What do Doritos SuperBowl commercials, the Chick-Fil-A cow or even grocery store coupons have in common? They’re all advertising!
Advertising is a marketing strategy that businesses use to promote their products or services to potential customers, and it’s everywhere! Businesses are always searching for new ways to reach their target audience with the goal of creating awareness, generating interest and encouraging people to take action.
Effective advertising campaigns are designed to appeal to consumers’ emotions, needs and desires and to provide them with information about how the benefits of a particular product or service could help them.
Have you ever seen a commercial that made you laugh or cry? That advertisement successfully connected with your emotions and life experiences.
Advertising can take many forms, from traditional print and television ads to more modern methods such as influencer marketing and social media advertising. The rise of the internet and the abundance of digital media channels have transformed the advertising landscape, making it easier for businesses to reach a global audience.
There are several types of advertising and each form has its own set of benefits and challenges!
Print Advertising:
This refers to physical forms of advertising typically such as newspapers, magazines or direct mail. Viewers tend to pay more attention to print advertisements (ads) than they do digital ads because print is less distracting.
Because people are most likely to read newspapers, magazines or books that reflect their interests and opinions, print ads have the benefit of easily reaching their intended audience. Print ads can also be very cost-effective and easily customizable (Indeed).
Broadcast Advertising:
This form of advertising utilizes television and radio. Broadcast advertising can reach large audiences quickly and efficiently. It also utilizes more senses than other forms of advertising by incorporating images, music and motion. The variety in these ads keeps viewers interested and engaged (allbusiness).
Outdoor Advertising:
Also known as out-of-home advertising, outdoor advertising appears on billboards, transit advertising, signs and public benches. The location and scale of these ads make them very eye-catching.
Outdoor ads are well accepted by consumers opposed to digital or online ads which are frequently perceived as annoying and distracting. Similar to print advertising, outdoor advertising can be very cost-effective and is preferred by businesses with smaller budgets (bmediagroup).
Digital Advertising:
Digital advertising encapsulates everything from banners on the side of a web page to sponsored ads in search engines or emails and social media. Because a majority of consumers spend so much time online, digital advertising is essential for most businesses.
One of the benefits of online advertising is that it makes it simple to collect data on how ads perform by collecting data on who clicks on the ad and if they purchase the product or service. This is much different than traditional forms of advertising such as outdoor advertising where it’s impossible to know how many people were convinced to buy from seeing the billboard or park bench. This data simplifies the process of finding the right customers and provides insight into the success of the ad.
Because ecommerce businesses sell products online, digital advertising is almost always the best strategy. One of the most popular and extremely effective methods of digital advertising is paid ads on platforms like Facebook, TikTok and Google. These methods are relatively simple, cost-effective and provide ways to target your exact target audience.
These social media and search engine platforms collect tons of data on their users. If you created a product for moms who have sons that play baseball, Facebook can show your ads to those exact people.
Visit our membership site at learn.goquadra.com to learn more about paid ads.
Why is Advertising Important?
The role of advertising cannot be overstated. When a new product is developed, advertising is a crucial first step in its lifecycle. It acts as an introduction to the product and helps to establish the brand in the market. Through effective advertising, businesses can get their product in front of a wider audience, which can lead to increased sales.
Moreover, advertising plays a significant role in creating demand for a product. Before production, businesses calculate sales projections to determine the cost of production. Advertising helps to turn those projections into reality by introducing the product to potential customers and generating interest.
In today’s digital age, advertising has become a science. Businesses can use highly targeted campaigns and track every conversion from an ad with ease. This level of control and traceability makes advertising essential for attribution modeling and conversion rate optimization.
Advertising also allows businesses to get ahead of other players in their fields. This healthy competition shapes the market and can lead to big wins for businesses. Promotional advertising, when done as part of an aggressive marketing campaign, can be particularly effective at getting quick results.
Advertising is a critical part of promoting a business. With the right strategy and execution, advertising can help businesses achieve their objectives and succeed, even in competitive marketplaces!
As a dropshipping or print on demand business owner, Q2 (April-June) is one of the most challenging seasons to generate sales.
