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Finding new customers for your business can be a tricky process, especially when you don’t have a physical store to attract them. This means you have to get creative, learn how to market effectively using online tools, and figure out the best ways to keep those customers coming back. What that means for your business is innovation. How will you reinvent your products in a way that will make them seem fresh and new for those who are already familiar with your inventory? How can you make a positive change to your business practices? It’s also important not to forget about your online presence, as this can be changed up as well.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to bring in new customers and clients, and several ways you can go about keeping them coming back. By thinking outside the box a bit, you can learn how to make your business as appealing as possible to a wide audience. Learning the ins and outs of the internet will also help maximize your online presence and, in turn, boost your sales.
Below are a few things to consider when it comes to bringing in new customers and making sure they’re well taken care of.
Change Up Your Website
Your business website is the most important selling tool you have in the e-commerce world. That means every part of the site needs to be engaging, well thought-out, and easy to understand. If there’s no flow, customers will become confused; in fact, about 38 percent of your customers will leave the site altogether if the layout or content don’t look nice. You can hire a professional to give you the site you’re looking for, or, if you already have things where you want them, consider making some slight changes to your inventory for a wider range of appeal.
Change Up Your Items
Whatever you’re selling, there’s a good chance you could be selling more if you add to or rotate your stock. After all, once you draw in customers, what will keep them coming back if your inventory stays the same? Think about this: If you are a wholesale clothing dealer online, you can change things up each season, thereby bringing the same customer back four times per year. With dropshipping, you can do that without keeping a huge load of inventory on hand, which is enormously helpful when you run your business out of your home or from a small office.
Market Yourself
Marketing your business takes some time and effort, and it won’t just happen overnight. With that said, there are many tools at your disposal nowadays, from networking to social media pages to the old-fashioned snail-mail postcards. You can also create an email campaign that sends automated messages to your potential customers; these are helpful at the very beginning of your foray into e-commerce, as they’ll allow you to show people what you’re all about and provide them with a coupon or other discount to help them start shopping.
Check In
Once you’ve got a good customer base, don’t forget to check in with them. It’s not enough these days to give great customer service and assume they’ll come back; if you want to make an impression, give them a personal experience. Learn their names and preferences; for instance, if you sell handmade soaps and have a customer who really loves a particular scent, keep that in mind so you can send them an email when you have a new product in that same scent. These little touches will keep people coming back, especially in today’s automated world.
Bringing in new customers and learning how to keep them coming back may be a lengthy process; you just have to find the steps that work for you. Look for networking opportunities at conventions and online and find like-minded people who may be able to help you along the way. With a good plan, you can ensure that your business is well taken care of.
By: Lucy Reed