Everyday I get to see tons of business pages online, trying to sell their products and trying to reach out to people. The truth is many of them end up getting frustrated because their aren't selling anything and most give up. In fact most people only sell to their family members and friends using their whatsapp status alone.
So I am going to highlight possible reasons you aren't successful with selling your products online.
1. Not carrying out a market Research.
Before I explain why carrying out a market research is important, you need to know that you just don't start a business because you want to, or you want to be a business owner and to be a called a CEO. This is a name most Nigerians yearn for, the name CEO makes them feel like YES I am now an entrepreneur and a business owner. Yes, I understand the feeling but that's not what business is all about. Starting up a business takes a lot of time, sacrifices, learning, and bringing out unique strategies in other to reach your customers. This is why carrying out a market research first is very important, and it should be the first thing you need to do before starting a business.
• Market Research helps you to ensure there is an audience for you to sell to, because without customers there are no sales. Now there is a point I want to note here, which is:
Some people complain that most niche are already saturated and they are highly competitive. But I want you to know that any business that doesn't have a ton of competition probably doesn't have a lot of customers either. Although they are exceptions, but it's best to stick with the "saturated" markets.
If the niche you are already into is saturated, this is what you should do. "
Try to get new ideas and innovations that you can offer to your customers, things that can be more attractive to them or probably things they can gain if they buy from you. Ensure they are ideas that your competitors have not already implemented. For example, if you are selling a shoe. You can make an offer to them that, if they buy two instead they will get it at a reduced price. I am telling you, customers love such offers, or you can tell them you are giving them discount for any product they buy from you. Make the offer to be very attractive and irresistible. Although, you have to make sure that you will still make profits after doing that. The summary is that, you should make the offer enticing.
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• Market Research also helps you to know your competitors very well. It determines who might pose a threat to your new business, giving you the upper hand. If you’re aware of the competition, you can strategically work towards changing customer loyalty and positioning your brand in a unique light. Knowing what your competitors are not doing, will also go a long way in giving you an upper hand.
2. Building trust
Do you know that a customer is likely to buy from an online store he or she trusts even though there product is very expensive. That's because they are comfortable with the online store and they trust them to deliver. Building trust with your customers matters a lot. It is a very powerful way of getting customers. This is the mistake most business owners make, they are so quick to showing customers there product first, such thing makes them think that you are only interested in selling your product and getting your money. They feel you don't really care about them and this is a big turn off. So now read this carefully.
"Last year a friend of mine wanted to purchase something online, but when he realizes that the online store he always buys things from have closed for the year maybe due to delivery issues, he decided he will wait till this year, which is when they open. I quickly told him there are online stores that are still available now, he refused saying he only buys from stores that he trusts. He was scared of buying a counterfeit product. And I thought to myself, I would have done the same if I was in his shoes. I mean who isn't scared of buying counterfeit products".
The thing is you need to understand that this is an online business, and for customers to buy from you it takes trust to do that. If that, they know where your store is located, it is a different thing. As a small business owner, building trust with your customers is essential to standing out from your competition.
These tips can help you build trust with your customer.
• Make use of social media properly
Make sure you Create and Share Informative and Educational Content on all your social media pages. Create contents that will add value and solve there problems which is related to the niche you are selling products on. This act alone can make them to keep coming to your page often. When you focus on teaching and not selling, you gain trust.
• Start a conversation.
Though you have great educational and informative content, you cannot just sit back and wait for your audience to come up to you to spark a conversation. You need to find several ways in which you can proactively initiate a conversation with your audience on social media.
• Be Visible and Available on Social Media
The higher your online visibility, greater are the chances for your audience to look out for your products and services.
In simple terms, online visibility refers to the easiness with which consumers can find your company and its products in online locations. An effective online visibility campaign enhances your chances of being well known to your audience. This awareness will happen when the customer comes in look out for you, rather than you looking out for customers. So ensure that your profile is easily visible to the potential customers.
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• Another way to build trust with your customers is through Content Marketing
What is Content Marketing?
Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly definedaudience and ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.
Content marketing is also seen as a form of storytelling, as you all know content is king. Content marketing and the use of social media are been used interchangeably, although they are not the same. There are platforms where you can get content marketers, platforms like upwork and freelance. If you don't want to hire content marketers, you might as well learn the skill.
3. Improper use of Facebook ads
A lot of online business owners make use of facebook ads but they do it the wrong way. This result to poor targeting and your ads not delivering. Knowing how to use facebook ads the right way is very important, so that you will be able to get customers to buy your products. When creating an ad make sure you use bold and visible images for the ad promotion. You can also read how to create a successful online business
4. Not choosing a great business name.
The business name is the medium through which your customers or clients meet you for the first time. It wouldn’t be wrong if we call your business name your sole representative. Because it carries your company’s reputation, irrespective of its extreme goodness or desperate failure. Your business name isn't something you should be in a hurry to get. You need to calm down and know your niche first, then select a name that is more suitable with the niche you have chosen.
5. Continuous learning and development
So many business owners believe they know it all. They also believe that they can handle all their problems with the skill they have acquired and it shouldn't be so. As a business owner, you are to be in a cycle of learning daily as it keeps you updated and ready to solve problems. Most business owners makes this mistake. The truth is the world is continounsly evolving, and if you don't have the right information or you are not up yo date, your business will suffer.
Conclusively, even if you have already started your business you can still follow this tips to get more customers for your business. It is not too late to reiterate your steps. Simply get a book, make sure you note down every information you gathered during your market research. Engage actively with your customers and ensure you are using facebook ads the right way.
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