Robox McSimovich In 15 years of working in the fast-paced world of e-commerce, I’ve seen a lot of ups and downs. This sphere is developing rapidly, setting the pace for all online marketing. E-commerce is a litmus test: success here depends directly on the effectiveness of our actions on the Internet. That’s why e-commerce is the fastest to introduce the latest technologies that later take over other areas of digital marketing. But despite the obvious opportunities, many online stores close before they have a chance to turn around. Why does this happen? And what does it really take to succeed in e-commerce? In this article, I will share my experience and observations that I hope will be useful to you.
Two types of customers: who is doomed to fail in e-commerce
From my own experience, I can say that all customers who come to us to create an online store can be divided into two types.
Type 1: Those who are looking for opportunities to scale
The first are entrepreneurs whose business is already operating and generating income. They see e-commerce as a potential for further expansion, increased sales, and reaching a new audience. They usually already understand their product and market, and see the Internet as a new sales channel.
Type 2: Those looking for salvation in a crisis
The second type is those whose business is on the verge of failure. For them, an online store is often the last hope. They believe that online commerce will magically solve their problems, bring back customers, and make their business profitable again.
The irony is that in most cases, it is the second type of customer who is doomed to fail. The fact is that creating an online store is just one of the puzzles, not a magic wand. If you don’t have a clear strategy, a quality product, well-established business processes, and a simple love for your business, you are unlikely to succeed.
Focus on those who progress: Keys to success in e-commerce
Despite the sad statistics, there are those who succeed in e-commerce by coming to expand their existing business. Yes, most of these online stores eventually close, but there are also those who grow and scale. And this is where certain patterns emerge that I have noticed over 15 years. I want to focus on what successful e-commerce entrepreneurs do and what sets them apart from the rest.
Love for your business as a driving force
The first and most important difference is a sincere love for what they do. They don’t just want to earn more money, they are passionate about their product or service. They are interested in creating something new, studying customer needs, and telling the world about their product. They aim not only to sell, but also to popularize their favorite business, because they are really proud of what they offer. And this is where content marketing comes to the fore.
Content marketing: How to ignite customer passion
If you want to succeed in e-commerce, content marketing will be your best friend. For entrepreneurs in love with their business, content is not just a necessity, but a way to share their passion. They create:
- High-quality photos: to showcase their product in all its glory.
- Articles and blogs: to share expert opinion, talk about the specifics of production, give useful tips, and engage customers in a dialog.
- Videos: showing the process of using the product or the life of the company from the inside.
Investing in content: willingness to invest in quality
Of course, at the beginning, few of them have professional copywriters, videographers, or marketers. But that doesn’t stop them! They invest their time and energy, and later their money, in creating content because they want to get their message out to as many people as possible. And it’s not about marketing for marketing’s sake – it’s about a genuine desire to share their passion and product value.
“Content is king,” Bill Gates once said, and this statement remains true today.
Recognizing customers who won’t survive
Over the years, I have learned to recognize customers who, unfortunately, are likely to close their online store within a year. These are usually those who are not ready to invest in their development, who do not like their product, are not passionate about it, and are only looking for an easy way out.
Selling services to such clients is difficult because you immediately feel that their goal is not to develop, but to close a hole. Working with them comes down to futile attempts to patch cracks and push them, when you need to engage their own efforts. Therefore, time spent on such clients is mostly time down the drain.
Love for business: a catalyst for development in e-commerce
And here we come back to the main thing – love for your business. When an entrepreneur loves what they do, they automatically have a desire to tell as many people as possible about it. This entails creating high-quality content and finding ways to distribute it. It is content marketing that allows you to unleash the potential of the brand and convey its values to the target audience. Then customers come, sales begin, and the business starts to grow.
How to start using content marketing in e-commerce:
- Define your target audience: who do you want to convey your idea to? What are their needs and interests?
- Create a content plan: identify topics that will be interesting to your audience. Schedule posts regularly.
- Use a variety of content formats: combine photos, articles, videos, live broadcasts, infographics.
- Be honest and authentic: your passion should be felt in every word and image.
- Interact with the audience: respond to comments, ask questions, and encourage dialog.
- Analyze results: use analytics to track the effectiveness of your content and adjust your strategy.
Conclusion: Don’t be afraid to share your passion
Success in e-commerce is not about magic or luck. It’s about hard work, constant development, and, most importantly, love for what you do. Don’t be afraid to allocate funds to tell about your product in the best possible way, because as the saying goes, “Quality content is king,” remember content marketing as a driving force. When you are passionate about your business and enthusiastic about creating interesting content, customers will definitely feel it. Let your business not only sell products but also inspire others! Remember – love for what you do, multiplied by the ability to deliver value through content marketing, is the key to success in the e-commerce world.