Now common, it’s 2022 and you still do not have a spot for your business in the digital space? You really should. Truth be told, a lot of business owners are making the transition to the digital sphere as the world is gradually turning from physical in-person businesses to utilizing the internet.
Please note: By ‘digital space’ I mean, a business page on Instagram, Facebook, any other social media platform, or a website.
Regardless of what it is you sell, put yourself out there, somebody needs your products, someone needs your services out there. It’s your brand, it’s your identity. Own it!
People want to shop from the comfort of their bedrooms, offices, etc, at any time of the day, so why not make your business readily available? If you’re thinking,
“I have done so well without the internet in the past, so why do I need to make a business transition?”
The truth is regardless of whatever business you're into, you have a lot more to gain by transiting online.
Here’s why;
- Increased Visibility/Global Accessibility
Now, taking your business online elevates you and your business from the ‘Local champion’ phase. Please don’t take the ‘local champion’ tag to heart, it’s just to appeal to your sense of humor.
I need you to please understand that there are no international boundaries to how far your business can grow. Putting your business out there means anyone, anywhere in the world can access your business at any time of the day.
By doing so, you're inevitably expanding your business reach which will ultimately increase revenue.
- The Internet Never Sleeps
The internet has no closing time as compared to a physical shop. So, even if your shop closes at 8 pm daily, your online store stays open. Hence, you’re readily available to attend to your customers.
You have established an online presence that tells potential customers or clients that you're available for business 24/7/365.
- Very Low Startup and Maintenance Cost
Any business owner who started with a physical/offline store can attest to the fact that the cost of running a physical store is nothing compared to the cost of owning and maintaining a website or a social media page.
When you take into consideration the rent, the electricity bill; power supply, and cost of fuel to run a generator, etc. you’ll see reasons with me.
If you cannot start with a website, I implore you to at least start with a social media page. It could be Instagram only, Facebook only, or both. Now, if you think hiring a social media manager for your business is a cost you do not want to incur, learn to do it yourself. Baby steps they say.
Look up content on Youtube, Google, or even Instagram on how social media management works. Start small and grow into it. Trust me, it is NOT rocket science.
For a social media page, for instance, there is no utility bill attached, your proceeds are yours and yours alone. However, if you want more from the page, you can invest in running low-cost ads as well. Take note; the money spent on the Ads will mostly yield results, it’s your investment. Remember, money begets money.
- Location Barrier Has What? Nothing, absolutely nothing on you
As long as you have access to the internet, you can run your business from anywhere in the world. Even when you decide to take a break, close the physical/offline store for a few days, your business does not go into a full shut down mode because you have successfully positioned yourself in the digital space. Did you just say Bravo? I just did, lol.
- Your Business Information is out there for all to see
All a potential customer has to do is read the information in your ‘bio’ to understand to a great extent what your business is about. For a website, all the customer has to do is click on the link to gain access to all necessary information from the comfort of a bedroom.
An 'Instagram Bio' sample
PS: This is the business page of a close friend. Not only do I co-manage the page, but I also have his full permission to post this.
I don’t necessarily have to ask you for A-Z anymore because you already put the information at my fingertips. I don't have to go through pages and pages of a portfolio or a catalog, thereby saving us both time and energy.
Truth be told, I personally do not have the energy or the time to go through a novel-like catalog because I want to purchase a pair of shoes for instance.
Please note: Although it is relatively cheap to start an online business, the cost of marketing may not be so cheap. However, this depends on the scale of online marketing you want for your business. The best part is there’s a size for every pocket.