If you have a retail business, but aren’t utilizing an ecommerce website, you’re missing an amazing opportunity to launch your retail store online.
An ecommerce website will give you visibility and traction across the globe! Keep in mind, starting a retail store online reuires patience, diligence and the right online business tools. The ecommerce landscape delivers a wide range of business benefits, including operating a store 24 hours each day.
How To Launch Your Retail Store Online
1. Invest In A Website
This may seem fairly obvious, but note we said invest. Too often, small business owners want to cut corners on this piece, but it’s critical to your success! The same way you wouldn’t open a brick and mortar store with wires hanging down or busted light fixtures, make sure you are taking the same time and consideration for your website. Spend the time to make sure it’s functional and compatible with your business.
Carefully assess the competition. What are they using? Many small businesses want to use a template based website. That can cause problems down the road. A custom built site is more expensive up front, but in the long run, it will be much more worth the cost.
2. Start Blogging
A website that just sells is just a store. Remember, they are shopping online. People go online for information. If you provide great information, people will get interested and buy your products.
You could blog about:
- Innovative ways to use your products.
- News about your niche
- How-to tips related to your products.
- Things of interest to your niche market
- Customer pics, if you have a visual product.
- Anything else that will be helpful to your target market and endear you to them.
3. Streamline Your Online and Offline Marketing
Your website should make it easy to find your retail locations, and your billboards and business cards should make it easy to find your website.
Your website can be an extension of your offline marketing, because there is infinite room for information on your website. For example you might put your top three offers in a pamphlet with a short summary and a call to action. But don’t forget to include your URL with an invitation to read more details online – because online is where you have room for more details.
Remember to be patient, consistent and passionate when you launch your retail store online and you’ll reap the results of your hard work and planning!