#kitcrm

[markevans]

It may be effortless marketing, but I’m not going to activate a service without knowing what it does and how it works. 

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How to get your first e-commerce customers: What Beeketing has learned from 17,000+ online stores owners

Editor's note: this article is a guest blog by Daisy Nguyen of Beeketing on what they have learned in helping e-commerce businesses grow.

I have been following Facebook groups for e-commerce store owners, both experts and newbies, and am accustomed to SOS questions from those just starting out about why only a few people visit their site in the first 90 days or how to get their first customers and have them keep coming back.

In the e-commerce world, many people give up within the first few months of trying to make a fortune, but those who succeed will persist, optimizing the whole conversion funnel step by step.  However, the starting point is the same: all e-commerce beginners have to face the very first basic obstacle: how do you get that first customer for your store?.

We struggled at first trying to get our very first customers. By now, we have grown our customer database to 17,000+ in just 15 months, giving us chances to talk with owners of so many types of e-commerce websites and helping them grow their businesses. What we’ve drawn out is straightforward: that the same first steps in getting your first customer can be generally applied to all types of e-commerce websites.

“Dating” with your target customers before trying to sell things to them.

Trying to sell products to people, from the viewpoint of romantics, is like making a proposal to a girl. How could you succeed without dating the girl first? The secret to success in both dating and doing business is to understand your partner / customer.

Most people start their business as they have some products they THINK people will like, without making attempts to learn people’s tastes and preferences first. My very first piece of advice for you before launching a business is to learn people’s need and behaviors. Here are some bullet points you can start with:

What are the demographics of your target customer group? (Eg: age, occupation, location, marital status…)

What are their common needs or pains in life?

What are their shopping habits? (where to go, what time, what types of products…)

What is their monthly or annual budget for shopping?

Are they technology-savvy?

What goals do they have in life?

Where do they regularly meet, offline and online?

The purpose of this whole learning process is to actually understand your customers, know their needs and thus figure out the right solutions for them (your products or services). If you start with just your products, there is a possibility that nobody will need them. But if you start with your customers, you’ll surely have a group of people who will need your products. Those will be the ones you target when launching your business and finding your first buyers.

Start making friends with customers on social media

Social networks are the world. People post and tweet about their daily life, make friends, chat, work, entertain, connect and shop on social networks. If you overlook these channels, you’re missing out on a goldmine. According to Shopify, 37 million visits via social media have converted into 529,000 ecommerce orders. With an average order value of $50, this is equal to nearly 27 million dollars.

If you’re confused where to start approaching your first customers, social media is the ideal place begin. If you already have a good understanding of your target customer groups, one great way to find them on social media is to use the hashtag #. For example, if you are looking for people who are interested in fitness and bodybuilding you can search for #fitness, #fitgirl. #fitnessaddict, #fitnessmodel etc. to find people in these community.

While Facebook and Twitter are popular platforms, niche platforms have arisen in the forms of Instagram or Pinterest. These latter sites are much more focused on product and the monetization thereof.

The power of referral and word of mouth

Referral and Word-of-Mouth marketing are effective tools to multiply your leads in a short time. Chances are that your target customers are active members of communities of people who have similar needs and interests.

You can run referral programs, such as giving people rewards or incentives to invite their friends to use your products or services.

Dropbox’s referral program to give people more space if they invite their friends who convert to Dropbox users is an excellent example of a successful referral marketing campaign.

Social media is also a rich source of referral and word-of-mouth leads. One example of simple but super-popular referral campaigns usually run on social media is to ask people tag, like, comment and share their experiences with the company to get discount, free gift or free shipping.

(One online store owner used to reach 25% in conversion rate and 10K dollars in revenue a month by running this simple social word-of-mouth marketing with the Checkout Boost app)

Offer a discount code for grand opening to get more customers.

You’re lucky if you have hundreds of visits in the first weeks of opening your online store. But if they don’t buy, you don’t actually have customers. Thus, giving people a discount always works in converting visitors into paying customers.

This is an example of using the Better Coupon Box app to grant discount code to first visitors who follow social profiles of store or submit their email for newsletter subscriptions. This method not only encourages customers to purchase but also grows the number of social fans for companies.

Conclusion

Doing business is never easy in the competitive global market. People have so many choices at hand in such a saturated market. However, among thousands of ecommerce merchants, there are quite a few who succeed and have a group of loyal customers because they take the process step by step and persist in making it work.

