It just so happens that May is “Small Business Month”, which is very fitting in a way; not only are we launching a small business of our own (which will hopefully be much bigger someday), but we’ve also tasked ourselves with helping millions of small businesses succeed all over the world.
Small businesses are thriving today, but they’ve changed a lot – even in the past few years. Thanks to new services available online, many of the budding merchants I speak with aren’t scouting out retail locations for “brick and mortar” storefronts. Instead, they’re building out their own sites online with a few clicks of a button. This paradigm shift from brick and mortar to online is happening as we speak, and it’s leading to more and more budding entrepreneurs who are able to sell their goods without the need of a software engineering background or a physical storefront. In fact, many promising e-commerce businesses today are run by sole proprietors who manage their stores on nights and weekends!
But the challenges that an online store faces are unique. Shopping on the internet is inherently less personal; in brick and mortar stores, shoppers form relationships not just with the store, but with its proprietors. Repeat business is therefore more challenging because the customer doesn’t walk or drive by the store on a regular basis; without constant reminders, many consumers are unlikely to return to the same independent stores more than once.
We don’t believe that these challenges are insurmountable though. In fact, that’s why we’re here – we want to help our merchants find exciting ways to create engaged, repeat customers. If these are topics that resonate with you, or challenges that you face as an online business owner, then we hope that you’ll find this blog, and our company as a whole, a valuable resource. Whenever you’re not sure where to turn, email us (founders at swellrewards dot com), Tweet at us (@swellrewards), post on our Facebook wall, or find some other way to get in touch. We don’t just want to be another service that you use – we want to be your go-to resource to help you succeed in what can otherwise be a daunting space. We can’t wait to meet you and hear your stories as we help you on your way to the top.
