That said, a business can legally use a customer’s data if it was collected with their consent – when they sign up to a mailing list, for example, or if they filled out their email address at checkout.In terms of tech, if you’re operating an e-commerce store using a major platform such as BigCommerce,&nbsp;WooCommerce, Wix and Ecwid you should have the tools to implement an automated email campaign. For a more sophisticated integration, specialised email marketing platforms such as<a href="https://www.klaviyo.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Klaviyo</a>,<a href="https://emarsys.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Emarsys</a> or<a href="https://www.omnisend.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Omnisend</a> let you create customisable and targeted email sequences, known as ‘abandoned cart flows’.&nbsp;How effective are abandoned cart emails?A well-executed abandoned cart email can be a highly successful sales recovery tactic.&nbsp;In the aforementioned<a href="https://www.klaviyo.com/marketing-resources/abandoned-cart-benchmarks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Klaviyo research</a>, each abandoned cart email generated £4.77 revenue.<a href="https://www.freshrelevance.com/resources/guides/cart-abandonment" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Analysis by marketing company Fresh Relevance</a> found that abandoned cart emails promoted a 7 per cent sales uplift for businesses.Of course, the quality of each campaign will shape its results, but the potential to attract your customer with an abandoned cart email is uniquely high. The shopper has already demonstrated a desire to purchase your product, so your goal is to rekindle that desire.“You’ve already got someone all the way down the [customer acquisition funnel],” explains Karyn Parkinson, director of<a href="https://unstoppableecomm.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Unstoppable eCommerce</a>, an e-commerce growth agency and training academy.In other words, nurturing and converting the sale will be easier and cheaper than starting from scratch with a new customer.When should you send abandoned cart emails?Parkinson suggests creating a sequence of three emails to maximise your chances of capturing the customer’s attention. “People don’t check and open every email, and they have to be in the right head space to go through and make the purchase – to not have kids screaming in the background, for example,” she says.

“People don’t check and open every email."

That said, more than three emails can come across as spammy, and you don’t want to be pushy about the sale, especially in the early stages.Email one: The gentle reminder (60 minutes after abandonment)“This should be sent within an hour of the customer abandoning the cart,” advises Parkinson. “It’s a friendly reminder where you say, ‘Hey, we're holding onto your product for you – here's the link to go back and check out’.”Subject line/messaging ideas: “Did you forget something?”; “We saved your bag”; “Your products are waiting for you!”.Email two: The follow-up (24 hours after abandonment)If the first email doesn’t convert, it’s time to kick off your nurture campaign with an automated follow-up. “This would be sent the next day, and you want to start to create [a sense of] scarcity or time sensitivity,” advises Parkinson.

"Create a sense of scarcity or time sensitivity.”

“Let the customer know the cut-off: for example, if they order the product today, it will be shipped in time for the weekend, or perhaps it’s running out of stock. You could also emphasise some of the benefits of the product and build in trust with an element of social proof, by showing five-star reviews or testimonials.”This could also be a good time to remind the customer that you offer Clearpay and that they can buy the product they want but are not required to pay upfront.Subject line/messaging ideas: “Our sale’s ending, your cart’s calling”; “Oh no, your cart is about to expire!” “Don’t forget you can pay in four instalments with Clearpay”Email three: The last chance (48+ hours after abandonment)“This email is sent on day three, or a couple of days later, and lets the customer know that this is their final chance to recover their cart,” says Parkinson. “Tell them that the items will soon be put back on the shelf, but that you can offer an incentive if they purchase within a set timeframe.”&nbsp;This incentive might be free shipping or a discount code. “I wouldn’t offer this straight away – only in the last email, as you don’t want to train people to abandon their cart,” explains Parkinson. “But [at this stage] it’s generally cheaper to give the shopper a 10 per cent discount than to [try to] gain a new customer, using paid ads or another strategy.”Subject line/messaging ideas: “Don’t let free shipping go to waste” or “Just for you: 10% off”.<h2>14 tried-and-tested abandoned cart email strategies with examples</h2>Before you devise your strategy, it’s important to understand why your customer deserted their shopping cart in the first place. “Shipping costs, a lack of social proof and a lack of trust are the main reasons for cart abandonment,” says Parkinson.Her words are backed up by<a href="https://baymard.com/lists/cart-abandonment-rate" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> 2022 research by the Baymard Institute</a>, which found that 48 per cent of carts are abandoned because extra costs are too high. Obligatory account sign-up (24%), and delivery being too slow (22%) were also prevalent reasons.In your email campaign, aim to offer fixes and solutions for the relevant pain points. This will not only help recover sales and increase revenue, but also improve the customer’s experience and enhance their relationship with the brand.<h2>1. Offer a discount code</h2>Here, apparel brand<a href="https://bombas.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Bombas</a> entices the shopper with a personalised and targeted discount code. Note that this discount is only available for the customer’s first purchase, which might even spur them to add a few more items to their cart. The copy – “There’s only a few clicks between you and these new comfy clothes” – highlights the simplicity of making this purchase.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ingestible beauty brand<a href="https://moonjuice.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Moon Juice</a> does something similar, offering a $10 discount code to encourage shoppers to make their first purchase.

<h2>2.	Be relatable</h2>There’s no product pushing or sales spiel in this abandoned cart email from art and design retailer<a href="https://www.poketo.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Poketo</a>. Instead, it serves as a friendly reminder, using relatable copy and bright graphics to attract the customer.

Poketo follows this up with a reminder email featuring similarly friendly and relatable copy a few days later.

<h2>3.	Optimise for mobile</h2>According to the<a href="https://baymard.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Baymard Institute</a>, cart abandonment rates differ by device, with mobile phones responsible for the highest percentage of deserted carts (85.65 per cent).Couple this with the fact that an estimated 40 to 50 per cent of all emails are opened on smartphones, and it’s essential that your cart abandonment email is optimised for mobile. Graphics should be clear, copy should be brief, and shoppers shouldn’t need to pinch or scroll to see the call-to-action.

<h2>4.	Showcase the product</h2>“Display the abandoned products within the body of the email,” advises Sole. “We can't assume that a person will remember all of the items they left in their basket, so it helps to showcase them in the email, which acts as a visual prompt.”&nbsp;&nbsp;This email from fashion brand<a href="https://leemathews.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Lee Mathews</a> clearly displays the abandoned shoes, for example.

<h2>5.	Use humour</h2>With our inboxes increasingly filled with spam and bills, a witty email can have significant cut-through – providing that it stays true to your brand identity. This abandoned cart email by Allbirds achieves exactly that.

<h2>6.	Display social proof</h2>A shopper who trusts your brand is more likely to make a purchase, so displaying customer reviews and testimonials can help build credibility. Adidas’ abandonment email shares a positive customer review, combined with catchy, fun copy.

