The perfect resource for local businesses looking to grow and generate sales online quickly and profitably.
The Ultimate Guide to Business Growth and Generating Sales Online is full of insights and strategies for local business owners, small business marketing professionals, and anyone looking to increase their customer base and profitability with digital marketing and lead generation strategies.
Read it now to build or refine your online marketing and lead generation plan without wasting hours trying to research and decipher what you should do alone.
What Are Online Sales?
Online sales refer to transactions conducted over the internet, usually facilitated by an online marketplace or retailer. Online sales provide customers with the convenience of shopping from anywhere, anytime, and without having to visit physical stores. It has become increasingly popular in recent years thanks to increasing internet penetration and faster access speeds.
When you get down to it, online sales are simply sales.
It’s how today’s businesses get in front of their ideal customers and help them solve problems with their products and services ultimately ending up with a sale.
In order to create online sales you will need to understand digital marketing. The biggest thing you need to understand how to do is to make the right offer at the right time and in the right place. We all know that customers are people who are online right now doing various things until they become aware they have a need.
Digital marketing is the aspect of sales that puts your message in front of people in different places where they are hanging out or in some cases actively looking to solve problems.
If you’re new to online sales, it can be overwhelming at first because there are a lot of different paths to get to your objectives. You will need to understand several tactics to be successful. It all comes down to mapping out how your customers are guided along an online path you curate for them to go from strangers to happy repeat customers.
Let’s take a closer look at how that happens.
How Does Online Sales Work?
In many ways, online sales are no different than traditional sales and marketing. In both, business owners and sales representatives seek to develop mutually beneficial relationships with prospects, leads, and customers.
But online sales have replaced most traditional marketing and sales tactics because it’s designed to reach today’s consumers where they are at.
For example…
Think about the last important high-dollar purchase you made. Maybe you purchased a home, or an appliance hired someone to fix your roof, or changed a vendor at your office.
For purchases of this nature, you probably began by searching online to learn more about available solutions, who provided them, what they cost, and what the best options were. Your buying decision would have been based on the reviews you read, the friends and family you consulted, and the solutions, features, and pricing you researched.
The point is that most purchasing decisions begin and end online.
That being said, an online presence is absolutely necessary—regardless of what you sell.
The key is to develop an online strategy that not only puts you in all the places your followers are already hanging out but also allows them to self-serve until they need to interact with your business to finalize their purchase decision.
…Content helps to keep them updated with what you offer, the problems they’re facing, and how you solve those problems…
…Paid Ads to help you get in front of people who are actively searching to solve their problems
…Reviews to help show them that you are legitimate and trustworthy
…Booking systems to make it easier for them to set appointments on their terms
…And automation to follow up with your prospects to be sure they feel that you have prioritized communication with them
When you put all these pieces together, you’ll end up with an efficient, online sales machine. And while it may feel intimidating to build that machine from scratch, there are platforms available that literally have it all in one place.
This is why we’ve put together this guide: To help you build or refine your own online sales plan without the false starts and mistakes that come from being inexperienced.
What Are The Benefits Of Online Sales?
- It will make it easier to create awareness and generate new leads
- It will help you convert new buyers into repeat buyers who buy more (and more often)
- It will kickstart word-of-mouth and social sharing—and all the benefits that come with them
- It will shorten the buyer’s journey by presenting the right offers at the right time and the right trust signals
Learn The Strategies That Get Real Results
Be aware, the online sales scene is always changing and evolving. But there are some things about business and sales that stand the test of time regardless of where it happens.
The truth is, online sales are less about “digital” and more about “sales,” largely because all transactions are a function of human needs and desires. Its fundamentals have been well-established for decades.
At the Local Growth System, our objective is to help guide you to adopt tactics that work and will continue to work.
We want to show you how to use them to grow your online sales and your business overall. We stand firmly against the so-called “gurus” who promote the next “shiny object” or “quick fix”. Seldom do these things really work in the long run and it is expensive and dangerous to try to follow the trends. You typically end up with things that are half-built bridges to nowhere.
Here, we’re all about the fundamentals.
