Tag Archives: ecommerce
Is your business Christmas proofed
The question is, when is it time to start thinking about Christmas if you are an entrepreneur, running a business, owner of an online shop or any other enterprise that provides a service, training or goods to the public or other businesses and are be affected by Christmas ?
Some really forward looking people start planning Christmas and all of the logistical necessities that this extra busy time can entail in January, in fact the minute the door is closing on one festive season, the window of opportunity is just beginning to open for the following season of good cheer with its looser wallets and purses.
Some businesses rely so much on Christmas, it would be a complete dereliction to ignore this prime time of the year. It is incredibly important to plan as much of your business activity as possible during this extra busy time of year, especially if you are a company that requires training for its workforce, making sure that all plans are in place in good time can avoid disastrous consequences and lost revenue, not to mention loss of consumer confidence.
Let’s look at some facts that might help put into perspective the very real proposition that the Christmas period is ultimately the only important time of year and all other times are simply rehearsing for it.
At least half of small businesses rely so entirely on this seasonal trading that without it there would be no growth, almost 25% of the entire yearly revenue is taken during the festive trading period.
The average household in Britain spends around £800 at this time of year, this is a conservative estimate. This distils into a figure of around £40 for each present that UK shoppers buy for and on average we all buy 14 or 15 presents, this is in stark contrast to shoppers on the continent who spend around £20 per gift and buy only six or seven gifts each year.
Online shopping has rocketed over the years and peaked in 2017 at an all-time high of around £30 billion, this trend looks set to continue over the coming years with a massive 80% of shoppers in Britain saying that they purchase their gifts online. It is also a fact that 70% of the U.K.’s male population state that they are unlikely to buy gifts in a shop when they can obtain them online.
An incredible £7 billion was spent by shoppers using their mobiles in 2017, bringing into sharp focus the necessity for any forward-looking business to have an online presence that is easy to use and navigate the most up-to-date version possible to make the shopping experience as easy and quick as it can be, those businesses lagging behind the online technology will suffer the consequences as consumers will most certainly make them pay a heavy price by taking their online footfall elsewhere.
40% of discerning gift buyers in UK go online as early as August and September looking for festive bargains that will look good for them when handed over on that very important morning in December.
The lesson in this for all businesses is to start capturing those clients as early as possible with Christmas offers and bargains to tempt them in.
The truly smart business manager or entrepreneur will never leave their Christmas planning until November and December when the decorations are going up, the most successful entrepreneurs will have their plans laid in stone and the nets out to capture this most lucrative of times way, way in advance, Certainly by the end of summer Christmas will loom large in their thoughts and absolutely the wheels of their plan will be grinding into motion by the end of September and no later.
Being ready for the logistical demands that the festive period puts on businesses of all sorts it’s not just a case of hiring the extra staff paying for training courses or even ensuring that the extra stock that will be required is indeed available in your warehouse, you have to look Christmas ready, you have to make your clients feel Christmassy the minute they encounter you on any level, be it in person, in the training room or even, and probably more importantly, on your website and in your social media images and messages on your website should truly reflect the fact that Christmas is coming and make your visitors feel the most welcome that they can be.
Now that the summer has gone by and we are all subjected to grey days and drizzly rain a true lift to the spirit of all human beings is to look forward and imagine ourselves in a winter wonderland themed with Father Christmas, Christmas trees, rosy chested Robbins and wondrous winter snowy landscapes, all images that we should be putting out over the Internet.
It really does not matter what you’re selling or what your service is, you will definitely do better and increase spend by your consumer if they feel jolly and nothing creates jolly better than to identify with the jolly, rotund bringer of Christmas himself with his glowing cheeks flowing white hair & beard and his shiny red suit.
making your clients feel good will invariably result in more revenue, this may sound very cynical but if you don’t do it someone else will and that someone else will take the benefit that could’ve been yours.
Not only is the festive season a time for storing away profits to keep you going through the lean times of the year but it is also time for you to free your inner Santa Claus, if you become the embodiment of Christmas and all of the cheer that that brings with it, you will invariably create a feeling in your workplace and in your customers that will definitely set an atmosphere conducive to higher profits.
Why your business needs to have goals
Every business needs to have goals. Without goals, you will carry on as you are and will fall into bad habits that can cost you money in the long run, here at Gleave Media we work with digital goals so we can clearly share with our customers what we are aiming to achieve and map the route we take to achieve them. But why does your business need goals and what happens if you dont have any?
