Wedding and special event clients are looking for every opportunity to creatively express their unique personalities through their wedding and event experiences. Let's face it: if it isn't Insta-worthy, did it really happen? Because of this, the range of business types in our industry has expanded to include some pretty out-of-the-box ventures. Nowadays, the bar isn’t just for cocktails. The parking lot could very well play host to a few four-wheeled catering partners. Despite the fact today's average wedding client was born into a digital world, there are still dozens of businesses that fail by not diving head first into providing their customers with the best client experience and embracing Ecommerce and online payment processing.
Patrick Foster, an Ecommerce consultant with EcommerceTips.org, shares with us the hows and whys to engaging ecommerce and building a better business through better client experience.
Do business when and where your client is.
Your clients could be in line at their local Starbucks picking up their favor lattes. They could be getting ready for their next Netflix-‘n-chill. Or, they could be finishing up a business conference on the other side of the globe. All the while, they are conducting business online, browsing Etsy, catching up on Facebook feed or responding to a critical email that seals their latest business deal. Ecommerce offers a reach to your clients when and where they are. Regardless of your physical location or your clients', deposit payments can be made and invoice due dates can be met with Ecommerce on your side. Likewise, even if you’re not in the business of destination events, Ecommerce widens your reach to potential clients from all over the world looking for pros in your local area to help bring their events to life.
Improve your aim and find more clients.
Data is a big deal these days. We talk about how to get more and we talk (a lot) about how to protect it. In fact, it's predicted that by 2020, 1.7 megabytes of data will be created every second... for every person on earth. Data can give you the best possible understanding of who your current and future customers are. Traditional business models and transaction platforms offer extremely limited customer information opportunities. Ecommerce infrastructure consists of a network of integrated digital systems that readily provide consumer information. And, these include all of our favorite social media channels. They’re also often paired with CRM (Customer Relations Management) platforms. These apps and softwares are equipped with tools that allow you to curate your interactions with prospective clients. This enables to you get the information you need about who they are and what they’re looking for. Ultimately, it answers the question of whether or not they’re the right client for you. When you know who you’re talking to, you can better define your marketing. How you talk to your customers about what you do and how you do it can make or break your chance to turn the right leads into your newest clients.
Digital details for marketing success, courtesy of Ecommerce.
The side bonus to engaging Ecommerce? The plethora of digital marketing options. As event pros, we believe in the power of personal interaction. We work to create beautiful and unforgettable fetes to this end. We also spend a considerable amount of our marketing dollars events like bridal shows and bazaars where our closest industry allies and fiercest competitors are vying for the attention of the same consumers. When it comes to marketing, however, the greatest reach for the lowest cost lies in digital marketing. Using email effectively or creating smart social campaigns can translate to immediate inquiries, quicker bookings and faster deposit payments. All without sacrificing your brand voice or message. Social media is becoming an even more important role in Ecommerce as well. More social platforms offer selling options like Facebook’s Marketplace or Instagram’s shoppable posts.
On top of all this? Measurability. Digital marketing platforms that link your marketing to your business give you accurate measure to the efficacy of your efforts in real time.
Ecommerce is: affordable, accessible, scalable.
We all need some place to call home. For business, however, the word “home” takes on new meaning. Of course, there are valid arguments for having a storefront where you own the physical experience you give to your clients… when they want it, if they want it. With nearly 100% of the American market now making consumer purchases online, Ecommerce has established itself and created a path to eliminate the hefty costs of a brick-and-mortar operation such as rent and utilities. Beautiful, customizable, digital storefronts are just clicks away. Many of them are already poised to connect with your potential customers where they already are (think social media – again). These online listings come with straightforward building and analytics dashboards. All of them can be linked to your Ecommerce platform and online payment processing.
Getting prospective clients to those storefronts is equally affordable. Many platforms come with free or very cost-effective price tags. Email marketing platforms like MailChimp and Buffer offer free or low-cost email, social and even digital marketing. Their well-designed user interfaces make creating, managing and analyzing marketing campaigns easy, even for the most novice marketer.
The most enticing aspect of Ecommerce, however, might just be its scalability. Given the elasticity of the digital world, Ecommerce naturally lends itself to the growth of your business. As your business grows, your Ecommerce infrastructure grows with you. Likewise, should you scale your business back, your Ecommerce can downsize to meet your new set of needs with little to no disruption or effort.
About the Author
