Retail to Market: going from offline to e-commerce

Are you considering starting an e-Commerce business or looking to grow your existing online store? An industry reeling from exponential growth, by 2040 it’s estimated that 95% of all purchases will be through e-Commerce.

When the stakes are high, competition is fierce. From retail 2 market you need a plan that makes the most of your resources and helps you achieve success. In this blog, we’ll discuss 10 specific tried-and-true strategies to catapult your sales!

By setting clear goals, crafting a great website, and leveraging marketing tools like SEO you can climb that peak. It may sound daunting, but with proper planning, you can side-step potential pitfalls.

Get ready to make more sales and boost profits with these strategic tips.

1. Define Your Goals: What Do You Want to Achieve?

When setting your objectives, think short-term and long-term. This mindset generates reachable and lofty goals to keep you motivated. Think about what kind of sales results you want to achieve: Do you want to reach a certain number of orders per month? Or increase the average order value? These concerns are valuable when transitioning retail to market strategies.

Think about how you would like those targets met; are there any deadlines associated with them? See which metrics matter most for your business – like customer retention rate or website traffic growth – and put your focus there. With realistic yet ambitious goals, you have a clear path forward and something tangible to measure progress.

2. Research Your Competition and Find Your Niche

In brick-and-mortar retail markets, it’s essential to research your competition inside and out. E-Commerce here is no different. Knowing what other brands are doing in the same space can help you craft a unique identity for your store that stands out from the rest.

The most valuable insight comes from analyzing your competitors’:

●  Price points

●  Product offerings

●  Customer service policies

●  Marketing strategies

Capitalizing on a specialized niche or new market opportunity can give you an edge over big players in the industry. Some may not be able to provide personalized service or competitive pricing.

A quick hack here is to look at the reviews on your direct competitors’ products. Seek out patterns of complaints or suggestions from their consumers on product gaps. With that kind of knowledge, you can target specific solutions consumers need.

3. Build a High-Quality Website

As the face of your business, a digital storefront again serves the same purpose as brick-and-mortar. This showcase is the first point customers will judge you on. Your website should be aesthetically pleasing and easy for visitors to navigate.

From retail to market, start by choosing a reliable platform such as Shopify or WooCommerce. They have great tools and features to help you design a safe, reliable, and attractive site. Your homepage needs clear navigation, so visitors can find what they need in one or two clicks.

Focus on enhancing its look and feel with beautiful visuals – including product images, videos, and graphics. Pair this with compelling copywriting that drives conversion and you will see results.

4. Invest in Search Engine Optimization

Investing in search engine optimization (SEO) is a must for any e-Commerce business that wants to succeed. SEO involves optimizing your website and content to rank higher on search engines like Google. Driving organic traffic and boosting sales, SEO strategies include:

●  Building backlinks from trustworthy sites

●  Creating high-quality content that targets specific keywords

●  Utilizing meta tags on pages

●  Leveraging social media channels to reach new audiences

●  Optimizing images with alt text

You may also want to invest in tools like keyword research software. They can help to get an edge over competitors vying for the same spot in SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages).

5. Build Social Media Identity

Walking hand in hand, many thriving e-Commerce brands can thank social media platforms for their success. It helps to build relationships and trust, increases visibility, and drives sales. Useful in showcasing what makes your business special, a key is picking the right platform for your target base. A different audience is on TikTok than Pinterest – so your research will heavily come into play when curating social media campaigns.

Across retail to market solutions, you need to get the most out of each platform. Ensure to make content that aligns with your brand identity. Watch conversations around your brand, so you can promptly respond to customer inquiries or feedback. Therefore they will feel valued.

6. Utilize Email Marketing to Reach Customers

Email marketing is an effective and affordable way to reach customers both old and new. You can use it to deliver personalized messages that target their specific retail to market needs. Speak to each recipient’s unique interests – this will ensure they’re more likely to open, read and click through your emails.

Segmenting audiences on criteria like purchase history can help you craft something personal. You can even run A/B tests on subject lines and calls-to-action to further optimize results.

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7. Invest in Paid Advertising to Boost Sales

With campaigns on platforms like Google Ads, you can reach a whole new realm of consumers. Paid advertising allows for more detailed tracking and analytics, so you can see how effective each campaign is. Funny enough, it’s often more cost-effective than traditional forms of marketing.

Before getting started, create a budget that fits your business needs. Then determine which platforms are best to reach the target retail market for your brand. It’s important here to weigh the return on investment. Is a CPC (cost-per-click) model the best for your site? Look into your options before committing to one price model over another.

8. Specialize Discounts and Deals

Whether it’s 10% off their total or free shipping, customers love getting a good deal.

Start by creating promotions tailored to different audience segments. Avoid the endless headache by targeting the right people with the right offers. Make sure your discounts align with your brand image, so they look attractive and professional.

Consider ways you can use incentives like loyalty programs or referral rewards.

9. Provide Excellent Customer Service

From responding to inquiries promptly and efficiently, customers need to feel their voices heard. Make sure your FAQ page is easy to find and read. This will help save them time and energy while serving their needs in a jiffy. Today’s online consumers expect e-Commerce solutions to offer timely customer service.

Now, this is where social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook come back into play. Acting as avenues for two-way communication, they allow customers to share their experiences with your brand – both the good and bad! Don’t forget about follow-up emails after sales, too. These are great opportunities to lead customers back into the sales funnel.

Many businesses benefit from e-fulfillment solutions here, which take an enormous amount of work off of your plate. Not only do they take care of storing, packing, and shipping products, but packages can also include customer service. Then there’s time for improving the core foundation of your business and refining marketing techniques.

10. Analyze Your Data and Improve

Running a successful e-Commerce business involves understanding what makes your audience tick. You can make informed decisions on everything from pricing, retail to marketing strategies. Gather key metrics such as website traffic and conversion rates. With big data, you can see what’s working (and not working) for your store.

Patterns and trends become clear, so you can take immediate action and capitalize. Tools like Google Analytics also provide unique insights into customer behavior.

You can even conduct regular surveys with shoppers to incorporate their feedback with solutions. (Incentivize return buyers with discounts here.) Companies that listen to consumers can make changes that align with their needs and wants.Remember that your success depends on creating and sustaining a loyal customer base. Solid relationships with customers built on trust are only possible when all cylinders are firing. At e-tailize, we have three modules that offer smart solutions to e-Commerce retail market needs.