How to attract customers online
With the economic slowdown set to continue well into 2009, it’s now more important than ever to attract new customers to your business.
by Microsoft’s head of Office Live, Tim Kimber
Under such economic and consumer strains, I am often asked by small businesses about how they can attract new 
customers without spending large quantities of cash.
My answer nearly always revolves around understanding the importance of giving your business an online presence. This might seem common sense but I am often astounded by the number of small businesses I speak to which don’t have their own website.
Businesses that do not have professional websites or business email addresses will get left behind, losing business on the way. Recent research by IMRG suggests that this year, the UK's Christmas online retail sales will reach over £13.6bn.
Unlike high street retail sales which have recently been in decline, online sales have been growing steadily as consumers are increasingly turning to the web where goods can be cheaper and more diverse than on the high street.
So how can you best use the web to attract new customers? Here is my advice:
Create a professional website
For most people, a well designed website conveys greater accessibility, professionalism and clarity about what the business offers. You can give your company a ‘big business’ feel by taking just a couple of hours to produce a welcoming website.
Free online tools, such as Microsoft Office Live Small Business, allow you to build an identity upon a variety of templates, and remove the previously expensive barriers of web hosting, web design, domain name, and even search engine optimisation.
Bin your amateur email
Many potential customers are often scared off by businesses that trade through personal email addresses such as Hotmail and Gmail. Rather than risking looking like a cowboy trader, small businesses can boost their image by using a more suitable email address.
This will give your future customer a sense of security, leading to an increased chance of them making their first purchase, and importantly, returning to you for future business.
Retain your sense of identity
By spending a small amount of time on designing your company’s website you can accurately reflect the service you offer.
Consumers tend to be more attracted to a small businesses due to the sense of independency they represent, as opposed to a ‘faceless’ international giant chain.
If you’re able to strike the right balance between professional sheen and small business charm, your website can help project the image of your business as an enterprise which consumers can trust.
Make the most of the tools at your disposal
Project management analysis and email marketing packages are no longer the reserve of established, big-budget enterprises. By tackling projects in an organised way, you can work more efficiently and set your business up for success.
There are a number of business tools available free of charge on the internet, which can highlight what your organisation has to offer to a wider spread of future clients.
Remember: Customer satisfaction is still king
Whilst a professional image and effective marketing can generate a number of business leads, no promotion speaks as loudly as a happy customer. Using a professional email address serves as a trustworthy and secure basis for after-sales care.
Also, by using a web-based contact management tool you can stay in touch with clients and in time turn a one-off purchase into a long-term relationship.
Don’t forget your old customers
When attracting new customers to your business, be sure that it’s not at the expense of losing existing ones. Research has shown that time and again retaining existing customers can be far more cost-effective than creating new ones.
As such, before embarking on any new customer drives make sure that you have an effective way of managing your existing customer relationships. It’s all about making each and every customer feel important to the business, no matter who they speak to, receive an email from or simply just browse the website.
Hopefully these tips have shown you ways in which you can use the web to attract new customers in 2009.
Remember that rather than being a barrier for SMBs, the web actually provides small businesses with an enormous opportunity to take on much bigger companies and effectively level the playing field in the constant battle of winning new customers.
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