How to Market Your Dropshipping Store: From Basics to Big Sales

Do you want to know how some dropshipping businesses rake in profits while others barely make a sale?

The secret to success is knowing how to market your dropshipping store.

Most online courses can teach you how to launch a business, (some of them will even upsell you a pre-built dropshipping store!). But only the best dropshipping courses will advise on how to actually drive traffic and get sales.

And we can’t stress enough how important marketing is.

Launching your business and then sitting back and just waiting for the traffic to pour in is like trying to run a marathon without training – it’s bound to fail, and it’s gonna hurt. A lot.

In this article, we’ll give you our insider secrets for successfully marketing your dropshipping store, including strategies you can put into action right now.

But first, let’s talk about how getting the word out about high ticket dropshipping products differs slightly from marketing other online models.

The Key to Marketing High Ticket Dropshipping Stores

Marketing high ticket dropshipping is its own animal. For example, we don’t use social media ads to acquire customers. No FB Ads!

Even if you have experience in other Ecommerce markets, you’ll need to reset your expectations if you’re going to succeed in this game.

The biggest difference is that the customer’s journey, expectations, and priorities shape how you market in high ticket dropshipping.

Think about it: High ticket items represent significant investments for customers ($800 and up). That’s not money people shell out on impulse. Most of us think twice before making a $1,000, $2,000, or $10,000 purchase. The sales cycle for high ticket dropshipping products is longer – sometimes months.

High ticket purchases usually involve research, deliberation, and comparisons. Customers will look for trustworthy retailers, clear product information, and transparent policies. That’s why building and maintaining trust is paramount in high ticket dropshipping.

And it’s not just about the product. Your customers are also thinking about return policies, post-purchase support, warranties, and their overall shopping experience. You need to provide value at every turn if you’re going to win the sale.

High ticket purchases also generally lead to more customer service inquiries. Buyers might have detailed questions or need personalized assistance. And after a high ticket purchase, the relationship isn’t over. Customers may need installation help, usage guidance, or follow-up support. And maintaining the post-purchase relationship is important for getting repeat business and referrals.

In a nutshell: High ticket dropshipping marketing isn’t just about promotion and trying to convince people to buy. It’s about connecting with real people and addressing their specific needs, concerns, and expectations as they consider making a significant investment. Keep this in mind as we start talking about marketing tactics.

The 6-Step Process for How to Market Your Dropshipping Store

You’ve got to be thoughtful about marketing your products if you want to make money dropshipping. It’s not just about setting up a storefront and hoping for the best. That’s actually the worst thing you can do!

Instead, take these steps:

Identify your target audience: Know who you’re selling to. Are they professionals, homeowners, hobbyists, or tech enthusiasts? Understand their preferences, habits, and pain points so you can meet them where they’re at.

Analyze your competitors: We recommend researching competitors when finding dropshipping products. It’s an essential part of your marketing strategy, too. Find out what your competitors are selling (and at what prices). Look into their customer service and return policies. See what their product pages look like, and analyze them like a potential buyer would.

Carve out a unique selling proposition (USP): With high ticket items, differentiation is crucial. Why should a buyer choose you over your competitors? It could be a longer warranty, brand personality, exclusive products, a loyalty program, or stellar post-purchase support. Determine what sets you apart and emphasize it in all your communications.

Update your website: Stagnation is a shortcoming in the Ecommerce world. You’ll need to update your site regularly. This doesn’t mean constant overhauls, but you should consistently fine-tune your product descriptions, images, layout, and content.
Implementation: Now that you’ve done all the pre-work, it’s time to start using paid ads, content and SEO, and other strategies (keep reading because the best ones are covered in-depth below.)

Test and gather feedback: Encourage customers to give you feedback, monitor their on-site behavior, and test different marketing strategies over time. Continually optimize so you get every conversion you can – you’d be surprised how much of a difference minor adjustments can make!

Why Customer Care Is So Critical in Dropshipping

Why are we talking about customer service in an article about marketing? Because reviews, testimonials, and loyalty are critical pieces of the marketing puzzle.

Nurturing customer relationships is pivotal in high ticket dropshipping. Given the considerable investments customers make, they anticipate a relationship that extends beyond the initial purchase. Building strong post-purchase bonds can significantly boost repeat purchases and customer loyalty.

First and foremost, provide outstanding customer service. Respond to inquiries and address concerns promptly, professionally, and efficiently. We recommend providing round-the-clock support and a dedicated support helpline to give customers a sense of security and show them you’re responsive.

Pay attention to user reviews, too. Reviews serve two purposes in your business: They give you invaluable feedback for your business and provide social proof for potential buyers. Encourage customers to share their experiences, both positive and negative.

