Here are five essential steps to getting your offline business online and ready for success. As breakthrough technologies become mainstream, more and more people buy products and services online. As a result, the online shopping process is more accessible and safer than ever before. Companies that understand this are here to stay.
Suppose you are the owner of a traditional brick-and-mortar business. In that case, you should seize the opportunity to reach a broader consumer audience by expanding your presence in the virtual space. Don't let acronyms such as SEO, SEM, live streaming, and e-mail marketing scare you; becoming one of the players in the online market is easier than you think.
Before you build the digital side of your business, you should ensure that you have a powerful brand image offline. Also, remember that your efforts will only pay off if you have a high-quality product or service to offer your customers. If you already have something great, it's time to learn how to extend your presence virtually where your targeted customers need you most.
This guide to putting your offline business online consists of five actionable steps. Feel free to copy this strategy EXACTLY and set your business on the fast track to success today! Your clients and future customers are waiting for you online.
Step 1 - Know Your Customer
All fruitful marketing endeavors start with a thorough understanding of the customer. You must speak their language if you want people to listen to what you say and buy your products or services.
Moreover, you must meet them in those places where they love to congregate. Promoting the benefits of top-notch binocular brands to visually impaired people won't get you anywhere in sales and revenue. You may also broadcast your messages on Facebook when most of your audience follows Twitch TV streamers, and Instagram influencers would be a waste of time and resources.
Actionable tip: Find out how people in your highest potential target group spend their time online.
Step 2 – Know Your Market
Now that you know your customers inside-out, it's time to determine what your main competitors are marketing online.
You don't need to invest in expensive applications to find out the most prominent players in your industry. Instead, type some of the most relevant keywords in Google or Bing and view the top results. Also, notice the sponsored results, as those companies are spending money to gain visibility. They wouldn't be advertising on search engines if they weren't making money.
Do the same kind of research on all online channels you have identified as being among the top choices of your core target segment. Identify the most visible companies and check out their messages and advertising. Analyze their communication and understand their positioning, unique selling points, and the main reasons people follow and trust these businesses.
Step 3 – Set Your Digital Marketing Goals
You do not need to change your business goals related to sales, profit, etc. Nevertheless, it would be best to have some digital marketing goals to help[your campaigns. Then, evaluate your performance, and apply corrections and adjustments wherever needed.
These marketing goals can range from a specific number of followers, page views, or interactions to a particular number of paying subscribers or a clearly defined monthly or yearly income. Ensure that your digital goals are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely).
Step 4 – Develop Your Digital Marketing Plan
Once you know your customers and market and have specific goals, it is time to write your digital marketing plan with specific activities and time frames. Again, there are free templates you can find online should you want to save time on this task. Alternatively, you can create a spreadsheet from scratch and start adding activities to your timeline chart.
This plan may include creating a website, developing a mobile app, and setting up a Facebook community, or an e-mail newsletter, among other things. It also needs to include specific activities to build awareness for your brand in the virtual space. Make sure that your activity plan has deadlines.
Step 5 – Implement Your Plan and Monitor Your Progress
Once you know what you want and need to accomplish these goals, you should proceed to the implementation stage. This step is as important as the previous ones, as even the most fantastic ideas are nothing without a seamless execution.
Make sure you bring your activity plan to life systematically. First, pay close attention to the details. Then, carefully test everything and measure the results. Sometimes, simply changing a color can skyrocket conversion rates.
Install Google Analytics on all your web properties and learn how to use Google Tag Manager. Keep an eye on your stats and thoroughly document all website changes. If you don't know how to set up and use all these tools, consider hiring a digital marketing expert to help you.
Step 6 – Adjust, Rinse and Repeat
Carefully observe the results of your actions. Whenever you implement a change, track all parameters that matter. If you notice an improvement, you'll know you've done well. If things don't look great, you can always undo your last actions and try something new instead. For more accurate tracking, ensure you only implement one change at a time. Then, watch your stats for a couple of weeks (or longer, if needed) and see how they compare to the previous performance indicators.
Conclusions to Getting your Offline Business Online
An essential part of our life now unfolds online. We all seek products and services on our smartphones. We shop online, and we pay for our purchases online. If your business isn't there for its customers, you're leaving money on the table. Fortunately, you can still catch up with the market and your competitors. So, the sooner you start building your online presence and authority, the better.
"Are you looking for help with getting your offline business online?" Our enthusiastic team has years of experience helping companies increase their online sales and brand awareness.
Contact our friendly team today to schedule a meeting with a web strategist for a free consultation and quote.