With the holiday season over and customers gearing up for summer, it can be easy for your products to get lost in the shuffle; however, with some strategic planning and execution, you can turn Q2 into a successful season for your business.
Read ahead to learn seven successful strategies for dropshipping and/or print on demand sellers during Q2.
Leverage holidays and events
Capitalize on holidays and events during Q2 that traditionally include gift giving. For example, Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Q2 is also a common time for many celebratory events such as graduations, weddings and the beginning of summer. Boost your sales by creating products targeting these types of events.
Run promotions and discounts
Promotions and discounts are a tried-and-true way to incentivize customers to purchase. Consider offering a discount code for first-time customers. You can also run flash sales or limited-time offers to create urgency and encourage customers to act fast.
Offer Referral Programs
Referral programs can be a powerful way to attract new customers while rewarding your loyal base for recommending your business. There are various ways to create a referral program, such as offering cash incentives, discounts or free products for successful referrals. Remember that your current customers are an essential source for acquiring new clients because they already know and trust your brand. Because of that, incentivizing them to refer their friends and family can lead to a higher conversion rate.
To make your referral program effective, ensure that it is user-friendly, and that the guidelines are easy to follow. Choose incentives that your customers will find beneficial and make it easy for them to redeem their reward. Promote your referral program through various channels such as your website, social media platforms and email campaigns. Track and measure the results of your referral program to determine its effectiveness so you can make necessary adjustments.
Optimize your website for conversions
Q2 is a great time to optimize your website for conversions if you haven’t already done so. If your website has broken links or is hard to navigate, you could be missing out on potential sales. Ensure your website is user-friendly with clear calls to action and easy navigation. Consider implementing features like live chat and abandoned cart emails to aid customers in completing their purchase.
Collaborate with influencers
Influencer marketing can be a powerful tool for generating sales. Find influencers in your niche and collaborate with them to promote your products to their followers. This can help you reach a wider audience and build credibility for your brand.
Utilize social media advertising
Social media advertising can be an effective way to reach potential customers and drive sales. Consider running targeted ads on platforms like Facebook, YouTube or TikTok to promote your products to people who are most likely to be interested in them.
Offer free shipping
Shipping costs can be a significant deterrent for customers, so consider offering free shipping to entice them to make a purchase. You’ll find an increase in customers who purchase, even if you just add the shipping cost to the total cost of the product to recoup your costs. If you don’t want to offer free shipping to everyone, you could consider offering free shipping on orders over a certain dollar amount. This will encourage customers to spend more.
By following these tips, you can increase your chances of generating sales during Q2. Remember to stay flexible and adaptable. Review your results and be willing to make adjustments to your strategies as they are necessary. With persistence and hard work, you can make Q2 a successful season for your business!
Selling items in the print on demand space can be a highly rewarding experience but without the right strategies, the profit margins can be small. Creating product bundles is a great way to boost your margins.
Bundling is an effective marketing strategy that has been used for decades in many industries to boost sales, increase revenue and build customer loyalty. The print on demand space is no exception. Bundling products increases sales and gives the customer better value for their dollar.
What is product bundling?
Product bundling is when a seller creates a package or “bundle” of products that go well together. For example, a seller could combine a baby bib, onesie and blanket into one order and market it as the “baby shower package.” Sellers frequently offer discounts or benefits for customers who purchase bundles of products.
Pros of Bundling
Increased Sales and Revenue
By offering customers a bundle of products that complement each other, businesses can increase the perceived value of their products and incentivize customers to buy more at once. This can also help businesses differentiate themselves from competitors to better stand out in the market.
More Convenient Shopping Experience
Bundling can make the shopping experience more convenient for customers. Instead of searching for individual products, customers can purchase a bundle that contains everything they need in one package. For example, if you are selling t-shirts, bundling them with matching hats or accessories can be a convenient option for customers.
Increased Perceived Value
Bundling products can increase the perceived value of the products being sold, leading to increased revenue. This is particularly true when bundling complementary products that are commonly used together, such as a mug and a coaster, or a phone case and a screen protector.
