Desk computer displaying growth graphs
If you run a small local business, chances are you have a website of some kind. You can also set up some products to be sold online here and there. However, you may not yet be able to tap into the huge potential of building a genuine e-commerce arm for your business. And you may not realize how easy or lucrative it can be for local small businesses to go online.
If you still rely mostly on brick-and-mortar stores, it's time to consider a change. Here are some low-risk, high-reward ways to successfully scale in to the digital world.
1. Perform a digital restart
As mentioned earlier, you may already have a great website or a decent online store. But you can probably do more to be more competitive with other e-commerce sites in your field.
If you haven't already, your site should be hosted on, or at least integrated with, a platform designed for e-commerce, such as Shopify, Squarespace, or BigCommerce. Make sure it's easy to use, intuitive, and has a clean, simple design. It may be worth having a professional perform a user experience audit.
Perhaps most importantly, make sure your site is optimized for mobile users. Don't forget that 91% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 49 (probably the majority of their target customers) shop on their smartphones. Most web design platforms allow you to convert desktop designs to mobile layouts almost automatically. However, you need to make sure that the mobile version is attractive and easy to use.
2. Harness the power of online testimonials
Getting good product reviews on your site and other platforms can do wonders for your business. Consumers don't trust brands, but they trust other people's experiences with brands and products. Positive reviews are just as effective as hearing directly from people you know in real life.
Smallbiz Technology encourages businesses to post reviews and testimonials directly on their websites and social media channels. But they also point out that positive reviews on third-party sites like Google, Yelp, and Trustpilot can generate a lot of traffic.
Offer to offer free products or discounts as an incentive to get customers to write reviews. However, if you sell products through marketplaces like Amazon, be aware that exchanging gifts for reviews may be against your policies. Alternatively, you can reach out to customers who love your product and ask them to take a moment to write a short article.
3. Offer convenient payment and shipping options
Customers won't buy online unless you make it as easy as shopping on Amazon. It is essential to offer fast, free or cheap shipping and remove all friction from the shopping experience. Even if a customer is already seriously considering a purchase, the smallest detail may bother them.
Under no circumstances should you force your customers to create an account before checking out. This is one of the fastest ways to turn a customer who buys now into one who just closed her browser tab on your site. In addition to standard credit cards, it's also important to offer a number of convenient payment options such as PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
Packing and shipping orders in-house can potentially save you money if you're just starting out. But small businesses don't have the infrastructure to continue doing so at scale. Ultimately, you will need to contract with a third-party fulfillment service. Shopify offers its own in-house options and maintains a list of other recommended fulfillment services you can try.
4. Be smart about email marketing and social media
One of the benefits of being a local small business owner is that you already have a loyal following. There are people close to you who support your business and want to see it thrive. If you create content that speaks to your biggest supporters, they'll be excited to share it with others.
Email marketing remains one of the best ways to drive brand engagement and sales. After all, this is one of the few forms of brand communication that customers actually enjoy receiving. However, think carefully about your content. You don't want to irritate your loyal fans with ads for the same old product. You can use email to make announcements, share useful blog posts, or offer valuable discounts. It's the kind of content that your followers will be happy to pass on to their friends.
Social media is similarly a powerful tool for deepening ties with existing customers and reaching new ones. This is especially true when you actively engage with users, like replying to comments on Instagram or splicing videos together on TikTok. Partnering with influencers through platforms like Grin or Afluencer can also help drive engagement.
don't reinvent the wheel
As recently as five or 10 years ago, small businesses had to transition to e-commerce on their own. We needed our own system to do everything from packaging and shipping to handling customer service and accepting credit card payments.
Everything has changed. There are now easy and affordable third-party solutions for almost every e-commerce problem you can think of. We already have a small number of overworked staff members. Don't let them (or yourself) create a system from scratch, even though a quick Google search might turn up an off-the-shelf solution.
