It's more important than ever to look at how you can convert your retail business into driving online sales.
I write this blog post as it has just been announced that Leicester (A place close to my heart, namely because I've been born and brought up here and where I have spent the last 14 weeks) has been placed back into lockdown again, as the rest of the country prepares to open up.
It was just a little over 2 weeks ago that non-essential shops were allowed to open their doors and there was light at the end of the tunnel and two weeks later, in Leicester they have been asked to shut their doors again. Not only does this demonstrate the power of this virus (Please stay safe and alert everyone), but it's an eye opener that more of this could be to come, be in it Leicester or anywhere else in the Country or world, for that matter. This is why, it's more important than ever to look at how you can convert your retail business into driving online sales.
With the right digital strategy, tools and processes, you have the ability to do business from almost anywhere and it's now, that it is the best time to introduce e-commerce into your business plan.
I'm currently working with a business in Leicester that with the news of tonight's lockdown, are not actually worried. This is because they spent the last couple of months, shifting their retail demand to online sales. This was never in their original business plan, however since Covid-19 hit, this is what we have been working on.
So where do you start? I've put together a list that I feel will be beneficial to get this going. A lot of people think that this could take months and months, however I believe that with the right help (Ahem...A to Mee!) this doesn't have to be a lengthy process at all.
- Revamp your digital presence. It's quite likely that a lot of businesses will be looking to switch to an online business, therefore it's imperative that you stand out from the rest and get ahead of the game. As well as this, it's so important that the customer journey is as seamless as possible, to help convert those visits into sales. It may also mean that you need to look at an alternative solution for your website to support e commerce.
- Create a digital marketing plan. There are so many ways in which you can target your customers, be it email marketing, google ads, social media, PR, therefore it's important to encompass a 360 degree plan to ensure your considering the full customer journey. (e.g. Awareness, Consideration, Purchase, Retention, Advocacy)
- Ensure that you're ready to fulfill orders. Even if you're starting your business from home, it's important to ensure that you are tracking your inventory and set up to handle your new sales.
- Make postage convenient and affordable. I can't tell you how many times I've abandoned a cart because of the cost of shipping. Even if I have spent £50, when I see that £4.99 for shipping, I automatically get put off. How about offering free postage for a limited time or alternatively include it in the price of the product?
I hope this helps! I'm really keen on supporting local businesses, especially those impacted by this crisis, therefore please feel free to reach out for any general, no obligatory advice!
Stay safe everyone and think digital!
M x
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