We’ve talked a lot about the details behind building an e-commerce store, including the different tools and platforms. These articles should give you the framework to get started in actually putting together this store you’ve been thinking about and planning. (Click here to explore the whole e-commerce series and learn more about those details.)
Get To Know Your Store
As you are preparing to launch and in those early days, get to know the basics of your store. No matter which type of store you create or platform you use, there will be 4 main components:
- Product Management – This is where you can update your inventory and keep track of what you are actually selling. The more products you have, the more complicated it can get, so knowing this area well is crucial.
- Order Management – This is the exciting part – where you see all those orders coming in. Keep track of fulfillment and shipment to keep your systems running smoothly.
- Dashboard Reporting – Surely you’ve set some goals. How many products you want to be selling per day, per week. Or how much profit in a set time period. Your dashboard is going to give you the data you need at a glance so acquaint yourself now.
- Configuration Tools – Keep your store updated and reflecting your brand with all the configuration tools. What you can do is going to depend on which platform you choose – and how customizable it is.
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Okay, once you actually launch this thing off the ground, then what? Is it just a matter of “If you build it, they will come”?
Well maybe… every once in a while, someone comes up with a truly unique product that goes so viral they can sit back and watch the sales pour in. The Internet is a crazy place.
But for the most part, no. You can’t just expect people to find you magically. You have to have a strategy to actually sell your products. (If you missed it, check out the 3 Things You Need Before You Sell Online.)
How Do You Make It Payoff
If you don’t find a way to get people to your online store, nothing is going to happen. You need to create base energy behind your products. This is where most people get it wrong. Don’t be afraid to be a salesperson. This is your store and it needs a sales tactic behind it. Those tactics could include:
- Content marketing
- Online content such as blogs
- Digital Marketing
- Technical SEO
- Pay Per Click
- Guerilla Marketing
- Signs
- Business cards
- Print Ads
- Advertising on your car
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Do you have tactical or technical questions about your online store? We love helping our clients get their ideas off the ground – and drawing people to their sites. Let’s talk.
Curious about which digital tools are best for your online sales? Click here to grab the free resource guide that we put together just for businesses like yours.
Photo by Mike Petrucci on Unsplash