Increased inefficiencies
Without clearly defined goals your business will suffer from increased inefficiencies. Setting business goals can help you by allowing you to constantly review systems and see how they can be improved, but without them, things will carry on as they are and become more lax over time. Businesses without goals often end up with increased inefficiencies, simply because they are not working towards improving their systems.
Decreased income
Without goals in place, it is common for businesses to suffer from decreased income. When there are no goals there is no drive to maximise sales, upsell and find new customers because there is no clear reward for doing so. Where goals are not in place it is common for businesses and employees to settle with what they get and not use initiative to maximise opportunities. With sales goals and targets to work towards, however, there is a constant motivation to work towards this.
Stifled growth
Expanding or growing a business is an expensive and complicated process that simply will not happen if you do not have it as a goal to do so. For many small and medium enterprises that have not set goals to grow and expand, this is the factor that eventually defeats them. Businesses need to be able to grow to meet demand or they will have to turn work away and will get a bad reputation for doing so, which in turn will harm business. Without goals in place, the only result is stifled growth.
So why set Digital Marketing goals?
We always aim to set clear goals as we believe they are vital in any business because it sets the direction and focus that we are working towards and ideally for the company to increase sales and grow trade. Setting goals can be difficult from the subjective position of an owner, where we come in is that we can help you to look objectively at your business and determine how these digital marketing goals can help you to expand and grow.
Getting your business facing these challenges and have them working for you shouldn’t be an afterthought – the businesses that succeed will be the ones that know their tone of voice and ensure it is used across all communication. If you need help in ensuring your business has the right tone of voice then please call us on 01392 241653 or contact us through the website here for a no obligation conversation.
6 Key Elements of a Successful Content Strategy for Small Business Owners
As a small business, one of the many challenges that you’ll face is how to stand out from the crowd – especially when that crowd includes big names in your industry with huge marketing budgets. One thing you can’t skimp on in order to meet your goals is a solid content strategy for your online presence. With the right elements all working together, you can get more traffic, more attention, and more customer loyalty, without that Big Name budget. Here are the key elements of a successful content strategy to enhance your brand’s presence online:
Website and Storefront
For most small businesses today, an online storefront is a vital part of expanding your sales opportunities. But your website must be more than just a place to sell goods. It is also a place to introduce quality content to your audience. With an excellently maintained website or blog, you can present yourself as an authority in the industry, and build your brand’s identity in a way that will be very clear to the audience. This is the most important aspect of any content strategy, so be sure to focus the most time and energy on having a well-crafted website.
Social Media and Customer Interaction
Social media can’t be ignored in today’s online culture. While your website should be your central hub, social media should be the place where you can interact with customers on a regular basis. Be sure that you are always presenting your brand’s mission and unique personality in your social media presence. Organizations that interact, rather than just post, on social media are far more likely to convert one-time buyers into loyal customers.
Advertising Profiles and Guest Appearances
One thing that many companies overlook online is the power of connecting with other companies. Consumers like knowing that they are buying from experts, and gaining credibility from other sources is a great way to show your expertise. Seek out guest appearances on other blogs, collaborations with popular taste makers, and create profiles on popular advertising sites such as Yelp, to give your audience the sense that you are well-established as a leader in your niche.
These six elements are the key pieces of creating a successful content strategy for small businesses. With a strong website as your central hub, an engaging presence on social media, and other industry leaders lending you credibility through partnerships, you can begin crafting a powerful online presence that keeps your audience coming back.
Getting your business facing these challenges and have them working for you shouldn’t be an afterthought – the businesses that succeed will be the ones that make it integral to their strategy from the start. If you need help in ensuring your business is listed correctly then please call us on 01392 241653 or contact us through the website here for a no obligation conversation.
What your online business can learn from the High Street
It seems that these days pretty much any business can (and does) sell online after all it isnt that difficult and can be fairly straight forward the key is actually getting sales through the new online sales tool and this requires a real focussed approach and a really key understanding of the markets you are targeting, so these are 3 keys points that the high street has simply failed to address as highlighted by the recent high profile failures of HMV and Jessops.
Customer Service needs to be amazing
If want to look at simply amazing customer service you need look no further than Amazon who have led the way with their Customer First Attitude, at GleaveMedia we know from experience that they want you to be delighted, a parcel gets lost – no problem another will be sent, the product damaged – no problem send it back for a full refund. A customer service attitude that puts ‘me’ the customer first is always going to be a winner.
