Your store or idea is growing, and you are selling some innovative and new ideas at a rapid clip; why not produce your own E-Commerce Storefront to increase your business? Being a good business in today’s marketplace means you have many areas of marketing and growth. There are many ways that a web based E-Commerce business will increase your bottom line in a physical setting, as well as an online position. Let me explain how, with a simple example, your local donut shop.
E-Commerce will Increase your Business Exposure
When you are emerging as the best donut shop on main street, in anytown USA, you can benefit from selling your product online, in an E-Commerce platform. Many people would never think that this would be possible, but with a little ingenuity, you can begin to reach more customers than your downtown shop can reach. You already have a tested and true product. The market near you has loved your sweet solution for many months, and found your close local shop very rewarding. The local respect you have achieved is something that will drive your online presence easily; and bring you nationwide success.
Being in the marketplace, you know your customers. They are mom’s on the way to the park, with their little ones in strollers. They are business men and women on their way to work, to satisfy a craving for themselves and for their team. Being a good force of action, your customers are also the local skate park crowd, that grabs a bag of your day old donuts off the cart on the sidewalk. You have three distinct customers, and for this you need three distinct websites to attract them in their individual ways.
Nationwide, these three customers are web savvy, and will be easily captured with other web savvy e-commerce exposure from existing customers. Mommies and Mommies to be are good customers with little ones-they will make up 35% of your customer base. Business persons are local and need product on a whim, so they may need to be enrolled in a donut of the month club-a prime recurring membership opportunity. And the skate park group needs one on one marketing with a customer service expert that you hire from your store to work with their group directly. Setup a skate team with your local community, and hire the marketing expert to work with other events in the local area.
How these groups relate to E-Commerce
Mommy and Me customers are going to be gift driven, and require impeccable customer driven service. Your E-Commerce site for this market will be searching for organic based sugars, and will be very value driven. Demographically, you can count on this very dedicated customer to share experiences easily. Prepare your E-Commerce site for this market with pristine, impeccable customer service anytime, day or night. Ship for free, and offer a membership plan with a discount. Rely on social marketing to drive your donut shop product into a designer donut marketplace online, with beautiful gift inspired marketing boxes, cards and presentation. Think about hiring a graphic designer, and a print house to glam up your marketing for this group. An inspiration of the baking creme-de la creme world will be easily spread when your customer service is completely mistake free.
Business persons interested in a treat each month, without delay of their diets, will be welcome to ideas of automation and expedite of their special treat. Shipping needs to be overnight, and a great way to detail this step is to logistically use a baking house or a facility near Memphis or Dallas where the overnight shipping hubs of Fedex and UPS operate. Plan to utilize your logistics to expedite quality and great customer service. A membership house will be the right choice for this demographic.
Skaters and board enthusiasts will be less motivated, and will make up around 20% of your sales. But, being a nationwide untapped market, they will ultimately enjoy being recognized. The key to utilizing this great resource, is to provide some leadership in your store front store, and get involved in your community. When other skaters and athletes see that your donut shop is a welcome retreat on a rainy day, they will use the carb boost to their advantage. Being involved in the skater competition tour, finding an ally with a board manufacturer or shoe company will be a goal. The E-Commerce site you put together for this group could be more about merchandise, and information than shipment of day old donuts.
E-Commerce Task List to Consider
Ultimately, you will find all three groups are unique in their niche market, but they will need an require some real tangent business savvy steps to flower and bloom. The best way to meet the demands of these markets is to setup great logistics, customer service and marketing experts. As a small business owner, how do you find this kind of skill grouping? The best way to move out into the nation and find similar customers of this demographic, is to expand, but do it slowly. Think about the products you would like to sell, how you would produce them, and then how you would fulfill the orders as they come in. And, when there are problems or issues, how do you handle these complaints. The last thing you want to have a growing bad reputation online.
- FEDEX Offers distribution and direct shipping from Memphis
- UPS Offers distribution and direct shipping from Dallas
- Marketing Experts can be Found via a Job Post on Monster.com
- Find a merchant account that allows an API tool to separate your customer service center from your banking.
- In HOUSE Banking, Customer Service, Logistics, and Marketing is always best. Your hired guru for each of these specialties have more ownership when you set the standard from your own office.
Some helpful resources on E-Commerce are found with our team. Let us build the correct website for your customer base, and do a great job at the specialized E-Commerce platform for your market. Meeting your market’s needs is what E-Commerce is all about, and how you will find success.
