This week saw the Yellow Bird Team hold our very first workshop. We’ve been wanting to do one for a while but getting caught up with day to day work, it can be difficult to set some time aside to not only develop our own brand, but give something back to the small business community.

With so many sections to cover in digital marketing, or of course general professional development, finding a niche topic to focus on was our main priority. Recognising Nicola’s expertise in e-commerce, and our love for online shopping and good content, we knew this would be a perfect place to start. Especially in the lead up to the busiest time of the year for online retailers or entertainment venues!* We also decided we wanted to target it to new and emerging creative artists, designers and small businesses who were looking for some 1-2-1 advice on the first, and vital steps, of selling online.

(*Side note: With Nicola’s experience in retail and my experience in events and the arts, we wanted to include both in our workshop. For example our client, Braw Wee Emporium, regularly hosts creative craft workshops alongside selling products online and in-store).

First of all a massive thank you to everyone who attended! While we had a small venue capacity, and the event was on Halloween, we were really pleased to see the workshop sell out. Filled with fizz, cupcakes and little trick or treat goody bag envelopes (yellow of course), Nicola and I really appreciate everyone taking the time to come along.

It’s always a bit nerve wracking doing presentations, we still get the jitters to this day! However, luckily our crowd were super friendly, got involved at the interactive parts and asked lots of great questions. Topics we covered were;

  • The keys goals of e-commerce
  • The first steps to setting up
  • Your website’s homepage
  • Product page – all that additional information you should be including.
  • Your website’s basket and checkout – including abandonment rate and reasons why!
  • Delivery & refund policy
  • Your brand, including tone, style & personality.
  • The customer experience & customer loyalty
  • How to attract customers through different digital marketing tools.

For those who couldn’t make the event, or are in the process of setting up their first website or already have one, our top tips to remember are;

  • Treat your website like a shop. You want to invite your customer in.
  • Showcase your products in the best light through multiple images and additional information
  • Your website is a customer service tool. Be available to them.
  • Make shopping and checkout quick, seamless and easy.

If you consider how you shop online, what factors are important to you? What puts you off? Why do you become a returning customer? How do you define a good experience? These are all questions to bear in mind when you come to create your own e-commerce website or even doing an audit of an existing one. Map out the pros and cons on a flip-chart and aim to align your brand with what you value as a customer.

Thank you again to everyone who made the night a success and watch this space for future digital marketing workshops from us in 2019. In the meantime if you’d like any advice about selling online, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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