A Guest Post From Crystal –
It’s no surprise that every business wants to bring in more sales – that is kind of the whole idea of running a company. However, few outlets, both large and small, utilize everything at their disposal to bring in these sales. Instead, the same old tactics and services get the nod and customers just don’t respond to boring advances. To counter this malaise, try to break the mold and reach out in different ways. Once the sales start rolling in, you won’t be disappointed with the time and effort you put in to try something new.
Connecting with Facebook and Twitter
At the heart of eCommerce is the social media explosion. Sure, your website is a big part of the picture, but if you can’t connect with your customers in a meaningful way, you can kiss their expendable income goodbye. To reel them in, try building a Facebook and/or Twitter account. With these tools at your disposal, you can offer content and information that draws in shoppers from across the Internet. An added bonus is that every time someone likes, retweets, or saves your posts in “favoritesâ€, their social network is exposed to your product, creating a self-propagating campaign.
Build a Better In-store Experience
For the more traditional shoppers, the in-store experience still counts for quite a bit. To cater to these customers, consider adding in new point of sale machines and other comforts to the store. These machines, in conjunction with computer terminals that can access the online store, create a full-service approach that covers every need imaginable for those who visit your store. On your side of the equation, you can gather more information on the shopping habits and trends in the consumer base. But more on that later.
Offer Online Discounts
Getting back to the eCommerce initiative, spice things up with coupons and discounts that are only available to shoppers who make purchases on your official website. This action not only helps pump up sales, but also spurs overall sales numbers to higher levels. Consumers love a good deal, and if you give it to them, you can reap the rewards via enhanced volume over higher margins on individual sales. If you need to give your website a jolt after its initial launch, this approach can pump in traffic and get your page on the map.
Up Your Analytics
All of these tools, from pushing social media to building a better in-store experience, lead to a better, more viable business. However, this final result can be rather elusive if you don’t know how to interpret changes and trends that occur through these channels. To avert this issue, look into the analytics of the business process. This means reading into website and social media traffic, as well as pinpointing trends in the greater Internet realm. By knowing what shoppers like, before the fad or trend ends, you can match your products and services to these changes and maximize your profits. Combining these two factors is a clear and simple recipe for business success.