3 NEW WAYS TO ATTRACT ORLANDO CLIENTS IN 2024
As a business headshot photographer, it is my job to help small business owners and company employees succeed in their careers and businesses. Enjoy this article detailing 3 ways you can attract clients in Orlando, Florida in 2024!
From dabbling in social media ads to envelope stuffing, there are lots of ways small business owners try to get the attention of new potential clients. Do they work? Yes, sometimes, but only sporadically and not enough to warrant the expenses that come with advertising this way. Could you make some impact? Possibly. However, the reality is that there are strategies you can employ that will have a bigger impact on attracting your ideal clients in 2024.
Customers and potential leads in 2024 are different than ever before. Marketing efforts must adapt to communicate your message clearly and for your small business to be seen. Today’s consumer is fast-paced, loves personality, and also cutting to the chase. Entrepreneurs like you are building their empires from their living rooms, so how can we connect in a virtual-paced world? However, armed with just a laptop, steady internet, some excellent images, and creative communication, we can explore some of the ways business owners are attracting their ideal clients this year.
How to attract Orlando clients in 2024: 3 new ways
1. Start branding your social media more effectively
Social media has become an enormous, often free source of marketing for business owners in Orlando, Florida. Your business social media plan should be branded in order to communicate your business message clearly. Branding social media isn’t too difficult when you drill it down to these easy points:
Communicate a clear, consistent message
Keep your colors, fonts, and “vibes” consistent
One of the main reasons we market is to communicate a clear message. In every post, use consistent colors that coordinate with your logo and website, use the same fonts when possible, and keep your posts “vibing” with your personality.
Don’t forget the “you'“ factor!
Customers and Clients in Orlando Florida love to see personality with businesses and people they choose to buy from. With so much adventure here in Orlando, bold, captivating personality will win over a bland, “stock” business brand.
Post about you once in a while (not just your business), keep it in line with your brand, and include your unique personality.
People buy from people they feel they know, like, and trust. Show them your real self, and everything there is to like about you!
Post regularly.
Several websites can help you create content, offer ideas, and even a calendar of what to post and when.
Stay top of mind by staying in your followers’ feeds. Research the best time of day to post your content on each social media platform and stick to a schedule.
Use the social media platform’s scheduling features to post your content for you throughout the week. This way, you can simply put a couple of hours into your posts each week, yet have a full week’s worth of daily content. Nobody wants their lives taken over thinking every day about what to post. Plus, when you put some dedicated time in each week, the 2 or 3-hour time will help you focus, think deeper, and get more creative!
Make it fun!
People head to social media to pass time, relax, and laugh - give them a reason to keep lingering on your videos. Maybe you could even try a cartwheel and incorporate it into your business.
Choose colors and fonts that are in line with your brand, but also present your social media in a way that is eye-catching and attractive.
Find a professional photographer for your social media photos
Hire someone who can help you plan at least 6 months’ worth of images through a Personal Branding Photography session.
Make sure your photographer knows how to create consistency in your editing, lighting, and imagery. These photos should all line up with your brand and message
More professional-looking images will help your company stand out as reputable.
Palm Lake Headshots works with small business owners to create eye-catching business headshots and portraits to help your business grow!
Looking for some fun social media business photo ideas like this?
Get in touch and tell me about your business! I would love to work with you and create a full set of images to help you attract your target audience.
Social Media photos like the ones below are a new way to attract your target audience. These portraits are taken in a professional photography studio and allow for negative space which can be used for text overlays in your social media. This fun idea is a new way that we’re seeing businesses attract more followers on social media! They encourage engagement, look highly professional, and have personality.
2. New Ways To Leverage Referrals
Referrals driven by satisfied customers can be one of the most effective ways to expand your client base. When someone receives a recommendation from someone they know and trust, they’re more likely to choose the service, product, or business being referred. In marketing, word-of-mouth referrals are one form of social proof, or the practice of influencing people to buy a product or service by leveraging reviews, user-generated content, and other forms of customer testimonials.
Ask more specific questions in your customer testimonials and reviews
Instead of the old way of just asking for generic reviews about your client’s experience with your business, guide them into phrases that will speak to your future client base.
