Planning to start a creative marketplace? With a creative market design, you can allow people to access several design assets, either for free or for a nominal charge. Canva, Designhill Studio, and Creative Market are the perfect examples of such platforms that help people bring out their artistic side.

According to a report, the global market related to design services is expected to exceed $249.5 billion by 2022. What does it hold for you? It means both designers and entrepreneurs have immense possibilities in this domain. As an entrepreneur, if you want to seize the opportunity, starting a creative market could be the right idea to implement.

But you need to keep in mind that the customers are the backbone of any business. You have to look after them with care. It's the customer base that works as a lifeline for your business. Without them, you won't generate any sales, and without any sales, there won't be any profit - the ultimate goal of a business.

A steady combination of the old and new customer base allows businesses to flourish. Greeting them is one of the many ways to approach them and build your base.

Besides, we have created a list of ways to approach more customers. Let's take a look at these methods.

1. Identify your target customers

It's the preliminary need to identify your target customers. If you don't know whom to target or sell, then all your efforts would go in vain. You can take the help of a survey that can prove to be immensely helpful in identifying recent visitor demographics.

You need to figure out what type of customers are flocking to your store and why. These are the essential questions that you need to address in the first place.

This will let you discover the ways to amplify your customer base. Once you identify the areas of concern, it becomes easy to achieve your goals. Make a clear picture of your target audience and approach them with a rock-solid determination.

2. Advertise the right thing to the right audience

Advertisements are one of the best methodologies of making contact to reach customers. Once you have identified your target audience, it becomes easy to know what they like and what's not. Since a long time back, advertising has been an effective marketing tool. Agencies like webtrends services help you to approach your target customer and promote your services. Using it to your advantage will help you approach your audience.

The United States is the largest advertising market in the world. In 2018, the US invested over $229 billion on advertising. In the coming years, this amount is expected to exceed. This shows the importance of advertising for businesses.

But as a creative market owner, you don't have to spend a whopping amount on advertising. Even if your budget doesn't allow you to spend a lot on ads, you can still get the words out for your business.

Here is how -

• First of all, look out for resources such as community websites, local magazines, and directories to advertise.
• Consider both print and electronic media, including newspapers, radio, magazines, hoardings, and billboards if your pocket allows you.
• Advertise social channels like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter by posting impressive social graphics and content with your logo.

Use social media graphics with a custom logo to advertise your business! A custom logo builds a sentimental bond between you and your customer. It helps your customer to better understand your products and services.

Take inspiration from popular ads run by popular brands on social media to get on your audience's nerves and to boost engagement on social media. Consider this example of Deadpool's digital DVD release campaign.

Now, what was this Deadpool digital DVD campaign about? Well, it was about the sassy superhero - Deadpool, who's getting ready to release the movie in DVD/Bluray.

This multi-channel campaign had a personalized Snapchat filter.

Why did this campaign succeed?

It succeeded because of the blunt, sassy, and humour-drenched characteristics of Deadpool. His character is not like other superheroes. It's the personality of his character that became a part of the DVD marketing campaign.

The campaign showcased blunt posts filled with Deadpool's sarcastic humor posted across various social media platforms. The campaign's voice and tone were woven around his personality, which made it stand out.

Similarly, you can change the voice and tone of your social media campaigns. Find out the type of message you want to convey. Keep the message consistent across every post you share with your audience.

Don't always share serious posts, but follow the trends and be pun-tastic for maximum effect and reach.

3. Display the best feature

Your ultimate goal is to approach customers effectively. So, leverage the option of displaying the best features of your creative market. Create meaningful promotional messages that inform the customers about your market's best features.

Every tool, marketplace, and the creative studio has unique features that people want to know. Create messages that show a sequential description of each feature.

Utilize your business' brochures, leaflets, and other materials to place these features with attractive headlines. Hand it out to people who are your target audience. If your messages are clear and satiate their queries, they will obviously visit your creative marketplace.

4. Hop on word-of-mouth publicity

Do you know the most effective and inexpensive way to approach customers is via mouth publicity? If your audiences are happy with your market/products, they will automatically show their loyalty by praising or sharing info about it with family and friends.

A happy customer works as a free advertising walking tool. He/she can easily convince somebody to visit your creative market, use it, or make a purchase from here. All you have to do is look after your old customers, and new customers will automatically come after them.

Consider Amazon Prime's prime membership. By paying a flat membership fee, Amazon Prime members get many perks like unlimited free 2-day shipping, video streaming services, and early access to Prime Day sales.

Whatever products Amazon offers can be found on other platforms as well. But they differentiated themselves from others by bringing the Prime membership program. This led them to convince customers to buy only from Amazon.

