How to reach more customers, without adding more minutes

Do you ever wonder how much work you could get done if you could squeeze a few more minutes into each day? You could probably reach a handful of extra customers, or polish your sales pitch. You might even be able to take that power nap you’ve been longing for.

Unfortunately, time is fixed. No matter how much you wish on a star, you can’t add an extra tick to your tock. But that doesn’t mean you can’t extend the reach of your business with the hours you have.

Think for a minute about this number: 50 million. It took radio 38 years to reach an audience of that size, even with the help of Little Orphan Annie. When television came to town, it took 13 years to reach the same crowd. But communication continues to improve. The Internet hit the 50 million mark within 4 years. And Facebook, the world’s largest social media platform, achieved 100 million users in just 9 months.

So what’s the point? That it doesn’t always take more time to reach more customers. Its about tapping into the right technology. Social media has dramatically changed the information landscape, opening the door to business in ways that would have been unimaginable just two decades ago.

Think about it. When’s the last time you cracked open the Yellow Pages when searching for product or service information? It’s been a while, right? Well, it’s been a while for millions of other people, too.

Have you defined and redefined your online marketing plan to keep up with the constant changes of social media? Without one, your chances at a solid online presence may be lacking. If you’re still sort of on the fence, consider these benefits of a solid online presence:

• Increased brand awareness
• More visitors to your online and offline doors
• A broader reach in audience
• An increase in sales

Believe it or not, 90 percent of all purchases begin online. Customers do less window shopping and more virtual browsing. The trick is making sure you are found in the places where your customers shop. Give it a thought. You may not be able to add minutes to your day, but you can still reach more customers.