By Rolling Stone Culture Council
As the amount of e-commerce channels and online competitors increase, businesses must choose the right tactics to stand out.
The e-commerce landscape has evolved rapidly in recent years as more and more “shoppable” digital platforms emerge. Instead of only being able to make online purchases on a company’s website or Amazon page, consumers can also buy products directly through popular social media apps like Instagram or Facebook.
Though there are more avenues than ever to get discovered by potential buyers, there may also be a smaller chance of getting noticed among a growing sea of competitors. To help businesses stand out, 10 Rolling Stone Culture Council members share their top tactics for getting the most online sales possible.
Creating Trustworthy Content
Brands that consistently create credible content win. Podcasts, livestreams and webinars offer an opportunity for consumers to get to know, like and trust you, your products and your services. A strong call to action within this content drives them to your social media or website and invites them to engage with you in a deeper conversation. This begins the pathway to building a customer relationship. – Traci DeForge, Produce Your Podcast
Keeping Things Simple
Regardless whether you’re selling online or in a brick-and-mortar storefront, it’s so crucial to keep things simple for your customers. If you are an online brand, your goal should always be to simplify the process of acquisition for the customer. The fewer steps they have to take to either make the purchase or get the information they need, the more likely it is that you will convert that sale! – Kelly Schwarze, Indie Film Factory
Conducting Research
More customer-centric marketing results in more sales if you invest in low-cost qualitative research. You don’t need a lot of money to distribute polls or an open form to learn what people want and how they feel about a product. Because data-based research is expensive, turn qualitative research into actions by gaining deeper insight into emotions and how your brand speaks to those emotions. – Jacob Mathison, Mathison Projects Inc.
Leveraging Popular Trends
I see a lot of people calling for authenticity from brands, but nobody ever explains what being “authentic” on social media actually means these days. It’s not about sticking to what you know. Sometimes, it’s necessary to jump on trends and have an understanding of what’s working in everyday pop culture and how your brand can leverage that momentum. – Kathy Schenfelt, MISSMANAGED
Getting to Know Your Customers
Get to know your clients or prospective clients. What do they care about? Do they follow a specific sports team? How can you relate to what they care about and start a conversation? Businesses are often turning to tech to scale sales and are forgetting the human, the relationships and customer service. – Ginni Saraswati, Ginni Media
Combining SEO, Marketing and Specialization
Niche specialization paired with a knockout search engine optimization (SEO) and marketing strategy will help bring in sales. It is imperative to stand out by enabling your target audience to find your brand when conducting an informational, navigational or transactional search online. Say you’re a Detroit-based dispensary. Your shop should rank for potential customer searches like “best dispensary in Michigan.” – Evan Nison, NisonCo
Establishing Credibility
Establishing credibility online is the best way to get more sales. You need to make sure your branding looks solid and trustworthy so that when it’s time to close a sale, your potential customer has something solid to look at. – Christian Anderson (Trust’N), Lost Boy Entertainment LLC
Using Email Marketing
In today’s online world, one of the most effective tactics businesses use to generate sales is email marketing. This is because it’s a channel that people use every day and it has high conversion rates. With this type of marketing, you can send out a newsletter about your products and services. Furthermore, this tactic can provide your business with a list of engaged customers. – Kristin Marquet, Marquet Media, LLC
Acting With Integrity
There are so many hacks online, like those who drop-ship fake products or sell snake oil services. Being authentic and serving with integrity will set any business above the rest. Social proof, great reviews and acting the same in person as you are online as much as possible are key. – Victoria Kennedy, Marisa Johnson
Ensuring Brand Consistency Across Channels
First, focus on creating a strong brand for your customer segment. Your brand should be something that customers can trust and feel good about supporting. Make sure your branding is consistent across all your marketing materials, from your website to your business cards. Employ digital tools to design better brand creatives that deliver a clear message. – Candice Georgiadis, Digital Day
Feature Image Credit: Urupong — stock.adobe.com
