Create your own branded content to connect with your target market
When you set up an online store, know that you need content. Too many online retailers expect people to buy as soon as they arrive on their site. Wrong. People are less likely to decide to buy because they see your ad. They will choose brands that they feel have the same values as them.
That’s why I emphasize target market research. You can’t do it right if you don’t know who your customers are.
Differentiating your brand
Your content should answer why people should buy from you. This is where differentiated points of difference (PODs) and points of reference (POPs) come into play.
I get asked all the time, “How can I differentiate my brand?”.
My answer is always: “Who do you want it to differentiate?”.
POD differentiates you from other brands; it’s the benefits/features that customers strongly associate with you that they can’t find elsewhere. You need to highlight this in your brand communications.
POP may not be unique, but you are trying to match your competitors in some respects. For example, if I were buying leggings, breathability might be an important factor for me in all the brands I looked at. The lack of POP could be a reason to abandon your website and move to another online store.