Converting your brick and mortar to an online business

Most goals and strategies that work with brick and mortar are appropriate online too, and vice versa. The underlying concepts are identical, but executions differ. Some might have the tendency to look at brick and mortar and online marketing in different ways, building distinct strategies and marketing plans for each.

Directing and delineation are rooted in the idea that a business’ products, services or ideas are helpful to some people and not to others. That principle remains unchanged whether one’s business is online or brick and mortar. One differentiates his or her business from competitors with the purpose that people can value the benefits that a business brings to them that others do not. One targets an audience by imparting marketing messages so that those benefits are uncovered to the people who need them. For brick and mortar, that could mean advertising in certain newspapers that target customers read. Online, those same messages can be delivered straight from one’s Website. It may also be through pay per click advertising or by means of emailed newsletters.

Mounting Repeat Sales. Existing customers or clients are essential whether they were gotten hold of virtually through a Website, or physically by means of a retail store or salesperson. They have already bought into the benefits that are brought to them and are likely to purchase more if provided with the opportunity. Those opportunities to increase repeat sales can be presented online, brick and mortar or both.

Communication with existing customers can promote repeat orders. With brick and mortar, this can be done through mailings or catalogues. Online, emailed newsletters or RSS feeds can keep customers updated on new products, discounts and other news of interest.

Customer service can make ordering easier for both new and repeat customers. For brick and mortar, round the clock customer service representatives can help customers through the process and suggest appropriate add-ons to an order. This can apply online as well with live customer chat.

Loyalty programs are an alternative way to increase repeat sales by existing customers. For brick and mortar, customers present their loyalty program number or card directly. Online, they fill in a promo code or write on a comment field stating they are loyalty program members.

Trial and testing is a marketing and research concept that can be implemented both brick and mortar and online businesses. In order to improve conversion or response rates, brick and mortars often test by exposing different versions of a program to sample audiences before completely implementing the program through a trial new product test markets, postcard mailing or other marketing research methods. The exact concept applies online as well.

Every business has a most favorable marketing strategy uniquely its own. This is not only due to the fact that each individual business is a bit different, but also because strengths and weaknesses, as well as preferences, of those involved vary. Given identical circumstances and identical marketing programs, business owners will manage the execution differently in each company, creating different results. One’s intuition can capture those variables and guide one in making the most excellent choices.

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