<h2>7.	Use real-life content</h2>Parkinson suggests taking the concept of social proof one step further and displaying user-generated content. “Photos that customers have taken themselves – either with or of the product – are more believable than beautiful, curated images that the brand has taken, and helps to build that trust element,” she says. This could be as simple as displaying some images your brand has been tagged in on Instagram, as per the<a href="https://www.adidas.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Adidas</a> example above. Similarly, fashion boutique<a href="https://www.foxanddove.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Fox &amp; Dove</a> features images from its Instagram feed in its abandoned cart emails.

<h2>8.	Use a high-converting subject line</h2>Your email subject line is your first opportunity to grab the shopper’s attention, and studies show that simplicity works best.In<a href="https://www.klaviyo.com/marketing-resources/abandoned-cart-benchmarks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Klaviyo’s abandoned cart email study</a>, subject lines that merely reminded the abandoner that they left something behind performed the best, with an average open rate of 47.67 per cent. This led to a high revenue per recipient: £9.20.Subject lines that contained either a percentage, dollar sign or the words ‘free shipping’ had a lower open rate of 38.31 per cent.&nbsp;“Personalisation – putting the customer’s name in the subject line – can also make people connect with the email and be more likely to open it,” says Parkinson.This is a tactic used by haircare brand<a href="https://www.rumbie.co/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Rumbie &amp; Co</a> which places the customer’s name in the subject line, which reads “Hey [name]!! You left something behind in your cart”.

British brand<a href="https://www.sassyshopwax.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Sassy Shop Wax</a> uses personalisation within the body of its email, as can be seen in the abandoned cart email below.

<h2>9.	Highlight your returns policy or a free trial</h2>Shoppers want to know they have options and here, homewares brand<a href="https://sardelkitchen.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Sardel</a> gets ahead of the game by sharing its returns policy and emphasising that this is a risk-free purchase. The clear layout and engaging copy are also drawcards.

<h2>10. Offer free or discounted delivery</h2>High shipping costs are the top reason for cart abandonment, so offering one-time free delivery could be key to securing a customer who is on the fence. As noted above, only offer this incentive at the end of your automation email sequence. Free shipping was also offered in the Sardel email above.Australian brand <a href="https://www.nataliemariejewellery.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Natalie Marie Jewellery</a> uses its abandoned cart emails as a way to reinforce its brand values and points of difference, including insured shipping and Clearpay.

<h2>11. Create urgency</h2>Scarcity is a powerful sales trigger, and letting the customer know that a product or deal is running out could urge them to return to their cart. This email from<a href="https://www.levis.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Levi’s</a> combines a 25 per cent discount with a 48-hour deadline.

<h2>12.&nbsp; Have a clear call-to-action</h2>Your abandoned cart email should seek to make the purchase process as quick and easy as possible. A call-to-action (CTA) button – “Shop now”, “Complete my order” or “Take me to my basket” – will help streamline the customer’s experience and minimise the chance of them becoming distracted and dropping off. This<a href="https://mytopicals.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Topicals</a> email features the CTA “Continue shopping”.

<h2>13.&nbsp; Offer a quick-click purchase</h2>“Take the customer straight to their saved basket rather than the product page,” advises Sole. “This will reduce bounce rate, and the likelihood of them completing the order is much higher.”

<h2>14. Accept alternative payment methods</h2>According to the<a href="https://baymard.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Baymard Institute</a>, 7 per cent of customers abandon their cart because an e-tailer doesn’t offer enough payment methods, which is why it’s important that you offer Clearpay. Highlighting that your business lets the shopper buy now and pay later – as displayed at the top of this email from<a href="https://kindiscool.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Kind Is Cool</a> – could be the final push the customer needs, especially for bigger-ticket purchases. “

<h2>Measuring the success of your abandoned cart emails</h2>An abandoned cart email is a mix of copy, creative design and calls-to-action – so how do you know which elements are working and bringing in sales? Remove the guesswork with A/B testing, which is the process of sending one variation of your email to a particular subset of your subscribers, and a different variation to another subset. The goal is to determine which garners the best results.“You might send an emotive subject line to one subset, and an informative subject line to the other, and see which leads to more click-throughs,” Sole suggests.Similarly, you can vary the headline, images, timing, or even offer different incentives, and measure which is the most successful. Keep experimenting and refining your recovery strategy, re-engaging your customers and boosting your bottom line, one email at a time.

Shopping carts that never made it to checkout are an untapped gold mine. Here’s how to win back customers and recoup your revenue.

Discover tips and examples to help you craft smart cart abandonment emails that win back customers

 14 amazing cart abandonment email examples to help you recover lost sales

 14 amazing cart abandonment email examples to help you recover lost sales UK

Whether you’re striving to attract your first or your ten-thousandth customer, a smart and well-executed acquisition strategy is essential to your business’ success.

Customers are the lifeblood of any business, essential for both survival and growth. But in an increasingly competitive digital landscape – where consumers are inundated with up to<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/08/25/finding-brand-success-in-the-digital-world/?sh=42869cf5626e" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> 10,000 brand messages a day</a> – how do you keep attracting new customers?For Eve Jones, founder of sustainable clothing business<a href="https://join-the-sisterhood.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Sisterhood</a>, customer acquisition was a top priority, even before the business was launched.“I started my<a href="https://www.instagram.com/sisterhoodthe/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Instagram account</a> a year before the brand went live to start gaining followers as part of my first marketing strategy,” says Jones, whose business now operates in the US and Australia as well as Britain. “I also planned to gift items to specific bloggers and influencers to grow brand awareness, and started using Facebook ads for Facebook and Instagram quite early on.”

“I started my Instagram account a year before the brand went live.”

Jones’ acquisition strategy has evolved since then and she now contracts an agency to manage it, but the fundamental principles remain the same.But Jones’ savvy strategising is not the norm: too many businesses overlook the need for a properly thought-out customer acquisition strategy. So, we’ve compiled the ultimate guide to building a strategy that works for your business, and clarity around common terms used in this sector.<h2>What is a customer acquisition strategy?&nbsp;</h2>When was the last time you purchased something from a new brand? How did you first come across their product?Was it during a mindless Instagram scroll? Did you walk by their store and have a positive memorable experience, or perhaps see an ad on TV or at the train station?Chances are, your purchase was the direct result of a considered and clever customer acquisition strategy.In simple terms, a customer acquisition strategy is the methods a business uses to reach and convert new customers, and ultimately increase profits.&nbsp;An effective strategy is the combination of lead-generation tools and product offers that turns potential customers into paying customers. This strategy can include online or offline elements, from traditional advertising such as print, radio and TV to digital tactics like SEO optimisation, content marketing, affiliate marketing or social media campaigns.<h2>Why do you need a customer acquisition strategy?</h2>While we know that<a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-AU/business/access/marketing/customer-loyalty-programme" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> customer retention costs less than customer acquisition</a> – to retain a customer, you must first acquire them. And in an increasingly competitive market,<a href="https://mailchimp.com/en-au/marketing-glossary/customer-acquisition-cost/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> acquiring loyal customers</a> doesn’t happen by chance – it requires a considered strategy.“To sustain and grow your business, you need to have new customers,” confirms marketing expert and founder of<a href="https://www.withsmallbusiness.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> With Small Business</a> Claudia North. But there’s a big difference between selling to new customers, and actually acquiring them.

