Three ways online sellers can drive sales

BigCommerceIt is estimated that almost half of millennials/Gen Xers now sell their products online through webstores. What is driving the rise in independent online sellers? Small retailers are always wanted by consumers, and they can now do this from their home. Small merchants need to be promoted strategically despite the rapid growth of ecommerce to maintain a loyal and returning customer base.

Online retailers don't need to stress about marketing. Here are some simple, cost-effective ways to make your business stand out to online shoppers.

Invest In The Best-Selling Channels

It's crucial to identify your strengths as an independent online seller. To promote your products, identify your strongest channel. According to Web Retailer and Feedvisor, 74% of Amazon sellers said that they use Amazon Sponsored Products for more visibility.

Amazon Sponsored Products (CPC) is an advertising program that targets targeted ads to increase a product's visibility in Amazon. Sponsored Products is often compared to Google AdWords. Merchants can bid on keywords to have their products featured in Amazon's search results. It is, however, more affordable than the Google option for many online retailers.

Multi-Channel Sales

You're likely an email-savvy online retailer. But have you ever thought about what social media channels like Facebook or Instagram can do for you business, beyond generating likes and sharing? An affordable ecommerce platform covers all digital marketing channels. Traditional online marketing techniques like retargeting ads are now possible with the help of an affordable platform. Online merchants can now personalize ads to social media with products that are relevant to customers' past purchases and recent content viewed on the retailer's site. Your chances of selling increase by customizing your ads and messaging.

Independent online sellers can now sell products directly from their social media accounts. Consumers can browse your Instagram account and click on a link in their page bio or caption to be taken to the full catalogue of products that are featured on your profile page. These capabilities will elevate your social media presence.

Get in touch via email

Email can also deliver powerful results for independent online vendors when optimized. A recent marketing industry census has shown that email is the most effective digital marketing channel to increase ROI for three consecutive years.

Small online merchants have more access to automation, list segmentation and WYSIWYG (what is your view? what are you getting) email design templates, pop up capture, automatic emails for abandoned carts or anniversary reminds, as well as performance metrics that were previously reserved for larger retail operations.

This functionality can be added to your marketing toolbox to offer customers exclusive discounts. You can also offer product recommendations based upon past purchases and abandoned cart reminders, depending on which email-marketing provider you use. These types of promotions can be made easier if you have the right solution.

Join the Ecommerce Wave

Forrester predicts that ecommerce will grow to $523 billion in the next three-years. To help their business grow and stay competitive, independent online retailers can rely upon strong selling channels, social networks and email. These tactics can be used with a multi-channel mindset. They are effective and will yield great results from this boom.

Sources:

https://www.connectpos.com/retail-react-to-covid-19/

https://www.connectpos.com/wireless-pos-customer-monitor/

https://www.connectpos.com/connectpos-new-feature-pwa/

https://www.connectpos.com/magento-2-enterprise-cloud-upgrade/

https://www.connectpos.com/case-study-the-sewing-studio/

https://www.connectpos.com/free-try-pwa-consumer-app-and-customer-screen/

https://www.connectpos.com/connectpos-partner-cardknoxpayment/

How to Thrive on Social Media: How to Manage The Media Mania

Many independent business owners find managing social media for their brand difficult. This important communication method can be mastered by starting small and creating a plan of action. You can manage your social media presence by understanding your current status, scheduling time to keep your accounts up to date, creating content ahead of schedule, engaging with your followers with beautiful visuals and building a relationship with them. This will help you build a positive relationship and increase sales.

Assess Your Existing Presence

Be familiar with where you are at the beginning of your social media journey before you start to implement new strategies. You can look at your digital profiles from the perspective of your customers to evaluate them. Consider what information your customers may be searching for and make sure you provide it. Are you linking to your website or other social media platforms as well? Are your cover photos and profile consistent across social media platforms? Are your store hours listed on the website?

Stick to the Schedule

As with any relationship, it takes time to maintain a relationship on social media with customers. It is worth the effort to build meaningful digital connections, as social media is now the preferred method of communication for many consumers. Global Web Index found that people spend on average over two hours each day using social media. This number is even higher for millennials. It is a good idea to make it a habit of committing 20 minutes per day. Perhaps split the time into two sessions in the morning and one in the afternoon. You should post and share content, follow and interact with customers and industry accounts and engage with anyone who has reached you with a comment, message, or question. It is important to invest time in growing your brand's digital presence, as this is where customers make key brand and buying decisions.

Content Plan in Advance

A content calendar can help you reduce the time spent on social media each day. You will have a better understanding of the brand's social media presence and can plan and schedule your content ahead of times. This will prevent you from missing posts or on busy days that cause your accounts to get neglected. Start by determining how often you will post each week. This number will vary depending on the platform. Next, create a calendar that includes important dates for your brand, such as holidays, sales and special events. These opportunities will be highlighted in content you plan. Next, consider whether there are any recurring content you could post weekly. Are there any photos from your past that you think would be a good #ThrowbackThursday topic? You could post a customer testimonial each Tuesday. Take a look at the calendar and fill in the weekly content. You'll be surprised at how much space you have already filled. You now have to create your own engaging content in the remaining days. Do you plan to launch a new product? Is there anything happening in your community? You can tell your followers by finding a creative way to share it.

Your Profile is Worth Viewing

Produce content that is relevant to your target audience to increase your followers and encourage viewers to spend more time on social media. Visuals are essential in digital communication. Use creative and funny photos whenever possible to grab attention and keep people scrolling past your posts. Always be looking for photo opportunities. You'll have a lot of photos to use for your next post. You should also share news and posts from key industry players, aside from your social media posts. Your followers will appreciate your efforts and be able to see that you are keeping up with the latest news in the industry.