I have mentioned just a few among a long list of methods that you can try to find your customers. Get our e-book “40+ Ways To Find Your First Customers” - where we include all tips and tricks we have learnt from our 17,000+ e-commerce customers.

About the author:

Daisy Ng - Sales & Marketing Specialist @Beeketing - a marketing automation platform for online sellers. She is also a marketing guru in e-commerce industry and dedicated to quality content. She believes customer happiness and great content are the two keys to unlock the ultimate success of a business.

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This week our Kit Spotlight showcases Nicole: builder, designer, creator and owner of Ciseal. Ciseal is bent plywood furniture and home goods for designed for bold modern curators. Nicole has been using Kit's simple and quick SMS features to quickly post to her Facebook page on the fly.

We had her answer a couple questions for us about her e-commerce business, inspirations and being a small business owner.

To kick us off why don't you give us a rundown of Ciseal, who you are, and your impetus for creating Ciseal.

I’m Nicole, and I bend plywood by hand into furniture and home goods in my tiny studio just outside of Detroit, Michigan. Born and raised in Detroit, I was initially drawn to the field of engineering. Through my job at the GM Technical Center in Warren, MI, I was introduced to the simple, understated beauty of mid century modern architecture and design. That influence (and a deep desire to get out of engineering) led me to enroll at the College for Creative Studies to study Product Design. There, I took a furniture class that focused on bent plywood, and I was hooked. I loved the process of designing and hand making durable, functional products from what was previously flimsy, bendy wood. After graduating from CCS, I started making bent plywood things in my spare time. It eventually grew from a fun hobby making dust in my parents cluttered basement to a legitimate business with happy paying customers.

What is an important lesson you can pass on to other e-commerce vendors that you have learned while building Ciseal?

For a little while I hoped that just building a web site and selling stellar items meant that people would find my company and trust enough to buy my products. But I quickly realized that I can’t hope that my friends and family would share my products and eventually get my brand to go viral for me. If you want to make sales and create sustainable growth you have to reach out to people you don’t know - a lot. Whether it’s bloggers, store owners, influential Instagrammers or magazines - you have to be confident and friendly to get your products in front of these influencers' eyes. Know that not all of them will like your products or even take the time to respond, but that’s not a knock against you or your work. It’s just a part of the job of getting the word out about your business.

Ciseal is unique both in location and offering, how has living near Detroit contributed to your aesthetic?

Detroit’s always had a rich design and manufacturing history, and that definitely influences my products’ designs. So many mid century modern icons honed their design sense in the Detroit area, and the architecture, cars, green spaces, and furniture that they created are still inspiring designers in Detroit today. There’s also a camaraderie and a commitment to this city that you don’t always see in other places. No one’s entitled to anything here - you have to make your dreams happen. Along the way you’ll get help and support, but only after you’ve demonstrated your commitment. Detroit values entrepreneurs and creativity, and the community loves it when people with ideas have the guts to try something new.

How has social media played a part in Ciseal's success?

If I’m being honest, I’m still playing around with social media and how to use it effectively. Up until now I’ve been pretty nonchalant about my posts, but since I started to use Kit it’s been a lot easier to post more regularly and relevantly. Before Kit I would get stuck on what to share or how to say it because my shy nature is still getting used to the idea that people really do care about what I do and how I do it. Kit absolutely makes it easier and has helped me to post more confidently.

Are there any other designers out there that really inspire you?

I adore the designers of the mid century era - many of whom studied at nearby Cranbrook like Eero Saarinen, Florence Knoll, Harry Bertoia, and Charles & Ray Eames. As far as what’s happening today, I love seeing what Jory Brigham, David Trubridge, Uhuru, Isaac Krady, Ali Sandifer, and David Okum are creating next.

A final word for our readers?

I know it’s cliche, but nothing can substitute for a solid work ethic. If you’re not bringing your dreams into reality every day, then no one else will. Do what needs to be done to move forward. And when you get stuck, rely on curiosity and you’ll find the next step.

Happy to have you and Ciseal on board with Kit, Nicole! Thanks for joining us!

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This week our Kit Spotlight shines on Danielle Pettifor, creator of HandBand Pro. HandBand Pro handbands are comfortable, durable, simple to wear, and they protect your hands from blisters and rips while offering an amazing grip during your workouts. Danielle has been working with Kit for quite a few months now and has realized enormous success and growth via her paid Facebook advertising efforts.

