Our delivery drivers know us by name after the amount of online shopping we’ve done this past year, and we’re sure we’re not the only ones. The convenience of online shopping, especially during the current climate, has meant that many have turned to ecommerce for quick, safe deliveries. For businesses, this means there has never been a more important time to be online.
Taking your business online opens up your brand to new potential buyers and offers existing customers a new way to shop. Here at may, we have a wealth of experience in helping businesses successfully sell online. To help boost your online sales, we’re sharing our five top tips.
1. establish a strong brand identity
Your brand identity represents who you are as a brand and why you’re different to your competitors. Defining and highlighting your brand identity ensures you’re easily identifiable, which is especially important within competitive industries. Plus, a strong brand identity, with a clear purpose, will help to attract loyal customers who align with your brand’s purpose.
When establishing your brand identity, consider how you’d describe your products or services. Are they luxurious, made with the finest craftmanship? Are you all about quick, efficient service? Finding the words that best fit your products is a great way to pinpoint your brand’s identity.
Ensure your logo reflects your identity, too. With your increasing online presence, it’s important to check your logo is easy to read on a variety of digital devices.
2. know your target audience
Do you know who you are specifically aiming to sell to? This is the next step on the road to online sales success.
If you have a few potential customer groups, that’s fine! Create a bio for a typical shopper from each group, so you can spot any gaps in your services or marketing, and order each group in terms of priority for your marketing messages.
When defining your target audience, remember the more specific the better. Ask yourself:
Who are they? What is their gender, age, occupation and are they likely to be repeat customers?
What are they looking for? Are they looking for something for themselves or something to gift? This will allow you to produce content relevant to them.
Where are they? Are they already online shoppers and are they on social media? This will help to know how to direct them to your site.
3. refine your digital marketing skills
Show your consumers what you have to offer and make it easy for them to buy from you. A website is imperative for this, with a user-friendly catalogue of products that showcases your brand in the best way. We recommend high-quality product shots and descriptions to help your consumers find their best fit.
Your website will also need a secure payment system and GDPR compliance so that customers are reassured their data will be safe when they make a purchase from you. A Safe Checkout Badge is a great way to show your website visitors that your site is trustworthy, encouraging them to buy from you rather than shopping around.
Utilise the ‘About’ page on your website to show that you’re trustworthy, too. By sharing your story, customers can get to know you and connect with the people behind the brand. This is also a great way to highlight your brand identity.
Keep customers coming back to your website by encouraging them to sign up for email updates. Send regular and relevant emails to keep your business at the front of their minds. Remember, you’ll need strong GDPR compliance for your email marketing, too.
