How to Sell online

In the age of Amazon and COVID-19, there are few things you can’t buy online. Cars, furniture, wedding dresses and even groceries can be shipped to your home at the click of a button.

In 2021, there were a total of 263 million digital buyers in the U.S., and by 2025, this number is  projected to jump to 291.2 million — which means that online shopping is no longer just a luxury, but a norm.

And as an entrepreneur in a competitive market, you’ve likely already felt the effects of this digital transformation, and perhaps you’re looking to get some skin in the game.

But selling online isn’t always as intuitive as it seems. Even for a savvy business owner, the competitive playground of ecommerce can present roadblocks that make starting an online business feel all the more daunting, from deciding what products to sell to choosing the right ecommerce platform.

Nonetheless, the benefits of selling online can far outweigh the challenges: cross-border selling, access to new customers, greater flexibility and scalability — the opportunities are endless.

But where should you start?

In this article, we’ll be covering the what, where and how of selling online so that you can be on your way to building your own online business.

Of course, if your goal is to increase sales and make money, you can’t simply throw a product online and hope your business takes off — you’ll need to lay some groundwork first.

Yes, creating a good product is central to a successful business, but there are several other components to running an online store that shouldn’t be overlooked. Here we’ll dive into the most important ones to help get off to a good start.

Brand name.

First impressions count, and choosing the right brand name has the ability to make or break your business.

No matter how great your product is, a forgettable brand name runs the risk of getting buried among the pack. But a catchy, intriguing brand name has the potential to capture your audience and attract them to your website.

In many ways, a brand name tells the story of your business. It conveys what your business stands for, what your values are and what you can offer your customers. And as a result, customers will often associate your brand name with your product and how it makes them feel.

Even trademarked brand names like Kleenex, Chapstick and Band-Aid are often used today to describe any brand in a given product category — which goes to show just how strongly we associate brand names with the product they represent.

Here are five simple steps to coming up with a memorable brand name:

1. Put pen to paper and brainstorm with key stakeholders to create a list of possible names.
2. Keep it simple, using clear, descriptive words and aiming for positive connotations.
3. Stand out from the crowd, and make sure the name doesn’t sound similar to those of your competitors.
4. Stay away from trendy buzz words, and instead choose a name that is classic and timeless.
5. Choose a name that will look and sound good in logos, slogans and your domain name.

Website design.

From landing page to shopping cart, your brand identity should be recognizable and consistent across every step of the buyer journey. Similar to your company name, the visual elements of your site will be strongly tied to how customers perceive your brand. Before even seeing your products, prospective customers will likely see your web design first, so it’s crucial that it conveys the impression you’re aiming for.

According to Top Design Firms, when asked what visual elements they value on an ecommerce website, 40% of customers said images, 39% said color and 21% said video. If that’s the case, then your business should prioritize taking high-quality product photography and choosing a color palette first, and then consider elements such as videos, typography, animation, etc.