Growing your online store can be tough, tiresome work. With organic search listings playing such a massive role in generating traffic and sales, many merchants find themselves too consumed or overwhelmed to explore and implement other less common, yet tremendously powerful, marketing channels.
If you’re looking to reevaluate your marketing strategy and improve your customer acquisition ability, check out the following simple strategies that can yield big results for your online store.
1. Automate Email Marketing
Email is one of the most powerful marketing channels available to merchants, second only to search. According to the Direct Marketing Association, email has a ROI of 4300%, making it an invaluable and essential tool in acquiring new customers. Furthermore, studies show that automated emails can produce conversion rates as high as 50% and increase revenue by 10%.
2. Leverage Third-Party Audiences
One of the easiest and best ways to build your customer-base is to find an influential source that already boasts an established audience. Engaging with a trusted or influential third party’s following can allow you to quickly secure the customers you’re in search of. You can try your hand at guest blogging, request a social media shout out, create great share-worthy content for backlinks, or if possible, attain press coverage by a source related to your industry.
3. Appeal with 2-Sided Referral
Referral marketing is one of the most influential and effective marketing channels available to retailers. According to Nielsen, 92% of consumers say they trust recommendations from friends and family above all other advertising sources. Consequently, it’s no surprise that referrals are responsible for 65% of new business. Offering rewards to a referee and his referral is an excellent way to bolster this already tried-and-true marketing tactic and increase the likelihood for customer participation.
4. Engage on Social Media Sites
Talking about your business and products with an established community is a great way to bring attention to your store. Participating in an open discussion or offering helpful advice can put your brand in the spotlight without direct or overbearing advertising. Great communities to possibly explore include Quora or Reddit – just take precaution that where ever you decide to engage, your community and topic are related to your product or industry.
5. Create Great Sales Content
Creating awesome content that helps sell your products, such as product videos and helpful FAQs, is an excellent tool for aiding in a customer’s purchasing decision. Furthermore, studies show that 62% of Millennials believe that content is key to brand loyalty. Producing a consistent supply of high-quality content will not only help attract new customers, but retain your current customers too.
6. Promote Your Products on Instagram and Pinterest
One of the biggest drawbacks to shopping online is that customers can’t touch or feel your products. High quality images serve to alleviate this hindrance, appealing to an onlooker’s senses and desires. But great images don’t have to be restricted to your product pages alone. Utilizing visual platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest is a great way to get your products noticed by a larger, high-conversion producing audience. Take time to do a little preliminary research, ensuring your images are targeting not only the correct audience, but are posted at a time when most of them are online as well.
7. Have an Awesome Website
This may seem like a no-brainer, but having a great website that wows visitors at first glance is an absolute must for acquiring new shoppers. Visitors to your store spend just mere seconds (less than 7!) evaluating your site before making their decision to exit or browse. Capturing their attention with an awesome design and smart content is a surefire way to allure shoppers and push them toward your checkout.
Conclusion
Whether you’re a big brand with an already massive following or have just launched your first online store, there’s always room for growth and improvement when it comes to customer acquisition. Try adopting some of the above strategies and use analytic tools to analyze which channels provide your business with the best results. The road to a more profitable future is a bumpy one, but its bountiful rewards will only fuel your progress.
