Any business must stand out and relate to its potential new clients if the business wants to grow. Yet, with more competition than ever before, simply relying on customers passively finding you online or walking through your doors is no longer enough.
For businesses to grow sustainably and expand reach, outreach must be taken critically and strategically.
In this comprehensive guide, we will outline five proven outreach tactics that organizations of any size and industry can implement to acquire new customers and take their business to the next level. We will give practical suggestions on maximizing your visibility online, stimulating referrals, and ensuring you reach a specific market. Read on.
1. Leverage Content Marketing
Content marketing is about designing relevant content for a specific target group that can ultimately be used to attract or engage the audience. These contents should be educative and offer solutions to your ideal customers.
There is a whole set of possibilities to create unlimited content like blogs, video shows or other content such as books, pictures, and charts. That boils down to knowing what appeals to your audience and presenting them with relevant content based on this knowledge. Post them on your website, social media, pay-per-click, email newsletter, or any other channel you usually buy from.
You can also opt for the services of agencies like MyOutreach. It is one of the best outsourcing demand-gen service providers for the SAAS industry, which may help in content marketing and ensuring leads. If you regularly publish customized content that is relevant to your audience, it will aid your company in being perceived as an industry-leading authority. This helps to boost trust as well as create product/ service Awareness.
2. Network Both Online and Offline
Forming alliances and strategic partnerships with complementary businesses can significantly broaden your reach. Networking both digitally through social media and in person at industry events or through colleagues is a proven way to foster beneficial partnerships.
On social media platforms, connect with brands with similar target demographics. Follow relevant hashtags and engage with discussions to get on influential people’s radars in your space. You can also actively seek strategic partners by identifying companies that offer products or services that align with and enhance your offerings. Reach out to set up an introductory call and discuss if there are potential partnership opportunities.
Networking offline by attending conferences, trade shows, or industry meetups is equally essential. Prepare elevator pitches that succinctly communicate what you do and the types of partners you want to connect with. Come armed with business cards and be proactive when meeting people by asking thoughtful questions and looking for commonalities you can bond over or mutually beneficial ways to collaborate on outreach efforts.
3. Implement Referral Programs
Referrals convert nearly 70%, costing a fraction of traditional marketing and sales efforts. This makes referral programs incentivize existing customers to recommend an extremely lucrative growth strategy. Satisfied clients can organically become your best brand advocates.
There are many creative ways to inspire referrals. Offer discounts or cash rewards for every new customer referral: gift special swag or VIP access to top referrers. Gamify the experience by sending referral progress updates and publicly recognizing top advocates on social media or in company newsletters.
Make referring easy by baking prompts into post-purchase customer satisfaction surveys. Equip customers with ready-to-go messages they can easily share to nudge their network to buy from you.
4. Guest Post and Interview
Earn media features and exposure by pitching guest columns for online publications or trade journals your target audience follows. Journalists constantly create content and appreciate expert sources contacting them with unique article ideas tailored to their readership.
Start by creating a media target list identifying print and digital publications your ideal customers read. Visit websites to understand specific formatting guidelines and content best practices. Tailor pitches accordingly, addressing why you are the right subject matter expert to author a post around topics their audience cares about. Follow up personally by name to build relationships with reporters.
Podcast interviews are another advantageous owned-media channel to connect with highly targeted listeners. Reach out to shows that engage your niche and offer unique insights or exclusive content in exchange for an appearance.
Leveraging guest posting and podcast interviews expand your brand visibility by exposing you to targeted yet untapped audiences—this influx of new customers further fuels business growth.
5. Prioritize Email Collection
The more extensive your first-party database, the greater your competitive edge in outreach will be. By definition, first-party data is generated at the source, e.g., customers and website visitors who provide their contact details voluntarily, unlike rented lists, which involve a third party.
First-party leads provide their information willingly and are very qualified and interested. The subscribers are trustworthy, known, and interested in your brand and, therefore, more likely to convert and bring other people. Therefore, prioritize the email sign-up form and lead magnets throughout your website and social platforms.
Provide an irresistible offer, such as exclusive content, a coupon, or a contest entry, in exchange for an email address. Make your value exchange explicit so visitors immediately understand what they gain from signing up.
Utilize pop-up or slide-in forms to catch attention. The greater your first-party database size and level of engagement, the more revenue you will drive by selling directly to subscribers who already know and like you.
Bottomline
Implementing an intentional outreach plan is non-negotiable for expanding your business. To jumpstart your customer acquisition efforts, you now have five powerful growth tactics: content marketing, partnerships, referrals, owned media, and email collection.
Remember that precision targeting and personalization optimized to your audience’s needs are crucial to seeing results from these proven strategies. Test different outreach approaches and double down on what resonates most with your niche. Stay consistent, track progress, and be creative in finding new ways your current network can introduce you to their networks.
