Why you must power your business online
Over the years, businesses have been run with manpower using a lot of manual processes to develop and deliver products or services to their consumers.
Advertisement
This restricted businesses to only their local communities and consumers. Profits dropped with market shares as similar businesses were set up in the same locality targeting the few available customers.
However, as technology advanced, became available and affordable, some businesses resorted to using innovative technologies to minimise the laborious and manual processes which, hitherto, have proven to be expensive and less effective. Some of these innovative technologies involved the use of emails, SMS, websites, software or apps to engage their target market. As a result, their efficiency and effectiveness were enhanced and cost of doing business reduced drastically after the adoption. Those that still hugged the old ways have either folded up or are struggling.
According to Barcelona Digital Technology Centre’s ?mconcept? of the Internet of Things (IoT), it is believed that more than 70 billion devices will be connected via the internet by the year 2020. This means each resident on earth will possess 9 connected devices; maybe mobile phone, tablet, smart TV, watch, wristband, refrigerator, home security cameras and car. Inferably, customers will live more online in the near future. So you must position your business on the internet which currently has over 2.5 billion users.
The reasons you must power your business online can be categorised as follows: Customer, Commodity, Commerce, Campaigns, Communication, Culture, Contacts, Community, Competence and Cost.
Finding more customers online
Customers are not only physical and local but they are also virtual and global because of the internet. They live in a borderless world in different countries on other continents in huge numbers and with more purchasing power. You can sell your products and services to them via your website, email, SMS, social media or app. On the other hand, it means the customer is now spoilt for choice because of their access to the internet. You can reach your defined customers anytime, anywhere in the world through your online presence.
Creating customer-centric products
Customers call the shots when it comes to the products you sell or develop as a business. The preferences and feedbacks they give must inform how you redesign or repackage your product offerings. As you engage them online, you will know what they love or dislike about your products and services. If they love them, you will have online advocates for your brands or business. They will share among their social networks of friends and families. Through consistent engagement you will know the new features they want in your products or the new products they want to buy.
Selling to more customers
Use ecommerce platforms to sell to more customers online with a simple and functional website. We have a number of payment solutions in Ghana such as MPower Payments, iWallet, FastCashier and iPay, you can integrate into your website so your customers can buy or subscribe to your products or services respectively. Mobile Money from any local Telecommunication Companies is a good option to collect payments. You can upload images of your products to free classified ecommerce websites.
Connecting your business
Run your marketing campaigns and promotions via the internet instead of using only the old traditional media channels, which are losing their engagement power. You can reach more customers using SMS, emails, web banners and ads. MyTxtBox, an advanced local SMS solution developed by SMSGH, can help you reach more customers on their mobile phones via SMS in text, audio, image and video content formats. You can also place your ad banners on high-traffic websites. But make sure your target customers visit those websites. Google Ads makes it easier for you.
Reaching out effectively
Communicate with your customers and within your business. The phone (fixed line or mobile) and emails have been used over the years. Now, you can use social media and instant messaging apps like WhatsApp, iMessage, BB Messenger and other instant messaging apps. Have a mobile number your customers can call, send SMS or instant messages to anytime. You can blog about your products and services on your website to communicate your expertise to your target consumers.
Redefining your business culture
Change your business culture with technology. Learn to communicate, share ideas and contents, and interact within your business using applications. Let customers send feedbacks, queries and information via a mobile number, email or social media page without physically coming to your business location. Your employees can create work virtual groups according to their respective departments and communicate among themselves using applications.
Keeping your business contacts
Manage your customer and suppliers more securely and easily with technology. No need to do it manually using books and writing with pens in handwritings other people cannot read. You can save your contacts on a mobile device, online, within an email or on other digital formats. Dropifi, a locally developed application, can help you convert your contacts into loyal customers by analysing the way your customers communicate with you via a simple email form.
Building customer communities
Learn to build a community around your business or any of your brands. Customers do not act alone but within a community of networks. Engage your community of customers using social media platforms or applications. If you can get them together to socialise, you can commercialise that connection. That is how you can get to know them more intimately.
Developing your competence
The internet is a humongous virtual library of information, where you can learn more, hone your skills and know the new trends in your industry. Industry experts and partners share their ideas and experiences on selected websites and online platforms which you can access to improve your competence for free (or cheaper). YouTube is a great online library. You can find and recruit highly-skilled employees as well as train the existing ones online.
Getting more value for money
It is mostly cost effective using technology for your business because the return on investment is almost always higher when you do it well. Imagine positioning your business on a huge global market, 24 hours a day, in every country, in real time, and reaching huge customer base at a very small fee. Creating social media presence is almost free. You can upload your business information there at no cost and interact with your existing customers and find new ones.
Doing business has evolved and been enhanced through the power of creative, cost-effective and innovative technologies. Any business which refuses to format their products and processes with the new changes and trends the internet delivers will soon be out of business.
The writer is a Technology Consultant, Social Media Strategist, Advertiser and Speaker