“To sustain and grow your business, you need to have new customers.”

“A lot of small businesses struggle with having the time to commit to actual strategies, so they instead implement tactics on a more ad hoc basis, such as running a Black Friday or Cyber Monday [sales] campaign. But that won’t achieve growth, especially in the digital environment,” North explains.She warns that running one-off product campaigns without a formal or longer-term strategy in place won’t achieve the brand recognition and buy-in necessary to acquire a customer for the long haul.“While you may get revenue, you’re actually buying sales rather than investing in long-term growth. You need to implement what I would call an ‘always-on’ marketing approach, which involves an ongoing strategy to help move customers down your marketing funnel.&nbsp;“Not only does it drive consistent conversions, it provides you with insights into potential customer behaviour, which you can then evaluate and use to inform and refine your customer acquisition strategy and other marketing activity as you go.”

"You need an ‘always-on’ marketing approach."

It’s worth considering that without a defined strategy you’re more likely to sink valuable marketing dollars into short-term sales that don’t actually acquire new customers, and miss out on opportunities for long-term growth.<h2>When should you create your customer acquisition strategy?</h2>Whether you’re a start-up looking to gain your first 50 customers, or a thriving business celebrating 100,000 purchases, you should be implementing a customer acquisition strategy – as soon as possible.Customer acquisition, however, is not a set-and-forget process. It’s important to continually evaluate and refine your plan. Plus, if you implemented a strategy when establishing your business but are now looking to acquire a new customer demographic, chances are you will need to implement a new one.Brian Hong, owner of lead generation platform<a href="https://www.infintechdesigns.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Infintech Designs</a>, explains: “A business should re-evaluate their strategy [when] launching a product or service that is targeting a different customer segment. If set up and used correctly, the strategy will serve as a guideline on how you will meet the needs of your new customer, based on their buying behaviour and responses to your marketing and advertising.”

“A business should re-evaluate their strategy when launching a new product or service."

It’s also important to ensure that your customer acquisition strategy aligns with your<a href="https://www2.clearpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/customer-retention/customer-retention-examples" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> customer retention strategy</a>, too, in order to retain and nurture new customers.&nbsp;<h2>How to create your customer acquisition strategy</h2>1.&nbsp; Identify the customers you’re trying to acquireBefore you decide which tools and platforms will reach your potential customers, you need to know who those customers are, and what drives their purchasing decisions.This means identifying your target market and conducting comprehensive research to identify which customer acquisition tools will be most effective. This may involve carrying out a competitor analysis to determine where your competitors are acquiring customers, studying buying behaviour and holding focus groups.2. &nbsp; Define your growth targetsSetting targets upfront will allow you to measure which tactics are working, and to refine those that aren’t. “I see a lot of business owners struggle with setting growth targets,” says North. “But putting a quantifiable figure on your acquisition strategy is imperative for both the direction it takes – and, of course, the evaluation.”Goals will look different for every business, depending on the product, service, industry, and the age and phase of the business.North continues: “Ask yourself: are you trying to boost revenue by a certain percentage? Or are you trying to acquire a specific number of customers? How much do you want your acquired customers to spend on each sale, and how many times do you want them to come back to purchase from your business?”3. &nbsp; Choose your channelsYour customer acquisition channels (or platforms) must align with your target customer and where they spend their time.Let’s say that your target customer is women aged 25 to 35, who spend a great deal of time on Instagram and purchase their clothing on that platform: clearly Instagram will be a key channel for your customer acquisition strategy, and you may want to consider high-quality paid ads.Conversely, if you’re targeting baby boomers with a health insurance product, you may choose to advertise on television after the evening news, as this is where you are more likely to reach them.Using a combination of channels in your strategy can be highly effective, but North warns against trying to do everything at once.

“Jumping between different tactics won't work, because you won’t acquire the same data."

“The marketing environment these days is very complex, with so many platforms and tech advancements. Business owners are getting overwhelmed with blogs and articles every day that have differing opinions on what they should do. So, they make the mistake of thinking they need to be doing everything at once and jump from tactic to tactic.“Jumping between different tactics is going to see a low return or no return on investment, because you won’t acquire the same data. We’re in the age of data now, where the whole digital environment is about information and insights – and learning from that in order to gain more sustainable growth.”4. &nbsp;Establish two-way communication with your customersIf a customers is undecided about a purchase, then it’s important that your brand is available to address any questions or concerns.&nbsp;Email contact forms, customer surveys, pop-up rating questionnaires, social media posts and stories, and even blog posts with an open comments section are a great way to communicate with your customer base. You can use these platforms to ask for feedback, answer questions they’re likely to have, promote a sale or deal, or nurture your potential customer by keeping your brand top of mind.5. &nbsp; Evaluate and improve your strategyCheck the results of your customer acquisition strategy regularly. Which tactics are working and how can you refine and optimise your approach?The more that you finetune your strategy the less resources you will waste. And always pay attention to your KPIs, not just so-called vanity metrics like impressions or reach.<h2>Metrics to help measure success</h2>Customer acquisition costThe first metric to analyse is customer acquisition cost (CAC). The CAC factors in the total cost of obtaining a new customer – which might cover research, marketing, advertising, promotional products and postage – and divides that total cost by the number of new customers acquired.The average CAC varies according to industry and channel.&nbsp;Lifetime Value (LTV)The other key customer acquisition metric? Lifetime Value (LTV), which is the projected revenue one customer will generate for a business during their entire relationship with the brand. The LTV formula factors in the average purchase value and purchase frequency per customer, along with the customer value and average consumer lifespan with your company.Most industries aim for the LTV:CAC ratio to be 3:1, meaning the value of the customer is three times the cost of acquiring them. If the ratio is dipping toward 1:1, you’re spending too much money and need to reassess your strategy.<h2>Proven customer acquisition strategies that work</h2>1. An optimised website&nbsp;Having a great website might sound obvious, but your website is the digital shopfront of your business and must be fast-loading and easy to navigate.You should also consider optimising your website for search (known as search engine optimisation, or SEO). Writing compelling copy and building SEO-friendly content won’t break the bank, and there are several budget-friendly platforms to help you build a conversion-driven website.2. Prioritise the customer experienceWhether you’re a bricks-and-mortar retailer, an e-commerce store or a service-based business, providing a positive customer experience is integral to acquiring and retaining loyal buyers.If you have physical premises, tailor your store layout to your ideal customer and make it easy for them to purchase by having the products clearly displayed and a user-friendly counter. If you’re an online retailer or service-based business, optimise the user experience with succinct, informative and engaging content and clear calls to action (CTAs).3. Leverage social mediaWith a staggering 1.21 billion active users on Instagram, and 1 billion active users on TikTok, social media provides an unrivaled opportunity to reach mass audiences. If you’re in the building phase of your business and don’t have a huge budget, simply sharing branded content and organically engaging with users to build awareness is a great way to start.&nbsp;As your revenue increases and you build budget for advertising, you can run targeted ads through your social platform of choice using their native ad platforms. As you continue to grow your brand and budget, you can make your campaigns more and more targeted to nurture your potential customers from brand awareness right through to point of purchase.4. Optimise your email marketingIt may have been around for a while, but email marketing remains a budget-friendly way to reach customers directly (without going through a third-party platform like social media).Consider using email marketing for lead nurturing by sending a sequence of strategically connected emails to gradually encourage your customer to take action. Lead-nurturing emails (or lead-gen emails) can be used to promote or sell your product or services – or they can help promote content marketing initiatives such as webinars, or blog posts. It’s a highly effective customer acquisition strategy as it can move your potential customers down the marketing funnel for minimal spend.

