If you started selling in a physical business and have decided to jump into the online world, you will find yourself with the challenge of integrating your new eCommerce with your business structure. It is a great investment but there will need to be some changes made.
Mentality change
The first thing that should happen when taking the step to create an online store is a change of mentality. Being present on the Internet is not an “add-on”, something that adds value to what already existed, but implies changes at all levels of activity, both for you and your customers.
Digital training
To know how to act, you must train in the digital skills that are useful to you. This is the technical profile that you may need if you are not an expert in web programming, design, and usability. Outsourcing this service is of great help due to the workload that can accumulate since you must have the following needs covered:
- Online and offline campaign planning.
- Social media management and online customer service.
- Logistics management.
- Storage and preparation of orders.
Brand strengthening
Being in the online world not only implies focusing on selling, but the user wants to be informed, give his opinion, and interact. We must be present on social networks and pending their queries and conversations to participate in them and thus, get them to become new customers. You should look at being able to help your customers too with eCommerce Search.
Having a good online store will give the user a good impression of you and will be able to buy not only online; but also attracting them to the physical store, after having seen your store or your products online. Don’t forget to take care of the reputation of your brand: name, logo, colors, layout, sections, etc. For the customer to move from one channel to another, it is not enough to adapt our structure so far; a restructuring and cooperation between all our communication and sales channels is necessary.
How to hold onto your customers
The three key steps, so that these people who navigate become customers are: attract (generate interest), convert and retain them.
- Generate interest: Although your online strategy is somewhat different from the one you use in your conventional store (and it should be), the fundamental thing is that they are aligned. It is very important to know your client to be able to foresee what a potential consumer will be like and guide your growth. Social networks can be great. A ‘branding’ consistent with the business vision and a good brand positioning is key to ensuring that the people you attract are the ones who are interested, which will facilitate the second step, conversion.
- Loyalty: It is crucial not to spoil all the previous work, once you have reached the first registration, or better yet, the first sale. There are numerous customer loyalty strategies, from the simplest, such as the use of ‘mailing’ to offer exclusive opportunities and directly linked to subscribers buying, to invitations to events, to count on customers to implement improvements in the business by listening to proposals actively.