However, when people think about E-Commerce, they typically think about how to ‘sell’ their product on their website or other digital platform. I believe that’s being shortsighted. Having marketed many products and services across a wide range of industries, I help clients think about how to optimize their E-Commerce sales by focusing on three critical areas:
- Product Appeal
- Cross-sell and Upsell
- Customer Loyalty
1. Product Appeal
2. Cross-Sell and Upsell
Second, identify crossing-selling and upselling opportunities. Once they buy your product or service, suggest complementary items that would go along with the product they bought. This can be communicated on your site and in your email marketing. It’s an effective way to get people to consider other offerings in your product portfolio and boost sales.
A great example of how this works comes from a start-up I was working with that sold upscale bath products for women. While my client got traffic to her site, typically people bought only one item. We created a sophisticated logo and upscale branding for her products, and the packaging was well done, so women were willing to give it a try. However, her sales were sluggish.
Then we started pairing complementary items and sales went up significantly. We created bundles such as bath beads and candles with similar scents, shampoos and lotions that worked well together, etc. We took the guesswork out of it for people and customers responded by buying more products. Helping people feel good about themselves went a long way to growing my client’s business. It can do the same for yours.
3. Customer Loyalty
Next, and highly coveted, is customer loyalty. This is a critical aspect to growing your online sales that is often overlooked. Once you land a customer, it’s important to find new ways to engage them. Customer loyalty can be earned and lost quickly. It’s important to plan some tactics in advance that will keep your customers curious and interested. Tell them what’s new, offer them a bonus or incentive to try a new item; make it easy for them to say YES! Planning and executing these strategies will help your business grow exponentially.
Some ways to earn customer loyalty are:
- Create a welcome note or send a personalized email that tells your personal story and reflects your brand. People want to feel emotionally connected to a brand and this allows you to accomplish that.
- Give away a complimentary sample-size item or service that pairs well with the item they bought. If you can’t give away the item, then offer it at a discount. Include the item in their package if you’re shipping it or add it to the order confirmation or follow-up correspondence. Do it so it surprises and delights the customer. This unexpected gift will be very appealing to them, and it shows that you understand their preferences. It also allows you to expand their exposure to your product portfolio and encourages future trial.
- Referrals are an excellent way to grow your business. When a person buys a product or service from you, offer them a discount or special gift when they refer an associate, friend, or family member who also buys your product. Make the offer personable and rewarding to them so they see that you have good intentions. This is an excellent way to build rapport and earn their trust.
These are some effective ways to boost your online business and increase sales. Let me know if these have been helpful. There’s a lot of spending being done online…now’s the time to get more than your fair share!
