There are thousands of online businesses currently spanning the globe, with new ones cropping up every day. What many people aren’t aware of, however, is that a considerable number of these new online companies will actually fail. In fact, it is estimated that only about 10 percent of the businesses will survive the first quarter! Now, this is a staggering statistic and can certainly be daunting for entrepreneurs just setting out. Well, there is a silver lining if you find yourself in this position – you can use reliable tactics to help you succeed. This foundation will provide you with the structure and support that you need. Here is what you should consider implementing:

Having an External Marketing Advisor

The key to a thriving business is to advertise your company properly. Now, with brick-and-mortar stores, this is easy enough – create a TV, newspaper, or billboard ad to promote your goods or services. When you are attempting to call attention to an online company, though, it is not as easy. In addition to creating a campaign that will resonate with customers, you also need to know where and how to implement it. With the internet, this means knowing how to manoeuver across search engines, social media platforms, other websites, and more. If this is not your area of expertise, you will soon find yourself floundering. This is why you should always look to third parties such as Results First, to help navigate these tricky waters successfully.

Knowing Everything About Your Competition

Cyberspace can seem quite endless and expansive which is why many businesses don’t both researching their competitors all that well. This, however, is a dangerous mistake to make. While there may be numerous companies selling the same product, they may not all be your opponents. Take specific products and services, target audience, and geographic objective into consideration when identifying your challengers. This will help you to narrow down the list. Now, once you have been unearthed, it is a matter of figuring out how to offer the same products or services in a better manner to your customers. This is what will give you the advantage over your competition.

Solving Problems Not Selling Products

Once you know who your target audience is, you need to consider an important question: what is a problem that I can solve for them? Your clients don’t really care about the product or service you are selling, per se. Rather, they are interested in how it helps to overcome an obstacle for them. So, put yourself in your clients’ shoes and figure out what the answers that they are searching for so that you are better equipped to provide them.

Staying Relevant

A few years ago remaining relevant was a lot simpler to manage. These days, it often seems that trends emerge and vanish at an astonishing rate. Of course, not all of these fads will relate to your company or your industry. Still, it is a good idea to keep abreast of as many as you can manage. While you don’t necessarily need to incorporate each and every one, they will offer you some insight into the direction of the market. This will help you adjust your marketing strategy in a more profitable direction. Online selling creates new sources of income for almost any business.

These are the basics of any effective online business and you should adhere to them if you want to succeed.