Respond to every review – especially the not-so-great ones – so your customers can see you’re engaged and dedicated to improvement.

When you do get positive feedback, leverage those testimonials! Place them prominently on your website and integrate them into your marketing campaigns.

Regular communication is also key for building relationships with customers. Periodic newsletters, product updates, or even personalized messages on special occasions can remind customers of your brand. Make sure these communications offer value (like helpful information, discounts, or insights) rather than just sales pitches.

The Top Ways to Advertise Your Dropshipping Business

Running your business requires savvy dropshipping advertising choices. Let’s explore the top-performing traffic sources and talk about why they work.

Why Social Media Ads Aren't the Best for Dropshipping

When marketing high ticket dropshipping products, you should target people already searching for particular items online. This is called demand capture.

Social media ads do the opposite. They interrupt people on social media platforms to convince them to buy products (ineffectively, in our opinion). That’s demand generation, and it just doesn’t work for high ticket dropshipping.

People on social media aren’t there to shop. They’re on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for content, connection, and entertainment. A user isn’t likely to see a $5,000 item on social media and impulsively decide to purchase it.

Social media could still be a part of a longer-term strategy to build an audience and brand, but advertising products this way is likely to be costly and ineffective.

Instead of trying to generate demand on social media, focus on where your potential customers are already looking and align your strategy with their buying intent. Google Ads and SEO are great ways to do that (more about these tactics below!).

Leverage Paid Ad Campaigns

Your goal is to generate as many clicks as you can while getting a high return on investment. Drawing massive traffic is great, but if those visitors don’t convert or your advertising costs eat into your profit margins, it defeats the purpose.

If you want to know more about how to get customers via Google Ads, try our FREE Masterclass.

You can use paid Google Ads (also known as pay-per-click ads) to get your store in front of potential customers when they’re searching for the items you sell. This is the fastest way to get started selling (in high ticket niches), which will give you the momentum to keep going and work on building traffic from other sources.

But they can be pricey, so you shouldn’t rely on them exclusively when marketing your dropshipping business.

We also recommend creating a negative keyword list that prevents your ad from showing up for irrelevant searches. This saves you from wasted clicks and preserves your budget.

Improve Your Ranking with Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) – the process of optimizing your site so it ranks higher in the search engines – might just be the single most important marketing strategy for dropshipping stores.

That’s because organic search is the #1 traffic source of high ticket dropshippers.

Most coaches who teach dropshipping courses will tell you to focus on paying for Google advertising to make sales. And in the beginning, this approach is fine. We also do this, and it works!

But the trouble is that most high ticket dropshippers rely solely on Google Ads for far too long.

For most high ticket dropshipping businesses, there’s three to four times as much available organic traffic as paid traffic. And organic traffic doesn’t have the same overhead that paid traffic does. When using Google Ads, you’re paying for every click!

So you can profitably generate far more traffic using SEO than you can with paid advertising.

As soon as you launch your store, start learning everything about SEO. Optimizing your site doesn’t happen overnight, and you won’t see results right away. Think of SEO as an investment that will have a snowball effect over time.

And our biggest tip for SEO is to create blog content that answers your potential customer’s biggest questions about your niche or your products.

Often, consumers search for product comparisons, brand comparisons, or other informational searches (not just product focused). By addressing these questions in your content, you can position yourself as an authority in your niche and get your pages in front of your audience consistently.

Create Word-of-Mouth by Loving Your Customers

Ideally, your dropshipping store will pick up steam because people are talking about it to their friends and family. That’s the power of word-of-mouth.

Our top tip for generating more buzz for your store is to speak directly to the person you’re selling to. Instead of the sale, focus on the person you’re serving.

Get to know who your customers are and what they want, then offer content that educates, informs, or entertains your audience. This could be blog posts, videos, or even product demonstrations.

Engage regularly using social media, email marketing, and other platforms. Don’t just push sales. Ask questions, conduct polls, and have genuine two-way conversations.

And above all, always make sure you’re prioritizing customer support. People will talk about your quick response times, effective problem-solving, and friendly approach. And when you love your customers, you’ll feel good about the business you’re running.

Write Unique Descriptions for Your Dropshipping Products

Differentiation is the name of the game in Ecommerce. You’ve got to stand out and give people a reason to buy from you instead of your competitors.

And one of the best ways to stand out is to create unique product descriptions.

Most dropshippers just copy and paste the standard descriptions provided by suppliers, but creating unique descriptions can boost your search engine rankings and increase sales.

Again, think about the person you’re talking to – the person behind the screen considering making a big purchase. Talk directly to them in your product descriptions. Address their needs and pain points. Answer their biggest questions.

Does your product have a unique feature that other similar products might not have? Emphasize that.

Write in a voice that’s unique to you and matches the rest of your site. This will make you more memorable and likable.

