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11 Often Overlooked Channels that Improve B2C Customer Acquisition

Sometimes, the most helpful business platforms can be found in the unlikeliest of places. That’s why we asked 11 members from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) the following question:

“What’s one often overlooked channel that works well for B2C customer acquisition?”

Here’s what YEC community members had to say:

1. Reddit

“Reddit is a tough platform for marketers to utilize because the community is generally “anti-promotional.” But Reddit can drive targeted traffic in droves when done the right way. Find a subreddit filled with your target audience, resist the urge to promote right away, become a part of the conversation and community, and figure out how to utilize the platform to benefit your business.” ~ Brett FarmiloeMarkitors

2. Search

“Search is the top digital channel for B2C customer acquisition, but it’s still constantly overlooked and undervalued by many businesses. When we develop a comprehensive digital strategy for a brand, we find that about 80 percent of the time search is the No. 1 channel for customer acquisition, but they are only approaching it effectively about 5 percent of the time.” ~ Kevin GetchWebfor

3. Contacting Previous Customers Randomly

“I have acquired new customers and/or received business from repeat customers by sending them a random “How’s it going?” email. I’m sincere and I ask them what they are doing. I also provide an update about myself, family, etc. I keep it real and personal.” ~ Derek CapoeFin

4. Referral Marketing

“There are some great platforms that can help you implement referral marketing on your website. This can be a great way to motivate customers to share their experiences with friends for incentives.” ~ Elliot BohmCardcash.com

5. Local Newspapers

“Local newspapers are not as flashy as magazines, or even as obvious of a choice as blogs — but they’re still a great option. They’re usually very happy to cover local businesses.” ~ Andrew NammingaAndesign

6. Video Marketing

“Business and brands generally overlook video marketing or consider it after it’s too late. If you create a quality video, it can go viral and bring you lots of consumers. Whether it’s on YouTube, Facebook or another social network, you can usually make it for little or no cost. ” ~ Piyush JainSIMpalm

7. Affiliate Marketing

“Reach out to other brands and personalities who share the same customers, and ask them to promote your product to their audience. You can reach out to a PR agency or simply search Instagram or Twitter for accounts with a large following. Reach out to this person directly and just ask! You can pay them a flat fee or give them a promo code and pay per sale.” ~ Faraz Khan, Go Direct Lead Generation

8. Partnering With Content Creators

“So often I see new technology being underutilized by entrepreneurs and traditional business owners, simply because it’s a misunderstood medium. Streaming sites like Twitch and YouTube Gaming, for instance, are great avenues to pursue when trying to acquire customers. They hit a wide demographic, and their followers are often rabidly loyal and will accept the content creator’s recommendations.” ~ Blair Thomas, EMerchantBroker

9. Podcasts

“I hesitate to even share this, but, as a brand, podcasts are the most remarkably effective customer acquisition tool we’ve found. (I selfishly hope it remains a relatively undiscovered country for a while longer.) They’re often inexpensive and they can be extremely well-targeted. Simply imagine having someone you respect and admire share a new concept they love. You’d check it out, right? Right.” ~ Matt Alexander, Need

10. Mobile Apps

“A lot of people forget that you can collect leads from apps (not just from websites). You can do this through FB oAuth logins or simple email popups in your app, then API the email to your database of choice. Take it a step further an pop it into your CRM automatically! I’ve seen people collect 100,000+ emails from single apps. The conversion rates are HUGE compared to the web.” ~Carter ThomasBluecloud Solutions

11. Yahoo Gemini Display

“As organizations shift their budgets toward digital initiatives, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find cost-effective advertising platforms online. One lesser-known platform that still provides inexpensive cost per clicks is Yahoo Gemini Display. With the location, age, and interest targeting options, advertisers can hone in on target markets while paying CPC’s as low as $0.15.” ~ Robert LeeCirca Interactive Inc

Image: Reddit


The Young Entrepreneur Council


2 Reactions

  1. Personally, I would avoid Reddit unless you have someone who is a regular user to drive the effort. There are so many unwritten rules there that you’ll inevitably screw it up.

    • Aira Bongco

      Right. It is like the community has its own set of rules. Many have tried to promote something there. And people there have some antennas and know what you’re about to do even if you’re still warming up.

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