Hello legend! If you are reading this blog post, you are probably looking for a way to grow your business using the power of digital platforms. So congratulations, we are really excited for you! You came to the correct place.
Technology is not your enemy. Sometimes when we look at new digital platforms we can feel a bit overwhelmed by their complexity.
But the truth is that the process of bringing automation and integration into your business is like almost everything in life: at the beginning, it will require your effort and attention, but then things will just flow. Trust us, we have done it!
How can digital platforms and social media help me to create change?
It’s all about purpose and perspective. We agree with you, social media, digital platforms and the online world can cause addiction, dependence and anxiety, among other negative effects that disconnect us from the real world, nature and ourselves.
But like everything in life, there is a balance. The bad and the good, the light and the dark, and bad experiences and good opportunities allow growth and change within technology. Learning how to use social media in a healthy and meaningful way is a good starting point. (link)
Here are some benefits and opportunities for society and the planet that come from social media and the online world:
- Spread a balanced, empowering message and create a like-minded community fighting for the same cause.
- Allowing Ethical, small businesses to position themselves as an alternative to big corporations.
- Communicate good news as well as awareness.
- When done well, it can be a reliable alternative to mainstream media.
- It can be fun, spread your message with joy, entertainment and inspiration.
- Democratization of knowledge as anyone can learn almost everything online.
Before integrating digital platforms, you need a system.
You need a system to welcome automation, flow and scalability into your business. This way, you will spend less time working on the daily manual things and more time focused on what you want to achieve.
Business systems are formed by integrated elements that work together as a whole. Your mission is at the centre of your system and also represents the ultimate goal. All the elements are connected and supported by digital platforms and of course, people.
And that’s exactly what we want to talk to you about: the best digital platforms to create an integrated system for your business growth.
LoveLoop creates, integrates and manages business systems for brands with a purpose that are ready to jump to the next level.
Digital platforms
In 2022, if a digital platform is not offering you integrations with other platforms, customisations, an App for your phone and a stunning user experience, just don’t buy it, something might go wrong.
After trying many of them in-house and with our clients, we can say that we now have our ultimate list of digital platforms for small to medium businesses. We still experiment with new ones and if anything changes we will keep you updated by modifying this resource page.
Shopify
With the help of this guide, you will learn everything you need to know to confirm that Shopify suits your business structure and goals.
Shopify has several valuable features. It offers you a wide range of tools that will allow you to create a very good-looking e-commerce site and monitor your progress. Also, you will be able to make better business decisions with the help of analytics tools that will help you raise your sales while also improving the website’s performance.
Let’s start with the 5 features of Shopify that make it so amazing:
Sales Channels
Shopify is not the only platform that can be used to sell products. This feature allows us to download outside sales channels. Third-party channels like Instagram, Amazon, Facebook, Messenger and Handshake can be used to sell products too and all these channels can be integrated through Shopify’s app store.
Shopify Point of Sale
This feature allows you to sell your items in person too. You can sell goods offline and rake card payments from customers. Payouts are tied directly to the company’s Shopify inventory, keeping track of every sale.! You no longer have to keep track of in-store and internet sales separately. Finally!
Dropshipping on Shopify
It is a way for business owners to acquire things from a third party and distribute them straight to clients.
Shopify has a wide range of tools to help you reach out to wholesalers worldwide. By using Oberlo, a third-party tool, you can list products on your website without the concern of having enough room to store them.
Shopify’s Analytical Tools
Shopify Analytics provides valuable information on customer behaviour, marketing, and sales, among other things, to help businesses improve their operations and make more informed strategic decisions to boost sales.
Abandoned Cart Reminders
Yes, customers abandon carts and that’s okay, totally normal. The good thing is that Shopify keeps track of that, allowing you to send them a friendly email or offers or whatever will make them get back to you.
Later
Social Media is a crucial element of your business system. When they are used with purpose, commitment and an open mind, so many positive things can come from Instagram, Twitter, Tik Tok, Linkedin, Facebook and Pinterest.
And guess what? You can manage them all from one single platform: Later.
Later is a digital tool that helps you organise your social media content in an easy and friendly way. If you and your brand have something to communicate, a purpose and a mission, many good things can come from creating content about it and sharing it with the world.
Business owners and small teams might not have the time and space to be on top of social media every day and that is exactly why you need Later. Besides, allows you to see how your profiles will look in the future as you can schedule the content (photos, videos, reels and stories) and access a preview mode.
Some awesome functions and advantages of Later 2022:
- Scheduling content on Instagram, TikTok (doesn’t really schedule, just sends reminders), Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
- Digital content calendar
- Instagram grid preview
- Media library
- Conversations management
- Collect media (hashtags, mentions, images)
- Instagram Analytics
- Link in Bio tool for Instagram
- Supports cross-posting on different social media channels
- Comes with a feed preview feature for Instagram
- Schedule FREE up to 30 posts each month.
- Schedule videos & crop them into different sizes
- Choose a cover photo for your Instagram videos so your feed looks neat
- Easy to use for beginners
Klaviyo
Last but not least, we recommend you take a look at Klaviyo. But first, let’s talk about e-mail marketing and e-mail flows.
When done right, e-mails work as an essential channel of communication between your brand and your community and your customers.
We identify two main purposes for email marketing:
Community and engagement
This is where newsletters, resources, blog posts and news can be used. You share stories, helpful content, ideas and guides that will give value to your community.
Feeding your sales funnel
From promotions and discounts to upselling opportunities, e-mail flows are also an essential part of your sales journeys.
Some of the most common email flows that can be integrated into your sales systems are:
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Abandoned cart email automation that makes communications unique. These emails remind your customers of the items they’ve left sitting in their shopping carts.
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Thank you email flows that will foster loyalty. The thank you flow, which goes out after a shopper completes their purchase, helps you to foster brand loyalty by expressing gratitude to your customers for their business.
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Instructional email flows that educate users. By this point, you’ve already told your customer how much you appreciate their business, but how do you keep them coming back? You’re going to wow them with your amazing products, of course! The instructional email automation educates your customer on how to use, clean, or assemble the product they’ve purchased.
About Love Loop
Love Loop creates, integrates and manages systems that bring growth to businesses.
Creating and integrating systems enables you to showcase the heart and soul of your business, along with its scalability and growth. Just like a car and its gears, a successful business is built by single components all working together as one system.
Schedule a free connection call to find out more. Can’t wait to hear from you!