Regardless of the size of your business, you know that effective invoicing is essential. Without it, you aren’t getting compensated for the products or services that you’ve provided. And, that means you don’t have the cash to keep your business running. But, did you know that you can also leverage invoicing for marketing?
In fact, using your invoices to market and promote your business is probably one of the more powerful marketing strategies. This is because it’s a document that your clients are guaranteed to open and read.
With that in mind, here are the ten best ways to leverage invoicing for marketing your business.
Referral Incentives
Referral programs have been a favorite marketing tactic for years. And for good reason. Research has found that people are four times more likely to buy when referred by a friend.
If you’re new to the world of referrals, it’s simply when you offer an incentive to a customer if they refer your business to someone else. For example, I recently received an email from Acorns that if I refered 10 friends, I would get $5 for each referral — this would come out to an easy $500.
One of the easiest ways to incorporate a referral incentive in your invoices is by including a referral link. This is just a unique link or code that identifies who you are. This way when they link is clicked it gives you credit for the referral.
Of course, you could also just make a note in the message section of the invoice. This should clearly state that you’ll offer them a discount whenever they refer someone to your business.
Spread Brand Awareness
Since you’re most likely using invoicing software, then you’re able to add your logo and change the color of the font and background of the invoice. This may not sound like a big deal, but this helps spread your brand’s awareness since it differentiates you from other businesses.
Include Social Media Icons
If you want your business to thrive, then you need to be on social media. If not, you’re missing out on an enormous opportunity to connect and engage with your customers. But, did you know that you can include all of your social media icons in your emailed invoices?
It’s true. This way your clients can learn more about about business, follow your business so that they’re updated on the latest news, and share your social content.
Ask For Feedback or Testimonials
Testimonials, like referrals, build trust. That’s because these are real people who are vouching for your company. So, at the end of your invoice, why not ask the client or customer to leave you a testimonial that you can share online?
Besides testimonials, ask your customers to leave feedback. This way you can find out what you did right correctly and what needs to be improved. Once you have this information, you can improve your business.
Special Announcements
If you’re preparing to launch a new product or service, then don’t just limit the announcement to newsletters and social media updates. Share the news in your invoices as well. After all, there’s a chance that they may not be following you on social media or have signed-up for your newsletter.
By including any special announcements in your invoices, you’re spreading the word as far as possible.
Strengthen Your Brand With Affiliates
If your business is affiliated with a more well-known company, then don’t be afraid to mention the partnership. Even just including their logo on your invoices is enough to show the partnership. You could even offer a discount to the company’s existing customers and vice versa.
This is a great way to build credibility and trust while getting your brand in front of new customers. For example, at Due we have several partnerships with companies like PayPal and QuickBooks. This makes our software more appealing to customers since they can integrate the tools they already use and trust with ours — which hopefully converts them into loyal customers.
Simply put, partner with a company that’s related to your business. For example, if you’re a photographer, team-up with a framer. You can then promote each other’s businesses.
Thank Your Customers
A simply “thank you” definitely goes a long way. The reason? It shows that you genuinely appreciate the support of the client or customer.
If you really want to make an impact, personalize your gratitude. For instance, you could say something like; “Sue, thank you for being an awesome customers for the last five years. We’re looking forward to working with you again next month.”
Upsell Your Services
You can also use your invoices to remind your customers about the other products that you sell or offer. Just include a link to a product page so that they can read the full descriptions of your offerings.
For example, if you are a photographer, you could make a note in your invoice that you also do custom framing. The client is now aware that you offer this service and may just book you for a photo session right then. The client may also wish to frame their pictures. This can really pay off for your company.
Free Reports or Downloads
We all love freebies. So, why not reward your customers with a free report or eBook?
It’s a simple way to thank them for supporting your business. As an added bonus, it also shows that you’re an industry leader or expert.
You can send your customers a freebie by simply including a link on your invoice that takes them to the site or document where the freebie is located.
Offer Coupons or Discounts
Finally, offer a discount or coupon code that’s only available through the invoice. It’s a popular and effective way to incentivize them to come back. And, more importantly, it shows that you appreciate their loyalty.
Keep in mind, that you should try to personalize these coupons or discounts. For instance, if you’re a freelance writer who also offers editing services, you may have a couple of clients who only hire you for proofreading. This means that you could offer a discount on future editing work for those specific clients.
