E-commerce sales generated over $2 trillion in revenue in 2017 and that number will grow an additional $2.5 trillion by 2021. The importance of selling on the web is no new concept but how can retailers develop (and maintain) the personal customer relationships unique to face-to-face interactions?

Once upon a time, consumers travelled to a shop, discussed their needs and wants with a sales rep and made an informed and comfortable purchase. Along with that purchase came the security of a personal relationship should there be a post-sale issue that needed attention or, ideally, the customer wished to make a future purchase.

The contemporary prominence of massive digital marketplaces, as well as companies’ individual websites, has removed that level of human touch from the sales process. While many consumers indeed prefer to order their goods from home, in their pajamas, many struggle to find that direct consultancy so unique to entering a physical sales space.

Company websites and marketplaces such as Amazon.com act as excellent product catalogues and point-of-sale platforms however, with a global penetration rate of 45%, social media channels have become absolutely critical for consumer engagement.

Case Study: An Automotive Accessory Startup

A few years ago, I began working with a small, anonymous automotive accessory manufacturer whose primary revenue source was through eBay.com listings. They had just entered the Amazon.com marketplace and were looking to expand their brand reach across their niche market.

They had a YouTube channel in place but there were only a handful of videos posted with limited branding cohesion. Additionally, while they had an Instagram presence, their posting was erratic and their reach growth was stagnant.

My first step was to create a library of technical and branding-rich video content to establish the company as an authority in its field. I then took over the Instagram page and established an aggressive posting schedule blending content of their own product images, cross-platform content, marketing promotions, and content provided by the end-users with the appropriate parties tagged.

While the latter proved extremely effective in increasing brand reach, I noticed something new and interesting occurring in the direct message inbox. Questions came pouring in regarding featured vehicles, order statuses, installation questions, and (most importantly) individuals seeking pre-sale consultancy.

Through these interactions, I developed sponsorship agreements, provided technical assistance, and was able to up-sell additional products in a manner that is unavailable across traditional e-commerce channels. While based in California, I developed personal relationships with customers and market influencers across the midwest and southeast while enjoying a 300% increase in divisional sales.

The Takeaway

While analyzing the individuals who were regularly communicating with me via the company’s Instagram direct messages, I noticed that the vast majority were under the age of 25 and were relatively new to vehicle customization, often working with their first-ever vehicles. I began offering them vehicular advise both inside and outside of the company’s specific product niche as well as offering them company memorabilia and mild discount codes to share with their acquaintances. As a result, I organically grew the brand’s reach across a new generation of vehicle enthusiasts, hatching additional relationships with the acquaintances of our initial followers.