From Interest to Income: Smart Customer Acquisition Strategies for Small Business Growth
One of the most common challenges small businesses face isn’t building a product or offering a service—it’s getting people to actually buy it. Customer acquisition is a hurdle that can either fuel growth or stall progress. In a recent workshop hosted by Black Tech Link as part of the Project MOST business development series, Executive Director Elizabeth Cotton dove deep into practical customer acquisition strategies for entrepreneurs, especially those leading BIPOC-owned or community-based businesses.
This session was packed with tangible tools, stories, and frameworks to help business owners define who they serve, what they offer, and how to turn interest into consistent income. Here are the key takeaways.
Step 1: Get Clear on What You’re Offering
Many businesses struggle to explain what they do in a simple, effective way. Elizabeth opened the session by asking a basic but critical question: “What problem are you solving?” If you can’t answer that clearly, it will be nearly impossible for customers to understand why they need your product or service.
She introduced a value proposition framework that breaks things down into four parts:
Who are you helping?
What problem do they face?
What are you offering?
What transformation or solution does your offer create?
This simple structure helps business owners cut through the fluff and focus their message. A strong value proposition sets the foundation for all marketing and outreach efforts.
Step 2: Identify Your Ideal Customer
Once you’ve clarified your offer, the next step is to figure out exactly who you’re trying to reach. Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of trying to sell to “everyone.” But as Elizabeth emphasized, “If you try to sell to everyone, you’ll end up selling to no one.”
Instead, create a customer profile or “avatar.” Think through their age, location, income level, challenges, interests, and where they spend time—both online and offline. Are they business owners? Parents? Gen Z students? Homeowners? Veterans?
Knowing your ideal customer makes your messaging sharper and your marketing more effective. It also helps you decide where to spend your energy—whether it’s social media, community events, pop-up shops, or professional networks.
Step 3: Understand the Customer Journey
Customer acquisition isn’t a one-step process. People need to be introduced to your brand, get familiar with what you offer, and develop trust before they’re ready to buy. Elizabeth broke this down into stages:
Awareness: They hear about you for the first time.
Interest: They check out your website, social media, or storefront.
Engagement: They like a post, sign up for your email list, or talk to you at an event.
Consideration: They compare your offer to others or wait for the right moment.
Conversion: They make a purchase, register, or sign a contract.
Retention: They become a repeat buyer or refer others to you.
Each stage requires different marketing strategies. For awareness, you need reach. For conversion, you need clarity and trust. Mapping your customer’s journey helps you plan targeted content and outreach at every step.
Step 4: Use Low-Cost, High-Impact Tools
Elizabeth shared a variety of tools that help small businesses compete with bigger players without breaking the bank:
Canva for flyers, ads, and branded visuals
Mailchimp or ConvertKit for email marketing
Calendly for appointment scheduling
Google Business Profile for local search visibility
Instagram Reels and Facebook Lives to connect directly with your audience
She also introduced the idea of using QR codes on printed materials to drive people to digital offers, booking pages, or surveys. These tools, combined with platforms like Linktree and Notion, can help you create streamlined funnels without needing a full-time marketing team.
Step 5: Focus on Community-Based Marketing
For many BIPOC-owned businesses, traditional advertising doesn’t always resonate. Elizabeth emphasized that community-centered marketing—based on relationships, trust, and authenticity—often works best.
That might look like:
Partnering with local events
Hosting free workshops or demos
Joining Facebook or WhatsApp groups
Attending vendor fairs
Supporting causes aligned with your audience
By showing up consistently and providing value, you earn trust—and that trust often leads to referrals, reviews, and new opportunities.
Step 6: Make the Ask
One of the most powerful points of the workshop was this: don’t be afraid to ask for the sale. Many entrepreneurs put time and energy into building awareness but shy away from closing. Whether you’re offering coaching, selling food, or managing real estate, you need a clear, confident call to action.
Your audience should always know:
What the next step is
How to buy or sign up
What benefit they get by doing it now
“Don’t bury your offer,” Elizabeth said. “Make it visible. Make it simple.”
Step 7: Track What Works
Lastly, measure your efforts. You don’t need complicated analytics tools. Just track:
Where your customers are coming from
What messages or posts get the most engagement
Which outreach channels lead to actual purchases or signups
This data helps you double down on what works and let go of what doesn’t.
1099s, Payroll, and Worker Classification
Understanding the difference between an employee and a contractor is essential. Misclassification can lead to major penalties. If you control when, where, and how someone works, they are likely an employee—and you are responsible for payroll taxes and withholdings.
If they are independent contractors (provide their own tools, set their schedule, etc.), you must issue a 1099-NEC for payments over $600. All 1099s and W-2s must be submitted to the IRS and recipients by January 31st.
Final Words
Customer acquisition is not about luck or expensive ad campaigns. It’s about clarity, consistency, and connection. By defining your offer, knowing your audience, and using digital tools strategically, you can create a pipeline of potential customers who trust you and want what you’re offering.
This Project MOST session was a masterclass in simple, effective strategies grounded in real-world experience.
As Elizabeth reminded attendees, “You don’t have to be everywhere. You just have to show up consistently where your people are.”
More workshops and resources are available through Black Tech Link. Whether you’re in the early stages or ready to scale, smart customer acquisition strategies can help turn interest into lasting income.
Want to Join the Movement?
If you’re a small business or nonprofit looking to grow, modernize, and get connected to real opportunity—Black Tech Link is here for you.
➡️ Visit blacktechlink.org
📌 Click on the Small Business Mastery Program
🗓️ Book a free session by hitting Talk With an Expert
Your mission deserves to thrive. Let’s make that happen—together.