Whether you're striving to attract your first or your ten-thousandth customer.

Want to reach more customers? Discover these expert tips on creating a customer acquisition strategy to reach and convert more customers to your store.

Customer Acquisition Strategy: How to Create a Customer Acquisition Strategy

Customer Acquisition Strategy: How to Create a Customer Acquisition Strategy UK

A large social media following is one thing. But how do you persuade your followers to purchase?

Many small business owners dedicate hours every week – or every day – to their social media communities. They plan posts, meticulously craft captions, and come up with imaginative competitions and collaborations.&nbsp;And why not? Social media offers a direct line into a brand’s customers, and it’s a great way to promote your products and services.But while the thrill of acquiring new followers or receiving hundreds of likes on a post can be addictive, social media followers are not the same as sales.&nbsp;“Look, it’s nice to have a big social media following,” says social media expert Jordan Lomax. “It’s almost a vanity thing. It’s a nice number you can see every day, and it shows people that [your brand] is popular.”

"Followers show people that your brand is popular.”

But it’s all too common for business owners to get caught up in the race to grow their social followings without considering how to convert those followers into sales, says Lomax. She often sees business owners devote considerable time, energy and money into social media without ever stopping to calculate the return on investment (ROI).<h2>&nbsp;Not all followers can be converted</h2>That said, not all your social media followers will become customers – now or ever – and it’s important to be realistic about conversion rates.“Only a percentage of your followers will ever convert,” says Lomax. “Just because someone follows you doesn’t mean they’ll buy from you.”Some followers use social media solely as a source of inspiration; others may not be in a financial position to purchase right now; or they may not have a need for your product at this particular moment.

“Only a percentage of your followers will ever convert.”

However, to maximise the chances that followers do convert, you need to start with a strategy.<h2>Get the basics right</h2>Before you start funnelling social media followers to your website, check that your website is ready for the traffic, and that your potential customers’ path to purchase is seamless.&nbsp;After all, it doesn’t matter how sophisticated your social media strategy, if your website doesn’t load properly, is difficult to navigate or there are too many frustrating pop-ups acting as hurdles along the path to purchase then your conversion rate will never be healthy.So, before you get started on a strategy to convert social media followers into customers, answer these questions:1.	Is your website optimised for mobile?Shopify dropshipping app <a href="https://au.oberlo.com/statistics/mobile-commerce-sales#:~:text=The%20share%20of%20mobile%20ecommerce,so%20through%20a%20mobile%20device." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Oberlo</a> estimates that three-quarters of all e‑commerce purchases are made on mobile devices, which means that it’s vital that your website works seamlessly on a smartphone.2.	Does your website load quickly?Around half of all shoppers will abandon a website if it takes longer than three seconds to load, according to a<a href="https://developer.akamai.com/blog/2016/09/14/mobile-load-time-user-abandonment" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> recent study</a>.3.	Are you providing enough information about your products?To convert e-commerce customers, it’s important to provide plenty of information about your products. That means featuring photos from a variety of angles, as well as including details about product size, fit and materials. Similarly, all e-tailers should clearly provide information about returns, payment options and shipping.&nbsp;If you don’t get this right, you’ll struggle to convert customers, or they will buy from you but return the product – creating a whole new headache in returns.4.	Are you posting on the right social channels?Consider your audience and where they are most likely to be, says Lomax. Gen Z fashion brands might do well on Instagram or TikTok, while interiors brands might be popular on Pinterest. In addition, she adds some social platforms are inherently more likely to drive conversions. “Pinterest can convert really well because people are often going on there with an intent to buy something.”

"Pinterest converts really well because people go on there to buy something.”

5.	Do you have the right audience for conversions?When was the last time you checked your audience insights? Having a large social media following is one thing, but if your followers don’t match your target market, they will never convert. Take a women’s bikini brand for example. If the majority of people following the brand on social media are men, who are more interested in the bikini models than the bikinis, it’s unlikely that the conversion rate will ever be high.<h2>Use social commerce features</h2>The most straightforward way to drive sales among social media followers is to use the raft of social selling features increasingly being offered by platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. These allow customers to shop straight from your social media page, which reduces friction and potentially improves conversion.Social selling tools include:<ul><li>Shoppable posts in Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest</li><li>Links in stories on Facebook and Instagram&nbsp;</li><li>Instagram Shops, which are curated product collections that link from brands’ Instagram profiles.&nbsp;</li></ul>Wherever possible, remember to tag or link the products featured in posts, and stay up to date with the social media platforms new social selling features.<h2>Don’t forget Stories</h2>Organic reach may be<a href="https://www.ignitesocialmedia.com/social-media-strategy/social-media-organic-reach-2021-who-actually-sees-your-content/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> down</a> across many social media platforms, but you may have more traction with Instagram or Facebook Stories, which are only available for 24 hours and therefore have a greater sense of urgency – this is perfect for selling, sales or limited-time offers.

“Stories tend to be seen by more of your followers."

“One of my best hacks is Stories,” says Lomax. “Stories tend to be seen by more of your followers and user behaviour is changing – users are opening Stories, looking through them, and then scrolling the feed.”<h2>Retarget followers with paid posts&nbsp;</h2>Another strategy to consider is retargeting. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram allow you to retarget advertisements to customers who have interacted with posts or visited your website. These ads can feature the product they have expressed interest in.(Ever clicked on a product only for an image of that item to follow you around the internet via display ads? That’s retargeting.)Retargeting can be a successful social selling strategy because you are advertising to followers who have already engaged with your brand and are therefore more likely to purchase.Tip: Some brands build their entire social selling strategy around retargeting. They reserve their social media feed for fun memes that are aimed at driving high engagement, building brand affinity and keeping their brand top of mind among followers. In comparison, they post very few openly promotional posts or shoppable posts.Why? “This [strategy] gives them a massive retargeting audience,” says Lomax, who points out that their engagement remains high as they are never perceived to be ‘pushing’ products on their followers. “They might follow up with retargeted posts to ‘shop our bestsellers’ or advertise that they have a sale on.”<h2>Use social media to build a 'warm audience'</h2>While social selling tools and retargeted ads are effective ways to sell to customers who are already familiar with your brand or may be ready to purchase, this approach won’t work for every follower.Think of it this way: when people first encounter your brand on social media they might have very little knowledge of your brand, products or ethos. (In other words, they are at the top of the customer acquisition funnel or in the ‘awareness’ or ‘consideration’ phase.)&nbsp;But, over time, as they consume your content and come to understand your brand’s point of difference and values, your relationship with your followers will develop.&nbsp;Gradually your followers will change from what’s known as a ‘cold audience’ to a ‘warm audience’ with a deep understanding of the brand.

