TANGERANG, 25 January 2019 – Today, many young entrepreneurs are turning to online channels, from websites and social media to e-commerce platforms, to sell a wide range of creative products, including clothing and packaged foods.

Many have gone on to build successful businesses, growing from one-person ventures into companies employing dozens of people. Their success has inspired other young entrepreneurs to explore online platforms as a way to develop their own businesses and pursue similar opportunities.

“However, succeeding in online sales requires more than simply using the digital platforms already available. Businesses also need to make effective use of digital tools, such as online advertising, to strengthen their marketing efforts and drive sales,” said Brian Marshal, Founder and CEO of SIRCLO, an e-commerce solutions company offering services ranging from website templates to distribution channel management.

Brian shared several practical tips on digital tools that businesses can use to strengthen their online marketing efforts and increase sales.

1. Use online advertising as part of your digital marketing strategy

   According to eMarketer, Indonesia ranked fifth among the 10 countries with the fastest-growing consumer spending. Social media is commonly used by businesses to promote their products, but a high number of followers and likes does not necessarily translate directly into higher sales. Businesses therefore still need to invest in online advertising, which allows them to target specific audiences more effectively.
   One widely used solution is Facebook Business Extension (FBE), which incorporates Facebook Pixel. “Facebook Business Extension, with Facebook Pixel integrated into the SIRCLO platform, can help businesses target audiences based on attributes such as location and demographics, as well as behaviours such as clicks and video views,” said Brian.
   eMarketer also projected that digital advertising expenditure in Indonesia would grow by 18% year-on-year in 2019.

   
   

2. Develop a strategic approach to online advertising
   Each online advertising solution offers different advantages, and businesses can achieve better results by using them strategically. The key is to focus campaigns on the audiences most likely to convert, allowing advertising spend to be used more effectively and generate tangible sales outcomes. For example, an online business selling fashion products for young women should avoid targeting female internet users too broadly. Instead, it can define a more specific audience, such as women under the age of 25. “By applying a more targeted strategy, businesses can make better use of the investment they have allocated to their advertising campaigns,” Brian added.

   
   

3. Ensure advertising solutions work across multiple online platforms, especially websites
   Consumers now shop across a variety of online channels, from social media to brand websites. Advertising solutions should therefore perform effectively across these platforms, particularly on websites, which serve as an important digital storefront for a business and its products. “Beyond working across multiple platforms, the advertising solution should also be versatile. For example, advertising tools used on a website should be able to recommend other products that potential customers may be interested in based on the types of products they have previously viewed or purchased,” said Brian.

Brian noted that the rapid shift towards online sales had led more brands to seek broader, end-to-end support. “Beyond managing online stores and marketplace channels, SIRCLO Commerce now also handles sales operations for brands, from warehousing and order fulfilment to packing and delivery,” he said.

SIRCLO’s comprehensive and integrated services continued to gain traction. Throughout 2018, SIRCLO Commerce was trusted by a number of leading brands, including KAO, Arnott’s, Kellogg’s, Minimal, Quaker Oats, Reckitt Benckiser, and Stanley Black & Decker.

SIRCLO Store’s local-brand portfolio includes This Is April, which operates more than 40 physical stores, and ATS The Label, a frequent participant in major fashion events such as Jakarta Fashion Week (JFW). It also supports established local labels such as Wearing Klamby and Ittaherl, both of which use the webhunt sales model. Meanwhile, a number of national and international brands, including KAO, Kellogg’s, Quaker Oats, and Reckitt Benckiser, have entrusted their end-to-end online retail operations to SIRCLO Commerce.

“We are grateful for the strong growth SIRCLO achieved in 2018. As the business continues to expand, we remain committed to delivering the best possible service for businesses looking to grow their online sales. By providing end-to-end solutions, from building online store websites to managing brand sales operations through a single platform, we aim to make SIRCLO a practical and accessible one-stop solution for all our clients,” said Ratri E. Rahayu, Marketing Manager at SIRCLO.

Looking ahead to 2019, Ratri remained optimistic that online retail would continue to expand, attracting more businesses across different stages of growth, from newcomers to established players. “In 2019, we are committed to playing an active role in Indonesia’s e-commerce transformation and development. One of our priorities is to strengthen our client guidance programmes, supporting businesses from small and medium-sized enterprises through to larger-scale companies,” Ratri added.

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About SIRCLO

Founded in 2013, SIRCLO is a leading e-commerce solutions company in Indonesia, helping brands grow their online presence. SIRCLO offers four business solutions: SIRCLO Store, SIRCLO Connexi, SIRCLO Chat, and SIRCLO Commerce. SIRCLO Store is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform that enables small and medium-sized local businesses to build template-based online stores. SIRCLO Connexi provides an interactive dashboard for managing sales across multiple e-commerce platforms in Indonesia. SIRCLO Chat offers a conversational commerce platform through an interactive dashboard integrated with the WhatsApp Business API. Meanwhile, SIRCLO Commerce provides end-to-end channel management solutions to support enterprise brands in expanding into online distribution channels.

In May 2020, SIRCLO officially merged with ICUBE, a Magento Premier Solutions Partner in Indonesia, strengthening its e-commerce technology development capabilities and expanding its offering with Swift, an omnichannel e-commerce builder. SIRCLO Store has powered the creation of more than 100,000 websites and supported 3,000 brands in growing their businesses online, including ATS The Label, Benscrub, Evete Naturals, Namaste Organic, This Is April, and Heytimmy Kidswear. SIRCLO is also trusted by dozens of clients representing more than 200 leading brands, including Unilever, Reckitt Benckiser, KAO, L’Oréal, Eiger, and Levi’s. Headquartered at Green Office Park 1, The Breeze in BSD, Tangerang, SIRCLO currently employs 500 people, with representatives based in Bandung, Yogyakarta, and Surabaya.

For more information about SIRCLO, visit www.sirclo.com.