Brooke Sellas

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Shifting your marketing efforts toward e-commerce requires a well-thought-out strategy. If you're thinking of starting an online retail company or adding an e-commerce component to your existing business, a solid marketing strategy can set you up for success. However, marketing strategies for an e-commerce business differ from that of a brick-and-mortar store. There are also additional factors to consider, such as SEO, content marketing, email marketing and social media.  To help build an optimal e-commerce marketing strategy, eight members of Newsweek Expert Forum discussed what entrepreneurs should keep in mind as they adjust their strategy. 

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Keeping a close eye on customer behavior can help businesses stay on top of changing trends. Trends can come and go in the blink of an eye, and if a business isn’t paying close enough attention to its customers, leaders run the risk of losing current and future customers. Rather than waiting for new customer behavior trends to hit the company’s radar, being more proactive about learning and leveraging each trend in real time can give an organization an edge over its competitors. As business experts, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum are familiar with just how quickly customer behavior can change. Below, they offer advice on how leaders can effectively leverage customer behavior trends as they gain more ground.

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Leaning on a a team or a network of knowledgeable peers can help leaders maintain a finger on the pulse of recent tech trends. Regardless of what industry your business operates in, keeping up with changes in technology is essential for remaining competitive. Leaders know how important it is to maintain knowledge bases, but with all the work that goes into running and maintaining a business, it can be difficult to continuously learn about new innovations with a hectic schedule. Technology can change in the blink of an eye, so a leader needs to adopt a process to ensure their own knowledge and the knowledge being used in their company remains as updated as possible. Below, a panel of Newsweek Expert Forum members each offer one recommendation for business leaders interested in staying on top of the latest trends in tech.

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Taking the time to conduct due diligence before partnering with another business can save both time and money. A collaboration between entrepreneurs has the potential to significantly drive business growth by exposing both parties to new audiences and new opportunities. However, entrepreneurs must proceed with caution before agreeing to or signing anything. Every potential partnership may look good in theory, but the reality of combining forces may not match up to expectations if proper due diligence is not conducted beforehand. Asking key questions before signing on the dotted line can save both entrepreneurs time and money in the event that the partnership doesn’t work out as planned. To help, a panel of Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one question business owners should consider before setting up a new partnership.

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Regardless of industry, affordable AI solutions can be found for businesses of all sizes. Artificial intelligence can empower a business to streamline and optimize workflows, but adoption can come with challenges outside of the adjustments to various internal processes. In addition to the time and effort it takes to implement efficient AI solutions, the financial commitment is also an obstacle for small businesses determining whether AI is a feasible option. If one knows where to start, AI can be an affordable endeavor for businesses of all sizes. To help, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum share how small businesses can approach adopting artificial intelligence without investing too much time and money into big data or programmers.

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Making customers happy doesn't have to require a lot of resources and effort; the simplest strategies can sometimes be the best. A business's customer experience is an important indicator of its overall success. Your customers are the cornerstone of your company, and they should be treated as such. If they aren't satisfied with their experience, they'll likely take their business elsewhere. Thankfully, you don't have to break the bank or hire tons of customer service reps to appease your customers. Below, 12 members of Newsweek Expert Forum shared some low-effort but effective strategies for improving your customer experience.