Expand Your Market and Grow with eCommerce
My colleague Jon Parker and I recently presented a 1-hour Webinar to members and guests of the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce on how to jump into eCommerce. Moderator Emily Marsh did a superb job hosting the virtual event. You can watch the entire Webinar in the recording below.
We’re happy to summarize a few basics if you don’t have 45 minutes + to watch the whole video. Let’s start with the general theme of the event: Keep it simple!
eCommerce by the Bullet Points
If you and your business are brand new to eCommerce, here are some guidelines to start out successfully.
- Definition: Commercial transactions conducted electronically on the internet.
- Why eCommerce? Because you need to conduct business with customers where they are now – online.
- Your eCommerce Goals: More revenue, new customer segments, accelerate growth, business transformation? Let your goals guide your strategy.
- Are set up and maintenance costs expensive? Expect some additional fees above what a static informational site costs. Keeping your offers simple and using readily available and compatible platforms keep costs way down.
- Platforms and Payment Processing: With myriad options for eCommerce platforms and payment processing integrations, it’s generally best to stick with the popular, proven, most recommended platforms. Look at the reviews or talk with experienced consultants like us.
- How can you assure success? Simplicity has served salespeople and merchants since money was invented. The attempt to offer everyone in the world everything your company does has killed more marketing campaigns than can be counted. Keep it simple!
- Limit the scope of your offering when you launch. Start with your best sellers. Maybe just one product/service. Limiting choices, especially in the beginning, makes it mentally easier for customers to buy.
- Build out product categories and options gradually. Gain experience, data and revenue traction with your best sellers to help fuel your online store’s expansion and growth.
- Use premium photography and video. Be honest! Do your pictures pass your own quality test as a consumer yourself? Would you buy your own product based on your own pictures and video representations? INVEST IN YOUR BRAND – these are valuable and reusable assets!
- It’s all about the User Experience! Simple design, attractive merchandising, limited options and easy transaction processes are the experiences online consumers want. And that makes your job simpler!
Think through the logistics. Plan for success! When the orders come in, are you ready to fulfill each one to every customer’s satisfaction? Inventory, size, weight, packaging, shipper, postage/freight calculations, shipping labels, accounting or ERP integration…? If a service, how will you schedule sessions or book appointments?- How will customers find your online store? eCommerce requires a sufficient volume of targeted traffic or leads that will buy, to be profitable. Be sure to implement a prelaunch and ongoing lead generation/marketing campaign.
- Lead Generation – eCommerce Synergy: A “grand opening” with no customers can be a major disappointment. Make sure to have a lead generation strategy in place or already running by the time you launch. Use strategic paid advertising and email marketing to boost your SEO efforts to gain traffic. Test different offers and dial in your campaigns as you go.
Now, If you have finally decided to go eCommerce, I offer you the pièce de résistance! Contact us here for your free eCommerce Planning Workbook, compliments of Chuck Sink Link and Recharged Solutions. Just type “eCommerce Workbook” in the Message section.
