There is no denying that e-commerce sites have risen as more and more people want convenience when it comes to exchanging goods and services. According to
The traditional way of getting customers has not ended yet. Your friends and family are probably going to be your first clients. People on your friend’s list are not too subtle with sharing their travel getaways but you launching a new business is going to be a new thing on their Facebook timelines. This is how you start advertising your eCommerce business without giving out a penny.
Reach out to them in a personal way. Send notes, send a private message, and because these people are close to you, don’t offer them the regular price of your products. Instead, give your products out for free in exchange of free advertisement from them too. There is a higher rate of success in reaching out to people that already know you versus strangers online.
#2. Reach Out to Bloggers and Influencers
As someone that is new to the industry, reaching out to bloggers and influencers can be a lot of work. There are a few ways to tap them and pitch your product:
Guest Post
First, research the bloggers in your niche that accepts guest blogs. These blogs should also have enough traffic, so your content won’t be wasted. Remember to hone your blog post in a way that it adds value to readers and not something that screams advertisement.
Solicit Product Reviews
70% of customers look for reviews before making their final purchase, according to PeopleClaim. Getting reviews from bloggers and influencers can have a huge impact on your business. In getting their reviews, always be professional and remember to offer something in return. Track which of these bloggers give you the most value and maintain your relationship with them.
Find Instagram Influencers
Instagram provides 25% more engagement to brands as compared to other social networks. It’s also a great platform to find the influencers that you can reach out and offer exchange deals that both of you can benefit from.
#3. Optimize Your eCommerce Site
When people search for the products that you offer, does your website appear? Because if not, you are missing an opportunity of sales and conversion. To get your site to be discovered, optimize your site so Google or Bing can crawl your site quickly.
#4. Market on Social Media the Smart Way
Without social media, your business is faceless. The power of social media can get you where your potential clients are lingering about. What you just have to do is grab their attention and make them aware of your store.
On Facebook
Facebook has come a long way since its creation. It is one of the most powerful tools that can be used in marketing your eCommerce products. Thousands of dollars are used in other marketing activities, but Facebook is still going to be the most efficient way of marketing your eCommerce products.
Facebook advertising is a gift to social media marketers because of how Facebook gives out wide targeting options. But to actually maximize the budget you allocated, you need to know how to create high-converting ads and understand which of your ads are working and which of them are just a waste of money.
On Instagram
As an eCommerce business, you highly rely on good product photography. Sharing these photos on Instagram is a step forward to gaining more exposure to your business. Also, the power of hashtags can be as accurate that it can reach your targeted audience without any ad budget spent.
On Twitter
Depending on your industry, Twitter marketing can be a game-changer. With its millions of users that micro blog every single day, it’s just right to say that Twitter is a good channel for communication. It’s a platform where you can increase your reputation by monitoring and learning what people say behind your back.
Being present on all social media platforms can be an effective way to get more exposure. However, it’s also likely that you will need to focus on one or two and know which of these channels matter in building your brand.
#5. Crowdfund Your New Product Idea
Crowdfunding products that are unique and innovative are one of the main recipes in reaching the goal amount. If you think your product is new, one of a kind, and can outshine others, start building noise and create a buzz across all the digital platforms.
By far, the most popular crowdfunding site is Kickstarter. It’s where most famous products like Exploding Kittens and Ilumi LED Smart Bulb started. By showcasing your product in Kickstarter and other crowdfunding sites as featured in this Design Bombs page, you are tapping a huge marketplace that is always growing and attracting new customers.
But, crowdfunding is not as simple as throwing your product and wait for the money to roll in. There are a lot of efforts and strategies involved to ensure that your product is going to be a success.
Wrapping it up
These ideas above can be used as your starting point to gaining more exposure to your products. While many of your possible competitors are blooming here and there, you can leverage your way up by recognizing effective tactics and maintaining your momentum when you finally figure out the best strategies that work for your brand.