As you’ll see in this guide, these 14 fundamental elements that are critical to your business growth today, tomorrow, and for years to come will be covered in depth as a chapter of The Ultimate Guide to Business Growth And Generating Sales Online as shown below.
About The Ultimate Guide to Business Growth And Generating Sales Online
Online sales aren’t magic, and you don’t need to be a computer whiz to be good at it. If you offer products or services that solves problems or is desirable for enough people who are actually willing to buy them, you can successfully sell them online using the strategies taught in this guide.
The Ultimate Guide to Business Growth And Generating Sales Online doesn’t present hype about the latest flashy online trends. Instead, this resource covers foundational strategies such as content marketing, paid ads, and generating reviews. These tactics are always aimed at creating customer trust, generating more leads, and converting more sales online.
What You’ll Learn
From best practices for marketing campaigns to ways to optimize website performance, this guide covers it all. In addition, we’ll explore how the right technology can help streamline processes, improve scalability, and ensure success on social media platforms.
By following the tips outlined in this article, entrepreneurs, small business owners, and anyone else interested in boosting their bottom line will have all they need to become an e-commerce powerhouse. Get ready to take your business growth efforts up a notch with our ultimate guide!
CHAPTER
01
Developing A Successful Content Marketing Plan
Creating a successful content marketing plan is essential for any business looking to grow and generate sales online. It starts with understanding your existing customers and identifying the target audience you’re trying to reach. By focusing on the needs of both groups, you can create compelling content that resonates with them.
Social media platforms are excellent channels for sharing this content and engaging users in meaningful conversations about it. Content must be tailored to each platform, however, as different networks offer unique opportunities for engagement and promotion. For example, visuals such as videos or GIFs work best on Instagram while Twitter requires shorter messages with hashtags to maximize visibility.
By taking advantage of these mediums, you can build relationships, trust, and loyalty among current customers and potential buyers alike – all crucial components of an effective content marketing strategy. With thoughtful planning and clear objectives in mind, you’ll soon see the benefits of having invested time into developing a solid foundation for digital growth. Moving on from here we’ll explore how paid advertising can help boost website traffic.
CHAPTER
02
Boosting Website Traffic With Paid Ads
It’s a proven fact: Paid advertising is one of the most effective ways to boost website traffic and increase sales. But how do you use it effectively? It takes careful planning, research, and an understanding of customer service and marketing strategies.
Here are four steps to help get started with paid ads on search engines:
- Establish your budget – How much can you spend each month? Knowing this will dictate which platforms you should focus on, as well as what type of ads they offer that fit within your budget.
- Research keywords – Get clear on who your audience is and what words or phrases they might be using when searching for products or services related to yours. This will help you determine which keywords to target in your campaigns.
- Choose the right platform – Different sites have different goals, costs, reach and results so make sure you pick one that best fits your business needs. Consider factors like size, demographics, and pricing structure before selecting a platform for your ad campaigns.
- Track performance – Regularly monitor the progress of your campaigns by analyzing data such as impressions, clicks, and conversions. Adjustments may need to be made over time based on these insights.
Paid advertising can be an effective way to generate leads if done correctly – but it requires dedication and regular monitoring so you know where improvements can be made. With proper planning and strategy in place, businesses can make the most out of their investment while increasing visibility online.
CHAPTER
03
Top Strategies For Increasing Your Online Visibility
It’s time to take your e-commerce business from obscurity to the next level. With a few simple strategies, you can increase your online visibility and let potential customers know about your products or services.
If you’ve been searching for ways to make sure people see what you have to offer, increasing your online visibility could be just the ticket. It involves using various tactics like blogging and paid advertising to ensure that more eyes are on your online store or blog posts.
For starters, getting active on social media can help spread awareness of your brand with minimal effort. Posting regularly about new promotions or updates — as well as engaging with relevant conversations – will give you an excellent opportunity to get in front of potential customers. Additionally, experimenting with pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is another great way to drive traffic straight away; it allows you to target specific audiences who might otherwise never find out about what you’re offering!
