Times are changing and so are sales techniques.
If you’re not already convinced, the web is an indispensable tool for the vast majority of businesses. But why take the time to advertise your business online? One of the great advantages of web marketing is its versatility. Whether you run a retail business, offer specialized services or work in a cultural or community organization, the same marketing knowledge and strategies apply!
Let’s see how.
Buying and selling: the classic method
“In the old days, and for decades after, people would pass by on the street, see your shop window among many others, and if it looked attractive, they’d walk into your store. For maximum visibility, large chain stores were located in shopping centers, as this was where potential customers were to be found. However, these large spaces were not always accessible to small retailers.
When we were looking for a new supplier, we asked friends and family for recommendations, or opened the old telephone directory to find the nearest company in the Yellow Pages. There was, of course, the classic, and very expensive, television and radio advertising. But very often, it was in the “Classifieds” section of the Saturday paper that we found our next hairdresser or an apartment to rent.
Of course, all this took a lot of our time, since we had to travel each time.
Increased accessibility thanks to the web
Nowadays, we still do these things, but no one does them that way anymore.
Digital marketing has made things accessible.
Now people “surf” the web, they spend a lot of time on it and see dozens of websites. They will never know about your company if you are not listed!
If your site is attractive, they will go to your online store. It is therefore very important that your site is clear, concise and beautiful, but above all that the information you are looking for is easily found. The wide availability of information has made potential customers, let’s say impatient, and if information is hard to find or your prices are not displayed, visitors may leave your site without buying.
Buy online
No need to go to the mall, to try on clothes in a fitting room without a mirror (which most women hate)! You can now search, find and buy clothes online, from the comfort of your home!
The pandemic has certainly accelerated this movement, and many people have kept up this habit and moved away from the malls. It is possible to order clothes during our lunch break, try them on at home and return them free of charge if they don’t fit. If you sell products, it is therefore extremely important to have an online store, but also an infallible satisfaction and return policy allowing customers to store with confidence.
Get known by advertising on the web
To ensure maximum visibility for your business, there is no need to pay rent in major shopping centers or to be displayed on billboards on the side of the highway! Stores of any size can now get seen using online advertising, whether it’s on Google or social networks. If you are in a highly competitive field, it is highly recommended to have a web marketing strategy that includes online advertising. Whether your target audience is a Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok or LinkedIn user, all of these platforms offer targeted paid advertising options.
Digital marketing allows hundreds of prospects to access your business, regardless of their location. How do you do it? With a simple Google search. Classified ads from newspapers are now online, as well as having a showcase on social networks like Facebook. A good practice is to use MarketPlace to display your products, which can be done in just a few clicks. As for service businesses, it is highly recommended to participate in Facebook support groups that will allow you to be present if someone is looking for services similar to those you offer!
Finally, community organizations can also promote themselves on social networks, create discussion groups and sell tickets to benefit events without commission! The various existing social networks are an indispensable tool for NPOs, and are very useful for finding donors, but also volunteers!
Online reputation
Referrals are always popular, especially for specialized service businesses such as auto garages or accounting firms. The way you ask for referrals is just different. To do this, we left the phone and the Yellow Pages behind!
Of course, we always like to have recommendations from people we know before doing business with a company we haven’t heard of. This is why your satisfied customers are the best ambassadors for your company.
Now, just ask the question on your personal profile or on a Facebook group, or read customer testimonials on Avis local, to get an idea of the quality of service your company offers. Your presence on the web is not to be taken lightly. Recommendations from your customers and visitors, now available online, are what will allow you to prove the excellence of your e-reputation!
Adapting well to the web
The web has become THE resource for your shopping for products, services and events. Being present on the web ensures that you are much more accessible, and accessible to all, people from here or elsewhere, with or without disabilities. It’s a must to make yourself seen and known in order to increase your clientele!
