An Introduction to Amazon Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Paid Advertising

Posted on by Kaylyn Perry

It only takes a few minutes for your brand to reach millions of people all over the world. Amazon Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising has amazing potential, with a massive reach and the ability to target specific audiences.

What can you do to make the most of it?

Investing in PPC can provide a great return for your eCommerce brand, but it’s also a simple way to lose money if you don’t approach it wisely.

Here’s an introduction to Amazon pay-per-click marketing to help you make sure you’re doing it correctly.

What is Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising

Amazon Pay-per-Click (PPC) advertising is a part of Amazon’s internal ad system. Brands, agencies, and third-party sellers can use Amazon PPC to create advertisements for their products that appear in Amazon’s search results and competitor product listings. 

Sellers can then present Amazon customers who are ready to buy with relevant products at the point of sale, and then measure the performance of their ads to determine which specific ads are driving conversions. It’s a highly effective marketing strategy used by many smart Amazon sellers 

How Much Does PPC Advertising Cost?

When you make an investment in advertising, you want to know how much it will cost you. This is a little more difficult with PPC.

Online advertising is not the same as placing an ad in a magazine, where you pay a fee and receive a full-cover page. Instead, you only pay when you get results with PPC (someone clicking your ad).

However, with offline advertising, you typically pay a flat fee regardless of the results. You have more control over how much each truly engaged consumer costs you with PPC.

This is accomplished through an auction system. Unlike a traditional auction, however, there is no single product with a single winner — you are bidding on how high up and how frequently your ad will be visible. “Losing” the auction doesn’t mean you get no PPC space; it just means you get less.

The main takeaway here is that it isn’t just about how much you bid. The quality of your products is also important.

However, if your maximum bid is unrealistic, your ads will not be shown frequently enough to be worthwhile. The average cost per click for different keywords varies, and this should influence your bidding strategy.

AI-powered tools like eCommerce growth tools can help you estimate how much your ads will cost, so they should be used in your keyword research.

Is PPC Marketing Right for My Business?

Pay-per-click advertising, like any other form of marketing, has advantages and disadvantages. PPC should ideally be used as part of a comprehensive marketing strategy to maximize its strengths and minimize its weaknesses.

Advantages of PPC Marketing

Immediate results: Your products will reach your target audience with immediate effect.

Highly targeted: You have complete control over who sees your ads. 

Simple to monitor: You can quickly monitor the success of your campaign and calculate your ROI. 

Great Exposure: Paid advertisements are prominently displayed, with the potential to reach an almost infinite number of people.

Disadvantages of PPC Marketing

Long-term cost: You must pay for each click, putting you at the mercy of advertising pricing. It will add up if you do this for months or years. 

Not creating an asset: When you invest in content marketing or building an email list, you are creating a valuable asset. Your success with PPC is dependent on ongoing ad spend

Steps to Launching a Pay-Per-Click Marketing Campaign

Starting your first PPC marketing campaign may feel fairly straightforward- you could do it in just a few simple steps. Remember that product and content quality is critical to the success of your campaign, so take your time and focus on each step.

  1. Determine Your PPC Budget

How much money do you want to spend on pay-per-click advertising?

To begin, you must establish an initial budget to allow you to test the waters. You can use some industry benchmarks as a rough guide to determine how much you’re likely to pay for each conversion.

Once you’ve determined your overall budget, set daily and lifetime spend caps for your campaigns. This is an important step in developing a PPC campaign because your budget will have a significant impact on the success rates of your ads. 

If your budget does not allow you to achieve meaningful results, it may be worth considering alternative marketing methods.

  1. Establish Campaign Objectives

Different businesses will have different pay-per-click campaign objectives.

For example, if you’re planning a pre-launch for a new company, your goal may be to drive traffic and raise awareness. Conversions may be your primary goal if you’re selling a product on Amazon.

Because each goal has a different value, the goals you set will have a significant impact on your marketing campaign. A click isn’t worth as much as a lead or a conversion, so your cost-per-click should reflect that.

Setting the right goals for your campaign allows you to better target the right audience and accurately measure your return on investment. When you use PPC, you pay for the click, not what the customer does afterward — the click costs the same whether they buy or not.

Consider who you want to click on your ad and what actions they should take. When you understand this, you can optimize your entire campaign to encourage people to take those actions, which will reduce your costs.