By optimizing these channels, you’ll be able to boost both organic search engine rankings and direct visits alike – all while creating relationships with prospective buyers along the way. Now that we’ve covered how important it is for businesses to invest in increasing their online footprint, let’s move on to analyzing user behavior and optimizing the customer journey…
CHAPTER
04
Analyzing User Behavior And Optimizing The Customer Journey
Have you ever heard the saying, “It costs more to acquire a new customer than retain an existing one?” This statistic is true – it takes five times as much effort to attract a new customer than keep an existing one. However, analyzing user behavior and optimizing the customer journey can help businesses increase their sales and grow their customer bases.
By understanding how users interact with your product or service, you can create a better overall experience for them. You can use this knowledge to improve things like website design, content marketing strategies, and communication tactics. For example, if you know that most of your customers are searching for certain keywords related to your business instead of using direct URLs, then make sure those keywords show up in your page titles and meta descriptions.
Taking these steps will help ensure that customers have a seamless transition through each step of the purchasing process. In addition to improving customer satisfaction levels, this will also result in increased conversions and improved ROI from online campaigns. A well-optimized customer journey leads to increased loyalty among current customers while expanding potential opportunities for acquiring new ones.
You don’t want all your hard work going to waste when users reach the end of the buying cycle – which is why focusing on improving the customer’s journey is essential for long-term success. Understanding user behavior combined with data-driven decisions is key when looking to expand your base and generate more sales online. Let’s explore how referrals and word-of-mouth marketing can be used to acquire even more customers moving forward.
CHAPTER
05
Acquire New Customers Through Referrals And Word-Of-Mouth Marketing
Studies show that word-of-mouth marketing is a powerful tool for acquiring new customers. In one study, 84% of people said they either completely or somewhat trusted recommendations from family and friends over any other form of advertisement. This illustrates just how important it can be to leverage referrals and generate positive buzz about your e-commerce store among potential customers.
Leveraging referrals and getting positive reviews are two easy ways to help spread the word about your business. You can incentivize current customers by offering discounts or exclusive offers as rewards when they refer their friends to your site. Additionally, you can also invest in customer experience initiatives like providing excellent customer service, responding quickly to inquiries, and going above and beyond what your competitors offer – all of which will increase brand loyalty and boost sales.
Making sure current customers receive great value from shopping with your business ensures that they’ll want to share their experiences with others who may become future customers themselves. Offering incentives for sharing builds more trust with potential buyers who may be on the fence about making a purchase from you – ultimately leading to increased conversions for your e-commerce store.
CHAPTER
06
The Benefits Of Implementing A Web Chat Widget For Your Business
Implementing a web chat widget for your business is an invaluable tool to acquire new customers and build relationships with existing ones. Not only does it provide convenience and customer service, but it can also help you stand out from the competition, especially if you are a brick-and-mortar shop. Here are some of the benefits of using a web chat widget:
- Increased Customer Engagement – A web chat widget enables customer access to assistance when they need it most quickly and conveniently. This helps establish trust between you and your customers and encourages them to return in the future.
- Reduced Costs – Web live chats eliminate the cost associated with traditional call centers, such as telephone line rental fees, staff salaries, etc., allowing businesses to save money over time.
- Accept Credit Cards Instantly – Customers expect fast payments these days and having a web chat widget allows businesses to accept credit cards instantly which can significantly reduce cart abandonment rates.
By integrating a web chat widget into their website, businesses will benefit from increased engagement with customers, reduced costs, and improved payment processing speed. These advantages will help ensure long-term success by improving customer experience while increasing sales opportunities at the same time. With this foundation set in place, developing a winning reputation marketing strategy becomes much easier.
CHAPTER
07
Developing A Winning Reputation Marketing Strategy
Building a winning reputation marketing strategy is like steering the ship of your business – it’s an essential tool to help you reach success. To craft this plan, one needs to consider their audience and understand what drives them to buy products. Here are four key steps for creating an effective reputation marketing strategy:
- Analyze Your Target Audience: Consider who your customers are and how they interact with you online. Understand their preferences, motivations, and pain points when it comes to purchasing from your brand.
- Utilize Social Media Platforms: Leverage social media networks such as Twitter and Instagram to share content that resonates with your target audience. Showcase customer stories, feature product reviews, or host giveaways to increase engagement with your followers.