Ask questions that help “solve the problem” your client base may have that your company specializes in helping with. For instance, if you are a realtor, ask previous clients questions like, “How did we do when preparing your home? Is there anything we did that may have been a pleasant surprise?” or, “Were you worried about getting your asking price? What did we do to help alleviate your concerns?”
Some good, more generic testimonial questions that will still yield effective reviews could be, “How did you find out about us?” and “What made our product or service stand out from other options?”
Ask for reviews on social media and Google, and then use those testimonials for your website.
Send your customers gifts
Giving with no expectation of return is one of the strongest ways to build a relationship with your customers.
Gifts will get your past clients talking! Once in a while, send gifts that are “instagram-worthy” and feel free to include your company name on gifts when appropriate.
You do not need to include your company name on all gifts!
Send a thank-you note, special and personalized email, or gift as a show of thanks for referrals
Remember birthdays, business-opening anniversaries, and important dates to send something small.
Offer incentives
Encourage referrals by offering discounts, freebies, or even cash rewards for referrals. People love games - make a game out of referrals, like a punch card where each referrals "who buys / books” earns one punch on their digital punch card. 6th punch? A free service or product you offer!
You can also create a structured referral program. These provide customers with unique referral links they can share. In return, they receive rewards for each successful referral.
3. Participate in Orlando community events
Being a part of your own Orlando community is part of why we are in business! We want to connect with others and help each other succeed. Being a part of events within your community helps build your business’s visibility.
Choose to take part in events that resonate with your target audience. This can help you showcase your brand in a positive light, and likely, you will have your very own potential clients at the event as well!
Taking part in a community event is good for the soul. Giving and serving is good for employee morale and provides us with an opportunity to love more deeply. All of these things are healthy ways to remain happy just as a person! Happy people make wonderful employees and business owners.
If people see your business actively participating and supporting the community, they are likely to trust you and like you!
Community events are very marketable on social media.
Bonus points for marketing: bring a professional photographer with you to help showcase your business “in action” at the event. That way, you don’t have to worry about capturing the fun, and your photographer will know how to help you and your business really shine!
Community events will also help you connect with other mutually beneficial businesses, social media influencers, or leaders. Collaborate with them and enjoy being in a relational partnership!
There are some tried-and-true ways we can grow our business in 2024 in Orlando, FL. Let’s remember some solid ways business owners have reached new clients, and things we might consider moving into the year.
Update your website
Online searching truly is the main way consumers find new businesses. Your website has a big responsibility with search engine optimization so customers can find you. Review your search engine marketing and SEO techniques, including making sure your site is mobile-friendly. Also, make sure that your website is “in style.” Keep up with current design trends that align well with your company brand. Part of your site design includes technical aspects. For instance, large graphics can slow your site’s speed, which is a search engine and customer red flag. If you don’t know how to optimize your site, hire a website design company and/or SEO expert.
Offer Orlando customers special discounts
Orlando consumers are looking for value, and often for deals. If it is appropriate for your business, offer introductory discounts. Special deals can attract new customers who have been considering doing business with you but need an incentive to try your company. Word of warning, however: Only offer discounts very rarely so you don’t de-value your company. Unless deals are your gig (think Khols, who always has “sales”), don’t offer discounts lightly. I also recommend only offering a discount if they provide something in return - for instance, offer them 50% off when they book you on a certain day or buy a certain product color, and make it a rare event. This way, you are not creating a cheapening effect with your brand.
Focus on Customer Service
In Orlando, consumers can be left feeling un-cared-for. I know that in our home, we have many experiences where businesses didn’t do what they said they would, and where we got products or services that failed. To really stand out in Orlando, offer excellent service! Make the buying experience enjoyable and stress-free. Additionally, build a customer service plan to avoid inconsistency issues and create a policy that will help your employees stick with the customer service plan. Your company goal should be providing a product or service that has your customers feeling happy they picked you above others! Plus, when your customers are happy, it’s a wonderful feeling that reminds us why we started doing this in the first place!
Still need more ideas on how your business can succeed? Get in touch with us and let’s chat about how to better brand your business. Whether it’s just a headshot for social media, websites, and email signatures, or a full branded session, Palm Lake Headshots would love to help you get growing.