Attracting new customers is certainly an ongoing goal common to just about every business owner. Even though the specific path to that end can differ depending on your industry or type of company, there are some tried-and-true advice that any small business could use.

Here are 5 ways for your small business to get new customers – tips gathered from successful entrepreneurs, marketing and small business experts:

Use inbound marketing

One of the best ways to attract new customers is through inbound marketing, which means creating content and finding channels to promote it. Every small business should use content to drive search traffic and lead potential customers to their websites. 

With inbound marketing, you’re creating easily accessed content across several digital platforms, search engines, social media, newsletters, blogs, etc. The end goal, writes Caroline Goldstein on Fundera, is to attract customers who are already searching for what you’re offering. 

“With inbound marketing, you’re not shouting for your customer’s attention,” she explains. “Rather, you’re earning their attention—and, by extension, their trust.”

Consider using an inbound marketing platform or software, such as Hubspot, to help your business grow traffic, and generate qualified leads for new customers on a regular basis. 

Get more online reviews

You know the influential power online reviews can have on any business – if you’re getting rave reviews, whether it’s your customer service or product, it can help generate new customers.

Start encouraging your current customers to post reviews, on Yelp, Google, etc, and to share their experiences with your business on social media platforms. Then cultivate your reviews – remember to link to the reviews on your website.

“Social proof is powerful, and new customers are more likely to give your business a try if they see others praising it,” writes Rieva Lesonsky, CEO and president of GrowBiz Media, in a blog for the Small Business Administration.   

Speak up

If you have a service or product expertise that you can talk about and share at a conference, or local meeting, try booking a speaking engagement. Your passion and expertise can have real selling power on an audience, generating interest and new customers.

Check into being a part of industry panel discussions, online webinars or local rotary and chamber events – anywhere your target customers might be. Or consider doing a workshop on your subject expertise. 

Work to get more referrals

Referrals are one of the best ways to get new customers, but don’t expect them to just come your way without a little work on your part.

“If you sit back and wait for your current customers to refer their friends and family members to you, you could be waiting a long time,” advises Lesonsky in the post on the SBA website. “Take charge by implementing a system for actively soliciting referrals from your satisfied customers. Build referral-generating activity into the sales process.”

You can send a follow-up email asking for a referral after a customer has received their order from your website or ask for them when you follow up with customers after a project is complete. You could also set up a referral reward program.

Do collaborate marketing

Collaboration marketing is when you partner with another business, one with similar target customers, that is if you’re not competitors, so that your marketing resources can be shared.

It’s a way for both businesses to reach new customers.

Consider doing a marketing activity with another business or pack more punch on something you have planned by partnering up, writes Christina Richardson in a blog post for the Constant Contact UK office.

“The savvy entrepreneurial brands doing this are running events together, running special offers and competitions for each other, even creating new products together,” she writes.