Being a digital nomad is one of the best ways to earn a living while having the freedom to work from anywhere. Running an e-commerce store is a lifestyle that offers excitement and challenges in equal measure. But how can you run an online store effectively as a digital nomad?
Use Every Interaction as a Sales Opportunity
One of the benefits of running an online store is that you don’t have to store the items yourself. There are resources like FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) that do it all for you, which means that all you need is a sturdy internet connection and the know-how to make a sale. This is why having portable devices can be invaluable, as it ensures that we get more into the sales frame of mind.
Any interaction with someone on our travels can mean an opportunity to sell a product that’s perfectly positioned for them, and while having a point of sale device on your person might seem like overkill, but it’s a great way to stimulate a sale right there and then, rather than somebody making the half-baked promise that they will buy an item later on. The great salespeople understand the value of helping someone sign up for something in the moment but without being overly pressurizing. This is why getting your sales patter down is pivotal.
Providing Excellent Customer Support
This can be tough while traveling. We need to incorporate systems that ensure we can respond in a timely manner to our customers. The very simple out-of-hours email is one thing, but if you want to increase that 24/7 approach to your business, it’s time to set up a chatbot. A chatbot can easily be trained and handle a multitude of customer queries, meaning that as long as your website is secure, you can almost let the business run by itself.
Setting up a chatbot is very easy as I’ve done it myself. You can learn online courses on how to set up one or you can just watch some video tutorials on YouTube for free if you want to know the basics.
Juggling Time Zones
If you are selling to customers all over the world, you need to be efficient with your time management to avoid misunderstandings and or delays. Having outsourced support can be a great help here. In fact, hiring a virtual assistant who’s living the same nomadic lifestyle as you can be a great asset as you are, ultimately, on the same page.
You can’t do everything yourself so it’s good if you delegate some tasks to other people to scale your business. Let others do time-consuming tasks and use your time on more important jobs like sourcing more products to generate more income.
Maintaining a Balance
Dealing with numerous payment methods and multiple currencies can be tricky, and utilizing reliable payment processes is one approach. But maintaining a balance is not just about the cash balance but about ensuring that you are able to deal with everything in a careful and considered manner. Working to make your business legitimate can easily take over people’s lives and therefore finding a balance will ensure that you can deliver on all fronts.
Make sure you have a separate checking account for your online store so won’t mix up the income from your other side hustles. This also makes filing taxes easier for you or your accountant.
Being a digital nomad comes with challenges, but also a lot of freedom. Addressing the common hurdles you will encounter can turn your nomadic lifestyle and your online business into something far more tangible that will thrive and cater to customers all over the world, as well as ensure that you enjoy the journey of being a digital nomad entrepreneur.
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