You’ve decided that you want to make a profession out of ecommerce. Good, that’s the easy bit. Now, how can you make your first 100 sales?
The key to winning customers for your new ecommerce website is awareness – unless people know about your site and products, you won’t have any customers.
Here is how to win your first 100 customers:
Tell your friends and family
Share your ecommerce website with family and friends. Encourage them to share your website on their social networks: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest – these are all channels to spread the word of your new business.
You don’t even have to ask them to buy anything, just sharing your ecommerce website with their network will benefit you.
(Although, with Christmas just a few months away, why not encourage them to buy their Christmas gifts from your site – you could offer them a “friends & family” discount code?)
Social networks
This brings us neatly to social networks. Get the message out about your ecommerce website – this should be done organically, by tweeting on Twitter and setting up a page on Facebook, and through marketing spend.
For example, Facebook advertising gives you access to a very targeted audience, so your marketing spend is not wasted.
(Additionally, advertising on Facebook is on a “pay per click” – PPC – basis, which works in your favour.)
Google Adwords
Google Adwords is also on a PPC basis. What this allows you to do is essentially buy traffic to your site which, in turn, will result in sales.
But if this is your first time using Google Adwords, try to find a credit voucher – there are plenty around, often given away in trade magazines or when you sign up to certain ecommerce services, such as Shopify.
With Google Adwords, you can drive targeted traffic to your ecommerce store. But be sure you read up about how to use Adwords effectively – as you pay per click, the costs can add up pretty quickly!
eBay store
Setting up an eBay store is quick and is another easy way to get your first customers. Obviously you want customers to buy directly from your ecommerce website, but online retailers need to learn to sell via all available channels, including eBay.
Putting a few products up on the auction site will get the ball rolling and make people aware of what you’re selling.
Vouchers
If you’re new to the game, another good way to win your first customers is to offer discount vouchers, encouraging people to buy from your ecommerce website.
Everyone loves a deal, so why not set up a voucher and post about it on the various voucher websites (just search for “online vouchers” to find the most popular ones).
Be patient
This is important to remember: it takes time to get the ball rolling on an ecommerce site. Don’t expect your new site to become an overnight hit. But by following our tips, you’ll be closer to making your first 100 sales.
