It seems like everyone these days is starting an ecommerce business.
You likely followed this overly simplified process:
- Find a supplier or distributor.
- Set up an ecommerce store online on Shopify or WooCommerce.
- Profit!
Though the average success rate of an ecommerce store is only about 10%.
As a marketing broker, I’ve connected many ecommerce companies to the right marketing partners. Through these conversations I’ve identified 3 key ways ecommerce businesses could strengthen their funnels.
So if you have an ecommerce business, or have a friend who runs one, keep on reading.
1. Make the Most of Your Email List
Most ecommerce stores follow the standard format of setting up 6-12 email flows and a few sales campaigns. They expect the automation to continue bringing in money. However, they fail to properly test and optimize their messaging on an ongoing basis. Whereas the most successful ecommerce stores have either a team or agency managing their email marketing—continuously segmenting the customers into categories and targeting campaigns at each one.
When you find an agency that can combine email marketing with data analysis, it becomes a money-making machine. Here is a simple example:
1. We have a customer who has a pet store and they have the standard flows set up.
2. We then send out separate dog and cat campaigns and track which customers click on which campaigns.
3. If a customer clicks on the cat email, we now know they either have a cat or are interested in cat products.
4. We then use this data to target the customer differently moving forward.
This is a very simplified example, but if you have multiple products and want to increase the customer lifetime value, the right email marketing team can help you get there.
2. A Conversion and UX Focused Website
Think about the last time you made your first purchase from an online store. What feeling did you get from the website you visited? What was their story? How did they connect with your values and needs?
Too many websites today look the same, follow the same boring format, and don’t stand out. This is why more than a million ecommerce sites out there don’t sell more than $1000/year.
Using a template on Shopify is great to start, but as your business grows, so should your digital presence.
Here are some tips for how to make your website more user-friendly and drive impact:
1. Customers should know what you do in 5 seconds
2. Use action-based images that elicit emotions
3. Avoid stock photography whenever possible
4. Ensure your brand colors are consistent throughout your site
5. Share your story and values with customers
6. Connect with them emotionally and you have a customer for life
7. Think about secondary calls to action like subscribing to your email list
8. Ask yourself, “Would I buy from my website?” If not, why not?
People judge things subconsciously, so make sure your digital presence portrays your business in an authoritative and trustworthy way.
The above list is just a starting point. The next step of this journey is to use data to guide your design and layout decisions.
Many successful ecommerce websites use conversion rate optimization partners to run tests to increase conversions. Increasing your conversion rate on your shop page from 1% to 2% can make a massive impact on your ecommerce revenues. This is something great CRO agencies can do regularly.
3. Your Content Marketing Must Be on Point
There are a lot of aspects to consider when it comes to having a website, but the foundation of every website is the content. Typically content is written before design, so it guides the entire story.
And everyone loves a good story.
Too many ecommerce websites are about quickly pushing for the purchase, but they fail to connect with the customer emotionally.
When you have the right copy, everything else falls into place.
Having vetted hundreds of pieces of content from copywriters, here are some tips I suggest when looking for a strong copywriter.
1. Figure out your brand voice first. For example, is it laid back, educational, funny, witty, professional, or a combination of a few? This is crucial to communicate to your writer so you can ensure you are getting your point across while also maintaining the “tone” of your brand.
2. Copywriters have their strengths and weaknesses. Some are more technical, focus on specific industries, or simply prefer to produce content geared for a particular reading level. Knowing what you are looking for will help you identify who can match your voice.
3. Ask for a variety of examples. You want to find someone who has experience and has (hopefully) worked with many other businesses like your own. So if you know you want something that is both laid back in tone but technical in context, ask for a sample so you know what you are getting into.
4. Make sure they understand Search Engine Optimization and are able to fluidly weave the keywords and phrases needed into the content you are requesting. This will be key to getting your content traction and ranked on Google.
5. Make sure they have strong communication skills. This can even be in the responsiveness they have to your questions during the vetting process. If they are taking days to respond or seem more inclined to push their vision over listening to yours—you might want to keep looking.
These are just some tips you can use.
As you can see, there is a lot of work to be done, and having the right partners is extremely important. At CJAM Marketing we have vetted hundreds of agencies and contractors. National Positions is one of the great partners we have. So if you are looking for a marketing strategy, we can help.
A huge thank you to our guest author Behdad Jamshidi! If you would like to learn more about CJAM marketing and their process you can click here to get connected.