Customers

How do I get new customers?

There are many reasons for wanting to find new customers. For example you may wish to:

• Increase sales volumes as part of your business growth
• Reduce dependency on just a few customers
• Focus on customers who are more profitable
• Replace customers who have gone to a competitor
• Build up a customer base in a new area or for a new product

But winning new customers can be expensive. Typically it costs between 3 and 10 times more to attract a new customer than to retain an existing one. So, before looking for new customers, look again at the possibility of increasing sales with existing customers who already know you.

Winning new customers, like most marketing activities, benefits from a bit of research and planning at the start. You need to:

• Identify the types of customers you are targeting
• Make sure you know what your customers' needs are
• Compile a list of companies and the right people to talk to
• Promote the benefits of your product/service
• Use appropriate resources and techniques to get the sale.

Marketing File enables you to choose from over 100 of the leading business and consumer lists, make highly targeted selections and download your list without any minimum order quantities. The Regional Supply Network (information available on its website) may be working in your industry to build up supply chains which there may be an opportunity for you to join.