money matters, tips and tricks

Money Matters: 5 Ways To Keep Your Customers During The Pandemic

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Photo by Álvaro Serrano on Unsplash

The Covid19 pandemic put a stop in world economies. It made businesses, big and small alike, struggle to keep afloat while the world wait with bated breath for the onslaught of the would-be biggest health crisis of our time to finally stop. Numerous establishments were badly hit. Some may not even be opening up shops anytime soon. While those who were lucky enough to continue providing products and services to now-homebound customers and clienteles grapple at the staggering changes and restrictions brought about by the current situation.

The economic crisis brought about by this health emergency is but another reason to make sure your customers continue to patronize your products and services. Here are a few things to do exactly that:

Focus on your existing customers

The loyal customers are the backbone of every business or enterprise. You need to put premium on your existing customers as you also build a number of new ones for your business. Commend the people who continue to support your company even in this difficult times. Go the extra mile to provide better service or improved products.

A few of the things you can do to show your customers exactly how you value them includes reviewing your loyalty program or hosting free webinars. You can also provide streamlined customer support for an even improved customer experience.

Establish a constant communication with your customers

Life in the time of Covid-19, money matters, tips and tricks, money talks
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Now that your clients are unable to see you face-to-face as they cannot visit your shop or your store, it is high time that you set up a way for your customers to contact you conveniently and instantly. This is also the time to show your users and subscribers that you hear them and that you empathize with their causes. You can use your online pages for this purpose. You can also set up a mailing list or set up a hotline where the users can contact you any time.

Ask your self this question: why do I need a customer 360 view? and consider investing on softwares and products to help you effectively manage your customer data. This will allow you to use these data in order to serve and supply your clients better.

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tips and tricks

Tips + Tricks: 7 Things You Should Do When Starting An Online Store

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tips and tricks, putting up your own small business, business, money talks, money matters
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Research shows that up to 80% of internet users make at least one online purchase in their lifetime. This statistic explains the trend by most businesses to launch online stores. They are simple and cheap to set-up compared to the brick and mortar methods, and retailers can reach more customers within a short period. In fact, marketers predict a surge in e-commerce sales by up to $523 billion in the next few years. These are some pretty great facts for any retailer who wants to set-up an online store, but research also shows many e-commerce businesses do not make profits. Some cite ineffective marketing campaigns while others have poor business operations. Savvy entrepreneurs share their insights on how to improve the chances of success of their online stores by doing these 7 things when starting an online store.

Choose your System Carefully

Naturally, retailers will follow what other retailers are doing. However, some companies use specialized custom solutions developed on old systems that may not support your business. As such, any online startup business should choose a popular system that is well-supported. It should also produce attractive shops and have a good community. Retailers who don’t want to use codes can choose hosted platforms like Shopify.

Pay Special Attention to SEO

A while ago, developing SEO optimized content for an online store was pretty easy. However, with the unpredictable changes in Google algorithms, it has become difficult to create unique content for the stores without duplication. It does not render SEO impractical; in fact, it is the most important tool for stores that want to improve their ranking and visibility.

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The Challenge Of Creating An Effective Business Brand

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Creating a business is not easy. Creating a successful business at times may seem all but impossible. Proof of this can be seen by the number of small businesses that are created every single year and then fail. While there are a lot of factors that contribute to the success or failure of a business, one of the major contributing factors is branding.

When people think about branding, they mistakenly believe that it is just creating a local or a graphic element that represents their business. In truth, branding includes the entire experience that your customers have when they interact with your business. This encompasses everything including your logo, social media, your company’s website, what your employees say when they pick up the telephone, the personalized packing tape they see when your business sends them a product, and the way your staff interacts with customers. Branding is what makes your business unique. It is what makes it different from all of the other businesses that are currently out there. Branding is what influences the perception that your customers have when they think about you and your business.

 

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It’s important to understand that branding is not something that happens by accident. It requires planning, creativity, and hard work. When you see a company that has a good brand, it is the result of a well thought out and strategic plan. Unfortunately, many small businesses avoid spending the time, money, and energy needed to successfully brand themselves. They do not understand how important this aspect of marketing is for the future success of their business.

One reason why branding is key is because people are likely to do business with a company that they feel an emotional attachment to and that they are familiar with. When a business is easy to recognize and when the colors, logos, and slogans attached to the business are consistent, people feel more at ease when purchasing services from said company.

A second reason why branding is key is because it allows your business to distinguish itself from the competition. This is very important especially now that businesses are competing on a global scale. Your business is not just competing with the brick-and-mortar store that is on your same street. It is also competing with the thousands of online stores that sell products very similar to yours.

Creating the right brand is not easy. It requires strategy. But in the end, it pays off.

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