Whether your online store is brand new or enjoying lasting success, you’ve probably realized that the mindset of “if you build it, they will come” won’t work.
Nope, after you build it, you need to market it. Only then, will “they” come.
Great marketing for your online store involves building relationships with your target audience. When you establish and maintain strong relationships, you’ll be in a better position to earn top of mind awareness.
Staying top of mind means that you are the first brand that your audience thinks of within a certain category. Earning top of mind awareness means that you have consistently provided content that your audience finds valuable and useful… and your products are all they’re cracked up to be.
To achieve top of mind awareness, try these four marketing strategies.
4 Marketing Strategies for Your Online Store
To build strong customer relationships, provide content that helps people improve their lives in some way. Education, tips, hacks, tutorials, and advanced support show your audience that you care about their experience.
They’ll begin to see you as more than just an online store – you’ll be the solution to their problems.
These four marketing strategies offer great ways to connect with your audience in meaningful ways and earn top of mind awareness.
1. Email Marketing
Known for its great ROI, email marketing is an effective way to build and maintain customer relationships. Consider these types of email campaigns:
✅ Welcome: Show new subscribers or customers how grateful you are for their support. Introduce them to key features on your website, offer a discount or free download, or share your brand story.
✅ Post Purchase Drip: Provide valuable education and insight to help your customers use your products in creative ways. When you help them understand the extensive benefits of what they purchased, you’ll build trust in your relationship and increase the chances that they’ll buy again!
✅ E-Newsletter: Give your customers exclusive access to valuable content. E-Newsletters can showcase your process, offer continued education, provide advanced access to sales, and connect your audience to additional resources to help them.
2. Instagram Reels
Video marketing is a major trend in 2022. In fact, Wyzowl says that 85% of businesses rely on video as an effective marketing strategy. This doesn’t mean that you have to post long You-Tube videos – or even step in front of the camera.
Enter Instagram Reels.
Instagram Reels engage consumers with short, compelling, entertaining videos. They help you extend your reach, build customer loyalty, and have a little fun in the process. Leverage the power of Instagram Reels by showcasing your creativity, sharing behind the scenes glimpses, or giving your audience a peek into your day-to-day life.
To improve the impact of your Reels, use trending music, keep it under 15 seconds, and include on-screen text or closed captioning.
3. Explainer Videos
Explainer videos allow you to include more content and creativity in your video marketing strategy. This form of video marketing is great for online stores, because you can help your audience enhance their experience with your products.
To produce great explainer videos, try following the 3 Es: Explain, Educate, or Entertain.
Detail the step-by-step process of using your product. Or, demonstrate how to use your product to solve a particular problem. Help your audience understand the deep benefits of your products through targeted tutorials. Or, have some fun. Use the time to answer questions, show sneak peek footage, or share a part of your life as a business owner.
Over time, you’ll help your audience connect to the core of your business, which will build loyalty.
4. Consistent Blogs
Yes, blogging is still important. A consistent blog is an essential tool to your inbound marketing strategy. It improves the strength of your SEO and draws traffic to your website. Plus, it shows your audience that you are actively seeking ways to communicate and connect.
Coming up with regular blog topics can be tough. But consider these sources of inspiration. First, think about the 3 Es that we mentioned in the previous section. Don’t be afraid to repurpose explanatory, educational, or entertaining video content in the form of a blog. Readers enjoy that content, too, and it will make your content creation process a little easier – but still intentional.
Next, try these prompts:
🕵️♀️ Visit Answer the Public. Type in your topic and get hundreds of questions that your blog can answer – all based on current consumer inquiries.
🙋 Answer FAQs. Address common questions in your social media comments, direct feedback, and other communications.
📚 Produce “Ultimate Guides.” What major problems do your products help solve? Write up an “ultimate guide” to solving that problem – using your products.
📝 Don’t Forget Listicles. These are super-easy to write, and it caters to the scanners in your audience. Brainstorm ways to include engaging, fun, listicle blogs, which begin with: “top ten,” “best of,” “5 tips,” or “dos and don’ts.”
Enjoy the View
Although the online marketplace is crowded, demand for online shopping is still growing. (The U.S. Department of Commerce reported that in 2021, online spending grew over 14%!)
You can take advantage of this growth, and help your online store rise to the top – where you can enjoy the view. By committing yourself to building strong relationships with your audience, you can unlock new opportunities to convert more customers and increase revenue.
Did you know that Spicy Lemon Marketing can help with this? By outsourcing even one of the strategies we describe above, you can begin taking meaningful steps toward that top of mind awareness. Contact us today!
