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The internet is the top global destination and you must not be. It’s 2017 and About 46.1% of Nigerians can now access the internet on
various devices and that percentage will only keep increasing.
What does this mean to me?
It means that as a dynamic entrepreneur who wants to succeed, there’s
no better time than now to put your business online with active social
media channels and a website that provides clear and concise information
about what you’re offering customers, where you are and why your
business is the best choice.
Why should my business be online?
Here are four strong reasons to convince you:
1. Cost-effective reach
With over 80 million Nigerians going online several times daily, the
internet is probably the most cost-effective way to reach your target
market. Having a website makes you discoverable to potential customers
through search engines like Google at no cost (unless you choose to pay
to improve your website’s ranking in search results). Also, advertising
your business on social media can save you a lot of money. For example,
depending on your audience, a Facebook ad that costs about N5,000 will
likely be seen by over a thousand people. Comparatively, using
traditional advertising to reach a similarly sized audience will costs
several times more.
2. Round-the-clock accessibility
Websites don’t close for the day and social media channels can always
be reached. And because you cannot predict when a potential customer
will seek out a business like yours, 24/7 availability is an advantage
you should have. For example, while most physical stores close at a
certain time every day, online stores have the advantage of being open
round the clock and customers can always place orders which will be
delivered during regular hours.
3. Effective branding and thought leadership
Beyond selling, every business should invest in building its brand
and work toward developing and nurturing an emotional connection with
potential and current customers. Through the combination of a website
and social media, you can grow your brand and develop a reputation for
leadership in your business sector by sharing testimonials from
customers, interacting regularly with your audience and providing
relevant information about your sector consistently. This will help you
differentiate yourself from your competitors.
4. Referrals
People talk, about each other and about the products and services
they use. And these days, a lot of those conversations happen on social
media. Having a presence on social media makes it easy for satisfied
customers to refer other people to you by simply directing them to your
social media channel. Pick channels used by your target audience: you
don’t have to be everywhere to be effective.
The bottom line
Putting your business online is not just a trendy thing to do, it is
good for sales and your brand. Begin with a simple website (which must
have clear information about your business: address and contact details,
product(s) or service(s), your USP), social media accounts (pick
channels that best suit your business and post about your business once a
week) and a listing on Google. The rewards will come eventually.
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