"It takes time for people to buy into your brand.”

Nurturing this relationship takes time, says Lomax. “You have to treat social media followers almost like [you would a] friend. You wouldn’t expect to become best friends in one day. It takes time for people to buy into your brand.”&nbsp;Be warned: if the price point of your products is high, it may take several months of relationship building before followers are ready to convert.<h2>Deepen engagement with your followers</h2>One way to build a deeper connection with your followers – and move them closer to the point of purchase faster – is to engage with them whenever possible.“Engaging in comments and DMs with your ideal customer and those who have purchased from you, pinning comments, and replying to them all lets followers know that you care, as well as those who stumble on your account to know that you actually reply,” explains says Carly Smith, digital strategist and founder of<a href="https://www.sociallygraceful.com.au/home" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Socially Graceful</a>.Business owner Georgia Love of<a href="https://lovegeorgiaelliott.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Georgia Elliot Sleepwear</a> responds to every message, tag and comment. “[It] makes our follower feel engaged in our community, which has led to a trust in our brand and in turn leads to sales,” she says.Other ways to encourage your followers to engage with your brand – and drive them towards the bottom of the customer acquisition funnel - include featuring polls or Q&amp;As or posting content that requires responses.<h2>Discounts, incentives and lead magnets&nbsp;</h2>One tried-and-tested way to convert on-the-fence followers into customers? Offer discounts or incentives such as access to VIP sales or gift with purchase offers.Don’t forget to promote Clearpay as a payment option. You can find templates for social media posts incorporating Clearpay stickers and logos <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/growing-with-afterpay/always-on-merchant-social-assets" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>. Promoting exclusive content such as e-books, whitepapers or gated content (also known as lead magnets) in return for an email address is another way to move social media followers down the funnel and towards a purchase.<h2>Use social media to show, don’t tell</h2>“When it comes to socials, I find most businesses are concerned with selling and sharing the items that are for sale, which yes, you should be doing, but you also want to show off the lifestyle that’s possible thanks to your products,” says Smith. “Share the transformation in their life that’s possible with your product.”

“Share the transformation in their life that’s possible with your product.”

Promoting the benefits of your products in this way will help move followers closer to the point of purchase. (Retargeting will move them ever faster.)<h2>Use social media to increase consumer touch points&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>Another way to use social media to drive sales is to promote other marketing channels or brand touchpoints. For example, you might encourage social media followers to listen to your brand’s podcast or subscribe to your newsletter.The more ways that customers interact with your brand, the more engaged they will become.

“It’s become very clear in the past year that brands don’t own first-party data on social media."

Besides, diversifying your marketing strategy could be smart business. “It’s become very clear in the past year, with all the iOS changes, that brands don’t own [first-party] data [on social media channels]. If you don’t use social media to build your email list, and you get hacked then all that work is gone,” warns Lomax.<h2>Social media as social proof</h2>If people have opted to follow your brand on social media, chances are they are interested in finding out more about you and your products. In other words, they are in the “consideration phase” of the customer acquisition funnel.&nbsp;That’s why social media is the perfect opportunity to display 'social proof' such as testimonials, user generated content and customer reviews as a way to prove the efficacy and popularity of your products.&nbsp;Lastly? A large social media following can be a form of social proof in itself, as it demonstrates that lots of people love your brand, which offers a sense of authority and trust. So, keep posting – but don’t forget to create the strategy to convert your followers!

A large social media following is one thing. But how do you persuade your followers to puchase?

Discover how to persuade your social media followers to buy your products with these social selling tips.

Social selling: How to convert social media followers into customers

How to convert social media followers into sales

How to convert social media followers into sales UK

Get innovative and expand your customer base – without breaking your marketing budget.

Think ‘customer acquisition’ and what springs to mind? Advertising billboards, TV spots or social media ads, right? But in 2022, there are more creative (and, often, economical) ways to attract new customers.&nbsp;For Georgie Cavanagh, co-founder of bedding brand<a href="https://www.carlottaandgee.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Carlotta &amp; Gee</a>, collaboration has always been key to gaining new customers. “We’ve partnered with more than 100 brands in the last few years,” she says. “Collaboration is so important – if not, you’re talking to the same customers over and over again and it’s such a long road [to grow your customer base].”As part of her collaboration and customer acquisition strategy, Cavanagh reaches out to boutique holiday homes and travel destinations who might be interested in furnishing their bedrooms with Carlotta &amp; Gee linen. They then collaborate on a joint photo shoot and share the images across both brand’s channels.

“Collaboration is so important.”

As part of her collaboration and customer acquisition strategy, Cavanagh reaches out to boutique holiday homes and travel destinations who might be interested in furnishing their bedrooms with Carlotta &amp; Gee linen. They then collaborate on a joint photo shoot and share the images across both brand’s channels.“It’s a cross-pollination where we’re granted access to a wider audience – both on social media and in real life when potential customers visit these stays,” she says. “Sometimes we’ll also do a giveaway – we did an Instagram competition with [luxury eco hut]<a href="https://www.kimoestate.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Kimo Estate</a>, for example, where people could win a two-night stay plus a $500 [£285] linen voucher. We got more than 5000 new followers and a boost in new customers.”The bottom line? To grow your customer base, it’s important to think outside the box but also to think strategically. Read on for expert advice and more creative tips on creative ways to acquire new customers.<h2>What is customer acquisition?</h2>Put simply, customer acquisition is the process of gaining new customers for your business, and it’s essential for both the profitability and longevity of a brand, for small start-ups and multinational conglomerates alike.

“The main objective of customer acquisition is to grow a long-term sustainable business."

“The main objectives of customer acquisition [are] to grow a long-term sustainable business – staying in touch with your customers to forge a value-adding relationship with them – increase brand awareness and, most importantly, drive sales and repeat business,” explains Kiran Linaker, director of marketing agency<a href="https://www.klcco.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> KLC Co</a>.

