Crafting a Winning eCommerce Business: A Strategic Guide
Evian Davies
Introduction
Let’s cover the basic framework you would likely want to have ticked off when setting up your own eCommerce business. Webflow is my tool of choice, but feel free to apply this to your own. We’ll cover: What (Product), Why (Purpose), Who (Audience), How (Triad: Findability, Usability & Functionality), Repeat (Research & Iterate).
The expectation is that you know either what you want to sell or a problem you want to solve for.
WHAT (Product): I’m selling…
To know WHAT to sell, you need to understand WHY.
Q&A
You have Product/s in mind?
There’s obvious value for customer?
It’s a niche area?
Purchasing naturally leads to referrals?
If you answered Yes to all 4, skip to WHO.
If No to any, read WHY…
WHY (Purpose): Unearth Your Product's Mission
The Magic. Using Jobs-To-Be-Done Framework, we can ensure we have something of value:
Define the Customer's Job: Begin by understanding the specific job your customer is trying to accomplish. Break down the job into discrete process steps, starting from defining objectives to concluding the job.
Locate Pain Points: Identify the pain points or challenges your customer faces at each step of the job. What aspects are causing friction or inefficiency?
Prepare for Solutions: Consider how your product or service can help the customer prepare, locate necessary inputs, and set up the environment for the job. Are there opportunities to streamline these steps or make them more convenient?
Example:
Customer needs to touch up the paintwork this weekend for guests → Can’t find their swatches book & doesn’t have time to get another → Takes photo of wall → Goes to department store → Tries to match colour from phone → Buys paint, returns home → Notices the wall colour is slightly different to phone → Determines it’s close enough and proceeds → Initially looks good until it dries and looks even further from original colour.There were two key pain points:Capturing current colour accurately.Dried paint colour matching reference on the tin.Potential solutions:A photo app that considers white-balance and outputs exact colour identifier.Hire professional (££)Hire Drying-Paint watcher (It’s a real job!) to match colours perfectly.A photo app that considers white-balance and outputs exact colour identifier & Use app to ensure paint colour matches.WHO (Audience): Empower Wise Choices
You know the WHY, but does your audience? Do they see how exactly it’s going to solve their pain points? Shout about it, showcase it, make it very clear. Don’t worry about others copying, let them. Keep learning ‘why’ and solving it and you’ll always stay ahead.
Your audience craves wisdom before making purchase decisions. Dive deep into the minds of potential customers and unearth what specific details sway their choices. Whether it's the features, benefits, usage scenarios, or the opinions of fellow buyers, your product pages should serve a feast of valuable information.
HOW (The Essential Triad): Findability, Usability, and Functionality
Findability (Marketing & SEO):
Begin your quest by enhancing your Webflow site’s findability. Become a master of marketing and SEO, wielding meta tags, structured data, and search-friendly URLs like enchanted scrolls. Ascend through the search engine ranks and beckon organic visitors to your digital realm.
Usability (UX):
Usability is your trusty steed on this journey. Let your website be a sanctuary of user-friendly design, where navigation is intuitive and the user experience, sublime. Bring delight with subtle class, utilize a touch of motion and interaction design.
Functionality (Value):
Your Webflow site’s functionality is the treasure chest that holds the true value. Utilize Webflow Components to ensure every click, scroll, and interaction delivers value to your users. As your digital realm scales the customer experience will not diminish and it’ll keep them coming back for more.
REPEAT (Research & Iterate): The Magic of Data
Our journey through Webflow wouldn't be complete without embracing the mystical powers of analytics. Wield the right tools and forge potent dashboards to unearth the secrets of user behavior. Webflow's seamless integration with analytics, coupling this with user interviews will empower you to pinpoint the crossroads where users drop out of the funnel and the reasons behind it. With these insights, keep refining your website's design and content like a seasoned alchemist.
STAY AHEAD (Competitor Research): The Competitive Edge
In a realm teeming with competitors, finding your unique essence is imperative. Unearth the gems that set your offerings apart from the rest. Delve deep into competitor analysis and bring your discoveries to the fore. Whether it's a commitment to quality, affordability, or the warm embrace of unparalleled customer service, let Webflow's design prowess spotlight your distinct shine.
Image ref: Matthew Skiles
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Posted Sep 11, 2023
An article on what I learnt working on Research & Design for eComm platform MPB. Which resulted in increased sales and improved customer satisfaction.
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