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7 Tips On How To Grow Your Business Online

7 Tips On How To Grow Your Business Online

In this article, I'd be sharing some tips on how you can benefit from the internet as a new entrepreneur in Nigeria. Before we begin, this article isn't for people interested in making money online, it is for business owners looking for ways of growing their offline businesses via the internet. While you can still apply the tutorials to your online business, I actually compiled the tutorials while focusing on budding entrepreneurs.

Before we start, take a minute to think about what you're selling or the service(s) you're offering and the possibilities of getting customers online. What would be your target market? Who are your competitors? These facts will help you figure out the best social networking platform to focus on.

For example, Instagram is cool for fashion-related products while general goods can perform Facebook. Pinterest?? Who even uses it in Nigeria? Stanford and a few others...lol!

I was just joking, let's get straight to the point. Below are some bits of advice for budding entrepreneurs interested in promoting their products/services online:

• Be focused

If you're selling shoes, sell your shoes, avoid using your page for BB Naija, politics or other useless trends. If you must support a trend, it should be related to your business.
For example, offering discounts to Nigerians supporting the #ENDSARS campaign. That way, more customers even might get interested in patronising you.

• Start small

While having a website is cool, it is not a do or die affair. You can focus on social media till you grow and of course, understand the basics of online campaigns. After all, social media handles are much less expensive than developing websites.
If you need a website, you can contact us to build one at a very affordable rate. We understand you're a growing business and would provide you with all the features you need in a site at mouth-watering rates.

• Portfolio matters

When I want to patronise a fashion maker I met on Facebook, I'd first request for some real samples of his/her works. As a new customer, showing me random images gotten from the internet or even 3D images won't make me patronise you, I need some real stuff.
Good a thing, you can now get affordable smartphones with very quality cameras. You can invest in one or at least, have a professional photographer take photos of your works. 
Also check out this article on Charlotte seo experts.

• Don't be everywhere

You're not as big Coca Cola or GT Bank yet, just do what works for you. You must not be on all the social media platforms, just find out the one that works for your business niche and focus on them, with time, you'd master all the features of the platform.
When I started blogging, I used to post on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn and other social networking platforms that I could lay my hands on. With time, I noticed my major visitors were coming from Twitter, so I had to focus there. I only recently returned back to Pinterest after the recent Google update.

• Your business page matters too

Are you putting enough information on your social media handles? I have seen many business owners putting just their contact email on their Facebook page. To be honest, no one would want to draft an email when s/he can just call you.
And another thing, it's very annoying when your customers encounter difficulties trying to call you, especially when the number switched off or unavailable. I always recommend making alternative phone numbers available too.

• Make your page interesting

Remember that your friend that you muted on WhatsApp because she only sells shoes on her status? That's how your followers see it when you only post things available for sale. There are always ways of making your pages interesting and interactive.
For example, if you sell furniture, you can write articles or share links about choosing designs, matching colours or even, the various kinds of sofas that exist.
• Support other small businesses
No man is an island, especially in the business world. You should share other businesses the same way you'll see a Gala seller walking with a Coke seller. In short, support other small businesses, especially those in the same/similar line or value chain.

What more? These are not all, why don't you add yours in the comment section below? Before you leave, also check out our previous post on 15 very lucrative businesses you can start with ₦100,000 in Nigeria.
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