I probably come across a new eCommerce brand every day. With the explosion of online retail, competition is fierce. Rising above the noise is a challenge. While there are many complex factors involved in the success of an emerging business, one critical piece is building awareness of the company.
In the age of Amazon, many niche brands have still managed to go through the emerging growth process and successfully make it to the other side as a well-known leader in their industry. Consider companies such as Glossier and Away, which got its start by building a groundswell of attention across social media channels. The industries from which they came could not be more diverse, but strong and consistent PR and marketing campaigns have enabled them to mobilize brand advocates and position offerings as must-have products.
Determine Your Target Audience
Knowing your customer is the most important piece of any successful business strategy. By understanding who your market is and creating a targeted strategy to win their hearts and minds, your business will be far better equipped to scale and expand in the future. It’s important to understand everything from how and where your customers shop, to what their personal priorities are and how your product will help improve their day-to-day lives. Comprehensive audience data is critical to doing this well.
Some demographics, such as parent bloggers, are notorious for their allegiance to brands and activism. By tapping into specific groups and taking the time to understand what makes them tick, retailers can move beyond transactional retail to deliver value.
Use Influencers to Demonstrate a Lifestyle
Consumers purchase products that help them communicate who they are, define their personality and express their values and interests. By providing examples of how your product contributes to the ideal lifestyle of your customer, you are offering a pathway to their goals. Social media is an incredibly powerful tool because it is visual and collaborative. Successful eCommerce companies think beyond product sales and create content that is aspirational and engages customers meaningfully.
A large part of this strategy involves teaming up with influencers who embody a persona admired by your target consumers. By incorporating influencer relations into your broader marketing spend, you can demonstrate the value of your product in real-life scenarios and build credibility through individuals your target audience trust.
Consider Collaborating with Partnerships
Partnerships can pull in fresh audiences and reinforce existing loyalties. By demonstrating your understanding of the types of products and brands that appeal to your customer base, you create the perception that your product should be associated with them. Companies such as Madewell and Rent the Runway have incorporated successful partnerships into their strategies to help keep product offerings fresh and facilitate excitement around new releases.
Launching a new eCommerce company is not a small endeavor but by arming your company with a robust marketing and outreach plan, you will be equipped to meet the market head on.
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