nice to meet you. My name is Kinjo and I am in charge of marketing at BASE .
BASE is a service that many people use as a service that allows them to easily create online shops for free, but in the future, we will use Ferret to develop the marketing know-how for successful e-commerce that we have learned from working with more than 150,000 online shops . I would like to introduce it to you.
Many of you may be looking at Ferret because you are wondering how to attract customers to your online shop and increase sales.
Although anyone can now easily open their own online shop, there are many people who have little know-how about marketing and attracting customers, or who are too busy developing products to attract customers at all .
The secret to success in selling products, not just online shops, is not just “product strength.” Of course, the appeal of a product is important, but equally important is the marketing of that product . It can be expressed in terms such as attracting customers, promotion, and PR, but only when “product strength” and better “ marketing ” are combined will a brand be accepted and a hit product be born.
The concept design of a brand and the way it is conveyed (story) are essentially important, but in this article we will introduce specific methods for attracting customers that online shop staff who are just starting out should take. . First of all, let’s make your shop known to people around the world while taking the necessary actions.
1.Tell your acquaintances
Your first potential customers for your online store are your friends who know you well. Please be sure to let the people you know know about your store opening.
Please explain in your own words why you decided to start your shop and what thoughts you have when creating the products. Many of your friends who know you well will sympathize with your feelings.
These friends will become your first customers, and if the product is really good, they will refer you to other people they know.
If you want to have 10,000 customers, first get 10 people close to you to empathize with your business and become your first customers. If a product doesn’t satisfy the people in front of you, it’s probably not going to be appreciated by anyone, so in order to find out, first let’s tell the people you know who match the target number of customers that you’re opening a shop.
2. Write a blog
Blogging is a very effective tool for attracting customers on the Internet . It’s a way to clearly communicate your thoughts about your products and shop management to friends and people all over the world.
A blog can gain trust and encourage purchases, and if the content is good, the blog becomes content that can be spread from person to person through social media such as Twitter and Facebook .
The most notable benefit of blogging is that it can be found through search. If you are an accessory shop, you can publish useful information about accessories, if you are selling leather goods, you can use useful information about leather, etc., and send out information that people are looking for in the genre you sell as a blog (article) !
After a while, your blog will be searchable and can become an effective way to attract customers to your shop.
3. Get started with social media
Many online shop owners may be using Twitter , Facebook, etc. Many BASE users also use SNS to attract customers as a free promotional tool for their shops. These can be used not only to notify you about shop updates and products, but also as an effective means of conveying your brand’s story.
In addition to that, it is a service that can be used as a real-time communication tool with customers. There are many shop owners who actively communicate with customers who tweet about their brand, or run giveaway campaigns .
There are also various other tools such as Vine, Pinterest, and Youtube. Let’s take a look at the characteristics of our customers and make effective use of each service.
4. Use hashtags on Instagram
Instagram is now the most popular customer attraction tool for small and medium-sized online shops . It is a photo sharing service that allows you to beautifully edit photos taken with your smartphone, and it has attracted more users than Twitter and is attracting attention not only in Japan but also around the world.
One of the features of Instagram is that it allows you to easily convey your brand’s worldview . Since it is a visual-centered service, you can easily convey your brand image to many people.
Hashtags are the key to getting seen by many people . For example, if you’re a brand that sells accessories, you can include possible keywords in your posts, such as “#cute #earrings #necklace #love,” so that you can be seen by many potential customers who are interested in that category. Become.
This shop at BASE is also successfully attracting customers on Instagram. If the photos you post there are great, you can become potential customers who will become your followers and visit your shop.
5.Use summary sites
In addition to blogging , another effective way to get found via search is to use a summary service. Have you ever come across many sites called NAVER Matome when searching for something on Google or Yahoo!?
In fact, anyone can create a summary, and if the content is useful and interesting, it can be viewed by many people. It has reached 2.76 million PV , including this summary introducing BASE’s unique services .
It would be effective to compile useful information in the genre that you are good at, along with an introduction to your shop. It’s easier to create than a blog . Due to its structure, the summary service has strong SEO , so it can be an effective channel to be found through search.
6. Exhibit at real events
Just because you’re an online shop does n’t mean the internet is the only place you can attract customers. It is also effective to proactively exhibit at small local events or art events such as design festivals, and communicate your brand through real connections. Make sure to convey the appeal of your products and brands to people who are looking for something new and interesting.
Even if you don’t make a purchase on the spot, you can become a potential customer who will visit your shop later or leave a review . I feel that valuing such actual encounters is the most important element for online shops. In addition, the event exhibit itself can become content to be introduced on blogs and SNS.
7. Advertise
Although it costs money, advertising is the most visible way to attract people to your online shop.
Tools that allow individuals to easily post advertisements include Google ‘s AdWords , Yahoo!’s promotional ads and other listing ads , Facebook ads , and Twitter ads (which can be posted through Yahoo!). All of them charge per click or per impression, and you can set a budget limit, so you can place advertisements in a planned manner.
It is an effective way to increase cost effectiveness by carefully selecting advertising keywords and targets and repeatedly improving advertising based on actual numbers. Although it takes time and money, it is a good idea to keep in mind that it is an inevitable way to grow your online shop.
If the product has a high unit price , we also recommend affiliate advertising , such as A8 .
summary
Above, we have introduced 7 effective ways to attract customers to your online shop that you can implement right away.
If you are just starting an online shop, it may be difficult to implement everything, but try each one one by one and find the method that suits you.
The combinations vary depending on the product and the customer, so find a successful pattern for attracting customers through trial and error. In the next article , we will introduce the concept design of a brand, which is the basis for attracting customers, and how to convey the story.
