Are you planning to launch a new site or redesign your old one? Online business is exhilarating, even given the frustrations of today’s technology. Updates, new trends, and shifting lifestyles pose challenges to business owners trying to keep pace on the world wide web, but you can cut through all the static to develop and expand your store online. Here’s how:
1. Know Your Target Market
Your target market (TM) is the person you are selling to. If you own a vineyard and sell wine, your customers love vino. Bakers often market directly to wedding planners and catering services. How old are your customers, and what are their interests? Every peer group has a unique persona, and when defined by research, your marketing efforts can hone in with precision and influence. Insights into the psychographics – the study of values, attitudes, interests, and lifestyles – of your TM arms you with the knowledge to solve their problems, a vital asset to business success. Where to find TM information:
Look closely at successful competitors. Who are they marketing to?
Interview existing clients or send out a customer survey with your marketing questions.
Investigate your website’s analytics. We can help you with this if we host your site.
2. Pull Traffic to Your Site
Once your site is live you need visitors, and the beauty of a website is that your contact page is open 24/7 to take messages. Face-to-face engagement works best for entrepreneurs marketing to local communities, friends, and neighbours. Hand out business cards or fridge magnets advertising your site address and no doubt, you will receive traffic. You can also reach out through social media channels to introduce your website, and use chat apps like Facebook’s Messenger to keep the conversation rolling. Advertise your business where your customers can be found, like Infonews.ca for instance, and when you make a sale, be sure to go the extra mile to thank them and invite them back. Courtesy goes a long way in securing customer retention. Some merchants even send out discount coupons and thank you cards with orders.
3. Easy Payment Gateways
For Ecommerce sites, your payment gateway should be easy to navigate – not confusing. Help your customers feel secure by placing policy statements such as your purchase of SSL certificates and storage (or not) of personal data to ease uncertainties if the buyer has them. These statements should be simple, to the point, and at the bottom of your page out of the way of the transaction.
Can we help? We design websites, ad campaigns and social media strategies for business success.
Infotel Multimedia: 250-260-7776 x107
3 Tips for Online Business Success
