If you have landed into this article, it would not be wrong of me to assume that you are thinking to take your offline business online, and are looking for some strong reasons that explain why having an online presence for your existing offline business can be an ideal move.
This is the common query of every second traditional retail business owner- “Why should I have an online presence for my brand?”
If you have successfully set up your offline business, making a good revenue, and maintaining a good brand image in the market, your mind is bound to be hit with such questions.
So, what’s the point of moving online? If you are seeking answers for these sorts of questions, this guide will help you. In this write-up, I have listed seven reasons that will help you understand why your business must have an online presence.
Let’s begin.
1. Expanding Your Business
The primary reason to establish an online presence is it provides you with the opportunity to expand your business. What was earlier limited to a specific location can then be visited by people all over the world. Not only it gives a boost to your business but improves your brand image in the online market.
2. More Customers
For a brick-and-mortar store, the number of customers is limited. More often, you would have only those people visiting your store who live nearby whereas if you take your business online, you can drive customers to your website from any part of the world.
3. 24×7 Availability
At what time do you close your store? 10 pm? 11 pm? And how many days does it remain open? There would surely be a day off which means no customers, no orders on that particular day whereas if you have an online store, timings and day off are no concern at all.
Online stores are open 24×7 for shopping. While you take a peaceful nap on your bed, some customers would be placing their order on your website. This is one of the major advantages of eCommerce over the traditional retail business.
4. Going Online Requires Minimal Cost
Unlike your traditional retail business that would have cost you huge bucks in setting it up, an online website requires a much lower cost in comparison. You do not have to pay heavy monthly rent, no utility expense, or bear other expenses.
When you are just starting your online business, building an eCommerce website will require only a small amount of money. With time as your business grows, you can think of spending more.
Initially, you only require a domain name, a web hosting and a platform where you could build your eCommerce website and these will cost you a few dollars.
5. Enhanced Customer Support
When you take your existing business to an online platform, addressing your customers’ queries can be a challenging task as you will have customers coming from everywhere with lots of doubts in their mind. But this can be solved in many ways.
For example, having product images, product videos and product description can clear customers’ concerns regarding the product quality. You can have a “Frequently Asked Questions” section as well which we call as FAQ page for related concerns. Your return policy is also an important factor when it comes to addressing queries related to returns. Not only it saves you time but also helps customers in their buying decision.
For any other queries, you can have a live chat option on your website alongside a customer support number and en email address if in case they want to reach out to you via call or email, respectively.
Interacting with buyers in a brick-and-mortar store can be time-consuming as well as daunting.
6. Social Media will help you in Brand Awareness
Social media plays a vital role in brand promotion. People of every age are present on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Hence, you can reach out to your target audience and promote your products.
Your potential customers are waiting for you. Turn them into your regular customers before they are taken away by your competitors. Today, social media is arguably the best platform to acquire new clients and customers and boost your business.
Related: Social Media Marketing for eCommerce: Strategies and Best Practices
7. Easy Management
When you have a website for your business, everything can be managed without any hassle in a few clicks. You can customize your website as per your requirements and give it the desired look. You can work on your product pages, checkout, and navigation and make your website as convenient as you can for your visitors.
And most importantly, having an eCommerce website provides you with useful customer data which can use to provide customers with a personalized shopping experience.
Final Thoughts
Today, the focus of the customers has shifted from brick-and-mortar stores to online stores. And there cannot be a better thing if you have both. With millions of people searching for the desired product on the Internet, you should not leave any opportunity to list your business in their search query.
Higher the brand and product visibility, higher the number of customers. And whether you are a small or medium business, having an online presence can add to your brand’s success on a global level. I hope this write-up encouraged you to take your offline business online.