When it comes to setting up a business, there are certain steps that you need to take in order to keep the revenue flowing. This is what entrepreneurs refer to as scaling. It simply means making your business grow without having to work 24/7.
So here’s how to go about scaling your e-commerce business.
1. Spread the Word
You can’t expect people to patronize your business if no one knows that you exist. Therefore, the first thing that you need to do is come up with an effective marketing strategy that will catch the attention of your target market. Consider giving out special offers, discounts, incentives, coupons, etc. You should also consider hiring an e-commerce marketing agency if you need some guidance.
2. Automate
Next, you need to automate things. This means not fulfilling items on your own and using a third-party automated software for re-pricing, marketing etc. Remember that when it comes to scaling your business, you need to consider sourcing out the tasks that you used to do yourself in the past. This includes cutting down on the time you spend doing certain things that other people can do for you or perhaps investing in tools that are capable of doing such things. For instance, when it comes to marketing and social media, find out the best way to get Instagram followers in 2019. Search online for resources that will streamline your social media efforts and make it a hands-off campaign.
3. Focus on Customer Support
Customer support shouldn’t be one of those things that you will fully automate since customers prefer human interaction. If you’re going to automate your customer service, there’s a tendency that you’ll lose your customers due to poor customer support and lack of personalization. This is very critical, especially if you have several competitors.
4. Hire Others to Fulfill Orders
Again, automation is necessary when it comes to scaling your business. You need to find someone else to do the fulfillment of orders for you. First, think of all the steps involved in fulfilling your customers’ orders and see if there’s anything there that you can automate. Sure, you will be spending some money to pay other people to accomplish these tasks for you, but just think about the revenue that you can earn and the convenience that this will bring you. It’s definitely worth it!
5. Always Consider Your Website
Whether you are selling your products on your website or not, you need to give your website utmost importance. Remember that in this day and age of the Internet, your website can serve as the first point of contact for most of your customers. And as you know, first impressions can go a long way.
Unlike your physical store where you can see for yourself how your customers react, you won’t have a way of deciphering your customer’s body language and you will not have any chance to get things right. They will just close the browser if they discover something wrong with your website and leave. Therefore, take the time to do a close-up inspection of your website. Make sure it’s free from grammatical errors and it’s fully functional and easy for your customers to use. Above all, keep it updated with the latest promotions and new items that you are offering in your business.
