3 Ways to Find New Clients After the Pandemic
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
The pandemic isn’t over yet, but with a loosening of restrictions worldwide, there is a sense that we’ve spotted the light at the end of the tunnel. As a result, it’s all systems go for many businesses who are ready to get back out there. Regardless of how Covid-19 affected your business, the dawn of 2022 heralds a new age of business opportunity in a world that’s ready to get back on track after a period of sustained difficulty.
However, the landscape isn’t the same as it was before. Stay-at-home measures and the lack of in-person interaction from social distancing has put more of a focus on digital selling and buying than ever before. Whereas the internet was always looming as the eventual top contender for all business, the removal of in-person interactions from networking events, coffee chats and conferences moved the digital world to the front of the line, perhaps for good.
Therefore, finding new clients is going to be a different experience, but with the help of the following tips, you may find it easier to scale.
1. Give value and instill desire online
The explosion of platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels has made it easier than ever for an individual to find all the content they want in the palm of their hand. And within these platforms, niches relating to education, like “Learn on TikTok,” have performed tremendously well. The notion of offering value to viewers by teaching them how to do something has been a proven success. One could lay out the details on how they completed their first six figure deal or how to set up a dropshipping enterprise.
Related: 3 Laws for Attracting New Clients
Whenever you give value online, you’re creating a name for yourself and trust with your target audience. A sweet spot happens when this is unfused with something you’re selling, and it applies to any platform in which you’re speaking in front of people.
As you’re offering value, insight and education that will change the game for your audience, also explain why they need you or your product to supercharge their success. This is incredibly effective because it’s a way of building trust while also selling at the same time.
2. Share the stories of those you are impacting
Prospects buy when they can see themselves in another person who got results. For example, say that you are selling a course on how to put together a book proposal. If you yourself just signed a multi-book deal with a major publishing house while also writing for major publications, you’re less relatable to your target market than someone in their shoes would be. Bring in some who also has a 9-5 job and followed your course to secure their own book deal.
There’s also an added layer of trust when you allow the clients to put their experience into their own words, either via written or video testimonial. This is true of any of the work that you do.
3. Consider building an app or moving your community to an existing app
Remember, most business is done via phones these days. The easier you can make it for people to engage with you or purchase from you, the better. This all comes down to basics, like making your information readily accessible so they don’t encounter any blockages on their way to a sale. And with that said, there’s another way to build customer loyalty and make things easy — get an app involved.
In 2020, mobile apps accounted for 18 billion downloads, which was a 7% increase from the year before, according to App Annie’s State of Mobile Report. That number will only rise. This makes it easier for your brand or company to be top of mind. If you don’t feel it’s right to develop your own app or hire a developer, consider an app like MightyNetworks or Patreon, where clients or customers can subscribe to you for a nominal fee in order to access content or services behind a paywall. Having an app also creates a sense of dependability and professionalism in the eyes of your target audience. This will help to promote sales as well.
Related: How to Increase Your Visibility Online and Attract More Clients
More and more business is trending toward the online world. Capitalizing on these trends by creating free value, infusing sales, elevating happy customers and solidifying your business’ online presence through an app will help you grow your number of clients in the years to come.