Lucas Miller — January 2, 2017 Follow @EchelonCopy— January 2, 2017
The Internet is a massive place.
How massive, you ask? Well, as of 2014, Google had indexed an estimated 10 to 15 million Terabytes (TB) of data. To better put this kind of technical mumbo-jumbo into perspective, one TB equals about 1,000 Gigabytes (GB) of digitized information.
Pretty crazy, huh? That’s not even the half of it, though …
Take into account the fact that 16 years of video is uploaded to YouTube on a daily basis, and the expansiveness of the World Wide Web is nothing short of jaw-dropping.
Anyway, the Internet is gigantic—you get the point.
Because of this, though, for digital businesses set on big-time growth, it’s not only spacious, it’s downright scary. And while the sheer size of the Internet might very well indicate never-before-seen potential, it also means that it’s incredibly hard for online companies to see success …
No worries—below, I’ve listed four must-haves for making it happen.
By no means do they contain the entirety of what’s needed to make it big, but if you’re able to do each of them at least moderately well, you’ll find yourself lightyears ahead of the competition:
1) Buyers Need to Know You Exist
Basically, your business needs visibility—makes sense, right?
It doesn’t matter if you’re pushing products, services or downloadable items, if prospective buyers haven’t heard of you, how on earth are they going to hand over their hard-earned dollars?
To increase visibility, consider each of the below marketing methods:
- Social Media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn—they’re all fair game.
- Content Marketing – Blogging is big for a reason—great content attracts buyers.
- Digital Public Relations – If your audience is small, grow it with the help of influencers.
- Search Engine Optimization – Visibility means building rapport with search engines.
- Paid Advertising – For relatively little money, earn game-changing results.
Let’s talk about that last one for a quick minute, shall we? Don’t get me wrong—organic traffic is ideal, but even in a space as unfathomably large as the Internet, overcrowding is a problem …
Whether it be on a social network or search engine, this is where the “pay-to-play” mentality comes into focus. Allowing businesses to produce immediate results, it’s no wonder pay-per-click specialists like DigiMar refer to the practice as marketing’s “speedy and expansive” solution.
Whatever you decide to do, actively cover all of your marketing bases to increase visibility.
2) Conversion Can’t Be Overlooked
In the world of online marketing, the term “conversion” refers to transforming site visitors into paying customers. It seems simple enough, but it’s something next to nobody is doing well …
From homepages to landing pages, it’s one thing to attract visitors, it’s yet another to get them to buy into what you’re selling. To do this, make certain you’re doing each of the following:
- Headlines – To convert site visitors, yours must be both clear-cut and benefit-driven.
- Supporting Headline – Here, provide context as to the message your headline transmits.
- Hero Image or Video – The human brain processes visual information faster than text.
- Customer Testimonials – The more social proof you provide, the better off you’ll be.
- Mention Core Benefits – Instead of selling a mattress, sell a good night’s sleep.
- Call-to-Action – If you don’t ask for people to buy, they won’t—it’s simple, really.
You’ve heard of Princeton’s famous KISS principle, haven’t you?
Unfortunately, it has nothing to do with the popular, makeup-drenched 80s band …
KISS stands for “Keep It Simple Stupid.” Though not always applied directly to marketing means, you’d be wise to keep any and all conversion-focused materials simple.
Easier said than done, practice is what will ultimately lead to perfection.
3) Order Values Must Be On the Up and Up
As an online entrepreneur, it’s your job to get the most out of each and every customer.
And no, before you bludgeon me over the head with a billy club of nasty comments, I’m not suggesting you swindle site visitors. What you should do, however, is build a few well-timed up-sells or cross-sells into your brand’s ever-expanding sales funnel to maximize customer value.
For example, let’s say that you’ve got a knack for creating one-of-a-kind Halloween costumes.
Instead of simply selling all-inclusive packages, cross-sell costume upgrades, additional makeup kits and professional-grade wigs to help buyers improve their looks come the big day.
Regardless of entrepreneurial niche or area of expertise, by so doing, you’ll more regularly increase order values. After all, it’s “Booming Growth” we’re after with these strategies.
4) Repeat Business Means More Money Coming In
Thus far, we’ve covered three key e-commerce items:
- Visibility
- Conversion
- Maximizing Orders
Things get better, though …
The real beauty behind each of the first three points? When given the time and attention they deserve, they keep customers coming back to you on a routine basis—automatically.
That being said, to further increase the likelihood of customers coming back for more time and time again, offer mouth-watering sales promotions, build and maintain authentic relationships with buyers, and when the moment is right, make them related offers they can’t pass up.
Be Honest—Are You Missing Anything?
For this final subheading, I chose my words carefully: “Be Honest.”
If you’re anything like me, when it comes time to take a good, hard look at each phase of the Internet business you’re building, it can be hard to admit when there are clearly holes to fill …
Luckily, if it’s a good starting point you’re in need of, use this post as a checklist of sorts.
Yes, the Internet is humongous, but that’s no reason to feel as if your online shop can’t bring in big money—regularly call upon the powers of the above, four-faceted list to make it happen.
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