Summer is finally upon us and with it comes a thriving retail season. Summer has traditionally been a good time of the year for brands. People approach the season with a zeal. Some overhaul their wardrobes, others make travel plans or look to have new experiences to make good memories.
This provides brands with an incredible opportunity to increase sales. Their prospective customers are already pre-qualified by virtue of the season. The customers already know they want to buy something new, it’s the brand’s job to position themselves well enough to win that sale.
The summer 2021 retail season is expected to be significantly better than last year. Summer 2020 saw much of the world under lockdown. With the COVID threat subsiding to an extent and vaccinations picking up, people are finally excited to enjoy a “normal” summer.
eCommerce spending really took off during the pandemic. This change in customer behavior will likely persist. So even as things open up again, your focus shouldn’t shift from eCommerce.
Existing customers remain vital to your eCommerce strategy
You’re buzzing with energy for the new season, excited for all the new customers you’re going to bring in through your eCommerce strategy. It’s good to be excited and look towards expanding the customer base but don’t let that make you lose sight of your existing customers.
Countless studies have shown that it’s cheaper for a business to capture a sale from a returning customer than it is to win an entirely new customer. Some studies peg the conversion rate for existing customers at up to an impressive 20%.
Start off your campaigns for the new season by first focusing on your previous customers. They’re already familiar with the brand and the quality of your product. You already have the data you need to retarget them with your ads. It will be a crucial mistake to go chasing after new leads before doing that.
eCommerce strategies to increase sales in summer 2021
1. Add User Generated Content to the mix
People had a lot of free time on their hands when the pandemic forced them indoors last year. Many of them picked up hobbies and activities that they otherwise felt they had no time for. That’s one of the reasons why social media networks saw an increase in usage during this period.
A lot more people are now comfortable creating content with their smartphones. They’ve experimented with it for the better part of a year. Tap into the creativity of your customer base by adding user generated content to the mix. This can either be in the form of reviews, testimonials, unboxings or even photos.
Remember, most new customers tend to search social media networks about the real-world experiences from customers who have purchased a product they’re interested in. The more user generated content is out there about your brand, the higher the chances of potential customers converting.
2. Utilize video marketing to elevate your brand image
The explosive growth of snackable video platforms like TikTok present brands with a great opportunity to elevate their brand image by using video content. Internet users also prefer video more than any other type of content.
As a brand, strive to strike balance when creating video content. It shouldn’t be too lengthy that viewers lose interest or too bland that they fail to even notice the video. Remember, your video can only make a lasting impression in the first few seconds. Make sure that it’s well put together because all it takes for a viewer to skip ahead is a simple tap.
3. Start optimizing for voice search
More buyers are now using voice search to find products than ever before. That’s partly because voice assistants have become an integral part of the smartphone experience. Some market analysts expect that voice-assisted shopping will cross the $20 billion mark in 2021.
So how does a brand go about optimizing for voice search? Be mindful of the fact that a user who speaks out a query will word it differently than they would when typing in that same query. Capitalize on this opportunity by optimizing your pages for long-tail keywords and phrases that people will likely say when they want someone that your business offers.
4. Improve your m-commerce experience
Mobile commerce isn’t a new trend but it’s importance continues to grow. Market analysts predict that mobile commerce will make up 54% of all online sales in 2021. So if you haven’t already invested in improving your mobile shopping experience, now is the time to do so.
Whether that be through a mobile app or a dedicated mobile site, your brand must have a mobile optimized storefront that enables customers to shop with ease. Consider expanding the functionality of your m-commerce efforts through next-generation technologies like augmented reality.
5. Start accepting new payment options
A lot has changed in the world of online finance, particularly after the cryptocurrency boom. People are actively looking for businesses that allow them to spend their crypto. Consider accepting these new payment options if it makes sense in your particular niche.
It won’t be for everybody, of course. However, this is a great way to expand the market reach for your business. While it remains unclear what the future holds for crypto, there’s more widespread acceptability and understanding about it now than ever before.
Test first, and then test some more
Remember, what works for one business may not necessarily work for yours. It’s easy to feel excited about a strategy that delivers incredible results for your competitor but there’s every chance it may not work with your audience.
So test these strategies out. Don’t be afraid to try something new. Eventually you’ll settle on the strategies that make perfect business sense. That really is how you go about this.