On the high street a retailer that follows a similar philosophy is John Lewis that goes so far as to give (off its own back) a 2 year warranty and 90 days software support on all laptops – how is that for having faith in the products you sell?
Dont forget your Brand
Order from Harrods and sure your delivery doesnt come in a green Harrods branded truck, it does come in a Harrods branded box though – no shame in that arriving at your house is it? This branding stands for something and even though you may never have been inside a Harrods store they still want you to have that Harrods experience.
On the high street Apple are a great example, when you buy an Apple computer the box is an integral part of the product – it identifies as to who you are and that as you walk down the high street back to your car it marks you out – an Apple user, spot the stares everyone knows what you have inside that box!
What is the latest trend?
Don’t fall into the we’ve always done it this way trap, having said that you don’t need to lead from the front and don’t forget that previous massively strong retailers like HMV lost their way and have perished in this ultra competitive world through not seeing how the market has changed. HMV in particular didn’t significantly promote gadgets or new technology, just seemingly wanting to stick to DVD’s and CD’s. The end of the typewriter should be a clear example to any growing business, there is nothing wrong with a typewriter, technology simply moved on – even though the BBC still gives us 5 reasons to still use one, we refrain!
So there you go our three key points the high street has simply failed to address, no doubt 2013 will see more high street failures and relaunches – maybe even some more big names? One thing is certain, setting up an online sales facility is relatively simple, its getting it running right and understanding what your customers actually want and then ensuring your business provides that. With web design and Digital Marketing Solutions by GleaveMedia you can be assured that we have the skills and experience to help your business win online, so please get in touch we’d love to help you.
Getting your ecommerce site ready for Christmas
As we head into the busiest quarter for most ecommerce sites, you as a site owner you need to ask yourself some really pertinent questions as there is simply no point in sending traffic to a less-than-optimised website or product listing. So before you do anything else then take a good look at your website and product listings and ask yourself the following question: Would I buy from this site?
You need to be hard and honest and this is where an experienced outside team can help, asking such things like;
is your design professional enough for your business image?
do your product pages look dated?
does the copy need updating, are you actually selling each and every product?
What about your photos, if they were taken on a mobile phone – this is not good enough these days.
Does your site have any additional costs that you aren’t honest and open about?
Do you have a significant drop off at checkout?
If the answer is yes to any of these direct questions your site will be loosing business, maybe more than you are actually winning so why not take the opportunity now to get your site working as it should. Don’t forget these days this can include simply collecting data on a brochure download or getting new likes on your Facebook page.
The simple truth is that you need to make it easy for any potential (and returning) customer to do business with you, if you don’t they may go elsewhere.
Gleave Media are experienced ecommerce consultants and can help get your business plans sorted in time for Christmas and beyond, please get in touch here…
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How to start selling on eBay
Ebay was launched way back in 1999 and is the UK’s largest online marketplace, here you can buy and sell everything from sofas to jewellery, from cars to pest control products and everything in-between. Yet we still find businesses who aren’t taking advantage of the global audience of hundreds of millions of potential buyers. Put simply with access to a massive global market you are sure to find a buyer for your products.
So the question has to be, how do you start selling on eBay and set your business up to maximise the potential from this great online sales tool???
Well you need to answer a few questions beforehand, these include
Why eBay? Have you got a product that people will actually buy at a price you are prepared to sell – don’t just take it for granted that eBay is a path to riches, it isn’t.
Do you know all the rules and regulations you need to be aware of and how you can manage and integrate this into your business? – this is where we can help.
Managing your business eBay account and keeping everything correct so the business on ebay can grow and prosper is very important, have you or a member of your staff got the time and experience to do this? – again we can help train and support your business through this tricky phase.
Finally a most importantly have your sorted out the shipping and dispatch so you can exceed your customers expectations?
[cm_ajax_subscribe id=3]GleaveMedia have worked with a considerable number of businesses to both launch themselves on eBay and enhance the profile they have to make the most out of it. We also run numerous invitation only eBay seminars If you want to find out more then please get in touch and/or add your details to our newsletter list below.
eBay Business Training Course in Devon
We are big believers in the power of eBay to deliver great results to pretty much all online businesses and we have worked with numerous customers to get them featured and selling worldwide on this fabulous ecommerce solution.
