How to sell products online: A digital marketing consultant's guide

Selling products online can be a great way to make money, but it is important to know where to start. This blog post will provide you with a comprehensive guide on how to sell products online, including:

1. A list of recommended products with high profit margin
2. Where to find those products
3. A comparison of selling on your own website versus selling on Shopify or Amazon
4. Tips on how to build your own website
5. Cost comparisons for web hosting and shipping
6. Costly mistakes to avoid when selling online
7. Cost-effective ways to promote your website on social media
8. How to create an opt-in form to collect emails on your website
9. Tips on how to use email marketing to promote your products
10. An example of an email sequence that you can use
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Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned entrepreneur, this blog post will give you the information you need to start selling products online successfully.

Recommended products with high profit margin:

• Electronics: 10-30% profit margin
• Clothing: 20-50% profit margin
• Home goods: 20-40% profit margin
• Health and beauty products: 20-50% profit margin
• Toys and games: 20-40% profit margin
• Pet supplies: 20-40% profit margin
• Office supplies: 10-30% profit margin
• Sports and outdoors equipment: 20-40% profit margin
• Automotive products: 10-30% profit margin
• Food and beverage: 20-50% profit margin
• Software and digital products: 50-90% profit margin
  
  

Where to find products to sell:

• Wholesalers: Wholesalers sell products in bulk at a discounted price. You can find wholesalers by searching online or attending trade shows.
  
  
• Manufacturers: Manufacturers produce the products that you sell. You can contact manufacturers directly to negotiate a wholesale price.
  
  
• Drop shippers: Drop shippers ship products directly to your customers without you having to handle the inventory or shipping. You can find drop shippers by searching online or using a drop shipping directory.
  
  
• Online marketplaces: Online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay allow you to sell products to a large audience of potential customers.
  
  
• Garage sales and thrift stores: You can find unique and used products at garage sales and thrift stores that you can sell for a profit online.
  
  

Pros and cons of selling on your website versus selling on Shopify or Amazon:

Selling on you own website:

Pros:

• You have complete control over your branding and customer experience.
• You can keep all of your profits.
• You can build a strong relationship with your customers.
  
  

Cons:

• You need to create and maintain your own website.
• You need to drive traffic to your website.
• You need to handle customer service and support.
  
  

Selling on Shopify or Amazon:

Pros:

• It is easy to set up and use.
• You can reach a large audience of potential customers.
• You can take advantage of the built-in features and functionality of the platform.

Cons:

• You have to pay a monthly fee.
• You have less control over your branding and customer experience.
• You have to compete with other sellers on the platform.
  
  

Profit margin if they sell on their website versus Shopify and Amazon:

• Selling on your own website: The profit margin will vary depending on the products you sell and your costs. However, you can generally expect to keep a higher profit margin when selling on your own website which is around 60% to 80%.
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• Selling on Shopify or Amazon: The profit margin will vary depending on the products you sell and the fees charged by the platform. However, you can generally expect to keep a lower profit margin when selling on Shopify (typically 20% to 50%) or Amazon (around 10% to 30%).
  
  

Is it better for you to build your own products or sell someone else's?

This depends on your skills and resources. If you have the skills and resources to make your own products, then this can be a great way to increase your profit margins. However, if you do not have the skills or resources to make your own products, then selling someone else's products can be a great way to get started.

Plan to build their own website:

Time frame:

• It can take anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks to build a website, depending on your experience and the complexity of the website.
  
  

Price comparison for how much it would cost if they hired a web developer versus doing it themselves:

• Hiring a web developer: The cost of hiring a web developer can vary depending on their experience and the complexity of the website. However, you can expect to pay anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars.
  
  
• Doing it yourself: Building a website yourself can be free or very low cost, depending on the platform you use and the features you need.
  
  

Recommendation:

I recommend that you build your own website if you are on a tight budget or if you want to have complete control over your website. If you do not have the time or skills to build your own website, then I recommend that you hire a web developer.

Web hosting cost comparison for SiteGround and HostGator:

SiteGround:

• Starting at $3.99 per month
  
  

HostGator:

• Starting at $2.75 per month
  
  

I recommend HostGator for web hosting because it is more affordable than SiteGround. Both SiteGround and HostGator are great options.

Product shipping if you decide to sell on your website:

If you decide to sell on your website, you will need to choose a shipping carrier and calculate shipping costs for your customers. You can use a shipping calculator to calculate shipping costs. You should also offer free shipping on orders over a certain amount.

Here are some popular shipping carriers:

• USPS
• FedEx
• UPS
• DHL
  
  

Costly mistakes to avoid when selling online:

• Not doing your research: Before you start selling products online, it is important to research the market and choose the right products to sell. You should also research the competition and develop a marketing strategy.
  
  
• Not having a good website: Your website is your storefront, so it is important to make a good impression. Your website should be well-designed and easy to navigate. You should also include high-quality product descriptions and images.
  
  
• Not offering excellent customer service: Customer service is essential for any online business. You should respond to customer inquiries promptly and courteously. You should also offer a return policy in case customers are not satisfied with their purchase.
  
  
• Not promoting your products: You need to promote your products in order to reach potential customers. You can promote your products on social media, through paid advertising, and by content marketing.
  
