Is your ecommerce business being marketed effectively? If you don’t know the answer to this question or feel lost on how to even begin to determine your marketing strategy’s effectiveness here are a few simple steps to get you started. By ensuring these steps are taken you will be well on your way to drawing in new customers and creating brand loyalty from repeat customers.
Step 1: Identify Your Target Market
In order to effectively market your product, you must first identify your target market. To do this you need to focus in on a select group of people by determining what need your product fulfills and how it adds value to their life. As you identify your target market you will need to collect and analyze data from that group. Knowing who you are marketing to is the essential first step towards effective marketing. Here are a few questions to begin asking about your market to get you started. Others should come to mind naturally as you begin to narrow down the list.
- What is the need my products meet?
- How does my product vary from my competitors?
- What age, gender, and economic status would most benefit from this product?
Step 2: Be Visible and Easy to Find
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the method by which your store front is found online. You wouldn’t build a physical storefront without signage or window dressing to attract the customer. Think of SEO as the same. It is what grabs the attention of your target market and search engines and redirects the attention of the customer to your store. SEOs are built through engaging relevant content, link building, and keywords. If writing does not come naturally consider hiring a content writer in order to continuously bring new relevant content to your page and increase your SEOs. Providing reliable, relevant content will help establish you as an expert in your niche and establish a higher level of trust with your customers.
Step 3: Social Customer Engagement Is Essential
Are you using Social Media effectively? For many this step is difficult and is easily resourced out to an agency. Social Media is the means by which your customers can engage with you. This is important in creating brand loyalty, organic word of mouth advertising, and giving the customer a sense of ownership in the product. It is about more than posting links to your site. Rather, social media adds value to your customers experience. It allows you to further narrow down your target market making you an expert in your field, collect data from potential and repeat customers, and increases your visibility and accessibility. Think of social media as a thermometer for your market. Engagement allows you to access where they are at in regards to interest or closing the sale. It allows you to adjust to their needs and establish relationships thereby increasing loyalty.
After reading this article can you now answer yes to the first question? If you have already established your target market, are working on visibility and social engagement then you are well on your way to an effective marketing plan. If not, you now know where to start. Don’t be afraid to reach out to the experts for help, whether it’s for content marketing or to develop a social media plan.
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