Ramp Up Your Ecommerce Capabilities with Freelance Specialists
8 minute read
Millions of consumers are sheltering in place as they wait out the COVID-19 pandemic, causing countless businesses to temporarily close their doors. B2C and B2B shoppers are turning online for everything from household supplies and workout subscriptions to office equipment and SaaS solutions.
Businesses lacking a strong ecommerce presence risk losing sales and customers — either to competitors, or simply by failing to find ways to move their businesses online. For businesses, flexibility is more important than ever.
This shift in consumerism isn’t short-term: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce predicts that the effects of COVID-19 will create permanent shifts in shopping behavior.
If your website has taken a backseat to other projects, there’s no better time to revisit your online strategy. And with strained budgets and hiring freezes in place, this can be the perfect opportunity to turn to experienced freelancers for immediate support.
Digital Expertise When—And Where—You Need It
If your team hasn’t been active in ecommerce over the past year, you may feel a little behind the curve as you try to shift more of your business online. Ecommerce is a rapidly-evolving space, and user expectations are high.
After all, you may be up against your competitors for what you do, but you’re up against online behemoths like Amazon when it comes to how you do it. Consumers are used to seamless ecommerce experiences, and they won’t understand why you aren’t providing one.
“You may be up against your competitors for what you do, but you’re up against behemoths like Amazon when it comes to how you do it. ”
Much like in your industry, ecommerce content, user experience, and design are specialties that require training and experience to keep pace with customer expectations and technological changes. Adding expertise to your team can level the playing field, but few companies have the budget to hire new staff right now.
Happily, our freelance pool is full of highly qualified professionals who can help you expand and refine your digital presence. A recent survey by the Freelancer’s Union and Upwork found that 45% of freelancers have skills related to digital efforts: programming, marketing, technology and business consulting.
Many of those people have extensive experience writing product descriptions, crafting email marketing campaigns, designing user experiences, and optimizing the UI of ecommerce platforms.
A trusted freelance partner who learns your business goals and client or customer needs can be especially helpful in keeping your website and ecommerce platform current.
Build In The Ability To React Quickly
Engaging potential customers online encompasses more than a website and online store. Consider that:
A one-star bump in your Yelp rating can lead to a 5-9% increase in revenue. (Harvard Business School)
67% percent of social media users have made a purchase after seeing an advertisement on a social channel. (The Manifest)
More than half of consumers expect a customer service response within an hour. (Edelman Digital)
60% of Instagram users have discovered new products there. (Instagram)
40% of online shoppers have bought something because a social influencer recommended it. (Twitter)
The digital opportunities to connect with customers are practically limitless, but changing rapidly. Tracking consumer preferences and behavior is a full-time job — one that your existing staff may not have the bandwidth to manage.
Yet scaling up your digital business platforms has never been more pressing, as we all figure out how to pivot in this radically new marketplace. Working with a trusted freelance partner to quickly upgrade and maintain your online presence can put you in a better position to attract, retain, and serve your customers.
Start your project right away with top talent that specializes in ecommerce development and optimization.
Scale resources to best suit your needs ─ build a long-term relationship with a trusted freelance partner, or work with someone who can get you to a point where you can bring on in-house support.
Plus, freelancers can share lessons learned from previous web projects, giving you a head start on the learning curve.
By investing now at a scale that’s appropriate to your needs and budget, but having the flexibility to ramp up or down as needed, you can work toward a stable and sustainable business that can continue to support your whole team, from full-time staff to freelance partners.
Stay Competitive As Traffic Shifts
Digital is no longer just a channel; it’s the marketplace. In 2019, online sales exceeded $601 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. And online is no longer the domain of younger customers: 84% of the population purchased goods online in 2019.
The web has tripled its share of retail sales since 2007, demonstrating the rapid pace of changing consumer habits. This shift is magnified when a crisis – COVID-19 or a natural disaster – impacts foot traffic to brick-and mortar stores and in-person networking.
