Table of Contents
Long before the coronavirus crisis, distance selling was booming. Of course, since the beginning of the crisis, this mode of sale has become the new norm. For businesses, moving to online sales is a necessity. Of course, such a change has its stakes. Let’s see how distance selling is a game-changer for businesses.
Distance Selling And Its Benefits For Businesses
Distance selling is a technique that consists of selling services or products to consumers who are not physically present. The entire purchasing process is thus done via a communication tool. Previously, distance selling was mainly done by telephone, then by email. Now, it is mostly done online, via an e-commerce site.
If consumers were quite reluctant at first, e-commerce has become a very common mode of purchase. In addition, almost everything is now purchased online, such as, we are selling EvolutionScript Templates here, from food products to high-tech items, including service offers and luxury goods.
The opportunity to reach a global market
Thanks to distance selling, large companies such as artisans can sell their products to consumers who are located anywhere in the world. With the rise of the Internet, geographical limits are no longer a constraint for companies.
Businesses today have customers all over the world. Customers can take advantage of the different offers and services offered by companies through their websites.
Of course, to find a place in this global market, it is essential to have a digital marketing strategy at the top. According to an agency, it is essential to have good visibility on the web thanks to techniques such as web marketing and SEO.
The ability to target customers
Customer targeting is one of the advantages of distance selling. Indeed, it is a process that allows companies to sell their services or products more effectively. This technique makes it possible to identify exactly the customer profile that needs the product or service and to put them at the heart of its marketing strategy. This makes it possible to reach its objective more quickly and to make marketing processes more efficient.
The rapidity
Another advantage of distance selling is speed. Indeed, with online commerce, everything is more immediate. In addition, you will be able to reduce withdrawals due to the slowness of services, especially during peak periods. In addition, online services and products remain accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, which is very convenient for buyers. Since customers can order anywhere and anytime, this strongly promotes purchases.
What is the common method used to conclude a transaction?
Even if each step of the online sale is essential, from prospecting to closing, the latter is decisive. Indeed, it is necessary to adopt effective methods, because it is at this moment that there are the most withdrawals.
Among the most used methods, there is the closing. This is an essential step in the sales process. It is the last step in the sales process and it aims to push the customer to close the sale immediately. At this time, the commercial offer is made, any negotiations are conducted. What remains is to engage the prospect in the transaction. To do this, it must necessarily be reassured.
Concretely, this step involves signing the contract and paying the agreed price and any transport costs. Even if the commercial arguments were effective, hesitations can occur at this time. Most of the time, this is mainly caused by the fact that a prospect does not trust him.
To gain the trust of buyers and avoid withdrawals, the salesperson must show empathy, availability and benevolence. The salesperson must also provide satisfactory answers to the customer’s concerns in order to dispel any doubts that may exist in his mind.
Does distance selling involve risks?
Distance selling is essential for businesses, but it is not without risk. Indeed, there is first of all the fact that consumers have, in principle, 14 days to return the products. Even though the seller has the right to charge a fee for the return of the product, these situations still present difficulties, both logistically and in terms of cash flow. To effectively deal with these situations, it is advisable to adopt a dedicated software, ideally tailor-made, which makes it possible to manage returns easily.
Moreover, as the sale is mainly done online, technical problems can have serious consequences. Indeed, an unavailable site, which has malfunctions or which is too slow will make you lose a lot of money. To avoid these inconveniences and especially their impact, you have to be very careful when choosing the host.
Bet on a quality and flexible host that allows you to integrate extensive content on your pages and ensure sales even during peak periods. Such an offer will be able to be modified according to your needs, as your online store grows. The best hosts also ensure the continuity of your online activities, even during outages.
Finally, one of the difficulties you have to face is the competition, which is very tough. Indeed, e-commerce being easily accessible online, visibility is a crucial point to have customers. However, it is not easy to find a place in a very saturated market, with competitors located all over the world.
You will have to compete with large online sales sites that have a high reputation on the web. To do this, it is necessary to rely on specific techniques, in particular SEO methods. Indeed, natural referencing and paid methods such as SEA are essential to be visible on the web. In addition, do not hesitate to offer interesting offers to attract customers.
What Should You Consider Before Engaging In Distance Selling?
Going into distance selling represents a great commitment for companies. Whether you decide to engage fully or partially in online sales, this approach always involves a process of digital transformation.
You must therefore prepare to review the basics and develop practices. Digitisation is necessary to ensure online sales. Of course, this represents a certain cost, especially if you want to set up a flexible and efficient system.
Your team must also be trained in the use of these digital WebTools. She must know how to broadcast a product demo by video conference, answer customer questions, solicit prospects, create virtual events, establish a strong visual identity, etc.
The teams must also be trained in marketing techniques adapted to online sales. Methods such as closing are to be adopted to conclude sales. The sales team must also know how to communicate with customers and identify their need to support them during the buying process. The help of a marketing agency can be of great help to you during this step.
The team must be available and welcoming throughout the buying process to help them find the solution best suited to their needs. You have to nurture customers to retain them and stay ahead of the competition.
