Posted: 1st March 2017
My business Topdogdays is all about tracking down the best deals & discounts for top visitor attractions around the UK. It struck me recently that many of these offers can apply to small businesses just as easily at large corporations. Surely we’re all looking to attract new/returning customers? We’ve put together a few suggestions below to consider within your marketing mix.
1. Run A Workshop
More often than not, running your own business means you are an expert in your chosen field. Why not put your hard-earned skills & knowledge to work to help others develop an interest. We’ve seen this work at large retailers such as Halfords that have run free bike maintenance classes as well as B&Q’s popular DIY workshops. Why not include a time-limited promotion to encourage a subsequent visit too.
2. Friends & Family
Operators such as Merlin Attractions, (think Thorpe Park, LEGOLAND Windsor), work extremely hard to reach out to friends and families of existing customers. Who’s better placed to promote your products than those benefiting from your business already! Why not find a way to reward both existing and potential new customers for an easy way to quickly build your client base.
3. Existing Customer Base
Research has shown that it costs five times as much to acquire new customers as it does to retain current ones so investing in your existing client base makes financial sense. Businesses of all sizes can introduce a simple reward loyalty card and, if you’re creative with your perks, it doesn’t have to cost too much.
4. Off Peak Promotions
Top attractions work hard to entice guests into their settings at quieter times of their operating cycle. Often promotions are linked to particular groups that are more likely to be available at off peak times such as families with pre-school children, during local teacher training days or enticing senior visitors. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a discounted offer as we’ve found children’s activities or free refreshments can also have the desired effect!
5. Piggy Back National Promotions
There are plenty of national campaigns running throughout the year such as Random Acts of Kindness Day & National Carrot Cake Day, who knew! With a pinch of magic and sprinkle of imagination here’s your chance to get creative with how your business can get involved and piggy back off these national campaigns. Media outlets love these stories and we found the stranger the better!
Liz Walsh writes for Topdogdays that provides information on days out on a budget.
