Running a business requires a lot of time and effort - whether that is designing your site and brand, coming up with a social media strategy, how to engage with customers, and when to engage with customers. Along side of that is the big questions of is this going to be effective ? Or how do I know this is the right direction to take ?
Well, if you have ever had “writers block” when it comes to deciding which direction to take with your business, I hope this article will help!
Here is my suggestion: take from others! Now, I know that sounds a bit rude, but hear me out. Learn from others who are doing it well, and build upon your own business with that foundation. A better way to put it is to get inspired by other businesses.
Let’s run through some things I get inspired by!
Social Media
Being an active brand on social media requires a lot of time and planning. If you are going to be involved with Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, etc, you need to be sure you are always posting new, engaging content for your viewership. Deciding what to post and when to post can get tough after a while, so I recommend seeing what others do!
Is there a brand that sells similar products to you that has a great social feed? What type of things do they post? How often do they post? And what time of day do they post at? I would suggest comparing a few of your favorite or competitor brands together and see if there are any similarities. Then learn from those, and see if you can implement some of those ideas with your brand! Just to clarify, don’t take their content, but be inspired to create your own content with a similar feel.
Newsletters
Newsletters are another great bit of content to get inspiration from. I would suggest signing up for newsletters of competitors or shops that you like to see what kind of content they share. Do they send weekly blog articles? Do they send discount codes? Do they share customer reviews, or new product releases? Seeing what others share on their newsletter can give you ideas of what you should post about too.
Site Design
Check out other sites for ideas on site design! Do you like the way a shops navigation looks and functions? Do you like their page style and layout? Color scheme? The list goes on, but you get the point! Compile a list of websites you like the look and feel of, and put together an inspiration board of what you like and don’t like! Then see if you can draw on any of these for bettering your own site.
On top of that, if there is a function you want to implement, but are not sure how, you can always reach out to Shopify support. Show them an example of what you are looking to create, and they can definitely pass on suggestions on how to best tackle that - whether it is an app recommendation, theme recommendation, or work for an expert.
Misc
More options to gather inspiration from would be:
- What kind of discounts other shops are sharing and how they share them
- What type of blog articles do they write, and how often do they share them
- What do their email notifications look like
- What type of photography do they use on their site
- What kind of returns or policies do they offer on their items
Also, don’t hesitate to reach out to shops as well! Send them an email if you have any questions for them, such as “which theme are you using? And what platform do you use?” Some shops may not give out that info, but there is no harm in asking! You’d be surprised what others are okay with sharing.
There are so many things you can learn from others - so don’t be afraid to gather ideas and learn from other shops in times where your uncertain of your direction. It can be a great tool to use!
