Thinking of opening your first ecommerce store? Congratulations! A lot of exciting things await as you venture into the wonderful world of ecommerce. But first, hold off your excitement. Don’t jump into designing your ecommerce store right away and placing all the products to sell if you haven’t fulfilled the nitty-gritty of starting an online business.
Take a step back. Before jumping the gun and getting lost in the big picture of an ecommerce store, first work out the tiny details as these could make or break your success.
Know what your strengths and weaknesses are. Listing down the areas in which your business is good at and need help on, would allow you to allocate time and funds to equip your ecommerce store for success.For example, if you are good in the operations department but struggle with numbers, then you already know that you need help in the accounting department. If you have a knack for designing the ecommerce website but do not know how to market it, you could either develop your skills in Internet marketing (which takes time) or hire outside professional Internet marketing services.
Know and build on your uniqueness. If the products you offer in your ecommerce site is already in a niche market, that’s great. But if you belong to the crowded segment where many others are selling the same product, find a niche in that marketplace. You have to stand out amidst the competition. Offer something that others don’t. Some examples of making a statement would be offering the lowest price in the market, 24/7 live customer chat support, free mystery gift, among other things. Think outside the box and be creative. Once you’ve come up with a unique selling point, think of ways to build your brand.
Give your brand some life and personality. Think of the benefits your products bring to the lives of consumers. Build up your brand’s personality. Is it happy, fun, and whimsical? Is it business-like and professional? Knowing this would make a huge impact your ecommerce website design and ecommerce website content.
Come up with a marketing strategy. No matter how outrageously awesome your ecommerce website design is and how amazing your products are, it will NOT generate sales if you do not have an online presence. Educate yourself in the different Internet marketing services. Consult Internet marketing experts and find out the right mix of services for you. Some of these Internet marketing services are Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Email Marketing, PPC Management, Social Media Marketing, etc.
Set your budget and work around it. As with any start-up businesses, venturing into the ecommerce world is not free. Know what you can and cannot afford and make smaller investments along the way as your business grows. Initially, you have to start with a pleasing ecommerce website design. As like shops in malls, your website is your display window. You have to attract customers to it. Next, invest in Internet marketing services. Again, if online marketing is not your strength, find Internet marketing experts on this field who can work around your budget.
Now that you have the nitty-gritty down, check out our post on Ecommerce 101: The Basic Elements You Should Know in Creating a Successful Online Business.