Numerical Highlight List

Paid customer acquisition refers to methods such as social media ads, Google AdWords, paid features in magazines, display ads, affiliate marketing and influencer campaigns to attract and acquire new customers. Some platforms, such as Facebook, allow you to choose the dollar amount you’d like to spend per new lead, but it’s not an exact science and success will vary.&nbsp;Alternatively, organic customer acquisition means taking an approach that doesn’t require fees – for example, gifts, email marketing, content marketing, and search-engine optimisation. You’ll still have to factor in relevant costs – such as products for gifting, packaging and postage – but your strategy will revolve around organic channels rather than advertising.It’s worth noting that while organic customer acquisition can be slower, it’s often more sustainable than paid customer acquisition in the long run. “With paid advertising, your sales generally reflect your paid budget – [which means] if your paid budget runs out, so do your sales,” explains Linaker.&nbsp;A combination of organic and paid methods may prove most effective in expanding your customer base.“The reality is, most publishing [and social media] platforms are now making it more difficult to reach your audience without a bit of a budget, so a paid strategy can [enhance or complement] your organic strategy,” Davis explains. “You might use a paid strategy to attract new customers, and then engage with those potential customers by sharing relevant organic content.”<h2>10 creative customer acquisition strategies to try&nbsp;</h2>Before you implement these strategies, consider if they work for your product, your audience and your budget. A competition or collaboration, for example, might not suit the tone of your target audience. Choosing the right strategy for your brand is critical to its success.&nbsp;<h2>1. Encourage user-generated content</h2>From unboxing videos on Tik Tok to styled images on Instagram, customer-created content is a powerful (and free) customer acquisition tool.When shared on social media, this content helps to expand your audience and offers an element of authenticity and social proof, which consumers are increasingly seeking out. In one recent<a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190220005302/en/Stackla-Survey-Reveals-Disconnect-Content-Consumers-Marketers" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> study</a>, 79 per cent of people said that user-generated content significantly impacts their purchasing decisions, compared to 13 per cent for brand-generated content, and 8 per cent for influencer-generated content.&nbsp;So, how do you encourage customers to create and share content about your brand? One option is to come up with hashtags and promote them in your shop or packaged with your product. Another is to consider how your products will be unboxed and whether there are any creative packaging ideas that might inspire customers to share the experience.&nbsp;What it looks like: In its early days, natural skincare brand <a href="www.frankbody.com/uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Frank Body</a> sent out free samples of its exfoliating coffee scrubs to high-profile influencers and bloggers.&nbsp;But they soon discovered that everyday customers who shared the product on social media were some of the most important ambassadors for the brand – especially when they posted snaps of themselves in the bath covered in the grainy scrub.Today, the multimillion-pound brand continues to encourage customers to share photos using the hashtags #letsbefrank and #thefrankeffort, and awards prizes for the best posts.<h2>2. Referral marketing</h2>Positive recommendations and referrals from your current customers are an effective way to build trust and win new customers. You can take this one step further by creating an automated, incentivised referrals program – essentially, a lead machine.What it looks like: Australian healthy meal delivery service<a href="https://youfoodz.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> YouFoodz</a> encourages its customers to share a discount code with their friends. Each new customer receives $30 [£17] off their first order – and when the discount is activated, the referring customer receives $50 [£28] off their next order. The referring customer can earn up to five $50 discounts, meaning they save $250 [£145], and Youfoodz acquires five new customers.Similarly, after a customer makes a purchase from shoe brand, <a href="https://www.allbirds.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">All Birds</a>, they’re invited to ‘share the love’ and save 10 per cent when purchasing a pair for someone special in their life.<h2>3. Collaborate with like-minded businesses</h2>As Cavanagh has already explained, collaborating with complementary brands can increase your customer base quickly and, in most cases, relatively cheaply. A collaborative partnership can be as small as providing free product for a joint giveaway via social media, or it could involve producing a limited-edition product or service for sale by both brands.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/71-of-consumers-enjoy-co-branding-partnerships-encouraging-more-companies-to-market-products-together-301361260.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">A recent study</a> in the US found that 71 per cent of consumers enjoy “co-branding partnerships” as long as their values are aligned.Jess Ruhfus, founder of<a href="https://www.collabosaurus.com/about/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Collabosaurus</a> – which connects businesses and enables marketing partnerships across the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – believes brands should be collaborating around five to six times a year.What it looks like: New Zealand fashion label<a href="https://www.karenwalker.com/au" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Karen Walker</a> and Australian gumboot label<a href="https://merrypeople.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Merry People</a> joined forces this year to release a limited-edition co-branded gumboot. It was a neat synergy between two like-minded brands, exposing each business to a new and captive customer base.While some collaborations bring about an instant spike in new customers, others are a slower burn. “We collaborate with brands we really like,” says Kate Heppell, co-founder of interiors brand<a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-AU/business/access/success-stories/kip-and-co-collaboration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Kip &amp; Co</a>,&nbsp;which has fostered partnerships with well-known bedding and clothing retailers to create popular co-branded products.“Success can be in developing a strong business relationship or publicity – or in simply producing something fun that will energise your customer base,” Heppell explains.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The takeaway? Take every opportunity to expand your business network or work on a joint creative project – along the way, you’re likely to attract new customers, too.<h2>4. Offer freebies</h2>This doesn’t necessarily mean giving away your product or services. Instead, consider offering potential customers downloadable books, resources, audio books or even printable art, as long as it relates to your core brand personality. In order to generate leads, ask customers for their email and contact data, then email them a link to the free download.What it looks like: Stationery brand<a href="https://migoals.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Mi Goals</a> specialises in journals, notebooks, calendars and planners that empower the customer to reach their goals.&nbsp;On their website, they also offer<a href="https://migoals.com/pages/resources" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> free downloadable resources</a> such as printable wall planners. It’s a lead magnate that aligns perfectly with the brand, enticing potential customers to sign up to Mi Goals’s email list and join their sales funnel.<h2>5. Be an expert</h2>Offering to speak on panels, on radio stations, in forums and on social media (via lives or video) has numerous benefits. You’ll be exposing your brand to potential new customers who may not have heard of it before, it will help you become a go-to expert in your industry strengthening the perceived and actual trust in your brand, and it can also help with search engine optimisation (SEO), especially if your talk or comments are backlinked to your website.&nbsp;You can begin quite easily by working on your LinkedIn profile and building up your knowledge in your industry. Reach out to aligned businesses and events who may be looking for speakers and offer to share your expertise where needed. You could also host your own event, question time or live interview, placing you firmly in the realm of expert.What it looks like: Beauty guru <a href="https://www.charlottetilbury.com/au" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Charlotte Tilbury</a> runs regular masterclasses online, often joined by influencers and Tik Tok stars as she showcases her latest make-up products. But you don’t have to be a famous founder or mega brand to get in front of the camera: during lockdown in 2020, premium fashion reseller<a href="https://www.tradinginstyle.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Trading In Style</a> started using Instagram Live and it’s since become its primary sales channel. Every day, tens of thousands of viewers tune into their daily shopping sessions where they chat through their current collection – and this strategy has seen their customer base surge.<h2>6. Boost your SEO</h2><a href="https://videos.brightedge.com/research-report/BrightEdge_ChannelReport2019_FINAL.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">According to a BrightEdge study</a>, 53.3 per cent of all website traffic now comes from organic searches. Therefore, SEO – optimising your website to make it easier to be discovered online – is essential and can play a critical role in reaching new audiences and driving traffic to your website or physical store.What it looks like: Whether you’re a handbag brand or hairdressing salon, your SEO goal should be to appear on the first page of search results (or as close to this as possible), as <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/14416/100-Awesome-Marketing-Stats-Charts-Graphs-Data.aspx" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">75 per cent of people</a> don’t scroll past the first page of results. Strategies to improve your SEO include using well-researched keywords and adding backlinks to your site, as well as creating click-worthy content. Read our beginner’s guide to retail SEO<a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/seo-tips/retail-seo" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://www.clearpay.co.uk/en-GB/for-retailers/access/seo-tips/24-tips-to-improve-seo-ranking-for-retailers" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>, and our e-commerce SEO checklist<a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/seo-tips/e-commerce-seo-checklist" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>. <h2>7. Sponsor an event (or throw your own)</h2>Event marketing is a great way to get your name out there, build your brand identity and connect with potential customers. If your business targets a local community, you could start small and create a<a href="https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Meetup</a> page or Facebook event. Alternatively, you could sponsor a larger event and provide products or samples for a gift bag.&nbsp;What it looks like: Fashion brands have long used events and parties to garner publicity and grow their audience..Australian fashion e-tailer<a href="https://www.theiconic.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> The Iconic</a> set up an on-site activation at a popular music festival in 2019, and a post-festival<a href="https://www.adnews.com.au/news/visa-cub-and-the-iconic-on-the-brand-value-of-splendour-in-the-grass" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> survey</a> revealed 81 per cent of attendees said the activation made them more likely to use the brand, and 65&nbsp;per cent said it made them feel more positive towards the brand.&nbsp;While this example might be from a well-known brand, it nevertheless illustrates the potential of an event to extend reach, bring a brand to life and create a real-world experience, all of which are highly beneficial in customer acquisition, whatever the scale.<h2>8. Find your (nano) niche</h2>While<a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-AU/business/access/social-media-tips/influencer-marketing-rates" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> influencer marketing</a> can be hugely effective in reaching and acquiring new customers, not every brand can afford the rates of the biggest influencers. But this may be a blessing in disguise, because there’s huge potential in doubling down on a niche audience that relates specifically to your brand and reaching them through ‘nano’ influencers.Nano influencers have under 10,000 followers on a social media platform and tend to specialise in one area, subject or tone. You may question if working with a nano influencer is worth it, but according to<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2021/02/08/the-power-of-nano-influencers-for-local-businesses/?sh=3c4d78853ad4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Forbes</a>, small influencers generate 22.2 more conversations weekly and are 9.8 times more impactful than larger ones.What it looks like: The nano influencer can create sponsored content to promote your product, shown on both their platform and your own. You could also consider a giveaway, or an exclusive discount for the influencer’s followers.<h2>9. Utilise cutting-edge tech</h2>To gain new customers, you need to stay ahead of the pack and stand out from the crowd. This is why luxury brands have started turning to augmented reality and creating their own social media filters – simply scan your face and you can try on a Dior sunhat or Gucci tiara on Instagram. It may seem like a gimmick, but when combined with shoppable technology, it could be the future of e-commerce.What it looks like: In June this year, beauty retailer<a href="https://www.mecca.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Mecca</a> partnered with digital marketing agency<a href="https://www.resolutiondigital.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Resolution Digital</a> to launch a shopping filter on Snapchat. The filter allowed shoppers to browse a MAC Cosmetics lipstick line, virtually try it on and then purchase directly via the app. It’s the kind of strategy that engages customers and gets people talking, which, in turn, helps boost customer acquisition.<h2>10. Encourage word-of-mouth</h2>Positive word-of-mouth reviews about a business make<a href="https://thrivemyway.com/wom-marketing-stats/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> 91 per cent of consumers</a> more likely to engage, and 83 per cent of marketers use word-of-mouth marketing because it increases brand awareness and the number of referred customers. Word-of-mouth referrals can be two people talking about a service or brand they have discovered; a recommendation on social media; or a positive review online.Word-of-mouth referrals can be inconsistent, however, as your business might get 70 one week and none the next – it can work effectively in a well-rounded strategy but try not to rely on it as your sole customer acquisition method.What it looks like: You could encourage reviews after purchase via an email prompt, offer an incentive or future discount for reviews, or run a campaign to encourage your existing customers to share their experiences with your brand. Another way to share a review is to monitor relevant hashtags and tags, and ask permission to repost a review on the brand website or social media.

