How small businesses can boost patronage

October 24, 2013 by Ademola Alawiye

In today’s competitive consumer industry, small business owners must find strategic ways to increase  patronage by customers, ADEMOLA ALAWIYE writes

Customers are more inclined to patronising a business that goes the extra mile in marketing itself. Special treatments leave a positive impact on customers and keeps them returning to the business. Your inability to get enough loyal customers to patronise your small business should not make you despair. Analysts say entrepreneurs in the small-scale business category often face the challenge of how to grow their customers. According to them, what is required is how to generate new sales lead, as this is an essential skill for an entrepreneur. Experts note that there are a variety of age-old staple techniques and newer tools you can use to boost customer patronage and increase sales.

However, it’s best to understand the range of choices you have in order to determine which may best help your business reach new customers. Entrepreneurs should understand that newspaper readers may not be moved by Internet-based sales techniques. Similarly, business people who are accustomed with hiring only people they know may be better swayed by meeting you at a chamber of commerce gathering than accepting a blind invitation to connect on LinkedIn or Facebook. So, as an entrepreneur, it is your call to know the best means through which you can reach your target market.

In an interview with this correspondent, a business consultant, Mr. Goke Adebanjo, explained that sales and marketing are the engines of entrepreneurship. He stated that entrepreneurs must have both skills if they want to grow their businesses and increase their customer base. According to him, having the skills is not enough, but you have to be an expert in the ability to sell and market your products, especially if they are intangibles. Experts say it is important to conduct a market research to understand your target audience and their needs. They also state that you need to know how to determine which lead generation techniques are best to broaden your sales horizons, and how to increase sales by following several strategies to sell additional products and/or services to existing customers. Below are steps to help you increase customer patronage and boost sales for your small business, according to experts: