In today’s personalization industry, suppliers and retailers need online tools to meet the expectations of clients who are accustomed to seamless and efficient digital experiences.
Even businesses with successful brick-and-mortar shops stand to boost profits and stay competitive if they have a solid online presence and sell and promote their products in the digital marketplace.
Powering Success in the Digital Marketplace
Essential Tools for a Successful Personalization Website
By Michael Clark
(Originally printed in the November/December 2024 issue of Insights.)
In today’s personalization industry, suppliers and retailers need online tools to meet the expectations of clients who are accustomed to seamless and efficient digital experiences.
Even businesses with successful brick-and-mortar shops stand to boost profits and stay competitive if they have a solid online presence and sell and promote their products in the digital marketplace.
However, being part of the digital marketplace involves more than simply launching a website and sending a few emails. Selling and growing your business online requires a hassle-free user experience, helpful visuals, and simple ways to approve quotes and invoices.
Below are four key components a personalization website should have to stay competitive in today’s digital marketplace.
Sparking Inspiration with Visuals
The personalization industry is very visual, so buyers typically make purchases based on the look and quality of the products you’re selling. Now that more customers have grown accustomed to browsing, shopping, and placing high-volume orders online, it’s become more important to have high-quality visuals that can replicate the in-person experience.
Businesses can drive the in-person experience by having a virtual showroom or an online storefront. A virtual showroom can include image galleries to showcase previous customer jobs so new clients can review the work and determine if it’s something they’re interested in. If you’re using a website service like WordPress, Squarespace, or Wix, these platforms have predesigned gallery blocks that are easily configured for websites so users can upload their photos.
If you want to take it a step further, there are several platforms available to help create online storefronts with mocked-up products ready for purchase. Having a virtual mock-up of a product that gives clients a clear understanding of what the final customized goods look like will help drive the sale. Plus, virtual mock-ups save on material costs and labor because they take less time to create and don’t require any physical product.
Simplifying the Process with Quoting
Modern clients expect quick responses, clear communication, and an error-free ordering process. That’s where an easy-to-use quoting system can help.
Digital quotes create an organized paper trail, which significantly reduces the chance for error. Even if you prefer paper order forms as a secondary set of records, a digital quote is easier to modify if your client needs to change the order, has questions about a past order, or wants to set up a reorder. Plus, if the order includes multiple products with different types of customization, it is easier to keep track of.
For larger companies, where multiple stakeholders need to approve an order, digital quotes can simplify the process. With digital signatures, you can obtain approvals quickly and efficiently online. This benefit also ties into your digital paper trail. Having a set of digital signatures ensures that all necessary parties have approved the job and eliminates misunderstandings after the fact.
Several platforms offer integrated tools that allow for quoting, as well as seamless mock-up generation, making it easier for customers to visualize and approve their orders. Some of these tools can be integrated into an existing website. This may seem like a big overhaul at first, but it will ultimately save you and your employees time.
Integrating E-Commerce
Customers and retailers now expect the ability to browse, customize, and purchase products online. A personalized shopping experience also helps retailers and customers feel more valued and reinforces relationships.
Integrating an e-commerce platform into your website lets you sell directly to your end customers. While getting on the phone with a potential lead or existing customer can still seal the deal, having a convenient way for shoppers to place orders without waiting for a callback can help make the difference between a won and lost sale.
A well-integrated e-commerce platform doesn’t mean you lose the mom-and-pop feel of your shop though. If you’re a smaller business you can blend that personalized service with the convenience and efficiency of modern e-commerce. This hybrid approach offers customers the best of both worlds, giving them a reason to choose you over larger, impersonal companies.
To meld the personal with the modern, a few steps you can take include:
- Custom branding: Rather than using stock images, make sure your site has color combinations and logos that people can associate with your business and brand. The more memorable (and professional), the better.
- Contact Us page: Ensure your site has a Contact Us page with phone, email, and business address information. This page can also have a web form people can submit to ask questions, but having the old-school options of stopping in for a consultation or giving you a call helps accommodate all your customers.
- Testimonials: Any existing customer testimonials you include on your site can add a personal touch to your business. These testimonials can be featured as a rotating block on your home page, or if you have an extensive enough collection, you can also create a separate page.
For businesses specifically in the decorated apparel and promotional products space, several platforms provide tools for online stores, production management, quoting, and invoicing. Many of these platforms are built with customizable features tailored to custom-branded merchandising businesses, like order information that feeds into a production management system, so your sales and production teams are connected on details related to the same order.
For businesses interested in an e-commerce platform with a broader reach, options like Shopify and Squarespace are excellent examples. They offer flexibility in design, secure payment gateways, and the ability to manage inventory and orders efficiently.
Ensure a Seamless User Experience
Virtually all buyers browse and shop from their phones or tablets. A website that looks good on all devices will improve the user experience and boost your sales.
A negative browsing experience can lead to lost sales. Slow load times, challenging layouts, or poor mobile optimization can all detract buyers. One study by BigCommerce Essentials found that a one-second delay in page load time can result in a 7% loss in conversion and 11% fewer page views daily. Depending on your sales volume, lost business could cost thousands of dollars or even millions over a fiscal year.
To improve load times and optimization, make sure any imagery and videos are optimized for the web. Typically graphics programs will allow you to save images in that format, and hosting your videos on platforms like YouTube will allow you to embed the videos rather than have them directly hosted on your site, creating longer load times. You can also use plug-ins that help audit your website for optimizations.
Elevate Your Business
Think of your website as more than just a digital storefront. It’s a critical sales tool, customer-relationship enhancer, and virtual showroom for your brand.
Creating an online experience that exceeds customer expectations with high-quality visuals, easy quoting tools, simple e-commerce, and mobile optimization can help keep you front of mind for current and future clients.
Having these tools helps reduce errors, improve business efficiency, and contribute to a better bottom line.
Michael Clark is the content marketing manager for Inktavo, a family of software solutions that help print shops, promotional product distributors, and branded merchandise businesses succeed. Over the past decade, he’s also contributed as an editor and columnist to several publications in the decorated apparel, promotional products, and signage industries.
