post by:
Donna Cohen
If you have a direct-to-consumer business model, then you probably know that first impressions are everything. Customers want to trust you with quality and prices. We’ll discuss top 10 ways to grow your eCommerce DTC brandand how to and keep customers coming back for more.
Are you starting up your online DTC brand? Or are you struggling to maintain your current one? When you’re interacting directly with the customer, all the details fall on you to manage. Things like business image, inventory choices, and creative sales tactics can be hard to establish. But with a little research and leg work, your eCommerce business can succeed. The direct-to-consumer business model provides you with the unique opportunity to determine your own success. There’s no third-party standing in your way. So, without further ado, let’s discuss the best ways to grow your DTC business.
1. Gain Credibility
Customers need to trust you. Providing transparent information about your products, a generous return policy, and quality products will make this process quick. If you’re just starting, then your website probably hasn’t been “verified” yet, so most people won’t feel comfortable visiting it. Encourage friends and family to order from you and leave good reviews to move this process along.
2. Let Them Personalize
If you have products that can be personalized, go for it. People love buying original items or even just search engines that ask them what they like. This type of software is growing in popularity and for good reason. It makes it easier for customers to find what they want and gives you mad bonus points for caring about their experience.
3. Make Products Easy To Find
Let’s be honest, most customers aren’t going to go to great lengths to search your website for all the information they need. If it’s not all in one convenient place, then they’re likely to abandon the search. Make the information easy to find and keep the categories simple. Time is money, literally.
4. Provide Excellent Customer Service
Nothing turns a customer off more than a bad interaction. The customer isn’t always right, but you still have to act like they are. Help them find what they’re looking for and if they receive a damaged order, do your best to make it right. You never know what’s going on behind the scenes, so try not to take their attitude too personally.
5. Keep It Simple
There’s a balance between cheap and affordable. You want to sell quality products with an affordable price. When in doubt, keep the inventory choices simple and the costs even simpler. Don’t pick things that involve risks or break easily. You’re going to lose money on damaged goods and shipping costs with high-risk items. And lose customers because of the negative experience.
6. Increase Revenue
Customers love discounts. If you want to increase your revenue then offer bulk orders or bundles. It gives them a “saver’s rush” but you make more money in the end. Things like “buy two and get one free” are great incentives for the customer. Their cart will fill up quickly and so will your wallet.
7. Provide Free Shipping
Customers will be more likely to fill up their cart if you offer “free shipping minimums.” We’ve all done it. We saw that we were $2 away from free shipping and ended up adding something that was an additional $20. The cost of shipping you cover will be a lot less than the goods you wouldn’t have sold without the offer.
8. Offer A Loyalty Or Reward Program
Offering a reward program helps spread awareness about your business and encourages people to load up their carts with the discounts they’ve earned. Offer “referral discounts” to get your loyal customers to talk about you to their friends. It’s also a good idea to send out emails reminding them just how many points they have saved up.
9. Keep Customers Coming Back
One-time purchases are great, but return customers are even better. Providing products or services via a subscription is a great way to keep them spending their money on your ecommerce business. “Book Boxes” are a perfect example. It’s a simple product, but one that will keep your target consumer coming back for more. Adding monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly subscriptions options is just icing on the cake.
10. Know How To Advertise
Advertising takes money. Reduce your costs by understanding your target consumer. When you spend more time on them and less on the general public, you get more bang for your buck. Use demographics to personalize your campaigns. Send out surveys to your email list. Things like this will save you money in the long run.