Be online to be found [Photo credit: Naypong, via FreeDigitalPhotos.net]
Even if you don't have a website yet (though you should!), you can still profit from online shoppers.
Edmonton, AB (PRWEB) November 30, 2013
The Thanksgiving weekend traditionally marks the beginning of the shopping spree that lasts until after Christmas. More and more of it is happening online, and many retailers are losing business to their more web-savvy competitors. But it's not to late to make a few small tweaks that will help make sure your business doesn't miss out completely, says retail online marketing expert, Tema Frank, owner of Frank Online Marketing and Web Mystery Shoppers Inc.
Online sales are up nearly 20% from last year, and using mobile phones to help locate and buy the products people want is skyrocketing. If you don't want to miss out, you need to at least be findable on social media, even if you don't have your own website. Tema Frank, who also hosts the weekly podcast, the Frank Online Marketing Show, advises companies to take these steps right away, even if they don't have a website:
1. Make sure your business has a Facebook Page. It's free and easy to do. Facebook has easy to follow instructions.
2. Next, tell everyone you know about it. If you have any personal social media accounts, use them and encourage your friends and fans to "Like" your page. If you have a mailing list, use it to tell people about your page.
3. Run Cyber-Monday and pre-Christmas sales on a few items; ideally including at least one that will appeal to a lot of people. Then tell everyone about those sales.
4. If you have a website, put those special offers on your website, and link from your Facebook page to the page on your website where you've got your special offers. You don't want to be dependent on Facebook for all your business in the long run, because they might change their rules. They are are already making it harder and harder to be seen on Facebook if you aren't paying to advertise there.
5. Offer people discounts or something else they'd value in exchange for give you their e-mail address. Save them in a free e-mailing program like MailChimp, and start sending out newsletters.
Want more free advice? Get '10 Tips to Get My Website Ready For the Holiday Season'. Visit Frank Online Marketing and look for the box with the orange header.
Frank Online Marketing is helps retailers profit from the Internet, with web and mobile marketing strategies. Web Mystery Shoppers Inc. does mystery shopping of websites, helping companies understand what needs to be changed to improve sales conversion rates.