Get innovative and expand your customer base – without breaking your marketing budget.

Looking for creative ways to find new customers? Here are 10 methods to try from collaborations to event sponsorship.

New Customer Acquisition: 10 Ways to Find New Customers  in 2022

Creative ways to gain new customers in 2022

Creative ways to gain new customers in 2022 UK

An effective customer acquisition funnel will drum up new business leads and convert them into sales while you sleep. Here, marketing experts share their advice on how to create one with maximum impact.

Thriving brands and businesses across the world are often lauded for their out-of-the-box innovation and creative brilliance.&nbsp;And while it’s true that every successful business starts with a brilliant product or service, there’s usually a science to their success, as well.When it comes to customer growth, this usually starts with a ‘customer acquisition funnel’ or sales funnel.“Sales funnels have been around forever,” says Simon Gould, director of<a href="https://www.orbitmarketing.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Orbit Marketing</a>. “[But] they're more technologically advanced now. Back in the day, a salesperson would have to sit making cold calls to tell people about a product or service.”

"Sales funnels have been round forever. But they're more advanced now.”

Cold calling is still a strategy used by some businesses in the initial customer acquisition phase, but today there are much more sophisticated methods available to reach new audiences – and then move them through the customer acquisition funnel towards conversion.<h2>What is a customer acquisition funnel?</h2>A sales funnel or ‘customer acquisition funnel’ refers to the sequential stages a customer progresses through on their path to purchase. It begins with initial awareness of a product or service and ends when a person becomes a paying customer. By carefully and purposefully guiding a shopper through the process, a brand can increase the likelihood of converting that sale.The imagery of a funnel is intuitive: the top of the funnel is wide and represents the point when a business is trying to catch as many people’s attention as possible. As customers are guided down the sales path to the bottom of the funnel, some will inevitably drop off and decide not to purchase. An effective sales funnel will maximise the number of leads that are converted into sales by eliminating any sources of friction along the way.For example, a fashion brand might use billboard or magazine advertising to grow awareness, and this could be described as ‘top-of-funnel’ customer acquisition.A certain percentage of people who see those advertisements might visit the store online. There, they might be encouraged to sign up for a weekly newsletter in return for a discount on their first purchase. This stage is the ‘interest’ or middle of the funnel. Finally, after a few weeks of receiving the newsletter, they might proceed to through the sales funnel and purchase an item online or instore.&nbsp;

<h2>Automating funnels</h2>Today, many businesses are automating their sales funnels, so that when a customer interacts with the brand, the next step in the sales funnel is triggered.For example, the first step might be scheduling a paid social media post. Each person who views that post could then be retargeted by social media ads a few days later with a free (and relevant) content offer, which requires an email address to be provided. Sales staff would then contact them.

