The internet has made it very easy for business owners to sell their products online. Facebook alone offers multiple ad types to get as much awareness of any brand out in just a few guided steps. Because there is very minimal overhead expenses, it makes it easy for any start up business to see results faster. It’s continuing to grow your business that could be tricky. Because most business models encourage the need to find your niche, businesses focus on one particular customer type. Once they tap that market, however, the sales start to go down.
How do businesses maintain their online sales?
SEO
In order to get customers to purchase your products, you have to get them to your website. Social media and email marketing can be good avenues to go by but it’s not the only thing needed. You have to be visible online when people are searching for your products. The majority of your customers will find you on the first page of a Google search. If they have to continue clicking through pages of searches, chances are, you’re business website is not going to be found.
Keep your website on top by…
Staying educated.
Continuously learn about what’s new in the world of search engine optimization algorithms. Like social media platform, this algorithm changes quite often. What will work now may not work in a few months. That being said, SEO can become a full time job. If it’s something that is too much for one person to handle, it may be in the best interest of your small business to outsource.
Getting good reviews.
Every search engine loves positive reviews. For every transaction, make sure that you encourage your customers to provide you with good feedback of your services. This will get your business good ranking and more visibility online.
Get Mobile
Hardly anyone is on their desktops nowadays. Everyone is on the go. Because of this reason, it’s important to start thinking about how easily your business can be accessed via a mobile device.
You can become easily accessible by…
Designing a mobile friendly website
There are many website builders now that offer mobile design alternatives. Builders like Divi will provide you with the option to design your desktop design as well as mobile designs for tablets and mobile phones all on the same interface.
Designing an app.
Apps are a lot easier to navigate than a full blown website. Download speed is very important when it comes to gaining customers and keeping them. An app might be an attractive feature your customers will appreciate especially for recurring customers.
Great Customer Service
Every business that wants to be successful has to have customer service. There is no question about that. The level of customer service, however, will determine how far a business will go. A heard customer is a happy customer.
You can offer great customer service by…
Being easily accessible.
No one likes to be ignored. That being said make sure that you have an easy way for your customers to reach you. Social media is a great platform to communicate with them. Facebook even offers response time on your page. When potential customers see that your response time is above average, it will give them peace of mind knowing they will be taken care of.
Being fair.
Being fair can be difficult and often times be seen as a very blurred line. There are some customers that are genuinely looking for and deserve resolve. There are others that have been served accordingly but are looking for freebies. What’s usually difficult about these particular customers is they are usually the loudest. This reason alone should encourage you to offer the best customer service around so that one bad review won’t ruin it for everyone else.
Even though running a business online can seem harder and more demanding, it offers many other perks that aren’t allotted to most brick and mortars. Your reach is further, but so is your responsibility. Be sure to educate yourself with the opportunities you have to make your online sales experience one that will bring your the most success.