Thanksgiving is just around the corner. For eCommerce businesses, it can be easy to forget the importance of giving thanks in the midst of planning for huge Black Friday sales and the rush of the following holiday season. But there's so much to be thankful for! Success in the business is dependent on so many factors, and without them, we'd all be failing at our goals to fulfill customer needs. So, let's take a minute to remember all the wonderful things (and people) that bring our businesses success year after year.
1. Loyal Customers
They have to be at the top of the list. Where would we be without our most loyal customers? These people are the ones who faithfully search and purchase new products and always come back to replenish. They also provide valuable feedback, customer reviews, and recommendations to their inner circle (major sales opportunities!) Without loyal customers, a business will not make it far. Your faithful followers are the ones who show you what's working and what you need to do to make them happy. They rule the day, but in the best way possible, because they pay for your services with the income and reputation that makes your business run. Not only that, they also offer you relationships with consumers of similar interests.
2. Engaged Social Media
Every year, we're hit with more statistics about the importance of social media. By April 2020, 37% of consumers made purchases through social media. With the recent rise of COVID-19, those numbers are sure to continue to rise. Besides the significant numbers of purchases made, a huge portion of your customer base is on some form of social media. Facebook alone had 2.4 billion active users last year. With that many people, it's nearly impossible not to find an audience.
Social media is about more than just numbers though. It's also a very important method of communication. Customers love knowing who they're buying from, and if you engage in posts and conversations on social media, you'll automatically be seen as more of a friend than simply a "business." Social media is cheap--you can pay for ads, but posting is completely free. It's also one of the easiest ways to engage with your customers because they're sure to be active and eager to offer feedback and reviews. Social media has become one of the most valuable resources for eCommerce businesses, and we are ALL thankful for that and all the customers who are actively involved in being our "followers."
3. Effective CRM
Customer Relationship Management is the foundation for loyal, engaged customers. Your businesses are only successful when you know who your customers are and what kinds of people need your products. An effective CRM tells you all you need to know about the people who love your product and who else might agree with them. Without this kind of management, it would be so much harder to find and build the strong base of loyal customers that you need. A great CRM is truly an essential component to any growing business.
4. Excellent Shopping Experience
The importance of site speed cannot be understated. No one wants to wait around for a website to load when they need a product fast; in fact, 40% of customers leave a site if it takes more than three seconds to load! Customers need quality content as soon as possible to make their shopping experience worthwhile. If they wanted to spend hours searching, they could just go to a retail shop and sort through racks of items. If they come to your website, they need it to load quickly, look appealing, and be easy to navigate. When these aspects are in place, the shopping experience becomes a delight to your customer, increasing the chances that they will return and shop again.
5. Stellar Customer Service
Things will get busy as the holidays approach and customers are going to have questions and concerns. That's when it's most important to have a strong customer service support team to keep things running smoothly. Customer service is one of the top things customers pay attention to when purchasing products; in fact, 50% will keep purchasing from a brand with great customer service while 60% will leave after a bad experience. You need people who exemplify your brand values and know the ins and outs of how to help your buyers. That's truly something to be thankful for!
6. Fast Shipping and a Reliable 3PL
A third-party logistics company can be just what you need to make sure your shipping is quick enough to rival Amazon. With COVID-19 changing the way we do shopping, Amazon's quick delivery times have risen to the forefront as a desirable aspect of any eCommerce business. Whether or not you partner with a 3PL to help you navigate the supply chain logistics and manage your warehouse, you should find ways to create the best shipping experience for your customers. And who isn't thankful for quick order fulfillment?
We've gone through a lot over the past year, but there is still so much to be thankful for as an eCommerce business. Make sure you're focusing on fostering these essential components of a great eCommerce business and creating meaningful relationships to get you through the year ahead. And if you need help with the logistics of shipping in the new year, don't hesitate to contact us to learn how we can help.
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Thanksgiving is just around the corner. For eCommerce businesses, it can be easy to forget the importance of giving thanks in the midst of planning for huge Black Friday sales and the rush of the following holiday season. But there's so much to be thankful for! Success in the business is dependent on so many factors, and without them, we'd all be failing at our goals to fulfill customer needs. So, let's take a minute to remember all the wonderful things (and people) that bring our businesses success year after year.
1. Loyal Customers
They have to be at the top of the list. Where would we be without our most loyal customers? These people are the ones who faithfully search and purchase new products and always come back to replenish. They also provide valuable feedback, customer reviews, and recommendations to their inner circle (major sales opportunities!) Without loyal customers, a business will not make it far. Your faithful followers are the ones who show you what's working and what you need to do to make them happy. They rule the day, but in the best way possible, because they pay for your services with the income and reputation that makes your business run. Not only that, they also offer you relationships with consumers of similar interests.
2. Engaged Social Media
Every year, we're hit with more statistics about the importance of social media. By April 2020, 37% of consumers made purchases through social media. With the recent rise of COVID-19, those numbers are sure to continue to rise. Besides the significant numbers of purchases made, a huge portion of your customer base is on some form of social media. Facebook alone had 2.4 billion active users last year. With that many people, it's nearly impossible not to find an audience.
Social media is about more than just numbers though. It's also a very important method of communication. Customers love knowing who they're buying from, and if you engage in posts and conversations on social media, you'll automatically be seen as more of a friend than simply a "business." Social media is cheap--you can pay for ads, but posting is completely free. It's also one of the easiest ways to engage with your customers because they're sure to be active and eager to offer feedback and reviews. Social media has become one of the most valuable resources for eCommerce businesses, and we are ALL thankful for that and all the customers who are actively involved in being our "followers."
3. Effective CRM
Customer Relationship Management is the foundation for loyal, engaged customers. Your businesses are only successful when you know who your customers are and what kinds of people need your products. An effective CRM tells you all you need to know about the people who love your product and who else might agree with them. Without this kind of management, it would be so much harder to find and build the strong base of loyal customers that you need. A great CRM is truly an essential component to any growing business.
4. Excellent Shopping Experience
The importance of site speed cannot be understated. No one wants to wait around for a website to load when they need a product fast; in fact, 40% of customers leave a site if it takes more than three seconds to load! Customers need quality content as soon as possible to make their shopping experience worthwhile. If they wanted to spend hours searching, they could just go to a retail shop and sort through racks of items. If they come to your website, they need it to load quickly, look appealing, and be easy to navigate. When these aspects are in place, the shopping experience becomes a delight to your customer, increasing the chances that they will return and shop again.
5. Stellar Customer Service
Things will get busy as the holidays approach and customers are going to have questions and concerns. That's when it's most important to have a strong customer service support team to keep things running smoothly. Customer service is one of the top things customers pay attention to when purchasing products; in fact, 50% will keep purchasing from a brand with great customer service while 60% will leave after a bad experience. You need people who exemplify your brand values and know the ins and outs of how to help your buyers. That's truly something to be thankful for!
6. Fast Shipping and a Reliable 3PL
A third-party logistics company can be just what you need to make sure your shipping is quick enough to rival Amazon. With COVID-19 changing the way we do shopping, Amazon's quick delivery times have risen to the forefront as a desirable aspect of any eCommerce business. Whether or not you partner with a 3PL to help you navigate the supply chain logistics and manage your warehouse, you should find ways to create the best shipping experience for your customers. And who isn't thankful for quick order fulfillment?
We've gone through a lot over the past year, but there is still so much to be thankful for as an eCommerce business. Make sure you're focusing on fostering these essential components of a great eCommerce business and creating meaningful relationships to get you through the year ahead. And if you need help with the logistics of shipping in the new year, don't hesitate to contact us to learn how we can help.