So you’ve done the legwork, literally taking those many steps to start your business – that’s great! And by now you may have discovered that building a customer base can be one of the most challenging steps for small business owners.

Developing a Customer Base for a New SMB

Once you’ve committed to your business, continue to build it up right. As a new business, follow your initial efforts with the following essential steps to finding customers and cultivating your customer base.

5 Steps to Build Your Customer Base

1.  Use Your Existing Network

Think about who, in your immediate network, might be a good fit for your product or service. Someone you have established trust and familiarity with is much more likely to consider purchasing from you.

If these customers have a positive experience, there is a strong chance they will make recommendations to people within their network. Referrals from satisfied and loyal customers are highly promising leads.

2. Build Relationships with Your Target Market

Find local clubs, meetups, and interest groups relevant to your industry. For example, if you’re opening a book shop, join a local book club. If you’re a personal trainer, consider joining local fitness meetups.

The more people like you as a person, the more likely they are to want to become your customer. Even if you don’t find leads immediately, having a presence in your local community will put you on people’s radars.

It’s also a great way to learn what people in your target market like and dislike about your competitors, which will help you identify any gaps you can fill to make your business stand out.

3. Offer More for Less

As a small and emerging business, you need to find a reason for new customers to choose you over your competitors. One way to get a foot in the door is to offer something for free, or at a discounted rate.

Free Samples and Trials

Offer customers a 7-day evaluation, a product sample, a free consultation, or a free newsletter, requiring only their names and email addresses. This is a great way to get potential customers interested in your product, while also building upon your email marketing list. Follow up with customers after the sample or trial period, prompting them to sign up and asking them to provide feedback on their experiences.

Discount Referral Programs

Discount codes are a fantastic tool for drawing in new customers. Many businesses are using discount codes in their checkout, particularly as a way to reward customers who refer their friends.

Issuing a unique code allows your website to verify the referring customer at the checkout. You can set up your promotion to apply the discount only to the referring customer – or you can extend it to the customer they have referred.

Discount codes are a fantastic way to drive revenue, meet sales goals, and acquire new customers, while boosting your visibility amongst your target market.

Although discount codes have many benefits, there are a few downsides. They have a tendency to drive non-loyal shoppers, and the discounted products will have lower profit margins. Before going down the discount code route, consider whether it actually fits into your overall business strategy.

4. Speak at Local Events

Many event organizers struggle to find speakers within their budget. Organizations usually appreciate someone local with expertise who is willing to speak for free.

If the audience at the event is your target market, then it’s a perfect platform to introduce yourself and your brand.

Rather than approaching the speech as a marketing pitch, let them know who you are and what your company does, but focus on sharing your knowledge and experience in the industry, relating back to the topic. At the end of your speech, mention your website and leave your audience with some information about how they can purchase your product.

You can also use this opportunity to offer something back to the audience – some slides from your presentation, a resource or guide – in exchange for their contact details.

5. Use Social Media

Social media is very important for any business to stay connected with their customer base. Follow the expert social media tips to grow your social followings.

To improve your presence online, find out where your target audience spends the most time online, and channel additional energy into that platform.

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube and Google + are all great ways to engage with existing customers, and spread further awareness of your brand. For many of these platforms, user activities are visible to their friends or followers. So, when existing customers like a post or provide positive feedback in the comments, it can leave a strong impression on the people in the social circles of those customers.

Vary your content, and tailor it to suit each platform. You can run powerful ad campaigns, answer customer questions, respond to feedback, hold competitions, and let your followers be the first to know about new products.

“Give to Receive” and Develop Your Customer Base

Starting with your existing network may seem like a no-brainer, but have you used yours to its fullest? And this is not a one-way street – you have a proposition that delivers a win-win to your new brand, and your potential customer and customer base. By offering discount codes and speaking “for free” at local events, you’ll begin to experience how giving most definitely leads to receiving. You’ve taken the initial steps to start your small business, so take the next 5 steps we discussed above and keep it up!

Take These 5 Steps to Build Your Customer Base by @WebsiteFix_SEO #RocksDigital #Business
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Are you starting to build your customer base? Will you use one or more of these steps to boost your progress? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments!

