If you really want to make a splash in the modern eCommerce world, you have to be willing to get a little wet. And getting wet in business terms means spending a little money in hopes of making a little money.
The truth is, the public generally tends to love free stuff. So as a business owner, you’re going to want to budget accordingly so that you can run a successful eCommerce marketing campaign and produce unique, useful promotional materials.
The great thing about promotions is that they don’t have to cost you thousands of dollars. And this is great news because when a consumer reads the word “free,” their interests are instantly piqued.
Promotional products can come in many different forms: you don’t have to limit yourself to cheesy trinkets that most people could do without anyway. The key is to get creative with your marketing and have a little fun with your promotions.
Here, we’ll outline a few creative marketing strategies for your eCommerce business.
1. Give Away Unique Promotional Products
One of the easiest and most effective marketing strategies that you can implement is a simple giveaway. And you don’t have to break the bank to do it.
In 2021, with the COVID-19 pandemic still affecting the world as a whole, you can use popular trends to build into your promotional product giveaways as well.
For example, you could manufacture free masks to give away printed with your business logo, or styluses and mousepads due to the high increase in remote work in today’s post-pandemic job market. You could also give away coupons that will allow your target audience to have up to 50 percent off on your high-quality goods or services, or at any other percentage that you deem appropriate: within a specific time frame, of course, to encourage their rapid patronage of your online store.
Giveaways can be as elaborate or as simple as you like. Remember, everyone will enjoy receiving something free from you, and what seems like a simple marketing plan may earn you a lifelong customer.
2. Stage a Raffle With Your Goods and Services
Raffles are a great idea that lands in line with a one-time giveaway in exchange for a form-fill or signing up for a newsletter. And this is also a great way to build a target customer-based email list.
Essentially, whenever a customer sees an ad for your raffle, they will fill out their information which you can save or link to email tools or software.
Raffles are usually held for higher-end items, so think big when it comes to raffles, and don’t be afraid to spend a little extra, especially if it’s going to be a one-time offer.
Items you can raffle might be exclusive to your online store, such as a varied line of unique company products or a free trial for your goods and services for a limited time.
3. Reward Your Customers For Spreading the Word
Referrals are a great way to build a customer base and a client list. So why not give your target customer base an incentive to bring you referrals?
The process is relatively simple. All you have to do is offer a cash incentive or exchange a referral for a free product or service that you offer.
For example, if you produce software tools, you could give away a free trial for 90 days for a referral. Or you could simply do it the old-fashioned way and offer a cash incentive such as 50 dollars for every referral that turns into a sale for your business.
Referral awards are time-tested ways to build your business, and it also gets your name and the face of your eCommerce business out into the community. And this is how you gain traction in the business world.
Promoting your business will take some time. But every dollar of effort that you put into promoting your business needs to be seen as an investment. And even though you may not land clients immediately, sooner or later you’ll hit a traction point and you’ll be happy that you did.
eCommerce Marketing Tips
1. Use the 80:20 Rule
The 80:20 rule states that 80 percent of your business will come from 20 percent of your customers, and this is a general rule to follow for eCommerce marketing as well.
The truth is, you can spend hours and hours promoting your eCommerce website with little results. Once you find that 20 percent market share that fits into the client base that you’re trying to hit, then promote that way until it stops working.
2. Stay Consistent with Social Media Marketing
As previously stated, social media marketing works great for eCommerce because it’s affordable and easy to set up. However, you have to be consistent with your posts and follow-ups.
You can do this by scheduling posts on a regular basis so that they go out at the same time every week or month. Whatever you choose, the goal is to post once a week consistently.
And don’t forget to promote other people’s content as well as your own on Facebook, Instagram and social media platforms . It’s a good idea to leave out any links that point back directly to your website or blog because people may end up thinking that you are a spammer. Include links if you want but try not to force it down their throat if they don’t want it there.
3. Don’t Give Up
It’s an unfortunate fact that most people don’t know what to do with their website, and it ends up becoming nothing more than an online business card for them. As long as you keep your eCommerce website updated with new content, you should eventually begin to see results.
It could take months or even years before your eCommerce store comes close to the financial success you want, but if you keep at it there will be a tipping point. And once that tipping point hits, you’ll be glad that you didn’t give up on your online business.
4. Use A/B Testing
If you want to start making some serious progress with your eCommerce marketing, then you should consider using A/B testing. This is a method through which you try out different websites and marketing techniques to see what the best way to promote your eCommerce website is.
You can do A/B testing with anything from the color of your text and background, to how many posts you make and even who you decide to advertise for. By running A/B tests, you’ll be able to make some decisions about how to best promote your eCommerce business.
Conclusion
Well, this article has been a lengthy one and I’m sure you’re all itching to get back to your eCommerce marketing. However, before you do that, don’t forget that there are several eCommerce marketing tips that we haven’t covered yet.
We didn’t cover how to market your eCommerce business on Facebook, for example. So if Facebook PPC is something that you’re interested in, then check out our guide on how to sign up for ads with Facebook.
You can also check out our guide on how to use Facebook adverts for eCommerce businesses , or our guide to Facebook advertising principles .