As more and more businesses move into the digital sphere, e-commerce has become a powerful outlet. However, it’s not just for retailers of physical products, but for service providers in any industry.
Statistics from the U.S. Department of Commerce reported that e-commerce accounted for around 9.1% of retail sales in the third quarter of 2017. Numbers continue to show an upward trend.
A benefit of embracing e-commerce is that you can market your brand and the services you offer however you want to. Plus, there’s no need for a brick and mortar branch, nor are you reliant on local trade.
5 Guaranteed Ways that E-commerce Can Explode Your Business
The range of benefits that e-commerce provides is extensive. Here are a few of the primary advantages to service providers, and how they can impact the long-term success of your business.
The most obvious upside to launching an e-commerce website for your business is that you can then sell your services online. You may already be doing this via other channels, but a dedicated website increases your ability to create a strong brand, and market your business effectively.
Furthermore, as people engage with your business online, particularly those who purchase your services, you can collect valuable insights about your audience, which will enable you to target your marketing more effectively.
Everything you learn can be used to construct accurate buyer personas based on the sort of people who show a genuine interest in your services. You can then target your campaigns at these theoretical individuals, in order to win over members of those various demographics from which the personas have been constructed.
Related: 3 Website Tips That Will Help You Get More Clients
Increased Visibility
Setting up an e-commerce business is a great way to get your brand noticed. Even if it simply shows up in searches and on social media, after a while people will begin to become familiar with your brand simply through exposure to your marketing.
Couple this with some strong branding and high-quality content, then you have a winning formula. Being recognized isn’t enough. You want potential customers to view you as a useful source of information, and a great provider of the services you advertise.
You can do this by taking charge of the SEO for your e-commerce website. There are plenty of ways that you do this and if you’ve created your website using an online store builder, you’ll find a library of apps available to make the process as simple as possible.
One of the great apps available is SEO Manager. It has over 10,000 active users and has received more than 1000+ 5 star reviews. Check out the video below for a guide on how it can help your business…
Greater Reach
As the popularity of your brand grows, it will begin to show up more reliably in searches. People become aware that your website offers online services as a result. If the services you offer are more localized, setting up an e-commerce site can also help you to acquire trade within your area.
Be sure to complete your Google Business profile; potential customers will see your business first when conducting a local search for services within your remit.
The other advantage of increased reach is that over time you will build a wide-ranging community of supporters for your brand. The more it spreads, the more potential it has to spread, as a greater number of people overall will be discussing and reviewing your brand.
Organic Growth
For any business, word of mouth can be a powerful driving force for increased trade. Naturally, the advantage of running an e-commerce store, and marketing it effectively, is that this social proof is amplified. This is because your customers and followers can spread the word across a wider range of channels. They can share on social media, post reviews, and engage with your branded content.
All of this contributes to the organic growth of your business. You’ll likely have targeted traffic visiting your website because they likely found you as a result of a targeted search.
Customer Management
Handling customer queries or complaints is never an easy task. However, effective customer management can help you to turn negative feedback on its head and take advantage of it. By demonstrating accountability a willingness to resolve issues as favorably as possible, you improve the overall consumer experience. This will gradually reinforce the positive reputation of your brand.
Operating an e-commerce business also enables you to take advantage of virtual staff, and even AI. This means you can handle queries around the clock, without overburdening your staff team with trivial calls.
Reduced Costs
If you run your business online, you not only save money on your premises but potentially even staffing. You may have a large team working with you, or simply one or two talented individuals. It all depends on your specific needs.
Opening up your business to an online market gives you a greater pool of talent to choose from. You can recruit and develop staff members that are a good fit for your team.
Naturally, you can reinvest any money saved into the growth of your business. This includes funding future marketing campaigns, research, and diversification.
Of course, the winning formula is different for everyone. Not all of these examples will necessarily apply to your business. Nevertheless, there is a great deal to be gained from a successful e-commerce enterprise, as long as you are willing to give it the time and commitment required to make it shine.
As a service provider, you can use your website and online marketing to give customers a comprehensive preview of what to expect from your business. Furthermore, the money you save by not investing in a physical property and its associated costs can be reinvested into your business, to accelerate its growth and give it an extra boost for the future.
