Among the major trends that have occurred in recent years, a phenomenon stands out above all: the presence of the internet in our daily routine. Millions of users access the internet every day to interact, work or benefit from an offer. This is reflected in the high number of consumers who use e-commerce platforms to purchase products without leaving their homes; air tickets, clothing or footwear, tickets, appliances, cultural products such as records or books etc. If you have an eCommerce and you want to stand out from the beginning, use this Marketing guide for your online store.
Having a presence on the Internet through a corporate website or a profile on social networks is not the same as having an online store. Before embarking on an eCommerce project, your company must evaluate the business model best suits its needs, be clear about its market niche and build its communication and sales strategy based on the same.
Having an online presence is now a trend that is becoming predictable. To stand out, you need to be innovative with your marketing strategies. There are different online business models which are:
1. Own online store: It deals with creating a web page for the direct sale of products or services. An online store never closes but operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and allows you to include the entire catalog of products with detailed information, photographs, and contact information. Through it, you can easily manage and control the orders, stock, and invoice of the company. If you also invest in web analytics, you can get to know your customers better based on their purchasing habits and preferences. This model must have the necessary technical and economic resources to create an attractive eCommerce that allows you to reach as many customers as possible.
2. Marketplaces: These sales platforms connect buyers and sellers around the world. They are the online version of the large shopping centers, where you can find stores dedicated to the sale of all kinds of items and enjoy a large influx of people. In exchange for a fee for your presence on the platform and a commission for each transaction, your brand can opt for this model and get easy access to customers with guaranteed traffic, reducing online advertising costs to obtain visibility.
3. Flash Sales: The flash sales model is made through platforms that offer online promotions that are only available for a period of time, and that apply large discounts on new products and services to attract customers. The challenge that you can present then is how to retain customers once your offer expires.
4. Dropshipping: This is one of the models that is growing the most in the eCommerce environment and that consists of opening an online store for the sale of products that are manufactured, stored and distributed by other suppliers. In the drop shipping model, it is the supplier who delivers the product to the customers and takes care of possible returns, while your brand is responsible for customer service and billing.
Take advantage of all Marketing channels for your online store
Businesses on the internet need attention, maintenance, work and above all scalability forecast. An eCommerce can be the best showcase for your company if it seeks to reach consumers from different parts. However, as in the physical environment, even the best companies in the world need to know their competitors and stimulate the security of transactions if they want to keep growing.
You can make use of several Marketing channels for your online store. All the channels are crucial to attract and retain customers. At the beginning of the project, you need a high quota of persistence, patience and above all dedication. Here are some marketing campaigns to consider when you are opening an online store:
1) Email Marketing
The email marketing campaign is a simple way to retain customers and increase sales. For example, you can keep buyers informed about news or promotions with a newsletter and give them exclusive access to discounts or contests. You should send periodic, seasonal, and specific dates messages to your customers, and try to segment your database to customize all communications according to the previous behavior of your buyers or their demographic profile.
2) Organic positioning
At the start of a business, it may happen that there is not too much budget to invest high figures in advertising. Therefore, the good idea is to invest time and resources in
3) Affiliate Marketing
With affiliate programs or systems, you can partner with other websites to sell your company’s products or services to your visitors in exchange for a commission. How does it work? These intermediaries insert adverts in the form of banners or links to your online store and charge depending on the number of purchases that occur. You can also set a commission for the traffic generated to your site or if users complete actions such as filling out a form or subscribe to be informed of the news.
4) Social networks
Given the amount of time that people spend on networks, Social Media should be considered as one of the main marketing strategies for your online store. The objective is not only to attract traffic to eCommerce but also to improve the visibility of the offer and build brand image. Social networks should not be used only for pasting the URL of a product but also for customer service, resolution of doubts and conflicts, promotion of competitive advantages and encouragement of the community.
5) Content Marketing
Creating valuable content for your corporate blog can give you unbeatable advantages, but above all, it will make your target audience feel identified and interested in what your brand publishes. Quality content should show how the product works and detail all its characteristics.
Businessman using a digital tablet– stock image
