Selling products online is arguably easier than ever.
Likewise, consumers today are more than happy to open up their wallets to web-based businesses in an era of shopping era dominated by ecommerce.
But even if you’re making sales, the fact remains that there’s a good chance that you might be leaving money on the table without the right marketing strategies in place. After all, nearly 50% of buyers spend more than they planned while shopping online, signaling that there are many opportunities out there not only upsell customers but also bring them back into your funnel once they’ve made a purchase.
The following four strategies are fair game for any ecommerce business, but especially those in charge of their own online stores and social presence. While some are easier to implement than others, they all work to plug up any holes in your marketing funnel and boost your ecommerce sales over time.
Efficient Email Marketing
If you aren’t building your list, you’re not creating repeat customers.
By having a list of warm opt-ins and former customers, you essentially print your own money by tailoring irresistible offers and deals to buyers time and time again. The best part? By being part of your list, your leads want to hear from you and therefore your messages don’t seem forced.
There are tons of platforms out there to help you get started with email marketing, many of which easily integrate into your WordPress or ecommerce site (MailChimp, for example, comes to mind). From exclusive deals to content updates, the options are likewise endless in terms of what you can send to regularly engage your base.
Facebook Re-targeting
Social ads are quickly becoming the bread and butter of ecommerce businesses; however, when combined with email marketing, re-targeting ads ensure that companies grow their lists and bottom lines in a snap.
Re-targeting ads via email and Facebook, for example, allow businesses to market to existing customers through social media, essentially creating opportunities for previous buyers to fall back into your sales funnel.
For example, let’s say a former customer misses your email deal; however, through re-targeting they’ll be presented with a similar message from your brand in their Facebook feed. The more opportunities your leads and customers have to see your brand front and center, the better: for this reason, Facebook re-targeting is booming in popularity.
Social Saturation
Social media represents a balancing act for most businesses. While there are plenty of channels to pursue, it’s important to make sure that you first and foremost focus on the channels where your audience spends most of their time.
Once you’ve identified those channels, make an effort to get as much mileage out of your promotional content as possible. For example, blog posts can be dissected and re-purposed into a series of Tweets; likewise, your video ads on Facebook could be double-dipped on Instagram.
Make Sure Your Store is Mobile Friendly
Considering that mobile ecommerce is at an all-time high, you can’t afford not to have a mobile friendly site. If you have a responsive theme and store through WordPress, chances are you’re golden. That being said, make sure you streamline you users’ shopping process is to be simple and straightforward (think: clear calls to action and buttons with no tricky captchas).
Whether you’re struggling to take your sales to the next level or simply want to make sure you aren’t missing anything in terms of ecommerce marketing, these aforementioned tips are a prime place to start.