  1. Research Your Keywords

Keywords are one of the most important tools for targeting your audience, and keyword research can make or break your campaign. While you most likely have a good idea of how your customers search for your products or services, you must narrow it down to those that result in people taking action. 

Keywords that attract people who are further along in the purchasing process will generally cost you more, but they will also lead to more conversions.

  1. Bid On Your Keywords

For example, a customer searches Amazon for “running shoes.” The auction is won by the seller with the highest bid, and Amazon will display the winning ad. Your goal is to rank first for your keyword in order to drive sales to your product. It’s a simple idea that allows sellers to put their products in the best position to succeed. 

The great thing about Amazon PPC is that it uses a second-price auction system, so if you win the auction, you only pay $0.01 more than the second-highest bidder. Assume you bid $1.80 on the keyword ‘running shoes,’ and the second-highest bidder bid $1.30. When you win, you’ll only pay $1.81 each time a customer clicks your ad.

 

Conclusion

Pay-per-click advertising is an excellent way to quickly reach a highly targeted audience. When you strike the right balance with PPC and optimize your ads properly, it can provide an excellent return on investment and become an important part of your digital marketing toolkit.

If you don’t have the time or expertise to manage your PPC campaigns, consider using AI-powered eCommerce growth tools that will help you handle everything related to Amazon PPC Advertising. Leveraging AI for growth could help you save considerable time and money.

How to Continue Your Review Momentum After Amazon Prime Day

Posted on by Kaylyn Perry

Prime Day 2023 was a success for shoppers and sellers alike – no surprise there! Last year’s event saw customers purchase over 300 million items, making it the most successful Prime Day in Amazon’s history. Will this year’s event exceed that record? Only time will tell.

In the meantime, you have more work to do. We know that you put a ton of time and effort into preparing for Prime Day, but the days and weeks afterward are just as important. Now is the perfect time to ramp up your review requests and position your products as best sellers heading into Q4.

Keep reading to discover how to continue your review momentum post-Prime Day.

The Relationship Between Reviews and Prime Day

In the leadup to Prime Day, many sellers have more than just sales on their minds. They’re also very eager to gather more product reviews. Participating in Prime Day means your products will be given prime real estate on Amazon’s homepage and other high-traffic locations, which translates to increased visibility and a wider reach.

To make things even better, when customers buy your products at a lower price (hopefully you ran a few coupons!), they’re more likely to be satisfied with their purchases because they feel like they got a good deal. This happiness often results in better reviews, as happy buyers are more prone to leaving positive feedback.

Following the usual surge in order volume during Prime Day, it’s essential to have a well-planned strategy for acquiring more reviews from buyers. (Need more proof? Just a few short years ago, we saw a 32% increase in the number of reviews received by a random selection of FeedbackFive users.)

Key takeaway: Take advantage of the sales boost during Prime Day and set yourself up for future success by actively seeking reviews for your orders. 

3 Tips for Maximizing Your Review Potential Post-Prime Day

Prime Day is over, but your review potential is not. Here are three tips for maximizing your post-Prime Day reviews.

Be Proactive with Your Review Requests 

You may have already seen a natural uptick in the number of reviews that you’re received, but by being more proactive, you can turn that slow trickle into a steady stream.

All third-party Amazon sellers have the right to proactively request reviews (and seller feedback) from buyers. You can reach out to them through various channels in Seller Central, including Amazon’s Buyer-Seller Messaging Service and the Request a Review button. You may also use third-party software that integrates with the Amazon API and automates your review requests for you.

No matter what choice you make, it’s important to streamline the process for customers to leave reviews. Without guidance, they may overlook the opportunity altogether or struggle to figure out how to proceed. By sending a courteous review request to their inbox, you’ll likely receive more responses from satisfied shoppers who appreciate the ease and convenience provided.

Follow Amazon’s Review Guidelines

Now is not the time to get suspended by Amazon because you didn’t abide by its review policies. Here are the biggest rules to remember:

  1. Send one product review request per order within 30 days of the order being completed.
  2. Always include the order ID in your requests and translate the message into the buyer’s preferred language.
  3. Do not offer any incentives in exchange for a product review, including 

monetary compensation, freebies, significant markdowns, coupons, or other rewards.

