People who enjoy the outdoors spend a good chunk of money on their equipment and gear. From quality tents to hiking boots, there is a lot of money that goes into keeping up with the latest outdoor adventures. Some people think the outdoors is simple and minimalistic and doesn’t require much work or things, but it is the exact opposite.
Capitalizing on the enjoyment of the outdoors is a great way for adventurists to enjoy their favorite hobby and make money at the same time. Those who enjoy the outdoors know what products are best to use for any activity and this is important when you want to begin selling items. Whether they are from other brands or one create on your own, making money on the knowledge you use frequently is ideal. There are ways to make your sales online through an online shop. Here are some tips to help you get started.
Offer The Best Equipment
You know what equipment is best and you should provide that to others. From aspiring adventurists to professionals, you want to be able to educate and provide the best equipment and gear. Decide if you want to narrow down your gear to specific outdoor activities or if you want to stay broad. If you want to focus on hiking or climbing make sure to provide the best options for backpacks and boot varieties for both men and women. The outdoors are inclusive so make your shop that way.
More and more people choose to shop online these days, whether it be for furniture or clothing. There are options for all types of shops on the internet, but make your store stand out by choosing a niche of some sort. If you take the time to carve out a little niche of your own, that you personally like, then it will show in your gear shop’s success. People can feel it when somebody is putting their personal passion into their business. If you find an outlet for your passion and your customers pick up on this, you’ll generate more revenue. So it’s a win-win situation, no matter how you look at it.
Build Your Brand Online
You will want to build your brand online to ensure that you have a following. Use Instagram and Twitter to allow people to see what type of brand you have. These sites are good for advertising and will bring you customers as well. This will draw traffic and potential buyers. Social media is a gold mine for consumers and more companies are joining social media to gain traffic and buyers.
In order to build your brand, you will have to make sure that you are literally everywhere to be found on the web. The brand impressions that Internet users will get from you, are going to leave their mark in their memories. Be on Medium, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Quora, Reddit and every other place you can think of and your brand awareness will slowly grow over time. In the beginning, it will seem like nothing is happening. But those brand impressions are slowly building people’s recognition of you over time. It’s all a matter of keeping it up, despite not seeing any results right away.
Another good way of building your brand, is by buying advertising on, say, Facebook or Google. Your brand will get impressions. The ads don’t have to be expensive. They can be cheap and it’s also okay if they don’t convert so well. Because it’s mostly about building brand awareness. That’s why you can get away with bidding only on low priced, low competition keywords.
Market Your Company
When marketing your online store, stick to the adventure and outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy your shop. Focus on this type of audience to ensure you get the right customers. Even if you have newcomers it great to have knowledgeable people discuss your product. You can even invite certain accounts on social media to rate your services.
Make sure to think about your own interests, too. You want to enjoy your store just as much as you want others to. Take pictures of your products and nature to get noticed by nature lovers on social media or use written descriptions if you enjoy writing more. Even using videos and vlogs can get you the customers you need. Your website can gain traffic from link building and other SEO marketing tools. There are services online and around you that specialize in marketing as the world is full of consumers.
There are many ways to market these days, including:
- Starting a blog
- Local Listings
- Review sites
- Emails
- Free webinars
- Award offers
Utilize The Drop-Shipping Method
An easy way to sell items online is drop-shipping. You can easily purchase items from somewhere else and resell them. This type of e-commerce works well for those items that are too heavy and costly to ship. Through third parties, you can ship items straight to the customer without even touching the product. This option is great for first-timers and those who are afraid of the risks of getting and sending the product on their own. Your products are sent from the warehouse and with this process you’re allowed more room for you to include discounts and sales.
This also allows you to focus on marketing your shop more. While the manufacturer is dealing with shipping and handling, you have the room to think about how to gain more customers. Your brand means a lot to the success of your online store, so focus on the design of your websites and content on your social media.
Before creating a website, you will need to register a domain name. You absolutely must have your own domain name, because if you don’t then that would be considered a sure sign that you aren’t taking your brand seriously. This, in turn, will obviously lead to lower conversions, which you can’t afford, since you’re just starting out and you’ll want to at least break even as fast as you can.
When you begin creating designing your website try to keep it simple but original. You want it to be appealing but also easy to use. Unattractive websites usually do not keep users on the site for long. Use your niche to help design your site with unique styles. If you choose to sell other brands it may be difficult to create specific designs. Try to incorporate figures and graphics to make it easy to read and comprehend what your product is and its beneficiaries.