Customization and Personalization
Bundling products can offer a unique opportunity for customization and personalization. By bundling products together that can be personalized, customers can create a one-of-a-kind product that suits their specific needs and preferences. This can make the product more valuable to the customer.
Cons of Bundling
Complex Pricing Strategies
Bundling can make pricing strategies more complex. Businesses need to consider the cost of each product as well as the cost of bundling them together. This can make it more difficult to determine the optimal price point for a bundle.
A good rule of thumb for determining product bundle pricing is to combine the price of all products and remove a percentage to create an incentivizing discount for the customer. Shopify recommends creating a discount of 5-10% for product bundles.
Increased Complexity in Fulfillment
Bundling products can also lead to increased complexity in fulfillment. Fulfillment centers and shipping providers may not have the necessary processes in place to bundle products together, which can result in longer fulfillment times and increased shipping costs. This can also result in potential errors or mistakes in fulfillment.
In the print on demand space this could also mean that the business has used multiple products from different fulfillment centers which would lead to the items in the bundle arriving in separate packages and at different times.
Sellers can overcome this challenge by being open with the customer about potential shipping delays and only creating product bundles with products from the same manufacturer whenever possible.
Limited Flexibility for Customers
Bundling products can limit flexibility for customers who may only want to purchase a specific product or have already purchased one of the bundled products. This can make it challenging to sell bundled products to certain customers, leading to lost sales and revenue.
Sellers can avoid this issue by offering products both in the bundle and separate. This way customers can choose what best fits their needs.
Bundling with Quadra
Quadra just had a large launch of 50+ products on the Quadra Marketplace app and many of the products can be used for bundles!
Here are some bundles you could sell in your store today!
Car Bundle
Car mats
Car ornament
Spring has arrived and it is the perfect time to start preparing for your summer road trips. Bundle together the brand-new car mats on the Quadra app. We have a set of car mats for the front and rear of any standard vehicle. Add a matching car ornament to the bundle to sweeten the deal.
Baby Bundle
Baby bib
Baby blanket
Baby showers are a perfect occasion for bundling products. Bundles make it easier for guests to choose the perfect gift for the new parents without having to spend lots of time shopping. These customizable print on demand baby products are sure to catch your customer’s attention! Imagine the baby’s name and a custom pattern on a baby bib or blanket.
Pet Bundle
Pet mat
Pet collar
Pet bandana
There is nothing a bet owner loves more than spoiling their furry friends. Bundling a customized pet mat with a pet collar and bandana is the perfect way to attract any pet owner.
Nutrition and ecommerce are often perceived as being connected, but would you believe that they’re more similar than you think?
Quadra recently hosted Robyn Mons, a mindful eating coach, on the Ecom Life Podcast. During the episode, Robyn spoke with Quadra founder John Sanders about how nutrition and ecommerce involve many of the same values and strategies.
Although many factors to success with both nutrition and ecommerce were mentioned during the episode, John and Robyn repeatedly returned to one single common denominator: Mindset. It all comes down to mindset.
When it comes to health, it’s no secret that going to the gym offers physical benefits. In fact, many people have been able to achieve their physical goals in this way. However, Robyn estimated that only 5% of people who hit their physical goals maintain them over an extended period of time.
Similarly, John made the estimate that around 90% of ecommerce start-ups fail. Both Robyn and John attribute mindset as the biggest factor in determining whether or not success will stick.
Robyn attributes this to the difference between physical and mental change. If someone doesn’t have the proper mindset for growth, it will be difficult for them to maintain long-term change.
“The way we show up in eating is reflective of every other area of our lives,” Robyn said.
Mindfulness needs to exist in every area of our lives. If you struggle with mindfulness when it comes to eating, you’re also likely to struggle with areas such as ecommerce.
So, what can you do to create a growth mindset?
The first step to making change is building a growth mindset. Be prepared to break patterns in your life that will make it difficult to maintain your mindset and find success.
In the example of nutrition, Robyn uses the example of waste. If you tell yourself you cannot waste food, you are telling yourself to ignore when your body is full and to continue eating. If you want to maintain long-term success, you have to first break your harmful patterns of thought.
