E-commerce Marketing tips and skills for entrepreneurs

Looking out for a handmade protein shampoo or a ruby studded finger ring? The moment you type in the keywords in any search engine, you will be flooded with links, images, and content with products, and their sellers. The links that take you to online order sites are nothing but small, medium, and big E-commerce sites. These sites are owned by small or big business owners re-selling products or services.

E-commerce simply means electronic commerce or internet commerce, a place where people can buy goods or services online, at the ease of their fingertips. Businesses with a wide range of products can go for this type of upselling and marketing.

Now that we’ve understood what E-commerce is all about, let’s delve into the topic further by analysing small business marketing through E-commerce marketing tips. These tips are nothing but an apt marketing strategy for new business.

There are endless tips, tricks, and plans that work for small E-commerce businesses, but here we shall highlight the ones that are tried and tested.

Let’s check out some strategic and low-cost small business marketing tips.

1. Site Optimisation for Search Engines

When your entire business depends on the internet or the website, it must be fine-tuned with the latest trends, logic, and algorithms. There are over 200 million websites currently active online, and yours also is one of those. Thus, keeping it up and working with the current trend is vital. While developing the website, you must remember that your site and the separate product or service pages must be fully optimised in line with the exact keywords your target audience is looking for.

The keywords that shall work brilliantly for your industry can be found out through various apps and sites available online. Also, you must check out for dialect discrepancies. Like some might search for ‘chips’ and others might type in ‘crisps’. Thus, be double sure about the keywords you are optimising.

2. Valuable Reviews

A good, positive review of your product can directly connect you to another sale. We aren’t exaggerating but more than 84% of buyers trust online reviews. May it be the purchase of a simple pen or an HD television set. Nowadays, every buyer scrolls through reviews before deciding to hit the buy now button. Some numerous plugins and apps easily upload images, videos, and reviews to your website. Thus, along with soft skills, these are advantageous skills required for marketing.

3. Creative Content

Using creative content or using content marketing for small E-commerce businesses isn’t restricted to creating blogs. It starts with attractive content on your website, exceptional product descriptions, good testimonials/reviews, and creative social media content too. Content can be created freely by the owner of the venture, or one can hire a professional or an agency to get the work done.

You must always remember while drafting the blogs for the site that simply creating blogs around the products will not help. For example - if you are running a fashion apparel business and are branding a new line of wedding couture, writing blogs with different dressing options will not help. Instead, one must post about different qualities people should look into for carrying the wedding outfits comfortably. You shall be surprised to know that people actually Google keywords like, ‘what should I wear for my sister’s wedding’. And the answers they receive lead to their buying decisions.

Social media marketing is absolutely free, unless you hire a person for it. It is a trending, easy, and excellent way to build relationships and nurture your bonds with the customers. It helps one connect easily with new clients too. In our opinion, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn are the top three social media platforms that every E-commerce business owner must utilise. You can create stunning designs and keep posting them online and generate a vibe for your brand. Utilising these platforms can help your business grow in the local and global markets without spending a bomb.

5. Marketing with Micro-influencers

Engaging micro-influencers to market your E-commerce business can work out profitably. These influencers have a fan following that varies from a few thousand, to lakhs, who trust them with their opinions and posts. Thus, when you hire them, the products you sell can be indirectly marketed well to your target audience. It has been conclusively proven that buyers trust these micro-influencer’s recommendations and reviews before buying a product. Hence, trading with these influencers can help your brand grow and flourish in the market. Many of these influencers work on barter systems, wherein you need not pay them for their services.

The E-commerce marketing tips listed above are useful when clubbed with some dynamic and important soft skills. More than the materialistic marketing techniques, what stands crucial is the soft skills you possess as an entrepreneur. How can you utilise this skill-set in upscaling your business and also your own personality is the test of your qualities.

Let’s explore the soft skills of a small business owner that shall keep him alive and kicking in the market.

1. Inventiveness and Versatility

Small ventures are bound to bump into issues or problems every now and then. If they aren’t in a position to manage the adversities and manage the challenges, E-commerce will turn into a nightmare for them. It is pivotal to identify issues before they transform into grave problems. Understanding and knowing where to ask for help is important too.

The versatility can be judged when these entrepreneurs research online resources, hire consultants, and bridge the gap between themselves and the unknown skills.

If you wish to hone this skill, all you need to do is try critical thinking in times of stress. Taking a step back, inhaling some fresh air, and rationally analysing the situation can lead one to opportunities.

2. Leadership Soft Skills

Most small business entrepreneurs wear more than one hat. One is a web designer, digital marketer, and service representative all at once. While speaking about digital marketing, if you lack leadership skills and the right charisma, customers will not feel attracted to your brand or products. Thus when you are a leader by thought and process, the audience feels connected with you and eventually turns into a buyer. Also, when you are a people’s person, you become a good leader. When the audience feels motivated and starts trusting what you say, that is the moment you transform into a leader.

3. Creativity Skills

Soft skill development is possible when you draw a self-analysis of your qualities. The term “creativity” can mean different things to different people. The ones who are good at art, craft, or singing feel that they are creative and that is right.

But at times, with small E-commerce business owners, coming up with versatile marketing techniques or some different problem-solving skills too is termed as creativity.

The key aspect in developing this vital skill is relying on your gut feeling and opening up to newer trends and ideas. One must always remember, trying out new things leads to flourishing.

Now that you have read and understood this article well, polishing your skills and firing up the tactics can create a win-win situation for your E-commerce business. While studying, understanding, and experimenting with these aspects, tips, and skills, you must keep in mind that every business rises high above the expected level only after a downfall. Do not stop at any given moment of time. Whenever you feel so, always remember the reason why you started. So, let loose and explore the world of opportunities, you shall return with your hands full for sure.

FAQs

Q. How do you market an E-commerce business?

Ans. An E-commerce business can be expanded and marketed by producing original content/product/service, optimising the website, utilising social media marketing, using email marketing, initiating pay-per-click, etc.

Q. How can I promote my online store?

Ans. Promotion can be done through -

1. Offering regular deals.

2. Using emails to remind clients.

3. Starting blog writing.

4. Publishing videos with feedback and other promotions.

5. Highlighting USPs through Social Media.

Q. How can I increase my online sales quickly?

1. By being honest with the clients

2. Creating trust through testimonials and feedback.

3. Offering choices.

4. Creating a sense of urgency to buy.

5. Reducing friction in the buying process.

Q. How do you attract customers?

1. Establish your ideal customer.

2. Find out the locations of your customers.

3. Know your business inside out.

4. Try direct marketing.

5. Build collaborations and partnerships.

6. Continuously follow up.