- Monitor Online Reviews & Engage With Customers: Keep track of what people are saying about you across multiple platforms. Responding quickly and positively can help build trust in your brand over time.
- Offer A Wide Range Of Products Or Services: Having a wide selection of offerings allows customers more opportunities to find something they’re interested in buying from you which will ultimately lead to increased sales.
These strategies should be implemented into any successful marketing campaign if businesses want to reap the benefits associated with selling products online. By monitoring customer feedback, engaging on social media channels, analyzing target audiences’ behaviors, and providing a variety of services or products; organizations can set themselves up for success by building a winning reputation marketing strategy. Taking these actions creates an environment where customers feel comfortable doing business with you – leading not only to higher conversion rates but also greater loyalty long-term! Now let’s explore automation tools that can streamline internal processes while increasing efficiency…
CHAPTER
08
Automation Tools To Streamline Internal Processes & Increase Efficiency
As an ultimate guide to business growth and generating sales online, streamlining internal processes is essential for success. Automation tools are invaluable assets that can help in this effort; they enable businesses to increase efficiency while freeing up resources for other tasks.
The cost-effectiveness of automation tools makes them a smart choice for any business looking to reduce costs without sacrificing quality. Additionally, the time saved with automated processes allows staff members to focus on more critical aspects of their job instead of mundane manual labor. With these advantages, automated solutions can provide an edge over competitors who don’t leverage technology in the same way.
Using automation tools not only helps improve the overall efficiency of your operations but also promotes better decision-making throughout the organization. By providing access to real-time data analysis, managers can make informed decisions quickly and confidently – ensuring there’s no lag between identifying opportunities and taking advantage of them. This type of agility will undoubtedly have a positive impact on all facets of your business as you move forward into 2021 and beyond.
Automating internal processes is just one part of building a successful e-commerce strategy; next, we’ll look at how turning missed calls into leads could be beneficial for your bottom line…
CHAPTER
09
How To Turn Missed Calls Into Leads
It’s no secret that missed calls can mean lost opportunities, but what if there was a way to turn them into leads? That’s right – it is possible! With the right strategies and tools in place, businesses can capitalize on those otherwise untapped potential customers.
One way of doing this is by using automation software. This type of software automates various tasks such as customer data capture and follow-up emails whenever someone tries to get in touch via phone call. By setting up automated notifications or reminders for sales reps when they have an incoming call from a lead, companies can be sure to never miss out on an important opportunity again. Additionally, they can easily track metrics like conversion rates and average response times so they know exactly where their efforts are yielding results.
By implementing these types of processes, businesses not only save time and money but also gain valuable insights that help them better serve their clients. Plus, with unified communication platforms becoming increasingly popular among entrepreneurs and small business owners alike, now is the perfect time for companies to start leveraging the power of automation technologies to maximize their effectiveness in turning missed calls into successful outcomes.
With all this said, understanding how to make use of these solutions within your business is key; which brings us nicely to our next topic: What are Unified Communication Platforms?
CHAPTER
10
What Are Unified Communication Platforms?
In the modern business world, unified communication platforms are considered an essential tool for success; but what exactly are they? One might be forgiven for being a little confused. After all, it’s not like you can pick one up from your local store!
Satirically speaking, unified communications platforms (UCPs) have become so ubiquitous that we often take them for granted – and yet without them, our businesses would undoubtedly suffer. UCPs offer a range of benefits that any growing organization should consider:
- They provide access to advanced features such as video conferencing and audio conferencing.
- They allow users to connect with customers in real-time via text messages, voice calls or even video chats.
- They enable collaboration between employees regardless of their location.
- They facilitate efficient customer service by centralizing multiple channels into one platform.
From enabling better teamwork to providing convenient contact options for potential clients, UCPs help businesses make the most out of every interaction. As such, it’s no wonder why many organizations are now investing in these innovative solutions – after all, there is much to gain from taking advantage of this technology. Moving forward then, let us explore how creating an online booking system could enhance your operations further…
CHAPTER
11
How To Create An Online Booking System For Your Business
Creating an online booking system for your business may seem daunting at first, but it doesn’t have to be! With the right tools and a few simple steps, you can easily set up an efficient customer scheduling process. Here’s how:
- Choose a software solution that fits your needs; there are many options available such as Google Calendar, Acuity Scheduling or Calendly.