The post Your Small Biz Needs Customers! Take These 5 Steps to Build Your Customer Base appeared first on Rocks Digital.

The “lean startup” is a trend in the business world that’s growing rapidly. Lean startup methods encompass a way of doing business that focuses on gaining customer feedback in real-time, allowing businesses to make more informed and successful decisions.

Lean Startup Methods vs. Old School

Many years ago, AKA old school, the only way to start a new business was to write a lengthy business plan, get an expensive business loan or pitch to investors, then start it up and work as hard as you could to make it work!

However, the high level of financial obligation involved with this method makes it risky, and often unaffordable for most people. In fact, research by Harvard Business School’s Shikhar Ghosh shows that an astounding 75% of all startups fail. With this in mind, the idea of starting a business in the traditional sense can be overwhelming and risky.

When Spending Less Can Pay Off More…

However, times are changing, and the business world is changing constantly too. It’s no surprise that many people are moving away from the riskiness of an expensive business loan and more towards the benefits of a lean startup.

Many new startups are adopting lean startup methods to initially test the product, with low-cost testing and implementation methods. Outsourcing for startups is another effective way to get the work done initially at low cost (if done the right way!).

Before Spending, Test First

When I started WebsiteFix, I adopted some lean startup methods by launching my website first to test the market. Rather than renting a big office and investing a huge chunk of money, I tested the idea first. To offer SEO consulting, I first decided to get my own site to page 1 of Google to prove the point that if I can do it for myself, I can help others, too.

I started doing SEO on my site, and the site got on the first page of Google for my target keywords. After two years, it still ranks top of first page of Google for “SEO Services Brisbane.” This gave me an advantage over others, and I started getting inquiries from potential clients. Further, it was a low-cost investment start – I was only working from home in the initial stage, and all the inquiries were originating from the website – no office was required! I took the customer feedbacks on board and improved things in my business before I started the SEO consulting work full-time.

A Tale of Two Businesses and Their Lean Startup Methods

There are many well-known organizations that have achieved success with this model. Here are two of them.

Dropbox

As many are aware, Dropbox is an online “cloud” storage system for documents. Instead of initially spending a large business loan on developing the platform, they used real-time testing to see whether or not the business would succeed. They did this by initially developing a short screencast that illustrated to customers what the potential program would achieve.

Potential customers responded to the product by signing up on a waiting list, which allowed the Dropbox creators to identify demand. This not only confirmed viability of the product, but also ensured an initial customer base when they launched.

Airbnb

Airbnb is one of the largest accommodation companies in the world, yet it doesn’t own any property. It has changed the way that accommodation is viewed, and also brought more change into the “sharing economy” industry. Airbnb also started using this business model, and their idea came from developing a solution to a personal problem they had.

The founders had a problem. How could they pay the rent on their San Francisco loft? They looked around and then realized that a major design conference was scheduled in San Francisco, and all the hotels were booked solid! Their solution achieved instant success and provided validation for their idea.

3 “To-Do” Lean Startup Methods for Businesses Today

Thankfully, there are many ways that people who want to start a business can learn from successes such as Airbnb and Dropbox.

1. Rethink the standard business plan.

Bulky business plans leave plenty of room for unnecessary information. Lean Stack is an online platform that changes the way business plans are made by allowing users to develop modern one-page plans.

2. Real-time customer research.

Have an idea for an awesome product? Make a few, and take the idea to your local markets, within your chosen target market, and test the response from customers in real-time. This will allow you to get an idea of the potential success of your product before you continue.

3. Use customer feedback.

Make notes of all the comments for change you receive from people who interact with your products, and take these into consideration when you proceed with your business.

Lean Startup Methods Let You Build What People Want

From the Lean Stack website, this quote sums up everything concisely: “Life’s Too Short to Build Something Nobody Wants.”

Keep this quote in mind, because it sums up the importance of the lean startup ­– it allows for real-time testing and validation of a product or service before too much commitment is made. It can be predicted that as the business world continues to evolve, this business model will increase in popularity.