“Gleave Media has helped us learn, understand and launch a successful new side of the business.”
Now for the first time we are offering a public eBay course where we will introduce the power of eBay is expanding your businesses online sales reach in an incredibly cost effective way.
At this 2 hour seminar you will learn how you can
– find new customers for your existing business
– provide a platform to launch a new business or diversify
– help you boost sales, increase profits
– help optimise your online market
All bookings are being handled by eventbrite (you can book using the form below)…if you have any specific questions or maybe way to talk more about specific ebay requirements then please contact us direct.
Previous courses of ours have focused on Social Media and a great review of the engaging style and content of your trainer Alistair Gleave comes from the video review below.
Why your business should be selling using an eBay shop
eBay is a tool that pretty much every SME can and should be making use of, we know of no other ecommerce outlet that can match its reach and sales potential. Couple this with the actual cost for taking your business onto ebay and you have a winning combination.
eBay was launched in the UK in October 1999 and unsurprisingly this is the UK’s largest online marketplace
[cm_ajax_subscribe id=3]GleaveMedia run numerous eBay seminars and have worked with a considerable number of businesses to both launch on eBay and enhance the profile they have to make the most out of it. If you want to find out more then please get in touch and add your details to our newsletter list below.
*source ebay http://pages.ebay.co.uk/aboutebay/thecompany/companyoverview.html
eBay thoughts and predictions for 2012
So 2012 promises to be a great one for eBay if your business sells online then the chances are eBay should be a part of this strategy.
So our top five predictions for 2012 are;
1 – Top Rated Status
This is going to be even more important to have, you don’t necessarily need this UNLESS you want to power your sales forward. There is no doubt that Top Rated Status when achieved adds alot to your sales channel on eBay.
2 – Named Label Stores
We think eBay will continue to get more named label stores onto the site, they succeeded with Debenhams a while back and more will follow of that we are sure.
http://www.alistairgleave.co.uk/2009/10/debenhams-outlet-on-ebay-and-amazon/
3 – Second Hand
We have heard enough news reports about how people are cutting back and buying less, so why not offer them second hand, maybe you have new product that has been returned. You cant sell this as new BUT eBay gives a great market to sell as one owner?
4 – Amazon
I know this post is about eBay but you need to consider Amazon, it is getting more and more popular and you need to seriously consider this as a new sales channel.
and finally 5 – don’t forget mobile
Continued growth in mobile means you just cant forget how important catering for this market is – on ebay you cant do much about this, ebay makes the site mobile ready, just think about how you could bring it into your strategy.
So their you go our five predictions on eBay for 2012, if you business needs help with its ebay selling then why not get in touch now to see how we can really make a difference?
Groupon Vouchers are they good or bad for business?
Daily Deals from Groupon we love it, every day you get an email promoting that deal of the day as well as a few others that ‘may’ be of interest to you, these are from local businesses in your area and generally have huge savings of 50%+.
So popular is Groupon that is has been floated on the stock exchange and is worth around $10 billion, it literally is THAT popular.
The principal idea behind the site is that Groupon delivers lots of new customer to local businesses, in return the local business offers a substantial discount to Groupon subscribers. Everyone is a winner, the business gets lots of new customers, the customers get a great discount and Groupon takes a % of the sale.
If you are thinking of moving your business offers onto Groupon beware as there’s an issue with this type of customer and that is to do with the quality of the customer the local business gets. The deal is so great that the customer is just buying the price NOT the service, for example an Oven clean that normally is £99 on Groupon is £29 a massive saving, but how likely are you to return to that business and pay full price next time?
Just this week a massive ‘issue’ has been highlighted when this Bakers offers were too successful – read the article from the Daily Mail here.
Also something that is often overlooked is the upsell potential, a week or so ago the national Groupon was Premier League tickets to Fulham vs Bolton for just £15 (684 people purchased this) all the add ons that go with football, program, burger, coffee etc will all be at full price AND Fulham will have the data to market future offers to
So does your business have the opportunity to upsell or add value offer everything at ridiculously cheap prices…and you get ridiculously cheap customers.
Think about that the next time you want to go ‘as cheap as possible’!
Who will ONLY buy if you offer the absolute lowest price.
For honest Internet Consultancy and development, speak to the team that has been around the internet since 1999, you can contact us here.
