Building a Customer Base
Any business needs customers, the challenge for new businesses is getting the recurring stream of customers in order to have a reliable cash flow so they can expand and grow.
Many online businesses become obsessed with global reach I decided to get a different perspective by talking with Will Lister a Penicuik based business man that runs a vehicle valeting business. Will recently moved from a mobile valeting model to a full time premises, I wanted to find out how he got enough customers to fund this growth & to be sure the business would be sustainable in the long term.
Q: How did you build your customer base to a sustainable level?
A: I decided to target local businesses so I could get contract work, which would be more regular and reliable than just focusing only on passing trade. As my company was a relatively new business we didn't have much reputation in my local area. I had to build from the foundations up and sell my services and show that I was a trustworthy business to deal with, having done a few jobs for the local taxi firms they then started to talk among themselves, which in turn led to me securing numerous contracts within Penicuik and Midlothian.
Q: What do you think is most effective at helping you generate sales and drive business?
A: The Most effective thing at generating sales for my business, is most definitely word of mouth, however the social media has played an important part in the day to day running and leads. Facebook alone gives me around 23% of my overall monthly workload.
Having spoken with Will I think there are some interesting business lessons:
1. A good reputation & word of mouth marketing is essential for growth.
2. Target a niche market, within a local region, in a connected community it's easier to grow in.
3. Ensure your target market can provide a regular stream of customers. and income.
4. Stay up to date with new marketing tools like Facebook.
A huge thank you to Will for providing this article and an insight into his business, for more information please contact Will directly on 0793882394 or http://www.dream-clean-services.com/
