It was the year 2009, when I was doing an offline business. At the time, I was solely focusing on the offline mediums to grow my local business. I was trading into cold drink and packaged water. I used to go at all the shops in our to ask shopkeepers- if they want to buy packaged water and cold drinks from me. I used to give them discount so that they will buy only from me.
I was a wholesaler. I did this business for 3 years and then we brought it down due to some personal reasons.
Now today in 2017, when I think of starting a business and promoting it to my targeted customers, I can't afford to miss the online platforms. They give us power to market our business widely at very low cost.
Isn't it fascinating?
It helps you putting your offline business online in very less cost. After starting an online business, or bringing your offline business to online, you can do all the things that you were doing offline, but, In online world, it goes lot more smoother.
If you are still not convinced, then I am sharing here 7 reasons which will certainly convince to putting your business online.
This is what every customer loves while taking service from any company. A customer goes on the online store of the company, select the product, choose the preferred payment option and done...Yes, It took only few minutes. In the traditional system, you go to a shop. If there is a rush, you might have to wait for some time. Then you order your product. The shopkeeper brings it. Again, huge rush in the billing spot. Oh shit....It took around half an hour or more to buy a single product. It's such a time taking event.
In your business, you got the chance to solve this problem. Bring your business online and save the precious time of your customers. Allow them to select preferred product, making online payment and getting bill against it. It saves lots of time and they will give you business more frequently.
2# Increase Client Base:-
Being a local business owner, if you rely only on pamphlets, roadside hoardings, and local newspaper ads, then You are missing a big opportunity. You are letting go your potential customers.
They don't even know you exist. With your online portal, you can reach up from your existing clients to thousands or millions of new clients. Multiple customers can visit your online portal at same time.
With the traditional business ways, you can't bring your business globally. It's only possible with your online presence.
3# Reduce Operating cost:-
I love this so much because it helped me a lot in running my online business. Receiving orders, and payments via online system reduce the need of staff. A single guy can handle all the business related tasks these days.
On your online portal, you can put comprehensive details of the product/service. With automated system, receive orders and payment online. By using online services, generate bill and send it to customer's email and/or phone automatically. Online services reduce the cost of each of your business operation.
Oh god, I have an urgent work, and have to go out of city for few days.
How my business will run without me?
I wouldn't get able to open my shop or my office in this duration. How would I manage all the business activities?
I would have to loose all the money that I can make by working in my shop or in my office.
On the other side, what a guy who is running a online business thinks-
I got an urgent work. No worries.
I will manage everything remotely.
How this guy is so confident?
Because he is running an online business. He doesn't go to meet his clients personally. Clients visit his online portal. He receives orders and payments online. He doesn't has to explain everything about his product all the time because all the product information is already given on his online store. He receives less queries because he has given the answers of all the common queries in FAQ section of the web portal.
This is the reason I love running business online. Less headache and more profit.
One of my relatives wanted to get new customers to his business. So he called me to his home and asked me to suggest any way. I just suggested him to start an online store. At that moment, he was so scared of starting something online because he had a scary image of online business in his mind.
I explained him everything in detail. Simply starting a website will cost you 30k. It includes web space, domain and development cost. If you know the coding then you can save more.
Just think how much did you save....
Not required a building to run a business. You can operate from home also.
Not required to buy vehicles.
Not required to hire staff.
Just start a website, take orders, and deliver the end product.
(If you are willing to offer discount (via coupons) on your web portal, then take an idea from sites like Ozcodes. You can learn a lot from this site).
He asked me - how would I manage all the activities?
I replied- don't worry, uncle. There are many online services which assist in handling most of the hectic business tasks in product delivery, payment collection via in COD mode, packaging, etc. They make easy running an online business.
6# Better Customer Support:-
Being a customer, I would only love to connect with the service provider who offers good customer service. The online platform like social media allows knowing the real problems of your customers. You can give them solution in real time. It creates a strong bonding between your brand and customers. Your existing customers become more loyal to your brand and refer your product to more people.
Let me give you a real example. I was in computer repairing business in 2015. With the aim of promoting my business online, I added my company details at my classified sites. People used to call me by searching the details online and It's still happening. I left that business, but still I get calls from different customers. They ask me for the same service.
I was putting my business details on other websites, what about my own portal. What about having your own portal?
If I can get such a nice response, then you can expect much higher response rate with your own web portal.
Think about it.
I hope you are now convinced enough to put your offline business online. If you need any assistance to start your online portal, contact me via contact section. I will revert you soon.