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How to create a marketing plan for your small business - build a brand, target customers and set prices that will maximise sales.

The internet has transformed business marketing. No matter what you do, the internet is likely to be at the heart of your marketing strategy.

Social media is firmly established as a marketing tool. Having a presence opens up new lines of communication with existing and potential customers.

Good advertising puts the right marketing message in front of the right people at the right time, raising awareness of your business.

Customer care is at the heart of all successful companies. It can help you develop customer loyalty and improve relationships with your customers.

Sales bring in the money that enables your business to survive and grow. Your sales strategy will be driven by your sales objectives.

Market research exists to guide your business decisions by giving you insight into your market, competitors, products, marketing and your customers.

Exhibitions and events are valuable for businesses because they allow face-to-face communication and offer opportunities for networking.

Ideas to boost your ecommerce business' sales

For many retailers, a new tax year brings budget resets, and there's pressure to get the sales in. But sales aren't just about 50% off – it's about engaging customers so they'll return throughout the year. In this article, we will delve into a few examples of how your email marketing can drive a strategy for 2024.

Reward high-value customers

Consider first releasing your sale to a chosen few, like your most loyal customers. Use software that gives a single-customer view to select and target high-value or loyal customers and release your sale to them 24 hours ahead of everyone else. It's a great way to reward loyalty and show them you value their custom.

Encourage repeat custom

Some retailers only see gift buyers who visit their store or website when purchasing gifts for others around Christmas time. If you get these types of customers, reach out to them again to encourage them to return throughout the year. Look at the information you collected on these buyers and offer them gifts for birthdays and other celebrations. Consider offering them an incentive to return throughout the year.

Create a sense of urgency

This is an old technique that can sometimes conflict with other tactics, but it has been proven to work in a sales period. Reminding customers that your sales have an expiry date creates an urgency for customers to buy now before they lose your amazing discounts.

Emphasise quality

Interest your customers by promoting the quality of your goods or service as well as your great prices. Remember to target customers with free samples, trials and demonstrations of products during the sale. If you can impress them during sales in ways that aren't dependent on price, then you can get them to purchase without a discount in the future.

Capitalise on strong visuals

Pictures, images and videos are increasingly important in the digital landscape. Every time you start planning your sales period, you need to think about the impact your visuals will make. How will you catch the eye of your customers? Who will remember them and go on to buy products from your shop?

Have a conversation

Email marketing is also about carrying on the conversation after the sale is made. Target customers with one-to-one automated emails after they make their purchase and re-engage them in the long term. Behaviour marketing, such as PureTargeting, will allow you to re-target customers easily.

Email marketing can be extremely beneficial to your company. Partnering with an ecommerce agency will help you navigate email marketing so your business can see the benefits.

Copyright 2024. Featured post made possible by Tom Welbourne of The Good Marketer, a marketing agency in London which drives more traffic, generates conversions and increases sales for small- to medium-sized businesses.

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