An ecommerce presence positions you to capitalize on the shift to digital: You’re open 24/7 to customers around the world who prefer a digital channel, as well as those who require one. A well-designed website with helpful content and a customer-pleasing ecommerce experience draws new and repeat business, referrals, and positive reviews.
There’s a strong business case for using freelance solutions to support your online efforts: Start your project right away with top talent that specializes in ecommerce development. Scale resources to best suit your needs ─ contract for design and ongoing maintenance, or use a freelancer to build your site and bring ongoing support in-house. Plus, freelancers can share lessons learned from previous web projects, giving you a head start on the learning curve.
With Digital Ads, Skip The Trial And Error
Getting a slice of the online pie can be tricky, especially when you’re new to digital sales. Creating an amazing ecommerce destination is step one, quickly followed by intensive, ongoing efforts to attract and retain customers. As part of their strategy, 66% of companies advertise online.
Like its offline counterpart, digital advertising is fraught with pitfalls. There are many variables, depending upon your audience, industry, goals and budget. Trial and error can be expensive, especially for B2B companies with less digital advertising experience.
Yet most organizations can’t justify a full-time digital ad specialist commanding a salary of $70,000 a year. Working with a freelancer, however, gets you a verifiable expert that fits your needs at a fraction of the cost.
While there are no guarantees in the advertising world ─ just ask advertisers who paid $5 million for a 30-second Super Bowl commercial that fell flat ─ your chances of success are greatly enhanced with a seasoned digital ad expert on your side.
To Consumers, User Experience Is King
Your website is a window into the way your company operates. The Blue Fountain Media UX Trends Survey found that 81% of respondents think less of a brand if its website is not updated.
A poorly-functioning store and outdated site tell potential customers that you don’t care about their interaction, or at least that you don’t have the time and resources to improve it. Old content and a poor customer interface can imply that you are equally lackadaisical about your products and services, even when that couldn’t be further from the truth.
This hit to your credibility translates into lost revenue as customers depart your site for the competition. With an average ecommerce revenue-per-user of $1,568.90, recovering just a fraction of those customers can quickly justify the cost of freelance support to maintain an impactful online presence.
The need for a makeover may be greater for B2B ecommerce sites, which often power their web sales with multi-purpose legacy inventory systems or electronic catalogs. The B2B market eclipses B2C sales, increasing the risk for lost revenue if B2B customers find the site too difficult to manage. Typically staffing for operations and sales, B2B organizations may be most in need of freelance ecommerce support.
Maximize Your ROI
There’s no time to waste in the digital world. You may need to adopt new forms of outreach, and adding expertise to your business enables you to move quickly.
When you train your team, you’re reallocating a limited resource to an activity and a set of tools they may not be familiar with. Not only will it take them longer to get up to speed, but it will impact all other areas of their work. If there’s someone whose role has changed and they have the capacity, that’s great—and freelance experts can be fantastic training resources to help them learn.
When you hire a new employee, you’re investing in a long term relationship. It may pay off with years of strong contributions, or it may not—but either way, you’re devoting months of onboarding and training, as well as thousands of dollars, to find out. It’s likely that the time will come when this is completely worth it, but if you’re not there yet, there are other options.
When you hire a freelancer, you’re working with someone who is ready to jump in with both feet. Not only can they begin work more quickly, but they can suggest processes and best practices moving forward. Your commitment and investment are much more limited than with a salaried employee, so if it’s not a good fit, you can easily move on to someone else.
In short, you’re investing in high-quality talent in a more nimble and cost-effective way than hiring a permanent employee, at least in the short term. And when the time comes to hire some one full-time, you’ll already have processes in place.
These Changes Aren’t Going Anywhere.
Now is the time to address the long-term implications of this shift in the market. You will likely need to adopt new forms of outreach and add expertise to your business so you can respond quickly.
Freelance options deliver the flexibility, talent and speed you need to compete in the online marketplace. A talented expert can start working on your project in days, instead of the months it takes to find, hire and onboard a permanent associate. That’s key when immediate action is needed and your team is maxed out or missing critical skills.