If you are an entrepreneur with a passion for good food, starting a small online food business might be the perfect opportunity.
Think about it…
Food is an essential need. And more importantly, Filipinos love food! Even when we experience a financial dip, Filipinos still spend money on the latest food craze. (Japanese egg sandwich, anyone?)
Last year, the food delivery sector made PHP 55 billion in gross sales. One-third of the meals were ordered from restaurants, while two-thirds were from home-based food businesses.
Starting an online food business is relatively easy because you do not need much capital, and you can keep overhead costs low. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when starting your eCommerce food business.
Keep reading to know the essential steps in building your online food business and some eCommerce food business marketing strategies.
What You Need to Start an Online Food Business
Starting your online business the right way is crucial to its success. While you can start without much planning, having a business plan for your online food business can save you from future headaches.
Before you go straight to creating an online store or website, start with the basics, such as identifying your target market and differentiating factors. These will be the basis of your eCommerce marketing plan to get the word out about your online business.
With these things in place, you will be well on your way to starting a successful business in the food industry. Let’s dive in!
Who Is Your Target Market?
When starting an online food business, it is vital to identify your target market. Most consider age, location, gender, income level, and family size. But don’t stop there!
Successful food businesses also look at the personality, lifestyle, activities, values, and motivations of their target market to craft a more personalized experience.
Suppose you are selling a healthy cooked meal. In that case, your target market might be health-conscious individuals who live in urban areas, practice yoga, and value holistic living.
Once you have identified your target market, you can tailor your online food business marketing efforts to reach this group of people. For example, using specific keywords on your website and social media posts, advertising in relevant publications, and attending trade shows or events.
Identifying your target market ensures that your business plan and marketing efforts are focused and effective — leading to increased sales and profitability for your business.
What Is Your Unique Selling Point?
To keep up with today’s competitive eCommerce marketplace, you must offer your consumers something unique.
This can be a challenge when it comes to food like cooked meals and baked goods. After all, there are only so many ingredients and flavor combinations to choose from. However, with a food business idea and creativity, it is possible to stand out from the crowd.
For example, you can focus on regional specialties from around the world or even a fusion of different cuisines. Rather than offering the same cooked meal and food item available at every other restaurant, you will be showcasing the unique flavors and recipes of different cultures.
Another differentiating factor you can explore is working with local farmers and producers to source the freshest and highest quality ingredients. By offering a unique culinary experience and standing for what you value, you can differentiate your online food business.
Building Your Online Presence
In today’s digital world, it’s more important than ever for eCommerce food businesses to have an online presence because you need to meet your customers where they are.
A strong online presence can help you reach your potential customer, increase brand awareness, build trust, and boost sales. But how do you go about building an effective online presence for your food business?
- Create a website that will serve as your online store. Your website should be both informative and visually appealing.
- Be sure to include clear images and descriptions of your baked goods and a hearty cooked meal. Remember, these will influence why people buy your product.
- Display your contact information and hours of operation. Include all your social media handles as well as frequently asked questions.
- Create high-quality content about your food item, food preparation, and food processing to increase awareness of your food online business and drive traffic to your online store.
Once you have your online store, you can now promote it through social media and online advertising.
| Did you know that you can have an online store integrated into your social media channels? Seamlessly offer an end-to-end experience from people discovering your online food business to successfully fulfilling their orders directly inside a social media platform like Facebook. Find out how you can start free with Prosperna! |
Marketing Your Food Business
As a food business owner, marketing is essential to your success. There are many ways to market your small food business.
The best approach will vary depending on your products, target audience, potential customer, and budget. However, there are some online food business general tips that can help you get started:
- Consider what makes your food unique and how you can communicate that to potential customers. You can use storytelling so your customers can create an emotional connection with your food business.
- Think about the different channels through which you can reach your target audience. This could include online advertising, print ads, personal selling, or public relations.
- Make sure you have a strong branding strategy in place. This will help customers remember your food business and associate it with positive qualities such as “using fresh ingredients” and “value for money”.
By following these tips, you can develop an effective marketing strategy for your food business and achieve success.
Start the Right Way
Starting an online food business can be a great way to make money and control your schedule. This article outlined the basic things you need to start your small food business the right way.
Of course, there are more nitty-gritty details, such as registering your business, understanding eCommerce laws, and creating a comprehensive guide for your processes. So be sure to familiarize yourself with these as well.
Whether you are a culinary genius or just getting started, you can make your online food business successful with the right mindset, effort, and strategy.
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Prosperna, Your Partner to eCommerce Success
We have the solution for you if you are ready to start your own eCommerce food business. And it’s free to get started!
- Have your mini online store that can be integrated into Facebook (and then Instagram).
- Organize and display your menu items on your product catalog.
- Accept all payment types, online and offline, with pocket-friendly gateway fees.
- Offer autobook shipping with affordable shipping fees.
- No setup fee and no monthly fees. With an option to upgrade without breaking the bank!
Prosperna is on a mission to empower 100,000 Philippine MSMEs with a simple all-in-one eCommerce platform. In fact, we are super passionate about helping Philippine MSMEs so we are giving you a free account forever!
Start your online food business with an eCommerce partner you can trust. Create your free-forever Prosperna account today. Register here.
