Let’s not beat around the bush: E-commerce marketing is tough. Selling online does have a lower barrier to entry, but it also means there’s a lot of competition out there. So knowing how to set yourself apart is essential. Your strategy should focus not just on capturing people shopping for products, but also establishing your credibility in the eyes of the larger public.
Use Content Marketing
This is still the most effective way to engage an audience and cultivate a relationship in a low-pressure environment and promotional keyrings. And while content marketing has lately become synonymous with blogging, maybe it’s time you started leveraging other channels. E-books and YouTube videos can serve as lead funnels to your site, from where you could encourage visitors to purchase or join your email list.
Get Personal
You don’t have to be on a first-name basis with all your customers, but it helps to show that you’re personable. Adding a human touch to your communications — by addressing people with their names in your mails, for instance — will immediately make your brand more relatable. Depending on how big your customer base is, you could consider sending thank-you cards with orders. The idea is to give your brand a human face and make your clients feel special.
Go Offline
Yes, it does sound ironic for an exclusively-online operation like yourself to market themselves offline. But there’s still a segment of consumers who don’t engage with digital channels. Besides, you need to build engagement with local communities.
Generally, you can’t go wrong with tactics such as:
–Promotional drives: Consider holding events where you invite people to try out your products. This’ll cost more compared to an online campaign, but you will get the chance to interact with a highly-targeted audience. There’s also the ability to provide proof of the quality you offer.
-Interviews: No need to pay for press releases when you can get tons of publicity for free. Just make yourself available for interviews; reporters are always looking out for stories with a hook. Interviewing for say, an executive biography, will get you featured in a newspaper/magazine. You could also appear as a guest during a show.
-Trade shows: Speaking of appearances, you cannot afford to ignore the benefits of having a presence in local trade events. The networking opportunities aside, they with will allow you establish yourself as an authority within your niche.
-Freebies: People love free stuff. Giving out freebies during your promos is a great way to spread brand awareness. Not that you’ll need to break your budget — even cheap items like pens and promotional keyrings will do. Just make sure they’re properly branded and styled.
Don’t ignore the good old channels like TV ads, business cards and billboards — they can help you generate exposure and augment your online campaigns. Of course, you will want to maintain a consistent look and voice in all your efforts.
