Emma had been running her floristry business for several years, creating bespoke flower arrangements for weddings, events, and local businesses. Her team was small but efficient, and the business had grown steadily to a turnover of £800,000 per year. However, Emma had reached a point where the flow of new customers seemed to be slowing down. Her regular clients were loyal, but she wanted to expand her customer base without getting bogged down in the complexity of digital marketing strategies.
Like many small business owners, Emma didn’t have the time or desire to dive into complex marketing campaigns, SEO jargon, or paid advertising. What she really wanted was a straightforward customer growth plan that was easy to implement—one that wouldn’t require a technical background or a huge budget. So, Emma took a different approach and focused on building her customer growth plan in a way that felt natural to her business. Here’s how she did it.
To Build a Customer Growth Plan, First - Understand Your Customers First
The first step Emma took was to understand her current customers better. She realised that while she knew her regular clients well, she hadn’t been actively gathering insights about what attracted new customers or why some chose her competitors instead.
Emma started by asking for feedback from her most loyal clients. She learned that many appreciated her personal touch, the quality of her flowers, and the way her team worked closely with them to customise arrangements. Some of her corporate clients loved her punctuality and professionalism, while others mentioned they appreciated the seasonal floral workshops she offered.
By getting to know her customers’ needs, Emma was able to clearly define what made her business unique. This insight helped her see that her personalised service and strong customer relationships were key drivers of her business. She didn’t need flashy digital marketing; she needed to focus on what she was already doing well.
Leverage Word-of-Mouth and Referrals
One of the most valuable assets Emma realised she had was her existing customer base. She didn’t need to pour money into paid ads to reach new clients—her happy customers could do that for her. Word-of-mouth had always been important to her business, but she hadn’t been actively encouraging it.
Emma introduced a simple referral programme. She offered her existing clients a discount on their next order for every new customer they referred. This programme took off quickly, with clients more than happy to recommend her services to friends, family, and colleagues. Within a few weeks, Emma began seeing new customers come in, often mentioning they’d heard about her business through a friend or colleague.
This wasn’t just about bringing in new business—it was about building trust. Customers referred by friends were more likely to trust her services and become regular clients. The best part? This didn’t require any technical marketing knowledge or a big budget.
Use Reviews and Testimonials to Build Trust
Emma also realised that her online presence was missing something crucial: testimonials from satisfied customers. While she had plenty of happy clients, she wasn’t showcasing their feedback publicly. Potential new customers had no way of seeing the positive experiences others had with her floristry services.
So, Emma began encouraging her clients to leave reviews on Google and Facebook. She also featured testimonials on her website, highlighting specific client stories. For example, she shared how she worked with one bride to create a completely bespoke floral theme for her wedding, which became the talking point of the day.
These reviews and testimonials started working immediately. New customers mentioned that they chose Emma’s business because they saw positive reviews or read real-life stories about how her flowers transformed someone’s event. By leveraging the power of testimonials, Emma built instant credibility with new clients—without needing to learn complicated marketing techniques.
Focus on Simple Engagement Tactics
While Emma didn’t want to get bogged down in digital marketing, she understood the importance of staying engaged with her audience. She didn’t need to be everywhere online, but she could keep her business top of mind with a few simple tactics.
Emma decided to use email marketing in a way that felt manageable. She sent out a monthly newsletter to her clients, sharing tips on how to care for fresh flowers, seasonal trends in floral design, and occasional behind-the-scenes looks at how her team created certain arrangements. She also included exclusive offers for her email subscribers, which encouraged repeat business.
These emails weren’t technical or overly polished—they felt personal and genuine, which resonated with her customers. Within a month of sending her first newsletter, Emma noticed an increase in repeat orders from clients who had received the emails. It was a simple, effective way to maintain a connection with her audience.
Collaborate Locally to Expand Your Reach
Another part of Emma’s customer growth plan involved collaborating with other local businesses. She partnered with wedding venues, event planners, and photographers in her area, offering to provide floral arrangements for their events in exchange for promotion.
By working together, Emma’s business gained exposure to new audiences that were a perfect fit for her services. Brides who were planning their weddings at these venues saw Emma’s work first-hand, and her flowers were featured in professional photographs shared by event planners and photographers.
This collaborative approach didn’t require any technical marketing skills—just a willingness to connect with others and build mutually beneficial relationships. It helped Emma expand her customer base quickly, with little to no marketing budget involved.
Focus on What You Do Best
In the end, Emma’s success in building her customer growth plan came down to focusing on what she did best—delivering a personal, high-quality service that clients loved. Instead of chasing complex marketing strategies, she doubled down on the core strengths of her business and found simple, practical ways to reach new customers.
For small business owners like Emma, building a customer growth plan doesn’t have to involve complex digital marketing. By understanding your customers, leveraging word-of-mouth, encouraging reviews, engaging through simple email marketing, and collaborating locally, you can drive real customer growth without getting lost in the technicalities.
Ready to Grow Your Customer Base?
If you’re looking to create a customer growth plan that works for your small business, without getting bogged down in complicated digital marketing, contact Mark A Preston, Customer Growth Coach & Speaker. Mark can help you develop a simple, effective strategy tailored to your business, so you can focus on what matters most—delivering value to your customers and growing your business.