  1. You, your family members, and your employees are prohibited from reviewing the products that you sell and those of your competitors.
  2. Never explicitly ask buyers to leave a positive review. Requests should always be neutral in manner.
  3. Requests shouldn’t contain marketing messages, promotional language, or links to any websites.
  4. Never create a variation relationship between products in an attempt to manipulate reviews.
  5. Do not divert customers with negative reviews away from Amazon while asking those who’ve had a positive experience with the product to leave a review.

Be sure to brush up on Amazon’s review policies and Communication Guidelines to stay compliant and keep your account in good standing.

Send Your Review Request at the Right Time

Timing is everything when it comes to requesting reviews. Even if you’ve been diligent in following Amazon’s guidelines, sending your request at the wrong time can be counterproductive. To ensure optimal open rates and conversions, the timing of your review requests should be tailored to the type of product and the average time it takes for buyers to form an opinion of it.

Here are some general guidelines that have proven to be successful.

 

  • For larger items like furniture and appliances, it’s best to give buyers time to get comfortable with their purchase and see how it performs. Waiting two weeks to a month after delivery is recommended. 
  • When it comes to products with long-term benefits, such as vitamins and supplements, it’s crucial to take into account the time it takes for buyers to notice results. To increase the likelihood of receiving a review, it’s ideal to wait for a period of one week to a month before sending a review request.
  • If your product falls under the category of outdoor supplies or leisure items that people enjoy in their spare time, it’s helpful to ensure that at least one weekend has passed before requesting a review. 
  • For seasonal items like holiday decorations and costumes, try sending your request between delivery and the relevant holiday or event, or just after the holiday, if possible.
  • If you sell small, everyday products like dishes, office supplies, toiletries, phone accessories, or food items, requesting a review 5-7 days after delivery is usually sufficient. You want to reach buyers when they’re still thinking about the product.

If you sell across a wide range of product categories, it’s highly recommended to segment your buyers and tailor your review campaigns based on the specific SKUs or ASINs purchased. 

FeedbackFive Makes Sending Review Requests Quick and Easy

Having a post-Prime Day strategy is just as vital as prepping for the big day itself. Make sure that you continue to run review request campaigns in the days and weeks after the event. This helps you secure additional sales and make the most out of the brand exposure you gained from Amazon’s biggest sales event.

Leveraging Amazon email automation is the ultimate strategy for requesting reviews efficiently. Whether you prefer crafting customized templates for your customers or relying on Amazon’s Request a Review feature, FeedbackFive by eComEngine streamlines the process for you by scheduling and automating review requests to maximize your chances of getting more ratings.

With just a few clicks, you can personalize your messages to target audiences, including repeat buyers or everyone who purchases a particular SKU. FeedbackFive also helps you manage your seller reputation by excluding orders that didn’t meet expectations. The tool’s auto-exclusions tab allows you to exclude orders that are late or sent out of the country with just a few clicks.

Finally, in addition to automating review and feedback requests, FeedbackFive also sends listing alerts for negative feedback, listing suppression, content changes, and possible hijacker activity. 

screenshot of the FeedbackFive interface displaying the number of offers
See what else FeedbackFive can do for you by starting a free trial today. Free 60 day trial for our Kickfurther community. Use coupon code KICK60 to redeem the exclusive offer!

How Inventory Financing Can Improve Your Marketing Messaging

Posted on by Kaylyn Perry

Marketing, for the most part, is designed to move inventory. After all, the end goal of any business is to make sales. However, the reverse can also be true. Inventory can move marketing by improving your business’s ability to attract clients. This is why many businesses use inventory financing to ensure there’s sufficient stock of popular items at all times.

Promoting Inventory That’s Been Out of Stock

If you’ve had low inventory for some time, advertise your products as being “back in stock” or “returning”. You can even set up a countdown timer on your site to generate excitement, and/or send countdown SMS messages to subscribers. Post pictures as well, as people remember images better than text. Images also boost social media shares by a whopping 650 percent.

Alternatively, you can use phrases such as “fan favorite” or “best-selling” to describe popular products that are now back in stock. If your product has sold over a certain amount, you can advertise this with phrases such as “over one million sold”. However, these phrases should only be used if they’re accurate. If an item is a bestseller, don’t hesitate to tout it as such. On the other hand, old stock that doesn’t sell well should never be pushed as a “fan favorite” just to get it out the door.

