Online shopping has been soaring for years, but especially due to the pandemic and the changing customer behavior that has pushed more people to switch to online from in-store purchases. Trying to stick to social distancing rules while reducing the risk of getting sick or spreading the virus, people now order everything online, including their groceries and medicine. In such an environment, you might feel that your own ecommerce brand is safe and sound, and that you don’t need to invest too heavily in expanding your customer base – they’ll come to you on their own, right?
It turns out, this is precisely why you should. Since even brick-and-mortar companies have turned to selling online, your competition has grown exponentially, too. Plus, your customers are getting more cautious and they won’t buy from anyone. They’ll do their research and they’ll eagerly try your competitors’ offers if you fail them once. Knowing all that, it pays to use the market surge and your own presence to expand your customer base. Here’s how you can achieve that in this day and age!
Don’t abandon your content marketing
Promotion and paid ads are two of the most beloved marketing tactics ecommerce companies use to push their name in front of more people and reach more potential buyers. Yes, this is an effective method to a great extent, but you cannot rely on ads for long-term customer loyalty, repeat business, or building a rapport with your new customers.
For that, you need a strong content marketing strategy that puts you on the map, as it helps you provide value through actionable tips, advice, guides, and effective ideas to improve your customers’ quality of life. This is the moment to push more quality content in the form of blogs, social media posts, stories, original images, etc. It will help you boost engagement, create buzz around your brand, and inspire more new people to trust you.
Personalize your offers and deals
In a sea of brands that are available to your customers, you want to stand out, among other things, through building personalized experiences every step of the way. Data is the way to go! Based on the analysis of your target audience and successful past customers, you can craft deeply personal landing pages and customizable offers that will help you make your products so much more appealing.
Personalization in ecommerce has been in use for a long time, but now’s the right moment for you to take it to the next level with personalized landing pages, discounts, and personalized offers that allow customers to create your brand together with you.
Diversify available payment methods
Whether customers are spending large sums of money on your products or not, they want to have options on how to spend their money. They have their trusted banks, digital wallets, and most recently, more customers are beginning to use bitcoin mining as a way to grow their finances through currency diversification.
While not the only cryptocurrency available, bitcoin is now widely used by many businesses and individuals, making it a wise choice for ecommerce brands to incorporate into their payment options. Giving people the chance to pay in different ways means that you’ll be able to appeal to a wider demographic, in this case a growing one, that turns to bitcoin for spending.
Not only Bitcoin but cryptocurrency, in general, has been started getting accepted as a viable payment option for big brands. Recently, major retailer Galaxus confirmed that they have started accepting cryptocurrency payments.
Evaluate and simplify your checkout
With all the stress hanging over everyone’s heads, you can understand that people are impatient, anxious, and frustrated at every turn. You don’t want your ecommerce store to become one of those places that inspires irritation. Instead, you should provide convenience, simplicity, and transparency above all else. The best way to reduce customer churn, get people to go through with a purchase, and to consider buying from your business is to simplify your entire checkout process.
If you force customers to open an account with your site, or you have hidden fees that only show up when they are ready to pay, you risk alienating a huge portion of your customer base. To expand, you should look for ways to keep your checkout simple, clear, and easy to navigate in a matter of a few clicks.
Build connections through social media
Your online reputation heavily depends on how you present your products and sustain your digital presence, but even more so how you engage with your existing and potential customers online. Now more than ever, in the middle of this health crisis, you need to respond quickly to every query, provide informative responses and ample customer support on every channel. As an ecommerce brand, you need to find ways to build stronger bonds online, and social media definitely helps you achieve that goal.
So, in addition to relying on influencers and social channels for the sake of promotion, let these outlets become spaces for increasing engagement. How you communicate with customers in messaging apps, comment sections, and dedicated groups will greatly reflect your brand values. It’s also an opportunity to build up your reputation and slowly develop a stronger presence in your market.
Although the world is now primed for ecommerce sales and your target audience is eager to buy online, your own business shouldn’t neglect targeted strategies to boost both retention and acquisition. Precisely because of the growing competition and caution among your customers, you need to continuously invest in these strategies to grow your customer base. Let your business expand its reach with the right approach, and you’ll secure your success for the future.
Paul Fraser is a Freelance Content Writer at Commerce Mentors. He has two years of experience in writing about eCommerce, Technology, and Marketing. Paul is also a number guy who enjoys reading novels. When not working, he loves visiting new cafes and spending time with his friends.