  
• Not tracking your results: It is important to track your results so that you can see what is working and what is not. You can use Google Analytics to track your website traffic and sales.
  
  

Cost effective ways to promote your website on social media:

• Create high-quality content that is relevant to your target audience. This could include blog posts, infographics, videos, or images.
  
  
• Use relevant hashtags to reach a wider audience. When you post on social media, include relevant hashtags in your posts. This will help people who are interested in those topics find your content.
  
  
• Engage with your followers by responding to comments and questions. When people interact with your content, be sure to respond to them. This will help you build relationships with your followers and make them more likely to buy from you.
  
  
• Run social media contests and giveaways. This is a great way to attract new followers and generate excitement about your brand.
  
  
• Use social media advertising to reach a targeted audience. Social media advertising platforms like Facebook Ads and Twitter Ads allow you to target your ads to specific demographics and interests. This can be a great way to reach potential customers who are already interested in what you have to offer.
  
  

Helpful tips for promoting your website on social media:

• Be consistent with your posting schedule. Post new content on social media on a regular basis. This will help you stay top-of-mind with your followers.
  
  
• Use a mix of different types of content. Don't just post links to your website. Also post other types of content, such as images, videos, and blog posts. This will help keep your followers engaged.
  
  
• Use eye-catching visuals. People are more likely to stop and pay attention to your content if it includes eye-catching visuals. Use high-quality images and videos in your posts.
  
  
• Write engaging copy. The text of your social media posts should be engaging and informative. It should make people want to learn more about your products or services.
  
  
• Promote your website on all of your social media channels. If you have accounts on multiple social media platforms, be sure to promote your website on all of them. This will help you reach a wider audience.
  
  

Creating an opt-in form to collect emails on their website:

An opt-in form is a form that allows visitors to your website to subscribe to your email list. You can use an opt-in form to collect email addresses from potential customers so that you can send them marketing messages.

There are many different ways to create an opt-in form. You can use a form builder like Google Forms or Mailchimp. You can also hire a web developer to create a custom opt-in form for you.

Here are some tips for creating an effective opt-in form:

• Place your opt-in form in a prominent location on your website, such as the sidebar or footer.
  
  
• Offer something of value in exchange for email addresses, such as a discount or free ebook.
  
  
• Make it easy for people to sign up by using a simple form with a few fields.
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• Test different versions of your opt-in form to see what works best.
  
  

Email marketing from HubSpot:

HubSpot email marketing is a popular email marketing platform that allows you to send automated emails to your subscribers. You can use HubSpot to create email sequences, which are a series of emails that are sent to subscribers over a period of time.

Email sequences are a great way to nurture leads and convert them into customers. You can use email sequences to introduce your company and products, offer discounts and promotions, and provide helpful content.

How often they need to send out emails to promote their product, an email sequence:

The frequency with which you send out emails will depend on your target audience and your industry. However, a good rule of thumb is to send out at least one email per week.

Here is an example of an email sequence that you could use to promote your product:

Email 1: Introduce your company and products.

Subject: Welcome to [your company name]!

Body:

Hi [subscriber name],

Welcome to [your company name]! We're excited to have you on board.

We sell [products or services] that help [target audience] [solve a problem or achieve a goal].

In the next few emails, we're going to tell you more about our products and how they can help you. We'll also offer you some exclusive discounts and promotions.

In the meantime, be sure to check out our website at [website address].

Email 2: Offer a discount on your product.

Subject: Get 20% off your first purchase!

Body:

Hi [subscriber name],

Thanks for subscribing to our email list! We're excited to offer you a 20% discount on your first purchase.

To redeem your discount, simply enter the code [discount code] at checkout.

This offer is valid for a limited time only, so don't miss out!

Email 3: Provide helpful content about your product or industry.

Subject: 5 tips for getting the most out of your [product name]

Body:

Hi [subscriber name],

In today's email, we're going to share 5 tips for getting the most out of your [product name].

1. [Tip 1]
2. [Tip 2]
3. [Tip 3]
4. [Tip 4]
5. [Tip 5]

We hope you find these tips helpful!

Email 4: Make a final offer to your subscribers.

Subject: Last chance to save 20% on your purchase!

Body:

Hi [subscriber name],

This is your last chance to save 20% on your purchase. This offer expires at midnight tonight.

To redeem your discount, simply enter the code [discount code] at checkout.

Shop now and start saving!

This is just a basic example of an email sequence. You can customize the content and frequency of your emails to fit your specific needs.

Example email headlines and content:

Here are some example email headlines and content that you can use to promote your product:

Headlines:

• Introducing the new [product name]!
• Get 20% off your first purchase!
• 5 tips for getting the most out of your [product name]
• Last chance to save 20% on your purchase!
• See how [product name] can help you achieve your goals
• Get the most out of your [product name] with these helpful tips
• Limited-time offer: Get 20% off your purchase!
  
  

Content:

• Introduce your company and products, and explain how they can help your target audience.
• Offer discounts and promotions to entice subscribers to buy from you.
• Provide helpful content about your product or industry.
• Share customer testimonials and case studies.
• Promote new products and features.
• Run contests and giveaways.
  
  

Conclusion:

Selling products online can be a great way to make money, but it is important to do your research and avoid costly mistakes. By following the tips in this blog post, you can increase your chances of success.

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