The Rise of Commerce, E-commerce, and Social Media
It’s nothing new for Alibaba to break sales records on Singles Day. For many quick-thinking people in Hong Kong, apart from getting great deals as consumers, they’re also planning to or have started investing in e-commerce. The pandemic has contributed to a climate of uncertainty. The layoffs of large companies have also given rise to the birth of many small business owners. Several former aviation industry friends of mine and executives of large companies have long been “promoted” to being bosses.
Looking for B2B Opportunities Outside of the Exhibition
Recently, I have been busy optimizing e-commerce platforms and producing live marketing programs. I have also had the opportunity to share marketing tips relating to e-commerce on several occasions. In times of adversity, e-commerce doesn’t require large amounts of investment. E-commerce is maturing as a market and is easy to navigate. There is also a good range of products available. Good marketing will bring about business opportunities.
You have an inherent advantage if you already have an existing supply of products. If you are looking for suppliers, an online exhibition is a good way to source products and suppliers at your convenience.
The HKTDC Sourcing platform of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council is an excellent solution to source for suppliers face to face during this period. Such an interface is as simple as a Google search. It has good keyword suggestions and its customer service has a human touch.
The sourcing platform has a special exhibition hall, which, to put it bluntly, is like the main exhibition hall. What I’m most interested in is the range of Japanese suppliers and products housed in the Japan Pavilion. Japanese are typically reserved, so their participation in the exhibition is not a given. Furthermore, this goes beyond the traditional online B2B collaboration. It’s not easy to find top-grade goods and suppliers all in one place. You would appreciate the amount of effort it has taken the organizers to research and curate this exhibition.
Planning your own e-commerce business is not simply about keeping prices low. It involves a long-term strategy for developing your brand around a certain theme and level of quality.
Free Marketing Courses
Besides business sourcing, the HKTDC Digital Academy has also made several complementary courses available. These include topics in launching a business, SEO, and UX design. I have also given lectures on “The Dos & Don’ts of Social Media Marketing” and “How to Tailor Content for Social Media.” So, whether you’re planning, already involved in e-commerce, or a brand marketer, you‘ll be able to find different courses listed on the Digital Academy that are relevant and helpful to your business endeavors or work.
Reference: https://www.visiongo.hsbc.com.hk/zh-HK/article/finding-new-business-opportunities-in-ecommerce
