Running a business these days, especially in the world of eCommerce is not particularly difficult. By saying this, we don’t mean that you don’t need to put a lot of work into it, because you do to make it thrive. There are, however, some great resources and platforms out there to make it easier to get your product out in front of your customer.
Platforms like Amazon have created opportunities for entrepreneurs globally to launch their products and big ideas to the market. Not only do they provide the sales platform, but they also provide a facility where you can make use of their warehousing and shipping services, cutting out the supply chain side of your business.
But, how do you make a platform like this a success? We took a look at some of the key ways that you can make sure that your Amazon business will thrive.
Have a unique product and business plan
The first thing you need to look at is what will make your products stand out from the others on Amazon. Amazon currently has more than 75 million products listed on their site, so making sure yours will have a place is key.
Do thorough research and carefully map out your business plan. Consider the following:
- Your competitors, their pricing, their selling points;
- Your USP and selling points of your products;
- The budget that you have available to promote and advertise;
- The sourcing, suppliers and supply chain of the products.
The key thing to know going in is how profitable your business can be. You could potentially generate even more profit if you were to sell your Amazon business. Thousands of entrepreneurs around the world work with this model, so, it is important to have the groundwork done to attract a buyer from the get-go.
Develop a marketing plan
Once you have your products chosen, listed and selling, it is time to do some marketing. It is not enough to simply list your products on Amazon and hope for the best. You will be competing with hundreds of similar products in thousands of categories, so you need to be seen.
Creating a digital marketing plan will entail starting social media platforms or even creating a website that will help you build up your brand. Once your brand starts developing a reach, the traffic to your products on Amazon will start increasing. It will also provide a sense of transparency and trust for your potential customers. They will be able to verify you and your company, which will increase your conversion rates.
Make use of Google Ads and PPC campaigns to directly target your audience when they search for related products and keywords. Set a monthly budget and create high-converting, keyword-rich ads to show up in your customers’ searches and on platforms. These typically appear in the search results above the organic traffic, giving you first access to your target demographic.
Make sure your SEO works for you
Following on from this, keywords and content are absolutely vital on the product pages themselves. So, make sure that each product page is SEO optimized.
First, create a simple, descriptive copy that is keyword-rich. Don’t stuff content with keywords, as Google will penalize you, but ensure that it contains keywords that are trending and matching the product. Keep up to date with your keyword research to make sure that your content will show up in customers’ searches.
Next, look at the images that you upload. Are they high-quality, web-optimized images? Make sure you add in more than one in order for your customer to get a good idea of various angles of the product as well as a close-up of the product. Lastly, add the keywords to the product description. In many cases, your customer will search for the product that they are looking for and search in images. You want yours to show up there, so invest in that too.
Provide outstanding customer service
In wrapping up, it is easier and more affordable to retain existing customers and clients than it is to recruit new ones, so focus on bringing customers back.
Ensure that your whole customer experience is thoroughly planned and perfected, from the moment they search your product to receiving it. If you are using Amazon to deliver your products, don’t simply sit back and forget your customer.
Keep communication open, find out how the process and product were and retarget them with a new campaign. Be open and on stand-by to answer any questions they might have and provide them with a return solution.
Wrapping up
Amazon provides you with a lot of guides and assistance to ensure that your business runs effectively and grows. It is a great way to start up a small business and scale it. As mentioned, you can either continue running it or make a profit by selling it on, it is up to you.
Photograph by Christian Wiediger