Success isn't made in a bubble. In anything, and that includes dropshipping, you need to rely on the successes and mistakes of people that came before you. If you don't, then you are doomed to failure. On this page, we are going to look at some of the mistakes people wish they didn't make when they started their dropshipping business. Hopefully, by reading this, you will start to get a solid idea about how you can start dropshipping yourself.
10 Things Dropshippers Should Have Known Earlier
Before you even think about how to start a dropshipping business, it is vital that you read through these ten things. These are what you absolutely should know. The ultimate dropshipping tips.
1. Things are not always going to go smoothly
A lot of people think that once they have read a good guide on how to start dropshipping, they can just jump into making their business and everything is going to work out. It isn't. There will be issues that pop up. This is the nature of the business. Do not go into dropshipping business with the idea that things will go perfect for you. They won't.
2. Use both free and paid traffic sources
Ideally, you will start off by just focusing on one of each. This way you do not overwhelm yourself. However, you are going to need to have both sources of traffic if you want to be successful when you start dropshipping. Do not go 'all in' on paid marketing, because you will be kissing goodbye to your site's profits quite quickly.
3. Don't overspend
There is no need for you to overspend on building up your brand. Don't spend thousands and thousands of dollars on a theme, for instance. Don't indulge in video marketing. At the start, just try and keep things nice and simple. Chances are that your first dropshipping store will not be your last dropshipping business. There is no need to overspend on something which is likely to be nothing more than a testing ground.
4. Target niches where you can keep people coming back for more
The best niches are ones where you can constantly market to people once they have bought from you. Remember; it is going to be far easier for you to bring older customers back than it is to go out there and find new customers.
5. Split testing is important
When you are running your dropshipping business, it is important that you carry out split testing. This is the only way that you are going to be able to squeeze out every bit of value from the marketing campaigns that you have been running. If you do not know about split testing ads and the like, then make sure you learn about it. It can save you money.
6. Learn from your failures
As we said before; you are going to fail when you are running your business. Things are going to go wrong. This happens to every business out there. There are no exceptions to this rule. The key to being successful, however, is to make sure that you do not repeat your failures. Work out where you went wrong and do things properly the next time.
7. Sell globally
A lot of people make the mistake of only targeting the American market. Do not do this. The second you launch your dropshipping business, you want to be targeting every single market that you can. Go international. It means more business, and it means that you do not need to scale up quite so much later on.
8. Stick with the same dropshipping suppliers
It can be tempting to switch suppliers in order to save a bit of cash. Do not fall into this trap. When you know something works in the world of dropshipping, you do not just change things. It is just going to cause problems. Sometimes it is better to stay with the same suppliers, even if it is a little bit costlier to stick with them.
9. Use content marketing
Content is king in the world of eCommerce. It is odd that most dropshippers do not use it. However, if you want to bring in a ton of people from organic searches or social media, then you need to produce quality content. Not only is it a traffic magnet, but it helps with showcasing the reputability of your website.
10. Focus on customer service
Customer service is the key to any successful business. You will want to have quality customer service processes built into your business the second that you launch. People will love that they can interact with you, and this means more business in your pocket.
5 Mistakes to Avoid for Success in Dropshipping
The previous section was all about how you can start a dropshipping business in the right way. In this section, we just want to highlight a few common mistakes in dropshipping. This way you get off onto the right foot.
1. Do not niche yourself too much
A lot of dropshippers will tell you to choose a niche. We agree. However, you do not want to get too specific. You won't be able to expand. If your website idea makes it seem as if you can only ever sell one specific type of product, then your selected niche is probably a bit too narrow.
2. Don't use influencers
A lot of dropshipping businesses will use influencers to get the name of their product out there. It doesn't work. It may get you the odd sale every now and then, but if you want real success when it comes to dropshipping then Facebook and Google ads are the way to go.
3. Be unclear about profits you make on a product
This is so, so important. You need to know exactly how much money you will make when you sell something, even before you list it on your site. Put it in a spreadsheet. Don't forget to factor in advertising costs and the like. If you fail to do this, then you will lose money with your dropshipping business.
4. Don't work with cheap suppliers
If you work with a cheap supplier, then expect a cheap service. This means poor quality products and slow shipping. This will rub off on your brand and it can cost you sales in the long term. Sometimes, it is worth working with a slightly more expensive supplier so you know that you are getting good service with them. It will generate you cash in the long term.
5. Don't automate and keep yourself busy all day
It is better to get a little bit of automation at the start. Running a dropshipping business is tough, so you want to focus on the more complicated tasks as opposed to the 'busy work.'
Conclusion
We won't lie to you. Starting a dropshipping business can be tough. However, if you look at the way other people have done things in the past, you can learn a great deal. This will help you to ensure your business starts off well.
