The digital landscape is providing an opportunity for small businesses to compete at a higher level. The ability to facilitate online transactions and use shipping software to deliver products are helping small businesses overcome traditional barriers.
E-commerce is at the core of this development.
And with the outbreak of COVID-19 and enforcement of social distancing, observers expect that e-commerce will continue to be a driving force. What can it do for your business?
It makes promotion efforts more cost-effective
In a typical large company, a sizable budget is allocated for marketing and promotion. A small business, on the other hand, has always been at a disadvantage when it comes to this area. Posters, billboards, and TV commercials are just too costly to invest in.
The rise of the internet and various digital platforms provides an alternative. Small businesses can use social media to reach their target market. For example, Facebook pages are a good way to let potential customers know about your offerings, business hours, and location.
Through the internet, your business can also engage customers in various ways — be it through direct messages, online comments, reviews, as well as likes and retweets. Positive experiences with your products can then encourage customers to spread word about your brand.
It expands your reach
Prior to the emergence of the digital landscape, businesses with a physical store were limited to a certain geographic area. Customers would usually be people from nearby surrounding neighborhoods.
Today, promotion efforts through digital channels can reach a variety of consumers, transcending geographic limitations. People — from other states or even other parts of the world — can find out about a business through its website and online content.
Through these digital channels, it’s also possible to attract a new market segment. Businesses can easily tweak promotion efforts and create messaging that resonates to a new audience.
Through e-commerce, you gain an opportunity to expand your reach and sell to even more customers.
It makes transactions more convenient
Going to a brick-and-mortar store to make purchases is no longer the only option out there. Customers can simply resort to a shop’s website and payment page.
Small businesses can create their own websites and provide a number of payment and delivery options for customers to use.
This approach could also result in higher revenues for your business. Customers nowadays often look do their product research online. If you can lead customers to your online content and into your product pages, you can help nudge them to a buying decision.
It can give you intel on customer needs
While companies can state the benefits and features of their products, customers can offer feedback on quality. And in today’s digital landscape, customers have a lot of power and options when it comes to providing that feedback.
Whether it’s through social media posts or a website’s review page, there are a number of ways for customers to voice out their concerns and suggestions. Your small business can extract key information from these sources to further improve your products, thereby enhancing the customer experience.
And by responding to their input, customers may regard you as one of the few businesses that actually listen and apply feedback.