What are the latest trends in your area of business? What's coming up on the horizon? What's changed in the past few years? Answer to how to enlarge the customer base, you should answer all of these questions easily. Thus, you are required to keep your finger on the pulse of how your industry is growing and changing, stay on top of emerging trends, and keep up-to-date on the information you need to stay on the cutting edge of your industry.

To research your industry, you can start by searching for business databases online. And then, your local chamber of commerce or business development agency can supply useful information usually free of charge, including assistance with site selection, demographic reports and directories of local businesses. They may also offer seminars on marketing and related topics that can help you do better research.

1. Find your target audience

Now you have a overview of the industry and you are certain that you have a great product to take to the market. Next comes another important question whether you know who are your target audience.

Defining who is your real audience will not only help you focus on creating the right content but allows you to develop services that are matched to your clients’ needs.

Where is your target audience? To answer the question, you must have supporting data or evidence. Firstly, if you've been in business for any length of time, you should have some understanding of why your product or service exists. Secondly, if you're not sure who buys your product or service, consider asking your company's executives or sales teams for this information. Last but not the least, some quick searches on Google and social media can help reveal who are looking for you.

It will be clear that what a simple audience definition could look like once you're finished analyzing your audience.

2. Keep your content fresh

Fresh and informative content is one of the main elements that pull in new visitors and potential customers. Keep your clients informed of the latest business news and hot topics within your industry.

When you create new content, launch a new product or run a new campaign, be sure you share this across the social media channels you are active in. There is no easier way to grow your customer base than providing value and then having your customers promote your brand for you.

3. Focus on building a brand

With out a consistent stream of customers, sales will diminish. On the same note, it’s unwise to obsess over how you can win customers on a day-to-day basis. It makes you look desperate in a cut-throat world. Instead, focus on building your business into a brand that people can relate to. The brand mentioned here refers to how people perceive you wherever they interact with your business—both the impressions you can control and the ones you can't.

Building your own brand essentially boils down to six steps:

1. Research your target audience and your competitors.

2. Pick your focus and personality.

3. Choose your business name.

4. Write your slogan.

5. Choose the look of your brand

6. Apply your branding across your business.

It’s important to appreciate that you will never have 100% control over how people perceive your brand, but you can tug customers in the right direction, make a great first impression, and manage your reputation

4. Solicit referrals from your satisfied customers

Once you gain a customer’s loyalty, put that to work for you by asking them for referrals. Current customers are one of the best sources of new customers. But you can’t be passive and wait for your them to bring colleagues, friends, and family to your business. Instead, take control and create a approach to actively solicit referrals from your satisfied customers. In addition to the most obvious tact of asking for referrals, consider providing your clientele a deal that gives them product or services. Done effectively and it’ll be a "win-win" situation, gaining them benefits and gaining you a new customer or two.

5. Take advantage of online ratings and review sites

Consumers frequently turn to online ratings and review sites before they do business with a company they are not familiar with. So make sure you monitor those sites and respond to any complaints. Make full use of positive reviews by linking to them on your website. Social proof is effective, and new customers are more likely to give your business a try if they see others praising it.

6. Join industry groups

As a small business owner, you want to continually be growing your business. Joining an industry association can offer a huge variety of benefit. Industry associations are a great way to connect with contacts within your industry who range from junior employees just getting started to industry veterans who have built thriving, successful businesses, which offer an excellent chance for expanding your contacts.

7. Find New Opportunities For Your Business

Industry associations can also help open the door to opportunities for your business through the people you meet—for example, you might develop stronger vendor relationships through your membership, or get the opportunity to work with other members on a collaborative project that increases your industry reach.

Teaming up with businesses that have a similar customer base, but aren’t directly competitive, and then strategizing how you can market to one another’s customers to drive new business is a smart way to attract new customers while not spending a fortune. For instance, if you sell baby products, working with a business that sells maternity clothes would be a great partnership.

It may not be as easy to attract new customers for some businesses. In fact, most businesses face many challenges when it comes to acquiring new customers.

Thankfully, there are many ways to attract new customers and keep them coming back. Start by targeting the right prospects, offering them something informative and engaging, and applying some of the many tips offered in the article.