There’s no denying that Covid-19 has phenomenally fast-tracked the uptake of e-commerce shopping solutions. The surge hasn’t just been for essential items either, many consumers have used online shopping as a form of ‘retail therapy’ to aid them through the various lockdowns and restrictions imposed right around the country.
If you’re a small or medium Australian business looking to maximise customers and profits during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond, you might just want to read about our 5 very important reasons that your business should get online – now and forever!
When your business can operate online, it negates the need for a physical storefront – or at least reduces the size of the storefront that’s required. This automatically reduces costs of expensive rents and upkeep of the property. Furthermore, a minimal or non-existent physical store also reduces the number of staff required to operate the business – again, reducing costs.
Lastly, it’s far cheaper and easier to promote your business online via social media, search engine optimisation (SEO), or pay per click campaigns (such as Google Ads), and drive customers directly to your website.
When a business can sell its products and services online, it provides them with access to customer data! Not only do customers have to provide personal details about themselves, such as their name, address, and phone number, but it also allows the business to collect data on their behaviour via online tracking software such as Google Analytics.
With the additional data collection available to businesses, this then feeds back into the digital marketing strategy so that further targeting of customers can be performed i.e. email marketing campaigns, website optimisation, up-sells and more!
When you go online, you immediately expand your physical presence. No longer are you limited to just local customers, but you can now ‘cash-in’ on customers around the country (or globe!).
The internet is also great because it allows you to target different market segments that you may not once have been able to. For instance, there are numerous forums, social media channels and even Google where customers can even find you!
When you sell online, your business is open round the clock – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. This provides customers with the flexibility and convenience to purchase at a time that is suitable to them, whilst still allowing the business to provide customer service within a timely manner.
If you’re not already online, you might see the expense of getting setup online as too expensive. But the truth is, it’s too expensive not to get your business online – especially in the long-term. Each day your business remains offline, is another day of opportunities, potential sales and customers missed.
With reduced costs, increased customer base and the opportunity to sell around the clock, it’s really a no-brainer.
If you’re looking to get online or improve your online presence for an affordable price, then talk to DigitUX. We’re experts at helping small and medium businesses grow online with a strategy that’s right for your business and budget.