5 Steps to Help Transition to Digital

See Results, Gain New Skills, and Avoid Costly Missteps

The possibilities when selling online are endless. Infinite options make the internet both exciting and paralyzing. How do you get started, and what are the critical first steps?

Some businesses hastily invest online, squandering valuable resources of money, energy, and focus. Others hesitate, never making the move online.

If starting an online store seems to be too large of a jump today, try to ease in with these 5 manageable options. Enjoy some quick wins while acquiring new skills in digital marketing along the way.

1. Begin speaking to current customers through digital channels

Sign up for online accounts that don’t require a store or website

• Sign up for social media accounts such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter.
• Sign up for a Google Business Profile.

Start building an email and phone number list of your customers.

• Segment your customers into relevant segments based on the products they order, size of business, industry, or future opportunities. Send relevant and targeted emails to each group that both benefit the customers and increase sales.
• Consider sending texts when a product is delivered as a courtesy.

Be sure to avoid the temptation to send irrelevant messages to your lists. This not only hurts your brand by annoying your customers, but Email Service Providers will see your low email interaction and penalize your company. In other words, your emails will look like spam and will be sent to the junk email folder.

2. Start gathering customer insights

One of the greatest benefits of being online is the ability to gain customer insights through all the data that is collected. You can gain similar, if not richer, customer insights through the daily interactions your customer has with your company in person. The key is learning how to capture the customer insights your company is already getting through each point of interaction. Here are a few other ways to gain valuable insights.

• Gather the most frequently asked questions from customers and start adding the answers on social media (maybe shoot a quick video with the answer).
• Start gathering customer testimonials and post the best ones on your social media page.
• Begin to ask your customers for feedback or invite them to fill out a survey in exchange for something of value.

Before spending time, effort, and money on a new website, it is best to understand the unique value your company adds to customers. By gathering customer insights you will know better how to create your future E-commerce store.

From all the data you collect you can create detailed descriptions of your typical customers, known as customer personas. Creating customer personas ensure everyone in your company has a clear picture of your ideal customers. Once you are ready to build a website, this clear picture will guide everyone working on your site to optimize every element for your ideal customers.

3. Find unique ways to serve customers beyond selling products

If the only unique value your company offers online is the best price, then it will be a race to the bottom. You will need to find unique ways your company can add value to customers beyond the product you are selling them. This could be unique shipping and pick-up options or product bundles only you offer.

One of the unique benefits of being online is that it gives your company the opportunity to establish itself as helpful and authoritative. Are there any unique insights your company has that would help customers streamline or create efficiencies in their own work?

• Shoot a quick “how to” video and share it on social media or YouTube.

The most successful online companies are relentless about serving their customers and adding value beyond the products they sell. Find what your company can offer that others can’t, and use that as your leverage for selling online.

4. Try digital marketing options that don’t require a website

• One options is to try local online ads that asks the customer click to call your company. You will be able to capture sales from online customers without having an online store.

5. Take this time to get ready for E-commerce

What projects need to be wrapped up before you can take on a new project like building an E-Commerce store? Maybe the next step isn’t to move online but to ensure your team has the capacity to take on a new challenge.