Client acquisition always requires effort, but it’s getting more difficult. According to research from HubSpot, 55% of consumers don’t trust the brands they buy from as much as they used to, 69% of consumers don’t trust advertising, and 71% distrust sponsored social media posts.
This lack of trust puts more pressure on marketing and sales teams, and not just with client acquisition. The result? More push marketing, usually on social media.
There’s a better solution, however. Pull marketing can be very effective for client acquisition and circumvents a lot of the mistrust that consumers have.
No matter the size of the business, bringing in new clients is vital to profitability and success. It also shows investors, influencers and stakeholders that you have something of value that people want.
Client Acquisition Funnel
Client acquisition is different than lead generation. In marketing, lead generation is at the top of the sales funnel. With client acquisition, the entire process is viewed as a funnel.
Consumers gain awareness of a product or service, add the business to a list of businesses they’re considering, and choose to become a paying customer. Client acquisition is end-to-end and encompasses every stage of the funnel. Here are some tips for forming an effective client acquisition strategy.
Determine the Target Audience
Before you can make any moves toward client acquisition, you need to define your target audience. Your product or service is ideal for a certain demographic, and you need to discover who they are.
Conduct market research to figure out your target audience and determine how you should market to them. Just because you have an idea of what they’re looking for doesn’t mean it’s accurate, so do your research to gain these crucial insights.
Choose the Right Client Acquisition Channel
After you determine the ideal audience, you must figure out where they spend their time online. Otherwise, you could throw a lot of your marketing budget at an underperforming channel and miss out on value elsewhere.
This may take some experimentation, but it’s worth the upfront effort. Having goals will help you determine which channels are working, and with which tactics. Once you’ve done some testing and analysis, you can compare and choose the best options.
Include Video Content
Video content is more popular than ever, and not just with younger audiences. You can use video on just about every channel, and it’s an excellent way to communicate complex information.
For example, let’s say you work in divorce law and want to break down the expectations for a case that proceeds to trial. It’s much more effective to break up such complicated content into a short video series with graphics and Q&A portions, rather than a long-form article.
With video, you have just as many options as any other type of content. You can use client testimonials, explainer videos, how-to videos, or live Q&A sessions to engage with users and provide tons of valuable information that may move them to sign on with you.
Use Giveaways
Giveaways are excellent for boosting awareness and increasing engagement, especially on social media. A giveaway doesn’t have to involve a coveted prize or anything expensive – people like free stuff and discounts. Offer them a chance to experience your business and it may be the final push they need to make the purchase.
Craft Consistent, High-Quality Content
Content marketing is highly effective for marketing in general, especially client acquisition. Putting out valuable content helps you establish your business as a thought leader in your industry and instills trust in your clients.
Consumers are more informed and savvier than ever. They have a wealth of information at their fingertips, and they conduct thorough research before deciding to make a purchase. If that research includes blogs and whitepapers that you’ve written, you’re not only answering their questions, but positioning yourself as the industry authority.
Coming up with content ideas can be challenging, so use your clients’ searches to your advantage. Keyword research will show you the type of searches your audience is performing and gives you inspiration for topic ideas. Maybe they’re looking up information about what to expect from a divorce case or the laws surrounding child support custody, both of which you can answer in a video or blog post.
Start a Referral Program
Referral programs are an excellent foundation for your client acquisition strategies and can keep driving new clients to you for years to come. With a referral program, you offer your current clients incentives, such as discounts or exclusive products, to refer you to their friends and family. You can also add a discount for the new clients as added incentive.
While you’re offering a discount or free products to these clients, the investment pays off in client lifetime value and future revenue.
Optimize Your Landing Pages
The landing page plays a big role in conversion and directs customers to the action you want them to take. In the case of client acquisition, it may be completing a purchase or scheduling an appointment or consultation.
Your landing page should have concise, engaging copy that details your offer and a compelling call-to-action, such as “Buy Now” to push them to complete a purchase. Running A/B tests of your landing pages can help you determine what’s working and what isn’t, so you can improve it. Be sure to test everything from the colors to the body copy to the call-to-action button.
Get Started with Client Acquisition
Client acquisition is an ongoing process, and there’s no magic bullet to drive clients to you consistently. A client acquisition strategy is the next best thing, however, and can form the foundation for sustainable, systematic client acquisition now and in the future. These strategies are evergreen and adaptable to virtually any business, so you can start attracting, signing, and retaining clients.
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