Get the Skinny on Lean #Startup Methods for Your #Business by @WebsiteFix_SEO #RocksDigital
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Ready to turn the key with these lean startup methods? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

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, and millions of sites are currently running on the WordPress platform. There’s a plethora of benefits in having a WordPress website. However, in this article we are going to talk about updating your WordPress site so you can keep enjoying the benefits of WordPress sites, without any issues.

But first back up a minute, in more ways than one. I completely understand – thinking about updates when you could be watching Game of Thrones or sleeping in is something that might produce a mini-migraine in all of us. Yet updating your website is easier than you think, and in the long run the benefits will ensure no future headaches, and plenty of time for binge-watching GOT!

Why Should I Update My WordPress Website?

As a result of a recent survey by SEO Brisbane, it was found that those who regularly update their WordPress site have 60% less spam and plugin-related issues. Once upon a time, to manage a website an individual had to be adept in HTML, JavaScript, and PHP… which all sounds confusing, so let’s forget those words for now and concentrate on the only tech jargon you need to know: CMS. CMS is an easy-to-use function for both web developers and your average Joe. CMS means content management system as you may or may not know. It allows you to edit your website online rather than downloading software or programs on your PC. Think of it like a favorite scrapbook where you can add words, text, headings and pictures that best suit your design – or remove them entirely. CMS is also so user-friendly that its format dominates the website market, and is utilized by over 80% of businesses and individuals. Unfortunately, the volume of users also makes CMS a sitting duck for hackers.

WordPress Protection Against Hackers

Basically, hackers look for a loophole or vulnerability in the core of your website. You don’t even have to be a pro hacker to view the page source info – you can even inspect this on other sites. If hackers were to insert malicious code into your site, it could allow them to gain control over countless other sites, exploit and deface your brand, and steal private information. Not only do developers continually create new versions for better visual features, but these updates will eliminate bugs and uphold WordPress security, too!

Four Easy Updates for Your WordPress Website

If you think of updating your WordPress site systematically, it will break down the task into four comprehensive areas. Backup, Core, Plugin and Theme.

Backup Your Website

A complete website backup is the first and most important step, as updating isn’t always seamless and could cause incompatibility or problems in other areas of your website. Always create a copy of your current site, either by loading the entire thing into a staging environment, or by creating a new file. This way, you can try out the updated version and check for compatibility before applying changes to your site. It’s also a great utensil for undoing any changes. Your first and foremost rule should be: Never update without placing your website into a replicated or backup folder!

Don’t Forget the Core

Core updates affect the very heartbeat of your WordPress site, since that’s pretty much what the Core is. There are some files you are not supposed to touch, so always seek professional help when unsure. Core modifications are made to WordPress by developers every single day, and this is where the bulk of attractive visionary features and security comes in. Each tiny improvement is then released as one big wonderful update, which is available in your WordPress Dashboard.

Keep Plugins Current

Clicking update on plugins can be tricky, because they can easily create a glitch in your site. But while saying that, without WordPress Plugin updates there exists the possibility of much greater problems. Plugins are your “site accessories” in a way. They are the smaller but no less important features, including anything from adding a comments section to running a scan for bugs. Again, always seek professional help if unsure and make sure you download a backup locally before clicking update.

The Theme Can Make or Break Your Website

The Theme of your WordPress site is comparable to a personal signature. Every website has its own flair; your theme is the window dressing that invites people in. Themes can glorify your pages, yet as they come from different developers than do the Core updates, be sure to check that Theme updates are compatible in your backup folder version before applying them to your site.

Maintaining a Healthy WordPress Website is a Must

When you use these four main components to update and manage your WordPress website on a regular basis, the outcome will result in a secure, healthy heartbeat and a dazzling body for the site – no headache involved!

