Digital marketing is changing businesses around the world. For both retailers and wholesalers, using the right marketing tools and techniques can result in very profitable business ventures. The most up-to-date online marketing tools including artificial intelligence, virtual reality, big data, and the internet of things can be effectively utilized in maximizing customer engagement, conversion rates, and sales.
In this article, you will learn about some of the best automation tools and techniques that both retailers and wholesalers can use.
Let us start with techniques.
Top marketing techniques for retailers and wholesalers
Work With Influencers
Influencers are individuals who can influence their followers to make certain decisions. Think of how religious leaders can make their followers uphold certain ideas. That’s exactly what influencers do in the world of marketing.
Influencers can promote whatever products or services they like and receive commissions in return. The good thing about this sort of partnership is, you only get to pay after results have been delivered. This means there is little to no risk in using this strategy. So, why not partner with an influencer to boost your sales?
You can use a platform like Influence to connect with influencers in your industry. You also have the option of using industry contacts to connect with some reputable influencers.
The key is to prove to the influencers that your products or services deserve to be promoted. So, ensure that you pitch to them excellently.
To avoid future problems, it’s advisable to enter into a legal agreement with an influencer before partnering with them. Be sure to include the following in the legal agreement:
- Promotion platforms
- Period of promotion
- Proof of promotion
- Mode of payment
- Commission or fee to be paid
- Frequency of payment
The quality of customers and prospects that are referred by influencers is usually of high quality. Also, you don’t have to spend a lot of time to convince such customers – your influencer has done that already – to buy your products or services.
Offer Referral Bonuses to your Customers
The majority of your existing customers would be pleased to refer you to a new customer. They just need the right motivation. All you have to do is to offer them enticing referral bonuses.
Now, you may be thinking “even for a referral bonus, why would they refer you, especially if you are a competitor?” the truth is, not all people belonging to the same industry are competitors. There is something known as networking, and its impacts are real.
So, what are the examples of referral incentives that can be offered to existing customers? The following are known to work well:
- Trade discount for subsequent orders
- Instant cash rewards
- Cash discounts on outstanding payments
- Free products
- Priority service for their next orders
The quality of customers referral programs attract is usually of high quality. Why? Because this group of customers trusts your products as a result of the endorsement of your existing customers.
The amazing thing about this marketing strategy is that it triggers a chain reaction. This is because the referral ‘chain’ doesn’t end with a new referral. Each referral can win you more customers by continuing the referral process.
Therefore, this strategy is one of the most easy-to-implement & effective marketing strategies for retailers and wholesalers.
Top marketing automation tools
After looking at techniques that both retailers and wholesalers can implement, it is time to look at the top marketing automation tools.
Below are some of the best marketing automation tools for retailers and wholesalers:
Buffer
One of the most challenging things about social media marketing is mastering consistency. Buffer allows you to add a maximum of tensocial media posts at a time, all for free. All ten posts will go out to your target audience at a time. So if you are finding it difficult to put up posts consistently, Buffer is an excellent marketing automation tool for you. One cool feature that Buffer has is data analytics. You can keep track of the number of clicks on your link, you can see your reach, and do lots more. Buffer will also give you details about your top posts. By looking at the data that Buffer provides you with, you can better understand strategies that work best on social media for better engagement and conversion.
Gobot
Gobot is ranked amongst the trendiest marketing automation tools. You can use Gobot to reduce the customer support workload for you and your team. Gobot can schedule meetings, collect emails, and take polls all while effectively handling your customer service. If you have trouble with managing customer inquiries, this marketing tool can save the day. Its drag and drop functionality makes the customer support automation process even easier.
Around.io
Around.io is a marketing automation tool that can help you post on social media more consistently. It comes with an added e-commerce feature; since the tool connects with your online store, you can post products directly to your social media accounts to generate sales. It helps you save time by letting you schedule all your social media posts automatically. With Around.io, you won’t forget to put up posts on social media anymore. It even allows you to play around with fun features like GIFs and other engaging content to your social media accounts.
Conclusion
As a retailer or wholesaler, you’re responsible for taking care of marketing and customer support, both of which can be time-consuming. If you are intent on achieving success, the best way to go is to automate your business processes. Since you’re automating tasks, ensure that you get all the upfront work done right. Maybe ask a colleague, friend, mentor, or a professional digital marketer to look at your initial setup before committing to it. Marketing automation tools are a big part of marketing today, and the future won’t be any different. Now is the time to take your destiny in the world of marketing into your hands.
Further read on:-
- How to ask for referrals
- Top referral apps that help you sell more using partners
- How to make your partners sell more – 7 actionable tips
