Marketing Strategies to Boost PreOrder Sales

In the dynamic landscape of e-commerce, pre-order sales have become a powerful tool for businesses looking to create buzz, build anticipation, and secure early revenue for their products. However, successfully executing a pre-order campaign requires a well-thought-out marketing strategy.

In this blog post, Fordeer will be with you to explore effective marketing strategies to boost pre-order sales and set your business on the path to success.

Understanding Pre-order Sales

Definition pre-order sales

Pre-order sales are the strategy when companies start taking orders from customers before a new product officially hits the shelves. It's all about building up the excitement and hype before the big launch.

This is especially awesome for hot-ticket items that everyone's dying to get their hands on, like the latest iPhone or the super-popular Playstation 5 games console. So, pre-orders aren't just a marketing tactic – they're a chance for you to be ahead of the game and secure that must-have item.

The purpose of pre-order sale

Pre-order sales serve many purposes. It's like reserving a front-row seat for that hot new item before it hits the shelves. Why do they do it? Simple – it helps businesses gauge the excitement levels among their audience and plan accordingly.

First off, for customers, pre-orders are your ticket to being ahead of the curve while keeping some extra bucks in their wallet. Plus, it's not just about customers; it's a win for businesses too as businesses don't end up with shelves full of idle goods, thanks to your pre-order enthusiasm.

Pre-orders often become the talk of the town, especially when the holiday season rolls around. Some smart companies even throw in discounts for the early birds, and let's be real – everyone loves a good discount, don’t they?

The benefits of a pre-order sales strategy

A pre-order strategy offers a range of benefits for both consumers and businesses, creating a win-win scenario. Here are some key advantages:

Cost savings for customers

Pre-orders frequently come with special discounts or exclusive pricing. This incentivizes consumers to commit to a purchase before the official release, allowing them to save money compared to buying the product at full price later.

Revenue generation for business

From a business perspective, pre-orders serve as a reliable source of early revenue. This influx of funds can be crucial for covering production costs, marketing expenses, and other upfront investments associated with launching a new product.

Demand forecasting

Pre-order sales can help businesses gauge the level of interest and demand for upcoming products. This data is invaluable for making informed decisions about production quantities, inventory management, and overall market positioning.

Reduced inventory risks

Pre-orders allow businesses to better manage their inventory by producing goods based on confirmed orders. This minimizes the risk of overstocking, reducing the likelihood of excess inventory that may become obsolete or need to be discounted later.

Marketing and Buzz Generation

Pre-order campaigns are effective in generating buzz and excitement around a product before its official release. This heightened anticipation can lead to increased brand visibility, word-of-mouth promotion, and overall positive sentiment.

Engagement and Customer Loyalty

Engaging customers in the pre-order process fosters a sense of loyalty. You can offer exclusive bonuses, early access, or limited-edition items to create a connection with consumers, encouraging repeat business and brand advocacy.

Marketing Strategies to Boost Pre-order Sales on your Shopify Store

Understand your market and product

Before diving into your pre-order campaign, it's crucial to get into the minds of your audience. What are they craving? How much of it do they desire? Why is this particular item on their wishlist? And how do they envision using it once it lands on their doorstep? Once you've got these answers, it's time to identify your customer base and figure out the best way to connect with them.

Getting a grasp of your product and the market sets the stage for smart decisions on pricing, promotion, and positioning. Understanding the ins and outs of your business and what makes it stand out is the key to successful selling. Once you've nailed down what makes your company special, you can then determine the perfect pricing strategy and distribution plan for your products. It's like getting to know a friend before introducing them to others—the better you understand them, the more effectively you can introduce them to the world.

Define your target customer

The next important step is to figure out who your target audience is forms the foundation of effective product advertising. Who are the awesome folks you're trying to reach?

What floats their boat? How can you strike up a connection with them? Answering these questions is key to shaping your eCommerce pre-order strategy, ensuring you not only reach your audience but also turn them into happy customers.

Once you've nailed down your target audience, it's time to zoom in on your ideal customers. If your business involves selling flowers, you'll want to connect with those flower enthusiasts.

On the flip side, if you're in the business of concentrates, your focus might be on catering to high-end consumers who appreciate top-notch products. Understanding your audience is like finding the perfect dance partner – it sets the stage for a harmonious connection and successful moves!

