How to Bring New Customers to You

By Beth J. Bates, New Media Special Correspondent

I've mentioned before that I am a huge fan of Scott Ginsberg. I love his no-nonsense mentality on branding and his motivational talks always speak to me. He recently published a particularly timely blog post – 11 Sure-Fire Strategies for Getting New Business to Come to YOU. I think that in tough times, businesses feel like they have to constantly be "pounding the pavement" in search of new customers. Scott brings us a refreshing view of how we can work smarter to bring new business to our door step.

While I sincerely believe in all of Scott's points, my personal favorites are:

• Is your name on it? Time and time again I see emails, marketing collateral and websites that somehow make it out to the masses without an identity. If you're taking the time to create it, be sure that it has your name all over it.
• Your reputation is your client generator. This couldn't be more true. Businesses spend a lot of time creating a brand, but at the end of the day the reputation that you develop through great projects, personal customer relationships and quality work are what will truly help generate more business for you.
• Your customers are making music already. I can't stress enough that listening to your customers, competitors and folks in the industry is the key to formulating your next step. What problem are they having that you can solve? What are your competitors doing that you can do better? By taking the time to listen and understand, you'll save time by pursuing the true needs of your customers.

So, set your cold calls aside and take some time to assess your overall plan for attracting new business. It may save you some time, aggravation and money!

Beth J. Bates consults with Hinge on social media tool selection and strategy and helps its clients find effective ways to leverage these new mediums to meet business goals.