How Building An Online Presence Can Improve Your Local Business

Suppose you own a flower shop on a busy street in your town and your business is thriving. Despite the obvious fact that it’s a good idea to represent your business online, you might be reluctant to build a website. Although you’re fully aware that an online presence will augment your real world business, you’re still reluctant to go for it.

The reason is simple: your business revolves around your personality, your artistic décor, and your helpful staff. You’re gregarious and engage new customers with ease, people love the ambiance of your shop the minute they step in, and you’ve trained your staff on exactly how to win people over and deliver satisfaction.

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Naturally, you’re wondering how the charm of your brick-and-mortar business can ever be translated online.

Fortunately, there is an answer to your dilemma. You can create a website that matches what you’re doing to create loyal customers in your flower shop. In other words, your customers will be able to recognize your brand from your website.

There are too many advantages to having a website to not include it in your business plan. For instance, people can buy from you at any time of the day from almost anywhere in the world.

Here are 5 ways that you can successfully communicate your brand online:

1. Replicate the same look-and-feel:
   How do you make sure that your company’s online and real world marketing match rather than conflict? Use the same company colors, logo, slogans, and so on. It’s important to maintain consistency. Utilizing a Bren Inc. vinyl plotter is one way to achieve this consistency. Since the graphics originate in digital form, the digital and real world marketing materials are identical.

    

2. Greet customers:

   One reason why people might love coming into your store is because you make them feel welcome as soon as they step through the door. You can do the same thing online with a 30-second-elevator pitch. All you need is a short video clip where you introduce yourself and your business.

   Here is a simple formula to squeeze everything you need to say in 30 seconds:

   • Introduce yourself and your business.
   • Explain where your business is located and what service you provide.
   • Describe the various ways you can serve people.
   • Close with a statement about what makes your business unique. What makes you different from your competitors.
3. Provide a virtual tour:

   If, as in our example, you have a flower shop, then your website should be filled with images of different varieties flowers and arrangements. Provide each image with a short, clear description. In other words, people will see many of the same things they would if they walked through your shop, and instead of hearing a description, they would read a text description. In fact, since the physical space in your real store is limited while your digital space is far larger, you can actually show a broader variety of flowers and displays and provide a much more detailed description. While you won’t be able to replicate the smell of your flowers, you can make up for it in other ways.

4. Make it easy to order:
   Your online presence can be a way for people to just check out what’s available before they visit your shop; it could be a way that they place an order before they stop by to pick it up; or it could be a way for them to see what you’ve got and have it dropshipped to them.

    

5. Provide excellent customer service:
   One reason why people love to shop in stores is that they can always return the merchandise if there is a problem or ask for instructions on how to do something. You can replicate all of this online by outsourcing a customer service agency to help you manage customer’s complaints or queries.

It’s Worth It

Although creating an online presence may seem to work with only certain businesses and not others, this is not true. An online presence can work for any business. Moreover, it makes shopping far easier for customers. Even a restaurant that does not deliver can open up an online presence. Their website will make it easier for customers to survey the menu and set an appointment.