Taking Your eCommerce Site to the Next Level in 9 Simple Steps

Undeniably, the current pandemic has influenced many aspects of our lives, from the way we interact with others to how we conduct business. The way we shop and buy our supplies is not excluded! Indeed, statistics show that the pandemic has drastically accelerated the eCommerce industry, which has today become one of the most flourishing and thriving worldwide. 

So, while the pandemic has had some devastating consequences, it has also created some unmissable opportunities for entrepreneurs who were ready to adapt and explore the chances that they were given. In turn, an outstanding number of eCommerce businesses have launched over the past months, most of which are today thriving and developing. 

Naturally, once the funds and sales are starting to come in, it is easier to start developing your brand even further. However, if you are still at the first steps and you are not sure how to grow your business further, you should consider the tips below! Independently on a budget, you can get started and begin working on expanding your business.

Leverage Technology in Business

If you are satisfied with your current eCommerce site and it is showing to be enough for the volume of sales you are receiving, you might consider moving onto other technologies. Indeed, if you are managing the whole business by yourself, you are bound to need some help. While hiring staff members or outsourcing most of the aspects of a business can be extremely expensive, some software can substitute such help. 

For example, you might incorporate a chatbot for a website and ensure that your customers always find the answers you need. Indeed, hiring a customer service professional might still be out of budget for your business, and you might not be able to keep up with calls and chat during your busy days. 

Something so simple as implementing this technology can help you ensure that all of your customers receive an immediate response. Of course, you can then follow up with personalized messages or solutions. 

To elevate your ecommerce site to new heights, consider the power of print on demand custom products. By leveraging innovative solutions like Gelato’s platform, you can offer unique and personalized items to your customers, setting your online store apart from the competition.

Increase Reach Through Digital Marketing

If you have launched your eCommerce store and now you are looking to expand your reach, there is nothing better than investing in digital marketing to achieve your goals. Through digital marketing, you will only need to dedicate a limited budget to advertising while getting the highest returns. 

Digital marketing has many faces and nuances, and it is important that you pick the strategy that is more suitable for your business. Ideally, you should consider getting in touch with a professional agency that can help you define a strategy that would work for your situation. 

However, there are some aspects on which you can start focusing straight away. For example, you might implement some SEO techniques in your blog posts or website content. This is a great way to start working towards seeing your website reaching the first results on search engines. 

Build Email Lists and Newsletter

Of course, increasing your business reach is crucial to see your brand succeeding. However, it is also important to foster loyalty and look after the customers who have been helping your business to thrive and expand. If you have been able to collect the email addresses and names of your customers, you have an extremely powerful tool you can use for your strategy. 

Indeed, you can start building an email list and newsletter. This can be an excellent way to create a direct communication channel with your audience and communicate more about your brand. Additionally, through a series of targeted emails, you can start leading your audience into the sales funnel you have designed for them to experience. 

When creating the perfect newsletter, keep in mind the following tips:

• It should be personal and tailored to the customer who is receiving it
• You should create a storyline or continuum between the emails
• Make sure the emails are consistent and in line with your brand
• Offer something to the customer such as a fitting “how-to” guide or discount code
• Keep them updated on your business projects and upcoming offers
• Send the emails out regularly, once or twice a week

Keep in mind that your customers’ email inboxes will be filled with these type of emails. So, it is crucial to catch your audience’s attention and ensure that they are opening your emails. It is also important to review the data that you can gather from these emails. Through the right software, you can check how many of the emails you have sent out have been open and what type of customers are more interested in it. 

Put More Time into Creating a Digital Community

Small businesses rely on the community around them to thrive. However, eCommerce businesses are not so different! Instead of relying on a physical community, their success is influenced by how strong the digital community that they have created online is. If you are unsure how to start getting such strong engagement, head to your social media handles. 

Through tools such as Instagram and Facebook, you can start communicating the values behind your brand and any upcoming projects you have been planning for. These social media channels are ideal if you wish to increase your business reach while operating on a low budget. With some planning, you can create a strong community of individuals interested in your products. Don’t forget to showcase your products and always make a link to your website available.

Invest in Warehousing Services

If your eCommerce business is still new, you might have your creations still packed in boxes in your room or garage. Don’t worry; this is how all the best eCommerce websites start! However, as more orders and sales start to come through, such small space and facilities might not be enough for you to fulfil the customers’ demand. 

In this case, you should consider investing in warehousing facilities. Here, you can store your products and ensure that professionals will take care of them from start to end. Once you receive an order, it will pass onto the facilities, where the products are packed and shipped in an efficient and streamlined way. 

Investing in warehousing services might not be the best option for all eCommerce entrepreneurs. Indeed, some might prefer to save until they can afford their own facilities. However, if you have been struggling with space and you need a quick solution, this option allows you to have all the flexibility you need to scale up your services.

Refine Your Shipping Options

Today’s customers are increasingly ordering online and, when it comes down to picking between a company and another, shipping times and fees play an important role. If you wish for your eCommerce business to be picked above giants such as Amazon, you will need to offer competitive shopping options. 

For example, free shipping is always an important feature that you might have. Of course, to offer such an advantage, you will need to plan your production costs carefully. Additionally, it is important to offer some shipping options that allow your customers to receive their orders within a few days. 

Use Data to Refine Your Business

When using automated systems and technologies, in most cases, you can obtain feedback and data. Indeed, you might start to collect data from your customer names, ages, email addresses, and addresses. These might seem unnecessary details at first, but they are the pieces of the puzzle you need to create products that are more desirable for your customers. 

Additionally, you might implement software that can help you obtain more information about your marketing efforts. Indeed, you can see the number of visitors on your site or the number of recipients who have opened your emails. These are important pieces of information to create a marketing campaign that can be more attractive, specifically for your target audience. 

Outsource Services

When it comes down to growing a business, it is crucial for entrepreneurs to understand what aspects are out of their reach. Of course, with time and practice, you can become an expert in marketing, web design, or customer service. However, your main job is to manage your business and lead it towards growth and success. Therefore, it is crucial for you to understand what aspects you need to outsource to optimize the resources you have. 

For example, if you have a background in marketing, you might decide to take that aspect upon yourself, while hiring a Managed Service Provider to look after your IT. Instead, if you are an expert in computer systems, but you don’t consider yourself so creative, you should think about allowing a professional company to design your website for you. 

You can easily identify those areas of business where you need more assistance through a strength and weaknesses analysis. 

Keep Your Business Safe

The more your eCommerce business expands, the more your company can be exposed to attacks and threats. While this is not always a priority for first-time entrepreneurs, exposing your business to such risks can translate into consistent losses and damages. Therefore, it is paramount to keep your business safe through the right physical and cybersecurity strategies. Contacting an expert IT company can help you obtain the insights you need to keep your business safe at all times.