Hello and welcome the penultimate article from my eShop series. You can view all the previous posts by clicking here. Do subscribe to ensure you’re able to read the final article as soon as I hit publish.
So, let’s begin.
Day 4 – ask yourself ‘Why should they choose my eShop?’
I’ve seen a million e-commerce sites like yours, selling a similar product line to you.
Have you ever thought about what it is that makes your shop different? What makes you the best choice?
Why should I choose to buy from you? All valid questions that other visitors will be asking too.
You might know why, but do your website visitors?
Think about the above questions and start S.P.E.L.L.I.N.G it out to your visitors: You need to make sure you’re telling them why your shop is the best.
Find something unique about your company (that your audience will appreciate) and shout it from the rooftops. Make sure that competing eShops aren’t saying the same thing. One trustworthy and established jewellery shop is better than six shops exclaiming to be the cheapest online.
What’s your best feature?
So, what does your company do better than all the rest?
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Are you more secure/safer than your competitors?
- Are you open longer than your competitors?
- Can your buyers reach you by phone, but not your competitors?
- Do your competitors charge, and do you deliver for free?
- Do you have multilingual staff on hand to help, unlike your competitors?
- …
What sets you apart from the other eShops? Write a list and prepare to tell your potential buyers!
Just remember: keep it truthful. If you think your hand-knitted dog jumpers are the cheapest, do your research and check your facts. Perhaps you think your shop is the most safe and secure in your niche? Where’s your proof?
How to prove you’re the best:
Once you’ve come up with a unique selling point for your company, work into your ‘about us’ page or tagline.
Post evidence: Look for press clippings, testimonials and reviews to help you back up any claims you make. If your claim is about security, write down the measures your company takes to ensure visitors are safe.
When comparing your shop to competing businesses, your visitors should be able to see why yours is better straight away – it’ll clench the sale!
Summary:
- Think about what makes your company different,
- Find evidence that backs up your claim,
- Work this into your about us page/tagline/sales copy.
Update: I found this article for eShop owners: tips for opening a successful eShop. Enjoy!
Love this – its all true – I need to take note of everything you say – make mental note to self!
Love this – its all true – I need to take note of everything you say – make mental note to self!
This is a great post 😀 I've been thinking of opening my own e-shop but I'm not really sure. This has helped me a little and I'm now leaning toward not. 😉 I hate making a site then having it fail.
This is a great post 😀 I've been thinking of opening my own e-shop but I'm not really sure. This has helped me a little and I'm now leaning toward not. 😉 I hate making a site then having it fail.
I say do it, but maybe not now. It's best to focus one one project at a time. Collect resources, write copy and gather as much as you can in say, 6 months, and then open one. Get as much completed in that 6 months as possible so you can just focus on the shop and the shop alone. Read lots of books and articles so you can get in customers' minds before they shop. Learn about persuasion marketing and writing copy – though don't buy a library, just look at blogs and read articles first. Give yourself 6 months to prepare and learn and your shop will do fantastically. What would you be selling?? If it's handmade stuff, you could always test the waters on Etsy or eBay first.
I say do it, but maybe not now. It's best to focus one one project at a time. Collect resources, write copy and gather as much as you can in say, 6 months, and then open one. Get as much completed in that 6 months as possible so you can just focus on the shop and the shop alone. Read lots of books and articles so you can get in customers' minds before they shop. Learn about persuasion marketing and writing copy – though don't buy a library, just look at blogs and read articles first. Give yourself 6 months to prepare and learn and your shop will do fantastically. What would you be selling?? If it's handmade stuff, you could always test the waters on Etsy or eBay first.