A salesperson can come in the picture in case of brick-and mortar-stores. But what about online businesses? On a regular basis, we read and hear news about successful online business or for that matter standard industries moving to the virtual world to expand their market. Have you wondered how these online ventures are flourishing minus a salesperson? How are the sales figures rising up when there isn’t any one to do the talking?
Let’s explore.
Content is King – clichéd but true!
While words have no audible voice, but they sure do convey a lot including opinion, idea and thoughts. Therefore the quality of content is not to be compromised or negotiated if you plan to make your online presence felt. No wonder, content is called the king, especially in the online arena.
Grabbing Attention Online
With short attention span and hordes of distraction over the Internet, the only thing that can catch a consumer’s attention while surfing online is good content. There are no fancy store displays, banners, hoardings, newspaper ads or television ads that are hard to avoid or miss. However, on the plus side you have access to millions of users that are active on the Internet, far more than let’s say television or magazines. All you need to do is offer something distinct that can grab eyeballs and is exclusive in nature. It could be anything. A quirky one line, confusing tag line, attractive punch line, hard-to-believe claim, funny video, striking visual art, amazing contest, attractive graphics or private peek at your newest offering.
Like take the case of Femina-India. Femina’s April, 2013 ‘Made by You’ issue was completely crowd sourced where readers from across the country contributed feature articles, stories etc. A special Facebook App was developed; using which people could register and submit their stories. The idea created waves in the social circuit and needless to say the subscription of Femina skyrocketed. Lesson learnt that, complete reliance should be on producing good quality ideas and let your content do the talking.
Website Content
Next in the line is content on the website. What strikes you first about a website is the look and feel of it. But what keeps you interested in that website is the content and products/services on display. Everything that a consumer is entitled to know and figures out after walking into a store gets conveyed via words when shopping online. Right from the brand name, products & services offered, detailed description, updated company information, terms and conditions, return & cancellation, warranty, etc. Accuracy of information is of utmost importance. Hence content plays a key role here as it dons the hat of a store manager-cum-salesperson-cum-virtual store.
Social & Digital Media
Only an ignorant won’t know that active Social & Digital Media presence is highly imperative in this dog-eat-dog-world. Not to forget that they are excellent avenues to earn you new clients and retain the old ones. This is how again, good content makes an appearance. Content rich blogs and active social networking company accounts where company heads and employees share their experience and knowledge with the readers are a hit! They help companies network and enable healthy exchange of feedback, ideas and views. Regular Facebook updates, tweets, LinkedIn posts, updated Blogs, viral videos on YouTube, and Webinars takes brands to another level.
Take for instance, Zappos, retailer of shoes, clothes etc, have a huge online fan base because everyone right from the CEO to the rest of the employees are active on social medias like Twitter, Facebook and their Company Blogs. Same is the case with IBM, who share interesting anecdotes and behind the scenes facts in form of blogs.
Why focus on online content?
No one can deny the fact that ‘Sales’ is the driving force of any business. Each and every activity of any business – be it a truck manufacturing company to a start-up selling graphics tees, be it a minute promotional activity to a major financial strategy, is directed towards building sales of a product or service or company as a whole. That’s why anyone who wants efforts to get converted into profits; it is wise to invest in building good content about your brands, services and company as a whole.
Several research studies reflect that dead websites and dead social accounts reflect negatively on the business. Even if you have 50 loyal visitors, it is important that they get updated and good content to read. Or else you might end up losing them too. So spin magic with words and the rest will follow soon.