Must Have Tools for Running a Successful Drop-Shipping Business
Drop shipping offers a great way for you to make money from home, to start your own business on a shoestring, or to attain financial independence. You don’t have to purchase inventory to get started, and you can sell virtually anything so long as you can find a reputable wholesaler to provide it. You can run the business while you are still working, or you can drop everything and put all your effort into making the business a success.
At the same time, there are plenty of Facebook groups and free resources online to help you get started with the process. In short, it’s definitely one of the most sought after methods for starting an online business right now and many newbies are finding success in the process.
For the more seasoned entrepreneur and online marketers, many people have made their fortunes on drop shipping. You just need to be persistent, use the right tools, and make the right choices for your business. Here are some of the top tools you should be using to be successful in your drop-shipping business:
Inventory Management System
Your inventory is everything. You need to know how much you are selling and how much is available. If you are drop shipping, you won’t have inventory on hand. But you will need to keep track of how much inventory is available through your wholesaler. You don’t want to disappoint or anger a customer by telling tell them that you don’t have the item available and sending a refund instead.
Over time, you may decide to grow your business by having the inventory on hand and selling in person at a store, a trade show, marketplace, or elsewhere. It is important that you have the right systems for inventory management so you always have what the customer needs in hand. Inventory management is also essential to make sure you don’t order items that you already have and cut into your profits.
Customer Management System
Sales don’t just appear out of thin air. In addition to running ads and other promotions, you need to generate leads and nurture them through your sales funnel. A good customer management system will help you keep track of your leads and where they are in the funnel.
Any time you get a lead – such as through a list serve sign up or a sale – you put that contact information into your CMS. You then keep track of all contact you have with the customer, including emails, phone calls, and sales. Over time, you build up quite a lot of information about your customer so that you have a more complete picture of what the customer wants and needs, and so you have more demographic information. You can use all that information to create better pitches that have a higher likelihood of success.
Content and Blog Management System
Just as important as the products and listings on your actual store, a blog can compliment your brand, service and increase sales in the process. This is something we are seeing many of the top e-sellers and dropshippers finding success with today. It’s no longer about just having an online store and listing products for sale, it’s about creating engaging content that grabs the interest of an audience and makes them want to buy.
This can all easily be setup with a WordPress blog, which is quite easy to learn — even for someone that’s never had a website or blog. Once you’ve added a blog to your online store, be sure to add social sharing buttons and also link back to your product pages whenever you reference something that can be purchased on your site. To see examples of how some of the top brands and e-commerce sites are already doing this, simply visit the ‘blog’ section on any of your favorite online stores.
Payment Processor
Paypal isn’t the only player in the game for payment processing. You have many options for accepting payments from your customers and for making payments to your vendors. It is important that you explore all your options so that you get the best terms. Even a small difference in fees can add up over time, cutting into your profits.
You must also consider whether the payment processor collects the payments that are most popular amongst your customers, and how good the customer service is. If your customers don’t like the payment process, you’ll also lose money.
Payroll System
When many people get started with drop shipping, they have a one-man operation. But once you start to make a little money and can grow your business, you may want to hire a few people to help you out. You may start with one assistant, but you may eventually have several people processing orders and answering customer inquiries. Once you have any kind of staff, you’ll need a system to help you manage payroll, from calculating hours and pay to determine the appropriate taxes. A good payroll system will do everything from issue checks to report taxes to the IRS.
Using the right tools for your drop-shipping business is more than a matter of convenience. Using the right tools can help you enhance your customer service, keep your costs low, increase your sales, and maximize your profits. Right after you find the right wholesaler to work with, you should start looking for the right software tools for your business – even before you have your website set up. The right software will help you create a solid foundation for the success of your business.
