Setting Up For Online Success
You don't need an ecommerce geek to tell you that now is the perfect time to take your business online...and perhaps the silver lining to his crazy cloud we're all under is that so many of us will be forced to take imperfect action to launch our ecommerce stores - however they may look.
I recently partnered with Digital Boost to present a session on Setting Up For Online Success. You will need to register with Digital Boost to watch the video (it's free and you can do that here), once you're signed up you can watch the video here.
I launched my first online store on Shopify in 2012, it was an online womens clothing store and it was an expensive lesson in how not to run an online business. I rebranded, rebuilt the website (still on Shopify) and re-launched in 2016 selling super chunky wool throws that I arm knitted - it was a pretty big pivot!
In August of 2019 I launched my next online business - selling cruelty free skincare and cosmetics. I started out retailing products that I bought wholesale from other local businesses. Now I mainly source my own products to sell under my own brand.
Why go online?
- To better serve your current customers by offering an alternative to coming in store to purchase products or services
- To widen your customer base
- To catch the impulse buyer or last minute shopper
- To get a better return on digital ad spend by using data collected based on buyer behaviour
Business things to consider
Before taking your business online there are some business decisions that need to be made (or while) you take your business online - you can download the checklist here.
Here's some helpful info for making these decisions;
- How to Wholesale
- Getting Your Shipping Sorted
- Choosing Payment Gateways
- Top Tips For Writing Content
Practical steps to take
Going online can feel overwhelming (and a bit exhausting), so it's good to have some practical steps so you can start taking actions. Remember that imperfect action is better than perfect inaction, try not to get too caught up in getting everything perfect.
You can download the list of actions here.
Looking longer term
Once your site is live and you've got an easy way for your current customers to buy your products or services online, you should have some space to start thinking about how things will work in the longer term- you can download the longer term considerations here.
Here's some helpful info for making these decisions;
Running In Heels is registered with Regional Business Partner Network, which means that your business might qualify for subsidised services. You can get all the details about how to register and the services available here.
If you'd like to chat further about how to get your business online please get in touch to schedule a phone call.