“Having an automated process in place means that the sales funnel can run 24/7."

&nbsp;“Having an automated process in place means that the sales funnel can run 24/7, and it is more cost-effective,” says Gould. “In the meantime, the business operator is watching the results and tweaking the funnel to optimise its performance.”<h2>The three stages of a customer acquisition funnel</h2><h2>Top of the funnel: Awareness</h2>The customer acquisition process starts when a prospective customer first learns about a product or service.This could be the result of many forms of marketing, such as advertising, word-of-mouth, or a post by a social media influencer. Brands must strike a balance between casting their net as wide as possible to capture the largest potential audience, while also looking for advertising placements that will reach the right audience, in terms of demographics and purchasing power.&nbsp;Otherwise, the likelihood of engagement is low.&nbsp;For example, a health food store may enlist a social media influencer to post a video of them cooking pumpkin risotto using ingredients from their store. The influencer might mention the store in the video to raise awareness and encourage the audience to click on a link for a free book of recipes. In return, the customers must leave their email address in order to receive it. The e-book works as part of the sales funnel because the ingredients list contains hyperlinks to the health food store.“The health food store isn’t urging you to buy their products, but the content works hand-in-hand for them, because if you want to make the recipe, it would be convenient to order the ingredients from them in one go,” says Charmaine Schembri, marketing director of Australian-based marketing agency<a href="https://www.littlemiss.social/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Little Miss Social</a>.The health food store can then re-target paid social media ads to any of the influencers’ followers who interact with the video post (for example, liking, commenting or sharing it). This moves those followers further down the funnel.The store can also contact the customers who downloaded the free book of recipes, again driving them deeper into the sales funnel.Primary top-of-funnel tools: Social media, content marketing, SEO targeting for the right demographics, relevant influencers, magazine advertisements, billboards, event sponsorships.<h2>Middle of the funnel: Interest</h2>When a potential customer expresses interest in a specific product or service, they begin a process of evaluation to determine if it can solve their problem or satisfy a need. This is the ‘interest’ or ‘middle-of-funnel’ phase. At this point, customers will typically seek more information about the brand, product or service and compare the offerings in the market.At this stage it is critical for the brand to persuade the potential customer about the merits of their offering.For example, a brand might showcase customer reviews on their website, create content for its social media pages or offer information about the brand and its ethos online.&nbsp;Primary tools: Customer reviews, case studies, e-books, newsletter landing page, webinars or content.&nbsp;<h2>Bottom of the funnel: Action</h2>The final stage of the sales funnel is the act of making a purchase and becoming a customer. To convert the deliberation phase to a decision, you might offer a time-limited deal, a money-back guarantee or provide testimonials from satisfied customers.Tools such as Clearpay can also assist when it comes to bottom-of-funnel marketing, as Buy Now Pay Later reduces friction and eases the path to purchase.<h2>Don’t forget repurchasing</h2>Nowadays, it is also common for sales funnels to include a post-purchase section – and encourage repurchasing intent. In other words, as soon as a customer has purchased, brands should think about how to encourage the next purchase.This can be achieved through a subscription model or by offering a subsequent discount to returning customers. An affiliate or referral program whereby a friend who refers a friend gets a discount can also lead to more conversions.

"Referral programs are effective because the brand doesn't have to go through the whole process of building trust."

“[This is] super effective because if somebody I know and trust tells me to buy a product, then the brand doesn't have to go through the whole process of building trust with me. I instantly trust the brand because my friend already does,” says Gould.Primary tools: Affiliate program, discount coupons, pop-up offers on online store, automated SMS messages (with mandatory opt-out options) and email campaigns.

<h2>Why your business needs a sales funnel&nbsp;</h2>Building a sales funnel can be arduous and time-consuming, however, it’s an important way to create long-term stability for your business.“I’ve heard business owners claim that word of mouth is their best form of advertising,” says Gould. “That may be true in terms of quality, but it's [not consistent]. A business may get a referral one week, zero the following week and ten the next week. It's just so unpredictable.”By contrast, a well-oiled sales funnel creates a consistent and reliable flow of new leads that can be converted into revenue.

"Without a sales funnel, it is impossible to plan or scale your business."

Gould goes on to explain: “Without a sales funnel, it is impossible to plan or scale your business… If you don’t have a reliable way of acquiring new business, where are your customers coming from? You risk going out of business.”<h2>How to fix a leaky funnel</h2>As the term implies, a leaky funnel means that customers are slipping out of the sales funnel rather than making it to the end and completing a purchase. Business owners who are unaware of leaks or blockage points are oblivious to problems that can generally be fixed.First, identify where the leak is. Where are customers dropping off? Perhaps social media ads are attracting views, but comparatively few people are clicking through to the website. Or maybe your website is receiving a high number of daily visitors, but only a handful of people are downloading a lead magnet such as a free e-book. In this instance, the e-book may be the cause of the leak. Is its content genuinely relevant to solving the customer’s pain point?

"If you don’t have a reliable way of acquiring new business, where are your customers coming from?"

A leak or blockage could also be caused by a nurturing process that is too rushed, suggests Gould.&nbsp;“If people are clicking through to the website and I know that my offer is right, am I asking them to buy too quickly? Do I need to invest more time in building the relationship and building trust?”Gould suggests testing different audiences to check whether aspects of the offer need to be repositioned or targeted. Experiment with different offerings and measure the results, then tweak as needed.<h2>Know your customer to serve your customer</h2>Another way to identify flaws in your customer acquisition strategy is to survey customers using satisfaction polls. You can also pay close attention to reviews and feedback to determine why customers didn’t make it all the way through the customer acquisition funnel. If possible, speak to customers who may have left your business and find out why.

“Ask them why they left or changed their mind – often people will be really open."

“Ask them why they left or changed their mind – often people will be really open,” says Gould. “You could say something like, ‘I'm not trying to win you back… but what I really want to do is improve what we're doing. What was it that we got wrong?’”Above all, building an effective sales funnel requires more than just a hunch about what your customers need. As Gould says, “You have to understand their fears, frustrations, goals and desires, and then offer them something that will either solve the problem or move them closer to realising their ambitions.”

An effective customer acquisition funnel will drum up new business leads and convert them into sales while you sleep. 

What is a customer acquisition funnel? Discover the stages of a marketing funnel - and why they are essential for drumming up new leads.  