Promoting your drop shipping business is almost certainly going to be one of the most important things on your mind. Although there are a multitude of ways to promote your business, from SEO to pay per click ads, sometimes being creative can not only be inexpensive, but can also bring in customers that you might not have reached otherwise.
Here is a short list of 5 creative ways to promote your drop shipping business. Best of all, most of these are free!
Although giving away freebies can definitely help bring in customers to your website, it doesn't always equate to a sale. In fact, if you give away too many freebies then you can actually end up losing money. Instead, consider using coupons. Coupons can offer your customers discounts on your items, which might make them more inclined to make a purchase. By combining coupons with your newsletter, post card advertisements, flyers, and other forms of promotional materials you are also combining two different forms of marketing which can be helpful.
2. Social Media
Don't underestimate promotion on social media outlets. If you don't have one already, then you should definitely set up a Facebook account, Myspace page, and an account on any other social media site that you feel comfortable in using. These will allow you to generate "fans" and "friends" whom you can then keep updated as far as your drop ship business is concerned. Consider offering special deals to the people on your list, as well as incentives for signing up more people. For instance, the person who refers 15 "fans" to your page gets a free digital camera bag, if you are selling digital cameras through your drop shipping.
3. E-mail Opt-ins
On your website's landing page, add an e-mail opt-in feature so that you can collect the names and addresses of your visitors and customers. When you have an e-mail subscription list, however, don't just send them ads and updates. Also consider a newsletter in which you offer tips and tricks that are relevant to your products. People are likely to delete ads, while they are more likely to read e-mails that contain valuable information.
Establishing partnerships with other companies that are complementary to your drop ship business can be invaluable. If you sell laptops, for instance, then you might want to partner with a company that sells computer software. Advertise for one another and support each other. You will probably end up referring clients to one another.
5. Branding
Creating a brand for your drop ship business can be fun and a good business sense. Having a logo, a specialized icon, and promotional items that contain your business's URL, name, and contact information are all ways of marketing your drop ship business for minimal amount of money. In addition, you also want to make sure that your company's name and information is on all of your letterheads, fax cover sheets, and business cards, too. You never know where your next potential sale will come from.
