Five Steps to Increase your Customer Base Creating a buzz around your company or freelance services can prove to be a difficult task. For many, marketing their services can become more challenging than any other activity they have ever performed. Promoting your services and finding assignments is not different from any other professional activity. However, finding the right type of employers and assignments is a different story. That is why differentiating your company or services from other competitors in a crowded market is the key to successfully establishing your business. If you want to increase your chances to be more competitive and have the type of clientele you want, consider following 5 Steps to increase your customer base. 1. Define your audience. One the most common errors in any business practice is promoting services without having the remote idea who the target audience really is. Identifying your target market helps you in focusing all of your efforts-and money-in the right place. Some of the tools available if you are in a budget include Google analytics and Pew research studies in demographics. 2. Branding. In simple terms, branding is what makes you who you are and customers immediately identify it. The idea about branding is positioning your business as the only one capable of providing the services or an answer to the problem the customers have. Branding integrates the concepts of building a reputation and credibility, increasing customer engagement and loyalty and motivating customers to favor your services. 3. Promote your services effectively. There are many resources at hand to promote and showcase your services. Some of the most effective ones include, a well-constructed website, email and mobile marketing, and the best of all: word of mouth. That is why having a customer oriented approach is the best thing you can do because unattended customer complaints will have
2
a negative impact in your potential sales. 4. Adding visual content. Visuals are proven tools because of their attention-grabbing effect in customers. Visuals, including graphics, video and photography give your customers a better idea of your services, increasing their confidence and establishing a connection otherwise impossible. 5. Did I say hire a professional? The question is simple: would you hire a non-qualified technician to repair your computer server that holds all of your business information or a mechanic with a bad reputation to repair your Ferrari? Of course the answer is not. There are many advantages in hiring a professional. For example, a professional photographer will sit down with you and listen patiently while you discuss your business needs and services. The photographer will then indicate if he can deliver the services you require, suggesting a set of actions and indicating the best way to achieve the results you are looking for. It is true that good photography or video services can be very expensive. However, if you consider the difference between having your personalized images for promoting your business and using stock imagery, you will find tat using your own material increases your chances of promoting your message effectively, helps in connecting with customers and indicate professionalism. Visuals create an impact in the audience. Use it to your advantage. Hire a professional. Who am I? I am media production specialist but I am also a customer service expert in hospitality and retail markets. I have spent most of my life in customer service oriented environments from selling food and made to measure clothes in a family business, to managing restaurants and working in governmental agencies. I have spent several years freelancing in film, photography and television projects, in
both independent and major productions such as Mun2, Irving Entertainment and NBC. My photography background includes weddings, commercial photo shoots and working as a photography editor and retoucher for one of the largest school portraits companies in Southern California. I am also fully bilingual in English and Spanish, which helps me in connecting with customers in their primary language, understanding their particular needs based on cultural or language preferences and offer the added language skills to my customers at no additional cost. Should you be interested in discussing future photography or media projects, you can contact me at 818-pic-ture or at martin@eternalmoonproductions.com. Consultation is always free! Sincerely,
Martin Morales Media Specialist Eternalmoonproductions.com