Make sure you have a social media presence

Are you part of the social media scene for your brand? If not, it's the perfect moment to jump on board. And if you're already there, it's time to make the most of it.

It's all about creating a buzz and letting your customers know what's coming their way. Start by shining a spotlight on your pre-order well in advance. You should take it to all your social media hangouts and let your audience in on the excitement.

With that in mind, you shouldn’t overlook the power of social media ads. They're like the superhero cape for your product awareness. Craft some snazzy digital ads, aim them right at your target audience, and watch the excitement build before your big launch.

Reach out to your existing customers

If you've got a new product in the works and a crew of loyal fans already on your side, why not give them the VIP treatment?

You should send out some friendly emails to your existing customer base and spill the beans about the awesome new (or limited edition) product you're cooking up. They deserve to be the first to know.

Plus, you shouldn’t let the excitement fizzle out. You’d better keep the buzz alive with regular doses of cool content, stay connected, keep it lively, and watch the excitement unfold.

Utilize your website

To ensure you're tuned in to your potential buyers' desires and expectations, kick things off by creating a friendly website to flaunt your products. The goal is to establish trust and credibility with your buyers before diving into the money talk. Craft a site that not only looks good but is also packed with useful information and is easy to navigate.

Opt for a platform tailor-made for your industry—think Magento for eCommerce & CMS or WooCommerce for blogs. Pick a payment solution that suits your needs, ensuring a smooth transaction process. If you've got your pre-order strategy all mapped out, setting everything up should be a breeze. Get ready to showcase your offerings in a way that's as hassle-free as it is inviting!

Start a blog

Now is the perfect time to build up your website for Google, ensuring you attract a bunch of organic traffic to your pre-order landing page. You should consider kickstarting a blog—a friendly corner where you can share exciting content about your new product, spill the details on your pre-order deals, talk about the upcoming launch, and even showcase any press coverage or influencer testimonials you've scored.

You should encourage your customers to take the friendly route and reach out to fellow bloggers in your niche, share the scoop about your product, and not only ask them to feature it on their blogs and websites but also suggest crosslinking to your site for that extra SEO boost. Moreover, you can consider crafting guest blog posts for relevant publications, giving their readers a sneak peek into your fantastic new product.

Promote your pre-order campaign via SMS or text

Customers enjoy the channel because it guarantees that they get all the cool info and deals from the brand, even if they're not online. So, why not make the most of this preference and kick off your pre-order marketing campaigns through SMS? Just like you do with other channels, create a series of SMS marketing campaigns to build excitement around your upcoming products and eventually prompt them to place a pre-order.

You can have a two-way chat during your pre-order marketing campaign. That means if a subscriber has any doubts or concerns about making the purchase, you can address them right then and there! It's like having a friendly chat about the latest and greatest stuff you've got coming up.

Prepare for high demand

Another awesome perk of jumping on the pre-order train is that it gives you some solid insights into predicting how much demand your product is likely to have. It's like having a crystal ball for your business!

When it comes to figuring out just how much of your product to whip up, pre-orders are like your secret weapon. By tallying up those pre-orders, you can get a really good grasp on exactly how much of your amazing product needs to be brought to life (depending on how your pre-order setup works).

And here's the kicker: this intel isn't just handy for production planning. It's gold for your future marketing strategies, too! Pre-orders let you dip your toes into the market and see how much buzz your product is generating. It's like a test run before you fully commit to making your fantastic creation.

We'll dive deeper into this point a bit later, but the gist is this: when you create mock-ups or showcase product images, you're not just flaunting your creativity. You're also putting your product concept to the test – checking if different features, designs, or the whole shebang resonate with your audience.

To facilitate this process, a pre-order app is the best fit for you. Thankfully, Shopify has a lot of these kinds of apps available in the store, like our Fordeer: PreOrder Now Presale. You can check it out!

Final thoughts,

Implementing a comprehensive marketing strategy is essential to maximize pre-order sales and set the stage for a successful product launch. By taking advantage of these marketing strategies, your business can unlock the full potential of pre-order sales and build a foundation for long-term success in the competitive e-commerce landscape.

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