Don't know how to get your first customers?
In this video I’ll talk about just that.
Here are 5 ways to get your first sales.
Hi there, it’s Wes from Printful!
You’re probably getting ready to launch your store or you just did launch it and now
you're ready to start taking in orders!
This is going to be an exciting time for you as you’ll never forget that rush when you
get your first buying customer.
So today I wanted to give you 5 ways that you can get your first sales.
Let’s get started.
The first way you can get your first sale, your friends, family, and personal network.
If you don’t already have a following or an audience, this is where your first sale
is going to come from.
And that’s great!
Your friends and family want to support you and will also be excited for you.
Once your store is live, send a quick text or email to let them know the exciting news.
You can also post announcements on your social media profiles to let your online friends
know.
Having your first customers be those close to you is a great way to test the check out
process and get honest feedback on the user experience.
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Alright, the second way to get your first sales - online communities.
If you’re an active member of a blog, forum, or subreddit for your niche audience, this
is a prime place to let the community know about your new store.
They already share a common interest with you and might want to learn about your products,
too.
But make sure that you're always adding value to the conversation and not just creating
a sales pitch.
No one likes the person who shows up to the party and starts handing out their business
card.
Posting links to your store in forums that you’re not active in can actually get your
comments removed by moderators.
A good rule of thumb is to connect with the group first and then promote second..
If you're looking for feedback on your store or product, there are forums and subreddits
for that.
Just make sure that wherever choose to get involved online, that its relevant.
Number three, no-pitch publications.
We’ve all read these and also have shared them online.
A no pitch publication is a site like Buzzfeed and Bored Panda.
You can make a fun and creative list that feature your products.
Let’s say Father’s Day is coming up.
You can make a list of 10 great gifts for Dad this Father's Day.
Then you would include some products from your store and also some products from other
stores that aren’t competitors but share your niche audience.
Then you publish online and be sure to tag the stores that you featured on social media.
This will ideally lead to them also sharing the post online and to their audience, bringing
a new set of eyes to your store and products.
Number four, work with a blogger or influencer.
Working with a blogger or influencer will not only get your product and store in front
of your niche audience, but it can also help you get a larger audience.
The key here again is to make sure that you work with someone who has the same niche audience
as you.
If your brand is all about camping and the outdoors, you might not want to partner with
an influencer or blogger that is all about cupcakes.
Unless it's about cupcakes that you can make while camping.
It can be easy to find a blogger or influencer to work with - try searching relevant hashtags
for your niche to find some of the key players in that audience.
Pay attention to make sure that your audiences align.
If the audience isn’t the right one for your store, that isn’t going to help you
build a customer base in the long run.
Some quick tips for working with a blogger or influencer: ask if you can send them a
free sample, set them up to be an affiliate so they get a commission on any sales they
help bring in, and partner with them on a giveaway.
When reaching out to an influencer or blogger, make sure that you’re familiar with their
work, brand, and audience.
This helps you engage with them and it also gives you points to connect on.
Number five, offer a discount.
Offer a discount to celebrate the launch of the store and help encourage your first-time
buyers.
You can offer 10%, 15% off, or offer the crowd favorite - free shipping.
I recommend that you give out your promo code in exchange for your customer's email address,
so you can build your email list early and maintain a direct channel to communicate with
your customers.
The ROI on email marketing is the highest of all marketing channels.
Did you know that for every $1 spent on email marketing the return is $44?
The sooner you get your email list started, the more it can grow, which is going to come
in handy when you have a new product or promotion you want to share.
And that’s it, there are your 5 tips to get your first sale!
If you’re still getting your store ready be sure to check out our video “Top 10 Ecommerce
Store Mistakes You Are Making.”
This is a helpful video to avoid common mistakes that store owners make.
If you’ve already made your first sale, tell us about it in the comments below!
Hey, it’s Wes from Printful!
Hope you liked that video.
Leave as a comment down below on what video you would like us to make.
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