Ecommerce Tips and Tricks Part1 (Actionable!)Starting a business is an awesome experience.There’s nothing like waking up to a new
sales alert, or getting an email from a satisfiedcustomer.So what are the most important steps to building,
launching and growing your store?Hey guys, I’m Jessica Guzik with Oberlo,
and today we’re going to look at 10 stepsyou can take right now to optimize your store
for immediate sales and long-term growth.[#1 – Set SMART goals.]Whether you want to have a nice little side
hustle or a monster seven-figure store, makesure that you have S-M-A-R-T SMART goals.SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable,
Realistic, and Timed, and it’s importantto keep these factors in mind when setting
your goals.For example, instead of setting a goal like
“Become a successful ecommerce merchant,”go for something like, “Sell one product
within one month of launching my online store.”Well-defined targets make success easier to
attain – and replicate.And don’t go easy on yourself either.Set tight deadlines for ambitious goals.It’s a little counterintuitive lesson in
psychology: You’ll be more motivated toachieve big goals than small ones.[#2 – Don’t pocket the profits just yet]It can be tempting to pocket your first profits.But if you want your business to grow, you’ll
need to reinvest that money.You know how the saying goes — you have to
spend money to make money.The most successful store owners out there
will tell you to reinvest your first profitsin advertising.So create several small-budget ads — at about
50 bucks a pop or 5 bucks a pop — to seewhich products customers respond to best.Once you’ve found your winning ad, start
spending more on ads to really ramp up sales.[#3 – Don’t hide behind books.]Procrastination is a funny thing.Sometimes people don’t even realize they’re
doing it.Yes, it’s great to be active in ecommerce
communities, read blogs, and take the occasionalonline course.But you’re not going to get your first sale
if all you do is listen to business podcasts.You need to PUT IN THE WORK.Pick your products.Launch your store.Create your first ads.I promise you, you’re going to learn so
much more by DOING than by Googling.And if you mess up?Don’t worry about it.Mistakes are learning opportunities.Commit to figuring things out as you go along,
be patient with yourself, and keep workingat your business until you hit those SMART
goals.I believe you can succeed, and if you need
a little encouragement, just drop a comment.[#4: Pick a popular but reliable niche]Launching a store based on a trend can be
risky.For starters, most people discover a trend
when it peaks.At that point, it might be too late to make
a big profit.It’s also hard to know whether or not today’s
hot items will still be hot in a month.For example, fidget spinners exploded in popularity
and then kinda disappeared.On the other hand, when leggings first emerged,
no one was really sure if they would last.Years later, we know that they did indeed
last.You want something that you can count on for
years to come.You can capitalize on trending products related
to your niche, but don’t base your entirestore on a short-term trend.Focus on evergreen niches that stand the test
of time – products related to fashion, fitness,pets, phone accessories, beauty or jewelry.Your business is more likely to survive year
one, two, and five if you stick to popular,stable niches, with trendy pieces thrown in
only now and then.[#5: Make sure customers have access to relevant
information.]You’ll want to make sure your customers
have access to all the information they needto make an informed purchase.That includes any relevant info about product
sizes, colors and materials, as well as detailson shipping and return policies.Getting these details to your customers straight
away will help set expectations and put thethem at ease.Make a dedicated page for shipping and return
policies, and consider creating a FrequentlyAsked Questions page as well.Make sure you also include a contact page
on your site’s navigation, so that customersknow they can reach out with specific questions
that might pop up.[#6 – Put thought into your copy.]Some Oberlo merchants make the mistake of
importing supplier product descriptions alongwith their products.While it’s great to keep the essential information
in those descriptions, writing original, informativedescriptions about your products will help
you get more sales.After all, people will read the copy if they’re
on the fence about a purchase.For example, if you sell dresses at your store,
you might mention how great your shopperswill look at their next event, or how the
cut of the dress will flatter their figure.When writing product copy, talk about the
best features of the product.Explain how easy the product is to use.Help customers visualize how your product
will improve their life or help them solvea problem.That will turn your store’s browsers into
buyers.[#7: Add a flash sale section]Urgency can help increase sales.And one of the easiest ways to create a sense
of urgency is by adding a flash sale sectionto your store.Apps like Hurrify and Countdown Timer Bar
display a timer next to all of your flashsale products, letting your shoppers know
that there’s no time like the present.Be sure to rotate the products you feature
in this section at least once a week so thatcustomers keep coming back to see what’s
on sale.And make sure you add your Flash Sale section
to your top navigation, so that customerscan easily find your sale products.[#8: Start building relationships with relevant
influencers.]Influencer marketing can be a great way to
broadcast your brand far and wide.However, it can take a few months to build
relationships with high-quality influencersin your niche.While you’re just getting started, make
an effort to find and engage with those topinfluencers.If you need help tracking down the best influencers
for your brand, try checking out an influencerplatform like Hey Influencers, FameBit.There, you’ll get an overview of the most
influential people in your niche, how muchnoise they could make about your store, and
how much it’ll cost you to make that noise.[#9 – Give out discounts]Shoppers love a good price, and if there’s
a discount on top of that good price — hey,all the better.There are lots of ways to give away discount
codes.For example, you can have a popup on your
homepage where you offer 15% off in exchangefor a visitor’s email address.You can post temporary discount codes on social
media.You can also feature an offers page in your
site’s header.No matter which tactic you choose, make sure
you do the math and keep your profit marginssafe.Discount codes should be a win-win for you
and your customers.[#10: Find an ecommerce brand to look up to.]In eCommerce, you really don’t need to find
a mentor to hold your hand.Instead, identify a couple successful eCommerce
stores you love, and study them closely.What do they do that works?What tactics do they avoid that you see in
other eCommerce stores?What is it about these stores that you find
so engaging?You don’t need to copy these stores to succeed.You just need to take notes.Every time your favorite eCommerce store sends
you an email, jot down that email’s headline.Every time you’re compelled to look at their
products, write down what caught your eye.And every time you make an online purchase,
ask yourself why.After all, you’re a customer too–learn
from your own impulses!Alright guys, we think these steps are huge
for launching an ecommerce store, but we'dlove to know what you think.Drop us a line in the comments.And if you’re looking for more ecommerce
tips, look for Part II of our ecommerce tipsseries next week.To get notified when that video comes out,
make sure you subscribe to our YouTube channel.Thanks so much for watching, I’ll see you
next week, and in the meantime: Learn often,market better, sell more.
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