1. Get the basics right
There are some fundamental aspects of your website’s user experience that you’ll need to have in place – no matter the size of your business or what your product is – to keep customers around and engaged and willing to buy what you’re selling.
Choose a website builder with design at its core
Your brand identity – ie, the visual elements of your business, like your logo, colours, fonts and imagery – plays an important role in conveying who you are to customers and distinguishing your place in their minds. Mailchimp’s easy-to-learn website builder puts design at the forefront, allowing you to curate colour palettes and themes and apply them across your entire site in a few clicks.
Nail your merchandising strategy
How you promote and sell your products will be key to your website’s success – and focusing on the four Ps of merchandising is a logical place to start.
Product
OK, this is a big one – you need to make sure that your product offering meets your customers needs. Observe trends in your business vertical and hone in on the types of customers that will benefit most from your products so you can adapt – and optimise – your offering.
Placement
It may sound obvious, but you need to make it as easy as possible for people to find your products and buy them – that means the layout and placement of your items should allow for a seamless consumer journey.
Pricing
Consider your cost of goods and your shipping costs. Generally, prices should be around three times your cost of goods. When working out profit margins, allow space for promotions you might bring in over the year.
Promotion
Speaking of which, plan what offers you’ll run so you have time to initiate marketing efforts to support them, like for any important holidays.
… and don’t forget your custom domain
Why is having a custom domain so important for a business? Well, beyond showing your customers that you provide a legitimate and professional experience, they do the following.
Help build your brand and promote brand consistency as customers will immediately understand whose site they’re visiting.
Improve your online discoverability as custom domains have a positive impact on your search engine optimisation (SEO). Mailchimp makes it easy for you to purchase a domain –
Just head to mailchimp.com/domains
