If your business could use some more customers (and whose business can’t?) it’s time to put the customers first. This means in all the marketing you do, from brochure printing to answering your phones, you need to focus on your customer rather than your business.

When you are designing your brochure printing pieces, think of what information your customers would like to know and in what order would they easily understand your brochure’s message? When you answer the phone, would it behoove customers to know about your current sale? “XYZ Corporation, where we now have all our in-stock merchandise 20 percent off.”

Nowadays, consumers are so used to advertisements that they often ignore them, unless the ad really speaks to them. Consumers have been schemed in the past, which puts them on guard for any kind of advertising you aim at them. Sometimes the best marketing is the cheapest. To do your best marketing and expand your client base, follow these no-cost and low-cost tips.

Ask your customers for their opinion. You can do this informally, while they are checking out with their purchases or while they peruse your store, or you can do this formally, with an email or phone survey. The point is to ask your customers their opinions about which products are great and which products are flops. Also, ask for suggestions on what you can do better. Oftentimes, what you can do better is something your competition does better than you. By asking for your customers’ honest opinions and letting them know that their suggestions will be taken seriously, you can not only improve your business, but you’ll also build a relationship with your customers.

Expand your target market. After you’ve sufficiently tried to reach a certain target market for a period of time (at least a year), you can try expanding to other markets to bring in new customers. It’s quite possible to tap out a target market, especially if that market is small to begin with. Take a look at your current offerings and figure out who else would like or need your products. Send out a small test advertisement through direct mail or take out a small ad in a magazine or newspaper directed at the new target market. Don’t waste money on unchartered waters; just spend a small amount at first and then spend accordingly depending on the feedback from the test market.

Follow up with current customers. Genuinely show your interest in how your customers are doing and whether they’re happy with their recently purchased product or service. The conversation about the product or service is just a small part of the follow up. Ask how things have been going and ask if you can help them with anything else. Treat your customers like friends and they’ll keep coming back.

If someone called inquiring about a product, make sure you get back to that person within 48 hours. Don’t let customers get away with bad customer service.

None of these tips will break your bank; if anything, they take more time than money. If you follow these tips, you’ll pleasantly surprise your customers and they’ll keep doing business with you to see how else you can surprise them.