It was also a great test to see if we could get a site built in 30 mins. Don’t get me wrong, we cooked up some prepared resources to make Firebrand Creative Juice come alive (contents always the sticking point) and we lined our fluffy ducks. So we thought we would share with you the main success points we had to make to get that eCom store live with Shopify.
To access the recording of the webinar link here and add this password 6x=44169. Here Alex shows you the inner workings and talks you through Shopify and what you need to know.
Key takeaways
Research
- What really motivates your customers, what delights them, what brasses them off? Talk to them, in person, through surveys, engage in conversation in Social groups and get some really honest feedback.
- Research your Target audience and know your competitors and decide on what strategy you are going to take.
- We really recommend that you consider your mission, your vision, your values, however simple or ambitious at this point. It really helps when it comes to writing content.
Writing
Get writing… real content.
- One of the best places to start is to create 2 to 3 sentences, your elevator pitch if you like… about your business, the product you sell, who it’s for and what you stand for.
- Be original, it’s important for your SEO.
- There are some great tools out there, like Grammarly, for reframing sentences and fixing your grammar and spelling.
- Get your content checked by someone other than you. So important!
Visuals
- The key here is continuity. Choose your resources well so they look like a family and belong together.
- If you have a few digital skills and don't have the budget for a designer then make the most of the creative resources that are out there. Many of which are free or really affordable, for example, Unsplash, Pixabay, and Pexels.
Platform
There are a number of platforms out there these days and all are not equal. Your budget, digital skills and scale of your business will be a big factor in selecting the ideal platform. Firebrand can help you get set up on a suitable platform like Shopify that has a CMS (Content Management System) that you can continue to manage on your own. There are other DIY options out there too like Wordpress, Squarespace, Wix, and others. The main variable amongst these is your knowledge to be able to manage security, payments, SEO, analytics, support and cost. There are some traps and pitfalls so do your research.
Marketing Channels
You would be surprised how often this is an afterthought for many. Don’t forget to share it with the world.
- Pick 2 channels and do them well. That means posting at least every second day.
- Schedule it, it makes life easier so you can get on with business.
- Create quality content to educate, inspire, entertain or engage. Don’t just sell and stay on brand in style and message.
- Make sure you set up you free “Google my Business’ account. It’s one of the best things you can do for your local SEO.
- Make sure you manage reviews across all your social channels including GMB.
- Get listed on some of the new local directories that have appeared like the Dunedin Directory and Kiwi Online. Stick with the ones you know you can trust.
There goes a bit of an overview to get you off the ground. Be sure to check out the webinar for more details and information on how to get your business online!