Starting your own e-commerce business in a sea of competition may feel daunting. How do you swim fluidly with the sharks and avoid the tricky hooks that want to pull you to the bottom? To avoid sinking to the bottom, know that you are not competing with Amazon, nor do you ever want to be like Amazon as a small business. You are far better. Cancel the competition when you consistently focus on a few creative digital strategies for your e-commerce business.

Stand Out From the Crowd 

As a small business owner, ensure you can stand out from all the extra noise with the product and service. You believe your brand and product are better, but you must lead your consumers to you with that belief. Lead the passion for your brand to people. Show them who you are through your authentically true mission and values that stand apart from the crowd. Bring unmatched value to their lives in ways that resonate, and solve problems no one else can solve. Whether you sell clothing, jewelry, baked goods, or self-care products, you can connect with your potential clientele by showing them the why. Maybe your focus is a sustainable shopping experience with eco-friendly products and practices, or you use local farmers and organic products for all your ingredients. You have a reason why you are different from the crowd. When consumers feel connected on an emotional level and see authenticity that resonates with them, they will come and stay. 

Your Website Is Your Store-Make It Count

Compel them to remember you through a memorable website and messaging that speaks to them. As an e-commerce business, your website replaces a brick-and-mortar storefront. A strong logo that visually stands out and is easy to remember helps those just browsing remember. Tell your story so they get to know you. Let your brand, values, and mission shine through on your website with a color palette that defines your style, images, message, and aesthetics that speak to your brand. Ensure all online platforms match your style, color schemes, and message so that you are easily recognizable anywhere customers may look.

Go full force into making your website easy to navigate and mobile-friendly. You want your potential customers to have a painless shopping experience from anywhere with a few clicks. Make a list of all the things that make your online shopping experience a breeze, from searching for the product to submitting payment and everything in between. 

Search engine optimization(SEO)for your website reaches the top of your to-do list. At Ad Creations, we know the realm of SEO is a complex beast. Let our team of experts make it a breeze for you with our exceptional web design services, or book a free consultation to ask how we can help as you build your website with all things SEO. 

Product Descriptions That Sell Themselves

Make your product descriptions sell for you. Address the features and highlight the benefits and unique selling points that make you stand out. Tell a story with your product so that it connects to their pain points, builds excitement, and even some reasonable FOMO so they don’t hesitate to buy now. Always stay true to yourself and your product with your words. Post clear and vibrant pictures of your product at varied angles. Ensure you are seen on search engines with keywords to optimize your reach. Pull those magic words into the descriptions so customers can find you through product search. Provide easy user access to generate reviews, the good and bad, so that buyers can read about the experience of others.  

As you become an expert, you’ll discover endless ways to strengthen your website to work its magic, but following these few tricks and tips will get you off to building a solid foundation for your e-commerce business. 

Leverage the Power of Social Media, Influencers, and Trust Building Content

Building a website alone is not enough to get yourself out there. Never underestimate the power of social media to engage with your audience. Put yourself out there on the many platforms at your fingertips. Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn are just a few platforms to push your brand, product, and message. Find the platform(s) that give you the best reach to your audience and start connecting. Build email lists to stay connected, nurture, and inform your audience beyond social media. If you need help with consistent email funnels, let Ad Creations do the heavy lifting to help with those magical words for your brand. Share engaging content, videos, blogs, and helpful information to build brand authority and trust. Communicate directly with your prospective clientele and people who have used your product. Solidify their draw to your e-commerce site through consistent messaging of the passion for your brand and customers. Actively respond to queries and concerns with gratitude and flexibility. Leverage connections with influencers and bloggers who can provide strong social proof for your product and expand your reach. Step out of your comfort zone to build a connection, unlike your competition.

Provide Exceptional Customer Service Offer

As a small e-commerce business, your unique selling proposition is all you have. Think of uniqueness as you consistently provide extraordinary service to your customers. That five-star customer service experience is one of the top reasons your customers leave you raving reviews. Excellent customer service can take on many forms. A true rock star loyalty program that incentivizes returning customers with deals and perks gives them tantalizing reasons to come back. Offer easy and safe online payment options to make shopping online with a few short clicks an even more convenient process.

Make it so that when it comes to checking out, customers don’t hesitate because of unexpected shipping costs. Allow room for free or discounted shipping options when suitable. Set up a solid tracking system through automated email systems so customers know when their much-anticipated package or delivery arrives. Provide a personal touch to keep your business front and center in their memories. Send personalized thank-you notes with your order or a gift. Take it a step further and ensure your presence is known with follow-up emails and surveys to ask their opinion about the product. Take the time to respond to and address any changes they recommend personally. Consistency in all these extraordinary services is key to your continued success. 

Let’s face it; our phones are like the co-dependent child attached to our hips. We all reach for it when the initial thought of a purchase comes to mind. It’s all before we step out of the door to shop, if we ever do. Consumers take online shopping seriously and come in knowing more than the average storefront customer of the past. Make your e-commerce business the talk of the town, in a good way, with your memorable story, brand, service, and product(s) through your e-commerce storefront. We know you are a superhero in your own right and can create all this yourself. We believe in you! But also know if the seas get turbulent, Ad Creations is here for you.