Starting an online store has become easier over the years. The ease of starting an online store is facilitated by the emergence of various online tools, tracking mechanisms, and web hosts, making it possible for anyone to become a proud owner of an online store.
Below are few powerful and effective tips that will help you set up an online business store that drives sales.
1. Draw out your marketing strategy
The success of your online store is determined by a good marketing strategy. A good marketing plan can boost your online store, while a bad marketing plan can break your online store even before it starts.
Your marketing strategy should be in place and ready to be launched before you even start the business, as it determines the success of the business. The majority of online stores make use of one or more of the marketing strategies below.
- Search engine optimization (SEO)
- Paid marketing
- Platform marketing
2. Find your niche
Another useful tip to consider before setting up an online store is to find a niche. Don’t just jump into any product category; go for a niche area you are personally interested in. Also, make sure you pick a category that has demand.
If you pick a category without demand, your online store will not thrive. No matter the time and efforts you put into it. Below are some factors to consider when choosing an online store niche.
Pricing
Trading cheap products will decrease your profit margin, while products that are too costly can discourage shoppers. There are no business formulas for a favorable price, but you should sell products that fall within the range that are acceptable to your target audience.
You need to remember that the effort, money, and time you put into shipping and packaging are more or less equal, whether the product costs $50 or $200.
Competition
As a new seller in the online store arena, it might be hard for you to contend with well-established online brands. These stores have, over the years, won over a massive number of customers.
The best you can do is search and locate a category where there are fewer big or prominent brands to compete with. Check out the product reviews so that you can estimate the popularity of those brands and know how you can position your products strategically.
Demand
Make sure that there is a market for the product you intend to sell. That is, the demand for the product is high. One simple or easy way to know about people’s interest in a product is to run a quick keywords search in Google Ads for your intended product or its category. This will help you know the number of people searching for that product online.
3. Choose a unique domain or brand name
Finding the perfect and unique domain or brand name for your online store is not an easy feat. However, there are tips you can use to craft out a unique name for your intended online store. For you to stand out above competitors, your domain or brand name needs to be:
- Unique. The name should make you stand out from your competitors and also attract the interest of online consumers.
- Relevant and definitive. Anything that is too cryptic or vague will prompt your potential customers to take their business elsewhere.
- Easy to spell and remember. People should be able to remember and spell your brand name correctly, even after hearing it for the first time.
- Short and straightforward. Ideally, your brand name shouldn’t be more than two words. Avoid using modified spellings, special characters, and numbers. They will only make your name less searchable and also susceptible to being misspelled.
- Relevant to your category. Ensure the name connects to your product category in some way.
4. Create your online store
There are various ways in which you can have your online store operating within a day. Some of these ways are discussed below.
Standalone online store
Popular eCommerce platforms that can deal with everything on your behalf are Getustore, Shopify, Wix, etc. These online store building platforms enable you to choose a template for which you can add a wide range of customization. For instance, in Getustore you can have your store ready in three simple steps. No technical knowledge is required, and they offer a 21 days free trial period as well.
Built-in store
If you have a website already and you wish to add an online store to it to sell products that are related to your content, you can make use of tools such as WooCommerce.
Stores hosted on a different eCommerce platform
In case you don’t have the budget or the skills to create your website, you can simply start by hosting your product pages on platforms such as eBay, Etsy, and Amazon.
The advantage of using these platforms is that they are already famous among online shoppers, and they offer a broad variety of products and categories. If you decide to go this way, make sure your product pages are well-handled.
Make use of catchy headlines, high-quality pictures, and keyword-rich content to depict your products. Also, requesting reviews from your customers can boost your ratings.
 5. Build momentum
Once your online store has been set up, you should start concentrating all your energy towards making your first sales. To achieve this, you will need to be creative and may also need to spend some money on marketing. Below are few ideas you can start with.
- Ask your family and friends to leave positive reviews and ratings for your products on your social media page, website, and Amazon (depending on the kind of store you use).
- Reach out to influencer networks or media and ask them to post content that promotes your store or products on their platforms. Also, you can connect with websites with good reputations who can speak with authority and ask them to link back to your product pages.
- Test different types of paid campaigns on social media platforms and search engines to discover what customers are reacting to.
- Engage your customers and ask them for feedback.
Conclusion
When building an online store that will drive sales, you need to be strategic. You must come up with a marketing plan and put the plan into action. Also, make sure your online store is easy to navigate; it should be user-friendly. Once you start getting customers, make sure you engage them and always try to satisfy them.
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