Promoting New Products

Remember the reasons why you’re offering new products in the first place and tout these. Was the product created after reading consumer surveys? If so, a tagline such as “You asked, we delivered” is effective. Did you design your product to be more sustainable, affordable, efficient, or convenient than other, similar products? If so, don’t hesitate to market it based on its unique qualities. If you aren’t sure which quality generates the most sales, conduct an A/B test. This will show you which tagline works best for each group of consumers you want to reach.

It’s tempting to make a limited order when launching new products. This is especially true if you aren’t sure the product will sell well. However, a limited product order hampers your marketing efforts. You don’t want to spend a lot of time and money promoting a new product and then run out of stock. After all, there is no guarantee that the people who wanted to buy your product will come back later. Even if you sell a unique product, the odds are that other businesses also sell a similar product or a product consumers can use for the same purpose. Many people won’t wait around for you to restock. This is especially if you don’t know when you’ll have more of the product they want. If you’ve done careful research and you know there’s demand for your products, don’t hesitate to use inventory financing. Doing so ensures you have plenty of products to sell at all times.

Flash Sales and Limited Time Offers

Urgency and scarcity are triggers that generate sales if you use taglines such as “Limited quantities available” or “limited edition products. However, you can also use these triggers even if you have plenty of stock on hand by offering special deals only on certain days or to certain people. For example, you could offer a one-day discount on a particular product, or give a freebie to the first one hundred customers to buy a certain product. If your stock drops below a certain threshold, use an automated tool to notify subscribers. Terms such as “low stock” or “almost out of stock” encourage people to buy now.

Fast Shipping and Delivery Times

Nearly two-thirds of consumers expect online stores to deliver orders in two to three days. Almost 70 percent of consumers are more likely to click on an ad if it offers fast or free shipping. Over three-quarters of consumers are more likely to buy a product if the seller can deliver it in no more than two days.

Fast shipping and expedited delivery times not only drive sales but also generate trust. People know they can count on you to sell what you say you’re selling. They’ll know they can expect fast, efficient service from your store. Don’t hesitate to use taglines such as “free shipping” and “expedited delivery available” when you promote your products. At the same time, remember that you can only provide fast, free, efficient shipping if you have enough stock on hand to do so. Inventory financing plays a key role in ensuring that you’re able to meet your marketing promises.

Building Awareness and Trust 

Effective marketing messaging is important, but inventory financing isn’t just about new taglines to your campaign. 

As Hawke Media CEO Erik Huberman points out in The Hawke Method, the three core principles of marketing are awareness, nurturing, and trust. Maintaining an inventory surplus enables you to build brand awareness as you don’t have to pull ads because your product is out of stock. It enables you to nurture potential clients as you’ll be able to create tailored ads to meet the needs of specific target demographics. It also generates trust as people see they can count on you to deliver their purchase without undue delay.

Inventory financing plays a crucial role in not only ensuring a well-stocked business but also enhancing marketing strategies. By enabling businesses to promote returning items, showcase new products, and create a sense of urgency, inventory financing directly contributes to more effective and compelling marketing messages. 

As a result, businesses can attract and retain customers, increase sales, and ultimately foster growth. By leveraging the power of inventory financing, companies can transform their marketing efforts and drive long-term success in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

 

About Hawke Media:

Hawke Media was founded on the idea that every modern business needs a CMO-level expert to lead its digital marketing efforts. That’s why we create customized, performance-driven solutions around your unique business, helping you to launch, scale, and invigorate your brand. We bring you the resources of a full-service agency with the attention of an in-house team. You have the vision. We’re Your Outsourced CMO. ®

 

Sources

10 Psychological Tactics for Impactful Marketing (maryville.edu)

Boost Conversions and Referrals with Scarcity and Urgency (linkedin.com)

How to Add Automation to Your eCommerce Store – Hawke Media

Does Fast Shipping Drive Higher Revenue? (linkedin.com)

The 3 Principles of Marketing: Awareness, Nurturing, and Trust – Hawke Media

 

From Crowdfunding to E-commerce: Navigating the Path to Success

Posted on by Kaylyn Perry

Transitioning from crowdfunding to e-commerce can be a crucial step in the growth and sustainability of your business. It allows you to leverage the initial support gained from crowdfunding and establish a solid foundation for long-term success. But the journey from crowdfunding to e-commerce can be tricky, and it’s important to understand the nuances involved.

