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of your company), you can start to build the content of your site so that it comes up on a basic search. Once you’ve got those keywords in place, the design of the site takes over in keeping the customer engaged, so it is absolutely crucial you get it right. There are tonnes of website developers who you can give a brief to, detailing exactly what you want it to look like, but looking at competitors to see how they have arranged it and which are the most popular with customers, is a great way of building that brief.
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For traditional retailers, the idea of an online portal can seem like a terrifying prospect. Tomorrow’s Retail Floors is here to tell you how to go about transferring your business into an internet gem in five easy steps.
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So, you’ve already done the research and realised that most flooring retailers are now online, and you’d like to join them. There is a huge market available for the online customer who doesn’t have the time to
go into shop after shop and spend hours going over samples, but they still want to ‘try before they buy’, so to speak. The main service many flooring retailers offer now is a sample sent to their home with literature aimed at pulling in the customer. The first step towards providing this is to consider what service you could offer online that no-one else can, and understand exactly why it is that you’re reaching out to the consumer via an online platform.
22 | Autumn 2014 Tomorrow’s Retail Floors
company, tell it! The best way to attract customers is to make them think they are buying from people rather than a faceless brand. Adding an ‘About Us’ section which gives the history of your business will give you the chance to explain exactly why people should buy from you. If you’re a new company, use it to say how fresh and exciting your brand is compared to everyone else.
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The final stage is to ensure that your website runs smoothly; if things are made difficult for the buyer they won’t be back, so it’s your job to ensure that things are made as easy as possible for them
throughout the sample-order or checkout process. This mainly comes down to the web developer and the software you use, but there are programmes out there to help you decide.
Follow these steps and you’ll be on your way to building a strong online branch for your company. Just remember: be clear on your hook, ensure your website design appeals to your target market, communicate your USP, personalise your brand and ensure that every stage of interaction with the web-consumer is a smooth one.
Now, you need to identify that hook you were looking for with the public, and put it into action. Again, looking at competitor sites and seeing how they communicate with the consumer is a good
way of getting some ideas together, but look at what they do and don’t offer – then see if you can better it. Your USP will give you the edge on them and speak volumes to the consumer about you as a company. It doesn’t have to be complicated – it might be a speedier service, a wider range, or better customer service.
Te best way to attract customers is to make them think they are buying from people rather than a faceless brand.
The next stage is to start building your brand; you may already have a marketing plan in place for your company, but translating that for an online audience can be tricky. If there is a story behind the
Think about your website. You’re already passionate about your business and know what you have to offer, but the customer doesn’t know that. Once you have a domain name (usually just the name
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