Quickly disappearing are the days where you can reach your wholesale customers through the traditional cold calling, networking, and salesperson model. More than ever, wholesale companies are being called to satisfy customer needs online.
Is your wholesale business able to compete? Here’s how to digitize your business.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO DIGITIZE YOUR WHOLESALE BUSINESS?
You may already have a website for your wholesale company, so you may be thinking: “we’re already digital, what more do we need to do?”
The reality? You may not be as digitized as you think.
If your customers cannot order your products online and you’re not trying to reach them in some way through digital marketing, you may have further to go than you think.
WHY SHOULD YOU DIGITIZE YOUR BUSINESS?
The old model works, why change it? For plenty of great reasons, as it turns out. Here are just a few:
- Your customers are used to having simple and hassle free interactions with businesses online in their personal lives; why should wholesale business be any different?
- Your competition is going online and delivering more convenient service and tools to their customers.
- Furthermore, pricing is more transparent than ever. Your customers are just a few clicks away from finding a cheaper product elsewhere if you’re unwilling to share your pricing or offer a competitive advantage.
- Manufacturers are selling directly to customers more than ever, rendering wholesalers obsolete. It’s critical that you showcase your value to your customers.
Offering a digital experience for your customers will help solve all of these problems…and more!
HOW TO DIGITIZE YOUR WHOLESALE BUSINESS
Website
Certainly the first most critical step for your wholesale company is to ensure you have a user friendly website that gives both existing and potential customers the information (and the reasons why) they need to work with you.
Content Creation
But a website is much more than that, as it’s also a resource to establish your business as the expert in your field. That’s where additional content creation, like a blog, social media, email newsletter, or video come into play. Think about how your wholesale company can add value to the lives of your potential and existing customers.
Digital Catalog
Whether you choose to share your pricing or not, a digital catalog is a must-have. Otherwise, how will anyone know what your business offers? Plus, with products listed on your website, you gain the opportunity to be found directly for them through a search engine.
Customer Portal
One of the biggest keys for wholesale success in a digital world is to provide value to your existing clients with an online customer portal. With this helpful tool, customers can quickly and easily make orders (or reorders) any time they want. Of course, there’s always an option to speak to a salesperson, but this extra level of convenience goes far with customers.
If your wholesale company isn’t online yet, you now know the importance of digitizing and the first four places to get started.
If you need help creating a digital marketing presence that represents your wholesale business and reaches your target market, contact us at OSC Web Design.
