Since the birth of marketing, freelancers, small companies, and corporations have strived to find out the most unique and profitable online creative marketing solutions to address the issue of not attracting enough new clients. Printed, social, email, online, or paid marketing, you name it. Professionals have used most of these marketing types to market their services/products. However, there are opportunities to advertise your business where you would not think to look. Invoice marketing is not a new growth marketing strategy, but it is not as widespread as social, or email marketing is.
Invoicing, especially in its paperless form, has become the norm for every business entity keeping up with the fintech advancements and aiming at streamlining traditionally time-consuming processes. Mailing invoices and manual calculations are just a few troubles that an invoicing and billing software can save you from.
In this post, we gather some marketing growth strategies that you can apply to your invoices. There are many ways to draw your customers’ attention or spread the word about your business. Your invoices are no exception. So, let us find out how to start advertising your business and get positive sales results.
Motivate the existing client to refer you to others
Every company selling products/services should consider having a referral program. The idea behind it is that you should offer incentives to your client base so that they can recommend your business to them. The most common incentives are generous discounts or even rewards of a considerable amount of money. Especially, if the user did not put hard work into making this money, instead they are rewarded for helping you grow your client pool.
The next step would be to add your referral proposal to your invoices. What better way for your clients to learn about your referral campaign than through their invoices? No extra emails to inform them just for the referrals. Just mention the referral program in your invoice email and accompany it with a referral link.
Ask for testimonials through your invoices
Generally, getting testimonials is not an easy thing to achieve. Especially if your brand does not invest time and energy in personalizing client communication. However, the right timing and technique are also important. But first thing first, testimonials are true confessions provided by customers to present your company’s successful work through the eyes of the user.
A nod to your clients about testimonials at the end of the invoice or invoice email is a great idea. The clients who are particularly pleased with your products/ services may agree to give a testimonial right away. The more you manage to get, the better the marketing moves you will be able to plan. Showcasing your positive reviews and working to improve your work every time negative feedback comes your way is extremely valuable. So be sure to have a special link and an effortless way for them to give testimonials without a second thought.
Share essential product announcements
Clients may pay less attention to newsletters and long product updates. However, you do not want to lose a chance to inform them. So, even if you do it in a few words, let them know of any new products or updated versions of your services. Then, just add a link to your product updates for more details. If that glimpse of information gets them interested in learning more, they will click on the link.
Therefore, this creative marketing solution hits two birds with one stone. It gives your clients a sneak peek at your plans while prompting them to visit your product updates.
Say thank you
You may ask yourself “How can you start advertising your business by thanking its customers?” The answer is that nothing markets better your business than good old politeness and gratitude. You should never forget to be appreciative of the trust that your clients bestow upon your services or products.
Therefore, you need to find ways to address them in a more personal way. So just a thank you, (the client’s name) will not truly charm any client or make them feel special. In our time and age, it will definitely appear impersonal and distant.
Branded invoices lead to brand awareness
People respond well to visual stimuli. Therefore, a well-designed logo will help you stand out. Especially if your clients have a keen eye, you have a higher chance that they will remember your brand. Subsequently, if they are satisfied with your services and recognize your business, it will be easier to advertise your business to associates, friends, and family.
Exclusive discount codes in your invoices
Another marketing growth strategy is to advertise your business through discount codes, even though it is not unprecedented. However, finding the right place and medium to communicate them to your clients matters the most. Discounts accessible only through the invoices that you sent to your clients have the potential of building a long-lasting clientele. Thus, by sending the discount codes directly to your clients, you save yourself the trouble of a campaign that would also cost money.
Use your invoices as reminders
“What kind of reminders?” you would reasonably ask. When invoicing a client, you know that they are aware of the service/product that you are billing them for. However, they may not know other relevant services/products you offer. So, for instance, let them know that apart from creating blog posts for them, you can also moderate social media accounts. If they are happy with your services, they will consider hiring you for some extra work in the future. If you are in the field of software development, it would be a good idea to mention any new features or changes in the services you have been offering so far.
In conclusion, invoicing is not only about billing your clients. It can also be about promoting your work. Start advertising your business through small announcements, referral incentives, and discounts, among others. Think about all the creative marketing solutions that we’ve gone through in this blog post and implement the most suitable ones in your business.