In this article, we will explore the key steps involved in this transition and provide valuable insights to help you navigate the process effectively.

Opt for a Reliable and Proven Platform 

When transitioning to e-commerce, selecting the right platform is essential. Shopify is highly recommended due to its flexibility, ease of use, and reliability. Many successful online stores utilize Shopify as their preferred platform. It offers a range of features, customization options, and integrations to support your e-commerce operations effectively. Moreover, Shopify provides dedicated customer support available 24/7, ensuring you have assistance whenever you need it.

Sustain Momentum: Keep Accepting Pre-Orders Without Delay

To maintain momentum and capitalize on the success of your crowdfunding campaign, it’s crucial to continue accepting preorders. Ensure that your e-commerce website is ready at least two weeks before the end of your campaign. If there are any delays, check if your crowdfunding platform allows extensions, such as Indiegogo’s InDemand option. During this transition period, focus on collecting more pre-orders as a safety net until your e-commerce store is fully operational. However, prioritize fulfilling the orders of your early backers, as they played a pivotal role in funding your project.

Prioritize Exceptional Customer Service for Success

Building strong customer relationships is essential for sustainable growth. Did you know that customers are twice as inclined to share negative experiences with customer service compared to positive ones? Prioritize excellent customer service to foster loyalty and create a positive reputation for your brand. Respond promptly to inquiries, address concerns, and ensure smooth order fulfillment. By exceeding customer expectations, you can generate positive word-of-mouth and drive repeat business. Remember, satisfied customers can become your brand ambassadors, promoting your products and driving further sales.

Maintain Visibility: Invest Consistently in Advertising Efforts

To maintain growth and visibility, it’s crucial not to neglect your advertising efforts. Allocate a portion of your budget to advertising and promotional activities consistently. Deep dive into your finances to optimize expenses and ensure that your business remains profitable. Begin by examining your advertising expenditures and allow our team to conduct a thorough audit of your account! By consistently promoting your products and reaching your target audience, you can sustain sales growth and maximize your e-commerce potential.

Explore Growth Opportunities: Secure Additional Capital and Forge Strategic Partnerships

Within 120 days of establishment, 90% of e-commerce companies experience failure, while only 78% manage to survive their inaugural year of operation. Scaling an e-commerce business requires adequate capital and strategic partnerships. To secure additional working capital, you can explore various options such as traditional lending, equity financing, as well as alternative options like inventory funding These funding options can fuel your growth initiatives, enable product expansion, and help you navigate the challenges of scaling successfully. Learn more on how Kickfurther can help.

Optimize Your E-commerce Website

Your e-commerce website serves as the digital storefront for your business. Optimize it for a seamless user experience and improved conversion rates. Ensure that your website is mobile-friendly, as a significant portion of online shopping occurs on mobile devices. Implement intuitive navigation, high-quality product images, and detailed product descriptions. Streamline the checkout process to minimize cart abandonment. Incorporate customer reviews and testimonials to build trust and credibility. Consider working with Rainfactory to leverage their expertise in creating high-converting e-commerce websites.

Implement Effective Digital Marketing Strategies

A strong online presence is crucial for e-commerce success. Implement effective digital marketing strategies to drive traffic and increase brand visibility. Leverage search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to improve your website’s organic search rankings. Develop a content marketing strategy that includes valuable blog posts, videos, and social media content to engage your target audience. Utilize social media advertising, influencer partnerships, and email marketing to reach a wider audience and drive conversions. Rainfactory’s marketing services can help you develop and execute impactful digital marketing campaigns.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, transitioning from crowdfunding to e-commerce is a critical step in building a sustainable and profitable business. By following these steps, which include choosing a reliable platform, continuing to accept pre-orders, prioritizing customer service, maintaining advertising efforts, and considering additional capital and partnerships, you can set yourself up for long-term success in the e-commerce space.