So, in a creative industry where your services or products can match with others like Designhill Studio, Canva, etc., your loyalty program can be a crucial competitive advantage and a key differentiator.

5. Offer free design assets

Can you name a person who doesn't love a gift? Hard to name, right? Anyway, almost everyone loves a gift, and the best thing is they remember it. Approach your customers by offering them something for free. You can provide design assets like logos, templates, and fonts for free.

Take Canva for an example. Designing with Canva is free until and unless you access their premium assets. That's the reason both designers and non-designers visit this creative place.

6. Have a sound knowledge of your own business

Until and unless you have a sound knowledge of your business, how can you approach customers or tell them about it? If you know anything about your own company, how can you convince others? Find and combine information related to your products/services and make sure everyone in your company knows about it thoroughly.

Figure out the products and services that your customers prefer the most. Also, make a list of competitors that they visit. This will allow you to make some changes to your own business for a better outcome. Even if a customer asks questions, your team should be well informed to answer them promptly. If the customer doesn't look satisfied or asks for someone else for more info, that's a bad sign for your business.

7. Pose yourself as customers' answers

As a business, if you pose yourself as the only answer to their problem, your customers are not going anywhere then. Potential buyers need a pretty good reason to pledge their loyalty to your business. So, you must give them the reason in the form of something that they would cherish. An incentivized free product, some sorts of discounts, and unparalleled services can leave quite an impression on your customers.

Show them that you know their needs well and ready to help them whenever needed. This boosts the brand value and creates better visibility.

8. Follow up regularly

Once you have attracted customers toward your business, it becomes essential that you follow up with them. It will encourage them to come back again and again! To approach them, ask their valuable feedbacks. While they will feel valued, you will have crucial insights into their mindset. Once you get to know their likes and dislikes, you can treat them accordingly.

Suppose a customer was looking for something on your website. But it wasn't available or out of stock. You went extra miles and arranged it for them. You also informed them that the products are back in stock now.

What will it have for you in return? Well, it will make a good impression on your customers.

9. Foster partnerships

Another great way to approach customers is - building partnerships with like-minded people. The biggest advantage of such a strategy is that it will curb your overhead costs plus build a solid customer base. Explore companies that compliment your products/services.

Understand it this way - suppose your company deals in cars. Now, you can build an alliance with businesses that sell car parts or provide repair services. Creating such business relationships will open up new opportunities and help you gain more customers.

Both you and your partner can endorse each other's brand and recommend customers as well. You can exchange leaflets, brochures, and business cards for distribution among customers who are visiting your store.

10. Market to your local community

Local communities work as a hub-spot for potential customers. You can contribute to charities to create a positive impression on people's mindsets. Allow your employees to participate in an event or sponsor a charitable event on your own. It will not only add to your credibility but also enhance your visibility in the market.

Your initiate will be flashed everywhere, and you will be bombarded with positive reviews. Another simple way to approach your customers is to publish a press release leveraging local publishing houses and you can hire a business marketing service agency.

It will boost your brand awareness.

You can take inspiration from Smirnoff - Soho Angels campaign.

The campaign highlights its night-time safety initiative. The brand came forward to support the transition in societies around the world to promote inclusivity.

The brand launched a global campaign named 'We're Open', which was based on an experimental model. It aimed to rejoice non-binary communities and make people aware of the challenges these people face.

As a part of this, Smirnoff - the drink brand - brought helpers on the streets to lend a hand to non-binary groups to return home safely at night.

This campaign was a part of an initiative organized by the LGBT Foundation and Westminster Council to ensure these individuals' night-time safety. This initiative was exclusively for the LGBTQ+ community to prevent the victimization of their sexual orientation.

This campaign worked due to its endorsement of inclusivity through distinct actions. This campaign's results haven't been made public, but they delivered the message via their actions.

So the campaign is a beautiful example of combining a compelling story with essential actions.

If you're supporting a community or cause, your action should speak about it louder.

You can find more about this campaign here - Smirnoff Soho Angel Campaign.

11. Approach customers via email campaigns

Emails are actually the infinity stones of marketing that can win your customers when used strategically. For some people, it may seem outdated, but emails are still prevalent. As per a study of Internet Live Stats, over 2.8 million emails are delivered every second.

Now, you can imagine the possibility it holds for reaching out to your customers.

But how to create an email that's not only effective but garners better results?

The answer is pretty simple. Follow the email campaigns of big brands like Nike, Adidas, Domino's, and more. Take inspiration from their drive and draft an email that includes something valuable for your customers.

Also, consider the timing before sending it for the maximum click rate.

Conclusion

So, when are you going to work on your strategy to approach your customers? If you have any other way to approach customers, do share it with us.