3P Logistics pride ourselves as the true 'one-stop shop' - from factory gate collection through to end delivery point we have it covered. We even offer e-commerce services such as inbound telesales, clearance outlet and marketing, etc.
This makes some people question: if you are doing everything, what should I be doing?
Well, there is SO MUCH that you can be doing! First of all you should constantly be looking for something new to grow your business. If you are busy picking and packing how can you research on ways to improve? Secondly, there are so many daily actions that you should be doing, just to name a few:
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)1. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
It is a life time job to boost your ecommerce site's search engine rankings, unless Google is dead. Online retailers need to focus on the contents, and to build relationships with authority sites that will link back to yours. Each single page should be optimised separately. Do your homework - research keywords, ensure that the page structure includes H1 and H2 tags, and put in optimised titles and descriptions. Remember to link related content throughout the site and bold key phrases. It is all about keywords density. I know it is a lot of hard work (that's why my colleague is doing it instead of me, ha) but you would be over the moon when you appear on the first page of the Google search result. Oh, maybe you already are on the first page, then try to get to (or maintain) the first place!
2. Sourcing
Our cheesy slogan: 'you source and sell, leave the rest to 3PL.'
Sourcing is the key to your business. Keep your eyes peeled. Spend at least an hour a day reading trends and check what you competitors are doing. Is there any new products available? Is your price still competitive? Is there better alternative to what you are selling? Make sure you are targeting the right audience with the right product.
According to Dale Traxler, '... it's likely that you sell consistently to a similar demographic. Check that for yourself. Ask your customers why they buy from you. Find out what other products they would like to see you sell'. You should understand your customers as much as you can!
3. Marketing
Yes we can do the 'startup' marketing for you such as web photography, listing and website design, but you still have to do the maintenance bit. Have you tried promoting your business via social media? For example Twitter is a great platform for engaging with customers and Facebook is good for hosting competitions and promoting events. And have you done any email marketing? Send your customers thank you email, seasonal greetings, or promote new products that you would be selling in the near future. These are all low cost and low risk ways to advertise your business so why not give it a go?
Remember, if you are doing multichannel marketing, you should always be consistent, to establish and maintain your brand image. Choose a tone of voice which will appeal to your target market. For example be fun and lighthearted if you sell gadgets.
4. Business strategies and report
Every business should have detail and clear strategy report. This allows you to know if you are on the right track. Set objectives and see if you can achieve them. Address key performace indicators (KPI) and measure return on investment (ROI). As suggested by Dale Traxler, 'At a minimum, monitor sales, average order value, cost of goods sold, traffic, conversion rates, abandonments rates and your cash position'. With your report in hand you can plan your future actions and continue to grow your business in a logical manner.
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