 

To ensure a smooth and effective transition from crowdfunding to e-commerce, consider partnering with Rainfactory, a leading agency that specializes in crowdfunding and e-commerce product launch services. Their expertise and experience can provide valuable guidance and support throughout the process. Contact Rainfactory today to explore how they can help you achieve your goals and unlock the full potential of your e-commerce venture.

 

Remember, successful transitions require strategic planning and execution. Embrace the opportunities that e-commerce offers, and with the right strategies and support, you can build a thriving online business.

10 Tips to avoid disaster with retailers and distributors

Posted on by Pavel

Retailer and distributor mistakes can certainly set you back, but if learning can be done – it’s often the way that we grow the most as humans and business owners. As you go explore the path of being a profitable wholesaler, knowledge is power. Mistakes are bound to happen. But, remember, as a business owner and liver of life, what’s most important is how you react to things. Researching mistakes to avoid is a proactive approach that we fully approach, but should you encounter mistakes of your own or mistakes caused by others, embrace them. 

When working with retailers and distributors there’s a lot at stake. Issues with retailers and distributors can arise in many ways, including payment delays, product quality issues, lack of communication, and more.  Issues with inventory can also be at the forefront of these pitfalls,  including lack of adequate inventory levels, delayed delivery of products and cash flow strains that come from having to regularly purchase more inventory. With the bottom line at risk, transact with your eyes open. Below, we will explore 10 tips to help avoid disaster with retailers and distributors. Our team at Kickfurther wants to see you succeed, so much so we’ve created an inventory funding platform that helps business owners get inventory funding up to 30% cheaper than other options. Before your mind gets too enticed though, here are 10 tips to avoid disaster with retailers and distributors. 

10 Tips to Avoid Disaster with Retailers and Distributors

Relationships are key in business and in life. While they may be difficult to navigate at times, it’s always worth the extra effort to connect with others – especially when you rely on them for your success. Relationships with retailers and distributors can be challenging to navigate, and mistakes can lead to costly consequences. To avoid disaster, take our 10 tips below into account. 

#1. Conduct thorough research

Before entering into any agreement with retailers and distributors, it is important to do your homework. Research the company’s reputation, financial stability, and track record to ensure that they are a good fit for your business. You know what they say about who you “hang out” with – it can be viewed as a direct reflection of you. 

#2. Set clear expectations

Make sure that you clearly communicate your expectations to retailers and distributors. This includes everything from product quality to delivery schedules to pricing. This will help to avoid misunderstandings, establish trust, improve communication, and achieve better results. If they don’t know your expectations, they will not know how to meet your needs. For example, if you expect an order to arrive within 24 hours of promised delivery, communicate that. If you want a discount for a standing bulk order, communicate that. Never assume the retailer or distributor knows what you expect – even if it’s simple. 

#3. Protect your brand

Your brand is your most valuable asset and protecting your brand with retailers and distributors is critical for maintaining brand identity, avoiding counterfeits, controlling pricing, building trust, and maintaining quality standards. It can help you build a strong and sustainable business over the long term. Make sure that you have systems in place to monitor and protect your brand from unauthorized use or misrepresentation.

#4. Build strong relationships

Developing strong relationships with retailers and distributors is key to long-term success. This includes regular communication, providing excellent customer service, and being responsive to their needs. Building trust may take time, so ensure that you fulfill your commitments on time and keep your promises. While you may be transacting business deals, keep in mind you are dealing with real people. Show them you care and get to know them on a more personal level while maintaining professionalism.

#5. Develop clear contracts and agreements

All agreements with retailers and distributors should be in writing and clearly outline the terms and conditions of the relationship. This can help prevent misunderstandings, conflicts, and disputes down the road. Contracts and agreements can also provide legal protection for both parties in case of a dispute. They can help define each party’s rights and obligations, and provide a framework for resolving conflicts.

#6. Monitor performance

Regularly monitor the performance of your retailers and distributors to ensure that they are meeting your expectations. This includes tracking sales, inventory levels, and customer feedback. By monitoring performance it can help you identify issues, improve communication, optimize inventory, increase sales, build relationships, and measure success. Stay close to operations.

#7. Address issues promptly

 If any issues arise, it is important to address them promptly. This includes everything from product quality issues to missed delivery schedules. Addressing these issues promptly can help you maintain relationships, avoid escalation, improve communication, mitigate risk, resolve problems, and maintain customer satisfaction. It can be easy to overlook things that are not up to par – as you know they’re cause for headache but trust us this is a costly mistake. As a business owner, always be proactive. 

