Reaching out to your customers in the 21st century can take a lot more effort than simply building a website and calling it a day. In order to stay ahead of your competition and keep your venture growing, you might be looking for some fresh ideas to engage with people and bring positive attention to your business. If so, read on for some ways to help you connect with clients and grow your sales.

Start a Blog

Chances are, you’ve already put up a website to provide contact details and maybe even to sell online. But the savviest entrepreneurs know that adding useful content to their sites can have a significant impact on sales, and blogging is a great way to do just that. Blog posts can keep your clients updated about new products and services, help you build a larger email database, and foster more one-on-one engagement with customers. They also increase your overall visibility on the web, and in most cases, the content you post is easy to share via social media for additional exposure.

Even if you don’t have the time or the talent to write a blog yourself, there are other ways to add this tool to your marketing repertoire. For example, you may have an employee who is skilled at writing; if not, you can always turn to an expert. A content subscription service can provide you with relevant, professionally written blogs that are optimized for search engines to maximize your reach.

Engage With Your Community

Customers often gravitate toward businesses that provide activities and community engagement. If the products or services you offer have a natural “how to” component, why not use that angle to host classes or talks about them? For instance, if you sell cookware or crafting supplies, then hosting hands-on classes featuring your products can help you generate interest in your wares. Service providers can feature lectures on topics that complement their business; think realtors hosting home staging seminars, or a locksmith providing home security tips.

If you can’t seem to hit upon a natural fit for an event to host, you can still get your name out into the community through sponsorships. For businesses that cater to parents, donating branded jerseys to local little league teams can help you reach your target audience. Backing popular local charity events like blood drives or fun runs can also be a great way to get your name out there while doing some good in your community.

Make Customers Feel Appreciated

It’s easy to get so busy that you forget to be thankful. But it turns out that ensuring your customers know you are grateful is a simple, yet often overlooked, way to build loyalty and increase your referrals. In a tech-saturated world, something as thoughtful as sending a hand-written note following a purchase can earn a client’s life-long loyalty. Providing your personal contact information to important patrons is another way to demonstrate how valuable their business is to you. Finally, offering discounts to existing customers who send new business your way can help you increase both your repeat and new purchases. Showing thanks may not only make you and the recipient of your gratitude feel good, but it can also have a positive impact on your bottom line.

With just a bit of effort, you can connect with current and potential customers in ways you may not have tried before. From communicating through blogs to engaging with the community to expressing your gratitude through tangible means, trying out one or all of these ideas can inject new life into your client relationships and help boost your bottom line in the process.