If there’s one thing we want, it’s more business. Why? Well, that ensures more sales, which then makes more profit. But these days, that’s what everyone wants isn’t it? So this is only really intensifying the problem of answering the following question:

How do we do it?

Getting people to talk about and buy from your start-up company is one of the most challenging aspects that your business can face. For existing businesses, it’s a different story. You’ve been through that phase. The trick now is to get customers to stay with you and to continue to grow that base. How you do that is based on how and how often you market your business.

What’s your USP?

A USP simply means a unique selling point. What are you doing that is different to other businesses in your industry? What are you offering to your customers that other businesses aren’t offering? How do you make yourself different from everyone else? How do you make yourself unique? The answer to this question only needs to be short and simple. Once you have this, it will help you greatly when it comes to promotion. We are in an age where consumers have all the power. Where a single negative review can decrease sales, money seriously affect the reputation of a business. Consumers now expect more. They don’t just want a receipt and a ‘thank you very much’. They want more. And it’s up to us to give it to them. In 2015, creating high quality products and delivering excellent services will be key. It won’t just be about ensuring customers come back to you, it will be about creating a relationship with those customers. So let’s see how you can do it. 1. Offer freebies Consumers need to be seen as real people. A relationship needs to grow and last for profit to keep building. One of the only ways this works is if they are offered an incentive. People like unique, bespoke services and freebies. Marks and Spencers always have members of their team offering free samples to their customers – and it works. A 2013 Bain & Co. survey found that 25 to 30% of consumers want to customise their purchases. This is why brands such as Nike and Converse provide a service where you can customise your own pair of shoes. It’s simple really – if someone is offered a discount, they’re going to take it. You might think that this could be bad for a business in terms of losing money. But the trick lies in how you do it. Here are some basic ways you can try this out. > Do you have a newsletter that consumers can sign up to? (If not, why not?) Many businesses have documented their success based on their email marketing campaign and they work. So instead of having a form that says “sign up to the newsletter here”, you could have something that says “want a 10% off voucher?” Sign up to our newsletter!” In this way, you are getting an extra customer and an extra subscriber. > Run promotions in your shop. Put some discount cards right by the place where people pay. It could be a discount event running between a certain time scale. Or it could be a weekend where some products are ‘buy one get one half price’. People love bargains and that is something that will never change. > Offer samples. Introducing a new line of products? This works really well with fragrances. Have a team member offering free samples to shoppers. You can do this with anything and it’s always really effective.
 2. Be ahead of the game
 
As a business, we’ve learnt that a key to thriving in the industry is to keep up with trends. Take time to read news articles, blogs and forums in your field. Make a note of some predictions for your business and for the industry as a whole. Then you can create realistic goals in order to be ready. If your business goals relate to your predictions then you’re one step closer to achieving them.
 
3. Talk to your customers
 
The easiest way to do this is to host a reader survey. Like we said before, customers have all the power now, so when you bulk buy products, always have them in mind. What do they want to see? Something new? Something old? Something that’s never been done before? You’ll be able to notice trends and similarities and then plan marketing promotions around these. Consumers are at the heart of your business so their feedback is key. 
 
4. Create content
 
It’s nothing new that ‘content is king’. But it’s going to be an even more powerful king in 2015. Content is the way forward. It’s the way to connect with consumers and people within the industry at the same time. Your business has the opportunity to write about anything and everything as long as it’s relating to your field. One week you could showcase a new range of products. The next you could write a news story on a latest trend in the industry. Whether you’re a wholesaler, a shop or any other business, creating content should be at the top of your list as a way of creating more profit in 2015.
 
The verdict? Everything is always moving.
 
It’s a very exciting time for businesses, especially those in the pound industry. Pound shops are increasing, their positive reputation is growing and the customer base continues to grow. By implementing some of these ideas, your business will thrive and profit will soar in 2015.