#8. Communicate regularly

Regular communication is key to maintaining strong relationships with retailers and distributors. This includes providing updates on new products or promotions and addressing any concerns or issues that may arise. Communication on a regular basis can help build relationships, improve collaboration, identify issues, provide feedback, share information, and build trust. Communication can take you so far in the business world. 

#9. Be adaptable

The retail landscape is constantly changing. Be willing to adapt to new trends, technologies, and consumer preferences to stay ahead of the curve. This can help you respond to changing market conditions, evolving customer needs, different markets, challenges, building relationships, and encouraging innovation.

#10. Plan for contingencies

No matter how well you plan, unexpected events can occur. Be prepared to pivot quickly and have contingency plans in place to minimize any negative impact on your business. Contingency planning involves preparing for potential challenges or disruptions to your business operations and developing strategies to mitigate the impact of these events. By developing a contingency plan and communicating it effectively with your partners, you can be better prepared to deal with unexpected events and maintain strong business relationships.

Closing thoughts

You’ve worked so hard to establish a reputable business. If disasters happen, own them. Learn from them. Keep going. Whenever possible though, be proactive and do business the right way. Take focus off the immediate profit of every action and find the greater value behind the things you do. As you work with retailers and distributors, keep these tips in mind and always think before speaking and acting. You don’t have to make decisions on the spot or respond to things right away. Invest the time you need to think things through clearly and say what needs to be said. This can help you avoid all kinds of mistakes. As your savvy business skills begin to pay off and your business grows you may need to access inventory financing. Increasing your purchasing power can help you lock in discounts and gain priority with retailers and distributors. 

How Kickfurther can help

Maintaining adequate inventory levels can ensure timely deliveries of products and avoid stockouts, helping to develop healthy relationships with retailers and distributors. Preserve your cash flow for business operations and take advantage of affordable inventory funding. 

Our platform offers funding that can cover up to 100% of your inventory on consignment, so you don’t pay us until your products sell. Invest more time building relationships and growing your business. We can help you free up working capital without giving up equity or taking on debt. 

Interested in getting funded at Kickfurther? Here are 3 easy steps to get started:

#1. Create a free business account

#2. Complete the online application 

#3. Review a potential deal with one of our account reps & get funded in minutes

Do you need a freelance or full-time marketer?

Posted on by Pavel

From engaging with customers to help maintain a positive reputation, marketing is responsible for building relationships, growing your business and boosting sales. If you’re not making a strong investment in marketing your company, you neglect the opportunity to reach your business’s full potential. 

But when it comes time to hire marketing support, many business owners need help with the decision to hire a full-time marketing role or opt for a freelance position. While both positions have their benefits, they are also both costly investments to make in your marketing efforts. 

Here are some considerations when making the decision of whether to hire a freelance or full-time marketer. Plus, as an added bonus, we’ll give you a valuable tip on how to free up cash flow so you have more funds to invest in marketing. 

Why marketing is important for businesses

If you’re just starting out or haven’t yet ventured into the world of marketing, you might not realize how your business can benefit from consistent, high-quality marketing efforts. Consistent and regular marketing efforts can help you increase brand awareness and sales and gather information about your target customers to serve them better. As you consider increasing your marketing efforts, it can be helpful to differentiate between traditional and digital marketing efforts and how they play a role in your business. 

Traditional marketing includes anything that is non-digital, like direct mail, print advertisements, billboards or posters and events, to name a few. These tactics are crucial to connecting with your local customers, establishing credibility and improving your brand awareness. 

Digital marketing, on the other hand, can help you gather valuable insights into your customers and track your marketing’s effectiveness. Strategies like social media, blog posts, digital ads and search engine optimization allow you to target potential customers based on their online behavior, giving you a premium opportunity to introduce your brand to a new audience. Technology and AI has taken marketing to a whole new level. When ready, explore the crosswalks between digital marketing and things like omni-channel marketing. As you evaluate marketing options, consider long-term goals as ideally you can partner with a marketer that can get you where you want to go and beyond. The attitude of just hiring what you can afford at the time can be costly, especially with marketing. 