The Pressing Importance of Updating Your #WordPress #Website by@WebsiteFix_SEO #RocksDigital
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Have you been relying on set-it-and-forget-it, versus regular updates? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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That day is here – you’ve finally turned your interest and passion into a venture you love. And you’re probably thinking of to-do’s rather than branding mistakes to avoid! Your baby may be retail or mass production. It could even be selling advice as a lifestyle coach. But whichever business endeavor you’ve chosen, your customized brand identity is vital. It can mean the difference in potential clients choosing you above your competitors. And more importantly, in helping to maintain a repeat-customer relationship!

Branding comes down to an individuality that stimulates client desire – as well as perhaps tweaking their comfort levels. In short, you want to be instantly known as a brand they trust and recognize for specific needs. If this breakthrough hasn’t happened for your business just yet, don’t fret! Here are a few tips to identify where you may be going bland rather than brand.

Avoid Branding Mistakes by Understanding these 6 Elements

1. The Power of Pattern and Color

There isn’t a single person on the planet that doesn’t immediately recognize Coca-Cola’s red swirl. There must be only a very few who don’t connect with the golden arches outside McDonalds. The almost generic element to these giants nowadays is synonymous with trust. Customers know exactly what they’re in for, no surprises. Upon establishing your specialty, potential clients need to associate with you at a glance. Solid colors and simple logos, quite simply, stay in the memory. Possessing a logo that is complex or too busy on the eyes will confuse the sub-conscious, and therefore, prompt a customer to look away.

2. Classic Branding

Working with an imagery that identifies your field helps a great deal in recognizable brand elements, too. (Who out there doesn’t associate the smiling man with a rake from “Jim’s Mowing” as representative of gardening services?) It’s likewise a good idea to stay away from fads. Choose a classic logo that will last for years. Many of your competitors will go with popular trends, which is all the more reason to be true to your brand by keeping it unique and timeless.

3. Know Yourself Well

Along with steering clear of over-developed brand elements, stay simple but strong on your company ethos. Try to stay away from descriptions such as “bestselling” and “award winning.” This is called Wallpaper Branding, and is thrown around so often that it no longer commands a wow factor. Choose a few unique words to project who you are, and what your company is brilliant at. If you sell straw brooms, don’t declare best broom ever! It’s a vague description and promotes mistrust. Instead, choose something more along the lines of “quality and caring for your household.”

4. Think Inside the Box

When you have a stellar product, center all your marketing and branding elements around it as a focus, with only slight variants. The infamous Colgate story dominates here. The toothpaste company was so well-recognized for teeth that upon launching frozen dinners, nobody was interested in using their choppers! They simply did too good a job at promoting themselves as dental-care leaders – which is not a bad thing. But if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for you to branch out. But if you’re renowned for the world’s best-tasting cupcakes, you’ll probably be met with suspicion if you begin selling hammers. Or sponsor your brand name alongside a Weight Watchers event. You’ll raise curiosity, however, if you’re introducing cookbooks. Understand that dramatically changing the core of a brand can diminish the strength of your customer’s association with you.

5. What’s in a Name?

Perhaps the most imperative element to your brand is choosing a catchy name that truly represents and defines you. Gone are the days where a company can jump on the “Plants R Us” bandwagon. Take care and consideration on this one: your business is your brainchild, the key word here being child. Treat your company as though it’s your baby, and name it with the same thorough thought process as naming your children.

6. Pass the Buck

Save where you can, but don’t penny-pinch where you need quality most. Staffing is a good example to look to on this one. Your workers represent the energy of your brand, and good wage incentive, along with enough hours and good management keeps your workers happy. For your brand, there is nothing worse than an inquiry met with disinterest, or an employee that looks as though they’d rather be anywhere else. Pay attention to details too. If you regularly hold customer/business meetings in your office, ensure the surroundings are tasteful and inviting. Would you trust someone with torn chairs and faded posters on the wall?

Made Any Branding Mistakes? Start Now to Make Repairs!

In the excitement of starting a new venture, mistakes can be made ­– but recovery is possible. You must understand both the do’s and don’ts to get your branding just right. Help ensure your hard work pays off by digesting and using these tips.

6 Tips to Beat Common #Branding Mistakes by @WebsiteFix_SEO #RocksDigital #Marketing
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I trust you identified with these elements. Did you see something you’ve done, or were about to do? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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