- Set up automation so customers can book appointments with ease; this could include automated confirmations and reminders through email or text messaging.
- Integrate payment processing solutions into the platform; this allows customers to pay before their appointment and eliminates manual invoicing down the line.
By utilizing these features, businesses can streamline their booking processes significantly – which in turn leads to more efficient customer service, higher satisfaction levels, and ultimately increased sales. Plus, setting up an online booking system is easier than ever before – all you need is some time and dedication to get started on building one tailored specifically to your company’s unique needs. As we move forward into integrating automation into our customer service strategies, having an effective online booking system will prove invaluable in achieving success.
CHAPTER
12
Integrating Automation Into Your Customer Service Strategy
It is widely accepted that automation can be a powerful tool when it comes to customer service. However, there may be more to this theory than meets the eye. To fully understand how automation can help your business grow and generate sales online, we must look at integrating them into your customer service strategy:
- Automation for Efficiency: Automated processes such as chatbots and automated emails free up time for employees by taking on mundane tasks like answering frequently asked questions. This allows employees to focus their efforts on higher-value activities like problem-solving and developing relationships with customers.
- Customization of Customer Service: By utilizing automation tools you can enable tailored experiences for each individual customer based on their preferences and needs. For example, automated reminders about upcoming appointments or delivery status updates can make the process smoother for both customers and businesses alike.
- Analyzing Data: Automation also provides opportunities to track data over time which in turn helps businesses gain valuable insights into customer behavior patterns allowing them to target specific audiences and adjust services accordingly.
By implementing these strategies, businesses are able to reduce costs associated with manual labor while offering better customer service overall. As a result, they are able to increase efficiency while creating positive experiences that keep customers coming back time after time – making integrations of automation into your customer service strategy an invaluable asset towards growing your business and generating sales online. With this knowledge in hand, we now look at maximizing the effectiveness of online reviews and ratings…
CHAPTER
13
Maximizing The Effectiveness Of Online Reviews And Ratings
Like stars in the night sky, reviews and ratings help illuminate the path to successful business growth. They are invaluable tools that can be leveraged for maximum effectiveness when incorporated into any marketing strategy.
Online reviews and ratings offer potential customers a glimpse of what your brand is about before making a final purchasing decision. As such, understanding how to maximize their impact should be an integral part of any online business plan. From collecting customer feedback through surveys to responding promptly to negative comments, there are several steps you can take to ensure you make the most out of these valuable resources.
Creating incentives for customers who leave positive reviews and encouraging them to share their experiences on social media platforms is another way you can increase visibility while boosting your reputation as well. Additionally, engaging with both new and existing customers by responding quickly and courteously whenever they leave a review will show that you value their opinion and create more opportunities for meaningful interactions.
TIP: Monitor all reviews regularly so that you’re aware of any changes or updates posted by users which helps keep your brand at the forefront of public opinion. This allows you to react swiftly if needed, ensuring that all customer queries are addressed in a timely manner. With this approach, you’ll have access to valuable insights allowing you to refine your strategies accordingly for better results going forward.
By taking advantage of these simple yet effective tactics, brands can bolster their presence across multiple channels while enhancing customer satisfaction levels – delivering improved ROI and increased sales over time.
CHAPTER
14
Developing A Successful Mobile Marketing Plan
Creating a successful mobile marketing plan can be like painting a masterpiece – with the right colors and techniques, it’s possible to create something truly beautiful.
The key to success is understanding how to optimize your strategy for this particular medium. Mobile devices are increasingly prevalent in our lives, so implementing an effective mobile marketing plan could be essential for businesses hoping to reach their target audience.
To get started, you’ll need an app or website optimized for mobile use; research what features will best suit your customers’ needs. Additionally, consider using push notifications as part of your campaign – they’re highly effective at building customer loyalty and delivering timely messages without being too intrusive.
Finally, understand the legal implications of any promotional activities you undertake on mobile platforms: different countries have their own regulations which must be respected when running campaigns across international borders. With careful planning and execution, you can develop a powerful mobile marketing tool that drives sales and expands your business reach.