5 Steps To Landing Your First Sale In 30 Days

As an entrepreneur with three different businesses, I’ve been in your shoes. I remember the excitement and fear surrounding my first sale. There was a lot of negative self-talk running through my head. “Will people buy my coloring books?” “Will people even want to play murder mystery games?” “Will entrepreneurs find my content useful?” All of these “what-ifs” crossed my mind in the beginning stages too. 

The good news is that I’ve been there and guess what… I made my first, second, third and thousandth sale! I even have returning customers! You can too if you follow the 5 steps I’ve mapped out below. Implement the 5 steps and I imagine you’ll be hearing that “cha-ching” noise in no time! 

STEP 1: FOCUS SOLELY ON YOUR WEBSITE / ONLINE STORE 

I’m a perfectionist. Sometimes to a fault. I like to make things “just right.” I can’t stand it if my copy sounds weird or my graphic is slightly off. I HAVE to make those adjustments. If you’re anything like me, being a perfectionist can sometimes be to your detriment. If you zero in on creating a “perfect” online store, you’re missing an opportunity to drive people to your store. 

Your store will never be perfect. Full stop. There is always room for improvement. Use this time and energy to drive traffic to your store and worry about the minor tweaks later. 

It’s impossible to know if you’re improving if you haven’t established a benchmark. Data and analytics are going to be the clearest indicator of what you need to improve upon. You won’t know if your prices are too high, or if your brand resonates with people if you don’t drive traffic to your store. 

Long story short, focus on driving targeted traffic to your online store for the next 30 days above all else. 

I recommend creating a Google Analytics account as soon as you create an online store. Just like reading, Analytics are FUN-DA-MEN-TAL. If you’re a Drag Race fan, that was written specifically for you :)

Once you’ve set up your account, pay close attention to traffic as you adjust your marketing tactics.  

STEP 2: UTILIZE FREE TRAFFIC SOURCES 

USE. YOUR. NETWORK. Share your online store with your friends, family, neighbors, hair-dresser, you name it. It’s easy and FREE to share your store via social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc.) Be sure to take advantage of these sharing capabilities. 

I also encourage posting in Facebook Groups within your niche. A lot of groups have strict rules about promotion, so be mindful when you go to share your online store. However, I’ve found most Entrepreneurial groups to be incredibly supportive re: new businesses. I would start there! 

I’ve listed a few pro-tips below to help drive more free traffic to your site. 

Tip #1: Price your products slightly higher on your website and then offer a discount code for first time buyers. This is completely free on your end and makes the customer more likely to purchase.  

Tip #2: Put your website / online store link everywhere: Instagram Bio, Facebook Page, LinkedIn Page/Profile, EVERYWHERE. 

STEP 3: PAID ADVERTISING 

The quickest way to drive traffic quickly is through paid advertising. Many advertising platforms like Google Adwords and Facebook allow you to pay per click. You can pay as little or as much as you want to get results. 

Tip #1: If you aren’t familiar with Facebook or Google Ads, I recommend hiring someone who is. Outsourcing has the potential to save you a lot of time and money. If you have questions about paid advertising, I am happy to chat and/or connect you with someone who can help. Feel free to DM me @bigleapbrands 

Tip #2: Make sure your social media platforms, like Facebook, are populated with content before you spend money on advertising. You want your potential customers to view you as an established authority in the field. Having curated content on your social media helps in showcasing your authority. 

We recommend Facebook advertising for folks who have a clear understanding of their avatar or ideal customer. Facebook allows you to target your audience on a hyper-specific level based upon your ideal customer’s interests, profession, and hobbies.  

We recommend Google Ads for entrepreneurs who need to boost their Search Engine Optimization. 

Tip #1: If your website doesn’t come up on the first page of Google, consider creating a Branded Search Campaign to boost SEO. 

You can create both text and shopping ads to bump your store to the top of the page based on someone’s keyword search. If you have trouble setting up a campaign, again, feel free to reach out. 

STEP 4: CONNECT WITH EXISTING AUDIENCES 

Fun Fact: You have a unique story to tell. It just needs to be heard! If your content and messaging exists solely on your website, the chances anyone will care are slim to none. BUT if you reach out to other peeps in your industry, including industry bloggers, you have the potential to reach folks in your exact target audience. 

Publishers are always on the lookout for new content. Be that fun new story! Ask if you could submit a guest post sharing your expertise. Give your product to a blogger for free in exchange for a product review. Pitch yourself! People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. Tell your story! 

STEP 5: SEEK OUT STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

Partnerships can be a great way to get your products in front of someone else's customers. 

Tip #1: You want to keep things cool and non-competitive. We suggest partnering with companies with a similar audience, but not a direct competitor. 

Partnership opportunities are endless. You could... 

• Run a contest or giveaway with your products as a prize.
• Ask them to include info about your product in their upcoming newsletter.
• Sponsor an event of theirs. 

The bottom line is, you need to get out there in order to see results. You have to drive traffic and boost brand awareness right out of the gate. Driving traffic is all about connecting your brand with the buyers who need your product or service the most! 

There is no magic formula to get more traffic, but if you follow these 5 steps, you are well on your way to creating a lucrative online business. Exploring and failing is the only way to find out what works for you. If you’d like more guidance on how to grow and scale your business, feel free to DM me @bigleapbrands