If you want to be a successful ecommerce seller you must first create a winning mindset. If you enter into something new without properly conditioning yourself to succeed, you’re significantly more likely to succumb to the hardships associated with it.
For example, starting a print on demand store might be easy. However, it may not be the “quick money” solution that you might expect. Finding true success in print on demand requires time and effort, and if you don’t have the mentality to sustain that before beginning, you’ll have a more difficult time committing long term.
However, once you’ve accomplished a growth mindset, you’re going to be on the right path to finding success wherever you’re looking. Remember, it all comes down to mindset!
View the full interview with Robyn Mons at: https://youtu.be/w0fvarjjgdI.
If you’ve struggled to get sales in 2023, you’re not alone. In fact, the plight of ecommerce sellers during the first and second quarters (January through June) is a struggle as old as the internet.
After an explosive Q4 (October through December) selling season, sellers everywhere are left wondering how they can replicate those high profits throughout the year.
The truth is, Q4 is the perfect storm. A high demand for Christmas gifts coupled with other holidays that fall in the same timeframe such as Thanksgiving and New Years give customers more than enough reason to purchase an abundance of products online.
While there may never be a magic solution for replicating Q4-like profits throughout the entire year, this simple strategy could get you pretty close.
How to get higher, more consistent profits year round:
Capitalize on smaller holidays that still traditionally involve gift giving such as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Selling products directed towards these holidays will give customers a reason to purchase your products all year and will boost your profits as a result!
Here are 8 ways you can capitalize on Mother’s Day for some serious Q1 and Q2 profits this year:
Create targeted product messages
Customers are more likely to purchase a product they find an emotional connection with. For that reason, best-selling designs are relatable, amusing and/or memorable. Create products like this by combining two niches. For example, the product message ‘You are the mom every dancer wishes they had’ speaks to a specific group of mothers who have children that dance. The more you can make a customer say, “that’s me” with the messaging, the more likely they are to purchase the product.
Produce high-quality designs
The key to a best-selling print on demand product is an eye-catching design. Hire a designer on a marketplace such as UpWork, or create your own designs with softwares such as Canva, Photoshop or Creative Fabrica. No matter how you create your designs, have your peers who fit the niches you are targeting give you feedback on your design. After all, it’s not you who needs to love the product.
Diversify your marketplaces
You’ll only get sales if your audience knows your product exists. By increasing the places customers can find your products, i.e., Amazon, Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, you increase your chances of getting a sale.
Pro tip: You can sell Quadra products on all of these marketplaces!
Choose the right products
Some print on demand and dropship products make more sense as Mother’s Day gifts than others. Carefully choose the products you design and publish on your store. Also, choose products that are unique so your competition is low. The following are examples of good Mother’s Day products:
Wood signs
Throw pillows
Blankets
Phone cases
Cookware
Picture frames
Start online marketing
Use ad platforms such as Facebook, TikTok and Etsy to promote your products! Ad platforms, especially Facebook, have incredibly-detailed targeting information on their users. If you create a product about mother’s who have children who dance, Facebook can promote your product to individuals who fit that description.
Offer customization
Allow customers to customize your products to fit their needs. For example, you could allow customers to put their mother’s name or occupation on a product. Customizable products sell more as gifts than non-customizable gifts and customers will pay up to 20% more for them!
Provide discounts
Offer discounts to customers who purchase items in bulk, then create designs that make sense to buy in multiples. For example, you could create a product for companies to gift to employees for an upcoming holiday, such as Mother’s Day.
Get creative!
Think outside the box! Don’t just target traditional mothers. Create products for dog moms, foster moms, mother-figures, grandmothers, aunt, sisters and more! When you shift your mindset away from the norm, you’ll find audiences of people who are looking for products that reflect their lives.
Ready to give this a shot?
If you implement these strategies into your selling this Q1 and Q2, you could find that your products sell better than ever before! Customers are always looking for well-made, visually-appealing products that they can relate to, and you can provide that for them this Mother’s Day!
Check out goquadra.com to get started selling high-profit margin, unique products in time for this Mother’s Day.