The secret to successful marketing is to tactfully combine traditional marketing efforts with digital marketing to both increase your brand awareness and better understand your target customer. When you start to invest in these strategies, you’ll notice your business grow, and you’ll increase engagement with customers. 

Pros and cons of hiring a full-time marketer

PROS

  • Brand expert: When you hire a full-time marketer, you’re adding a person to your team that will be solely dedicated to your marketing efforts. They’ll learn your company’s voice and become an expert in your brand. 
  • Consistency: The key to marketing is consistency. Having a full-time marketer gives you a consistent and stable person who can establish campaigns for days, weeks and months in advance. 
  • Valuable resource for marketing verticals: Most marketers have skills across several marketing areas like social media, email marketing, event planning and more. By hiring a dedicated marketing team member, you’ll have one team member that can handle it all. 

CONS

  • Full-time employees can be expensive: When you add a full-time employee to your team, you’ll likely have to offer benefits, provide equipment and offer a competitive salary. These costs are usually more than just hiring a freelance marketer. 
  • You will have to manage an employee on a daily basis: Some business owners have no desire to manage an employee or train them.
  • Finding a replacement can put you back at square one if they leave the company: While more stable than a freelancer, if your full-time marketer leaves the company, you’ll have to rehire and retrain a new employee, which can disrupt your ongoing marketing efforts. 

Pros and cons of hiring a freelance marketer

PROS

  • More flexibility: If your business is more seasonal, or you don’t want to make the commitment to hiring a full-time marketer, a freelance marketer can help you fill the gaps on an as-needed basis.
  • Less investment: Since you’ll only hire a freelance marketer for the work you need to complete, you’ll likely save money without offering benefits and equipment and can pay  by the hour or on retainer.
  • Hire for a specific need vs. a generalist: Hiring a freelance marketer gives you the option to pick a specific skill or area you need help in, like social media or email marketing.

CONS

  • You won’t get full-time dedicated support: A freelancer will only likely only work part-time or hourly for you, leaving you without full-time marketing support.
  • There is usually a ramp-up period to get a freelancer or agency onboarded and familiar with your company: Freelancers won’t have the same knowledge of your company as an internal hire. You’ll need to familiarize them with your business.
  • You will be sharing their time with other clients: Your freelance hire will likely be taking on other clients, which can limit the attention and focus they’re able to provide your business.

What to consider when making your decision

Adding marketing support to your team is a big decision! Before you choose between  a freelance marketer or a full-time marketing role, make sure you consider the following things:

#1. Budget

How much are you willing to spend to get marketing help? Both freelance and full-time marketing hires require an investment from your business, so it’s important to understand how much you have to spend before you start the hiring process. As you evaluate the budget, consider the projected return and future goals as you may have to shell out more than you want to get some momentum. Furthermore, you’ll want to pay the employee or freelancer a rate that makes them want to stay with you. Replacing an individual can cost time and money. 

#2. Marketing goals

What are you looking to achieve? Do you want to get more customers in your store? Or expand your customer database? Think about what type of goals you have set for your business and how marketing can help you get there. 

#3. Demand

A lot of business owners forget to ask themselves, “am I ready to grow my business?” If you grow too fast or at the wrong time, you could risk running out of inventory or failing to keep up with demand. Plus, with more money going toward marketing, cash flow may be tight. Inventory financing can help business owners have more cash to allocate toward marketing while allowing them to stock enough inventory. If you’re thinking of getting funding for your inventory, Kickfurther can help. Our funding platform allows business owners to be in control while accessing the funds they need with no immediate repayment. We can help you fund up to 100% of inventory, with no immediate repayments. Activate growth mode when you partner with Kickfurther. 

Tips for making your hire

Whether you decide to hire a full-time employee or opt to go the freelance route, you want to find someone that fits your team and your vision. The right hire can make all the difference, so ensure you spend the time interviewing and searching for the perfect fit.  Take time to review their previous work projects and understand how their skills translate to the goals you have. 

Closing thoughts

If you’re worried about how increased marketing will affect your business, Kickfurther can help ease your stress and put you in control with inventory funding. You can get funding for up to 100% of your inventory without taking on debt or giving up equity. Take advantage of our platform to get funding for inventory and free up cash flow to invest in marketing and operations to maximize growth potential.