We asked her a few questions about business, life and her role as a small business owner so she could pass on all she has learned so far.

First things first! Tell us a bit about yourself, HandBand Pro, and what inspired you to go out and build HandBand Pro.

I haven’t always worked out. I spent the first 42 years of my life avoiding any form of exercise and enjoying food. I found myself 25 lbs. overweight and feeling very lethargic. I realized that at my age things would never get better on their own, so something clicked and I started eating right and working out at home in my garage. I was inspired by Crossfit, and so for 3 years I blistered and ripped up my hands doing countless pull ups, toe to bar, and other high-rep exercises. I tried every glove, grip, pad, chalk and tape known to man, but nothing worked. Most actually made the problem worse. Something in the back of my mind kept urging me to create something that worked, but it wasn’t until I prayed about it and asked God for help that the inspiration came.

I’m a recovered home business junkie. I've always had an entrepreneurial spirit, and over the last 20 years, I’ve joined just about every direct sales company that was presented to me. (I loved the sign-up kits!) They were products I loved and used, so I determined to build a business with each of them at one time or another. I failed at all of them. It’s awesome to realize, however, that each of those failures taught me something valuable that I’m now using with HandBand Pro®.

What is an important lesson you can pass on to other e-commerce vendors that you learned in building HandBand Pro?

As a small business owner, I found myself wearing ALL the hats and working 16 hour days! I needed help, but I wasn’t ready to officially hire anyone. When I explored the app store in Shopify, I felt like I had discovered a hidden treasure. I currently have about twelve apps helping me with different aspects of my business – from invoicing and shipping to marketing, remarketing and abandoned cart protection. The apps have streamlined my business, saved me loads of time, and have helped increase my sales. I feel like I’ve got a small team on my side! I highly recommend exploring the apps available to you, and don’t be afraid to use the free trials to see what works.

What is your favorite part of Kit?

With Kit, I feel like I have a personal marketing assistant. Kit’s dashboard is simple, and the app is easy to use, but what Kit does behind the scenes is incredible, really. I guess I’d have to say that my favorite part of Kit is the simplicity. There has been a 57% increase in site traffic and conversions because of what it does behind the scenes with my ads and with posts to Facebook and Twitter, so I’m talking about simplicity on the user’s end. Kit works magic.

How has advertising on Facebook played a part in HandBand Pro’s success?

Facebook ads have been instrumental in HandBand Pro®’s success, and though I’m not a techy, I consider myself very fortunate to be able to use and find success with this social platform. I got lucky initially with some of the ads I created, and then by seeing what worked, I continued to formulate similar ads. Then I happened upon Kit. I installed it and began to run 22 Kit test ads alongside and identical to my own. The results were incredible. With Kit’s Facebook advertising, the ads received an average of a 1600% [ed: you read that right] increase in reach, clicks, and actions over mine for the same cost.

Are there any other entrepreneurs out there that really inspire you?

Anyone who loves what they do and they do it for the benefit of others inspires me, but the late Jim Rohn is truly one of my inspirations, and his words continue to encourage.

One parting thought for our readers?

HandBand Pro® handbands were created out of a need in the fitness industry for a better grip and hand protection. They really work, and I am so happy to help athletes increase their performance, but I believed there was a reason God inspired me to create these beyond what I initially thought. Then we started receiving unexpected positive feedback from many people who rely on wheelchairs for mobility, saying that they prefer HandBand Pro® handbands over their gloves for their wheelchairs because they are easy to put on and off, they don't cover their whole hand, they protect their hands and help with grip, and they love how they look. Talk about inspiration, though! To see these ‘disabled’ people skydiving, playing rugby, sailing, surfing, and competing as adaptive athletes in Crossfit - it puts life in perspective. And it’s then when you realize that it’s never been about you. It’s what you can do for others that matters.

Thanks for speaking with us Danielle and so happy HandBand Pro is part of the Kit team!

[kitcrmblog]

Kit featured in the Huffington Post!

Last but not least, Kit takes CRM to the next level with its SMS-based service that acts as your personal marketing assistant, reminiscent of blockbuster movie Her.

The CRM market is ripe for disruption and the combination of the mobile-social revolution and the demand created by sellers of peer-to-peer marketplaces is creating a perfect storm. For a while, Salesforce would likely ignore the threat of a company providing such service much the way its predecessors ignored Salesforce. This will result in many opportunities for marketplaces and their developers to innovate and create value.