ROI.com.au’s Marketing Tips for Aussie Retailers

Feb. 7, 2011 - PRLog -- Here are ROI.com.au's tips on how retailers can combat overseas sellers in 2011:

1. Act on Store visits: Get the basics right every time! Shop visitors aren’t passing through, they want to buy something. Be inviting, actively under the customer’s needs, and if the customer leaves without buying from you, follow up and use tip 2.

2. Follow-up on sales leads: When customers enquire about a product in-store but aren’t ready to commit to a purchase, how often are the enquiries followed up with a phone call? Practically never! So what happens? They go online, and buy online!

3. Give consumers what they want: When a consumer comes to your store or website, give them exactly what they want. Sell to them, making the transaction as efficient and enjoyable as possible. That’s the way it used to be done before sales got too easy!

4. Make products easy to find: A customer wandering around a hardware store with his hand to his head isn’t looking for a haircut. Help him or her out!

5. Get serious about the internet: Get with the times and invest more online! The flat earth society might think the internet is a fad – it ain’t, it’s time to realise your shop is not the center of the universe, in fact it’s not even close!

6. Give online searchers what they want: Beat the overseas competition to the punch by matching search queries – searches for ‘golf shoes’ aren’t after your sports store homepage – they are after your golf shoes page, so give it to them.

7. Distinguish your business from the competition: Since when did businesses compete solely on price? They don’t! So tell consumers, online and offline why your product, service or customer service experience is better.

8. Innovate: Never stand still. Think of the next big idea before the competition think of it first and hurt your pockets.

9. Integrated cross-channel marketing:  Your store is a competitive advantage, so use your website to drive more foot traffic. Provide incentives for customers to visit in-store with coupons and immediate in store pick. Overseas competitors can’t compete with this.

10. Stop lobbying the government to increase taxes: It’s admitting defeat to the competition and it encourages consumers to fight back and shop online and overseas!

All businesses face the challenge of overseas competition and lower prices. This will only intensify in the future.

It’s time to innovate and provide genuine value to your customers. Adopt some of the tips above and you’ll beat the overseas competitors and win customer loyalty.

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ROI.com.au is an online marketing firm based in Melbourne, Australia. The team at ROI.com.au has a “can do” approach and is committed to providing innovative online marketing solutions that helps its clients generate a return from its investment. For more information and a obligation free website assessment visit http://www.roi.com.au or speak to one of our friendly staff today 1300 650 274