When you launch a print on demand business, you’re usually not too picky when it comes to your clientele. After all, the goal is to sell your customized products; so long as people are buying, who cares who those people are?
The reality, though, is that you’re going to have to narrow down your audience to ensure the efficacy of your marketing and advertising strategies. Simply put, you can’t try to be all things to all people, or else you’ll dilute your message. Instead, you want to focus on bringing in customers who love your products enough to buy repeatedly, to become brand ambassadors, and to help you spread the word.
But how do you refine your scope, and focus on the customers who will truly help you grow your business? Here are some POD marketing tips from Gooten.
How to Develop an Ideal Customer Base
1) Know who your ideal customers are.
Before you can attract the desired clientele, you’ll need to define exactly who it is that’s going to love your products enough to buy them and advocate for them. Spend some time sketching out some rough demographic details about your target customers, using real-world data to guide your efforts.
2) Know what your value is.
In addition to knowing who your ideal customers are, it’s also important to know what sets your on demand manufacturing business apart. What are some of the unique value propositions that you offer? Why should someone shop for your customized products over the products of a competitor?
3) Craft a clear brand identity.
Combining the conclusions you reached in Step 1 and Step 2, develop a basic sense of brand identity. Everything from your visual aesthetics to your written messaging should specifically address your target audience, and convey your specific value proposition.
4) Develop strong content.
Good content, developed with your brand identity in mind, will help you attract your target consumers, while potentially hedging against too many non-ideal customers flooding you with inquiries. Blogs, videos, and infographics should all be considered here.
5) Know where to be.
Developing strong content is critical, but it can ultimately be fruitless if you don’t share it in the right venues. So, which social platforms and online channels are most cost-effective for your print on demand business? It all goes back to who your perfect customers are, and where they tend to spend their time on the Web.
6) Help customers feel valued.
When you start to get your ideal customers, the people who love your customized products and are eager to spread the word, make sure you extend some highly personalized service. Reaching out to them directly, perhaps offering a simple thank-you, can be an incredibly easy yet powerful way to build loyalty to your brand.
7) Develop a referral system.
We have defined ideal customers as those folks who will not only buy your products, but advocate for them. Make sure there are straightforward ways for those customers to evangelize for your products, and get rewarded for doing so. Referral systems can be really impactful here.
8) Focus on quality.
Getting your ideal customers is one thing; keeping them is just as vital. The best way to do this is to ensure that you continue to prioritize quality, both in your customized products and print on demand offerings as well as your customer service.
With these basic tips, you can develop an infrastructure so that your print on demand business is always catering to the most valuable and passionate customer base.
POD Quality from Gooten
With regard to that last point, about the need to maintain consistent standards of quality, don’t forget the importance of working with a proven print on demand partner; a partner that can help you keep your product quality high and delivery times expedient—like Gooten! We hold ourselves to high standard for product and print quality, which is why we’re one of the most trusted names in on demand manufacturing.
We’d love to tell you more about how we can help you bring delight to your customer base. Whether you want to learn about print on demand possibilities or you have questions about effective POD marketing, reach out to our team today.