Uncover Market Gaps With Thorough Competitor Analysis

Want to create offers that are just hands-down better than anyone else’s? Start by researching your competitors to know what you’re up against (and where you can gain an edge).

What sites come up when you search for similar products? Who’s targeting the same audience as you? Once you’ve identified them, dive deeper. Analyze them for any significant differences. Study their shipping policies. Are they faster, more affordable, or more flexible?

Beyond the basics, look at the value-added services they offer. Do they provide any additional perks that make their offer more enticing? Evaluate their return policies. A generous or straightforward return policy can significantly influence purchase decisions, especially in niches where fit and satisfaction are subjective.

Take notes and consolidate the info you gather into a spreadsheet. This will help you quickly spot market gaps and potential areas of differentiation. Or maybe you’ll notice that your competitors don’t offer generous return policies, which could present an opportunity for you.

Use this insight to refine your website and fine-tune how you market your dropshipping store.

Want to start your own high ticket dropshipping business?

Watch this FREE, on-demand training session that will uncover the exact steps you need to take to launch your first high ticket dropshipping business in the next 30 days.

How Long Will It Take to Be Profitable?

Okay, we’ll share our personal experiences with our first dropshipping businesses, and how long it took us to become profitable.

And then we’ll tell you why this race-to-profitability mentality is a mistake – and what you should think about instead.

Ben’s Profitability Point

In my first business, The3DPrinterGuy.com, I had a slight loss of $51 in the first two months. By the third month, I had brought in $6,700 in revenue for a profit of $545.

The subsequent months varied, peaking about six months later with 29 sales resulting in $33,500 in revenue and $3,200 profit. Within eight months, after steady growth, I listed and sold the business for $40,000.

Jon’s Profitability Point

With Jon’s first dropshipping venture, where he sold home lighting and chandeliers, he broke even by the third month. In his first month, he saw losses due to limited sales and unforeseen issues like out-of-stock refunds.

But starting in the fourth month, he brought in a $1,000 profit. His profits grew gradually and steadily after that.

Here’s the Right Mindset When You’re Marketing Your Dropshipping Store

It’s easy to focus on profitability when launching a new dropshipping business. You’re excited about the prospect of quitting your 9-5 job, traveling the world, or spending more time with your kids. We get it.

But visions like that tend to breed impatience.

The inclination is to say, “How quickly can I make this store profitable?”

This tunnel-vision approach can be counterproductive. Business is about more than immediate gains. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Prioritizing short-term financial goals can potentially jeopardize your business’s long-term sustainability and growth.

Instead of focusing only on the quickest route to profitability, put your effort toward building a thriving, sustainable business that will bring in big profits long term.

After all, early profitability doesn’t mean you’ll be successful in the long run.

Look at it this way: Would you rather have $200,000 now or $20 million in a few years? For us, we’d choose the $20 million any day. That’s how you need to look at your dropshipping business, too.

The Next Steps After Launching Your Dropshipping Store

So, you’ve launched your store, and traffic is trickling in. What’s next?

Follow these steps to give your marketing a kick-start:

Manage your Google Ads account. It’s tempting to go all out with tons of keywords, but don’t. Start small. Look at which keywords are bringing in the most traffic to your site. Focus on those. Pour your energy and budget into a few powerful words or phrases. It’ll give you a solid footing and keep things simple.
Optimize your product pages: Your product pages are your storefront, so make sure they look great and work well. Get someone else to look at them. A fresh pair of eyes can catch mistakes you might’ve missed or offer a new perspective. Take their feedback seriously. Minor tweaks can make a big difference.
Get started with SEO: SEO might sound big and complicated, but just start slow. Begin by creating content. Think about what your audience needs or questions they might have. Write articles or blog posts addressing those. This helps your site rank higher on search engines and also positions you as an expert in your field.

The Real Dropshipping Journey Starts After Your Launch

The real lesson in dropshipping marketing is this: People won’t flock to your doorstep just because you’ve flung open the doors to your shop.

After you launch, your job is to fine-tune and continuously market your dropshipping store. Take it step by step, and you’ll see progress.

Knowing how to market your dropshipping store will mean the difference between discouraging sales numbers and sustainable growth that helps you meet all your goals.

And if you haven’t started your dropshipping business yet, we’re here to help. Sign up for our free class, and we’ll teach you how to build and launch your own high ticket dropshipping business in just 30 days.

Article by Ben Knegendorf

Ben Knegendorf realized at 29 he needed to find another career path. Since then, he’s:

Successfully exited a high-ticket drop shipping business that he helped take from $1 to $11M annual revenue in just 2.5 years
Eliminated $40,000+ of personal debt
Joined Dropship Breakthru as co-owner in 2021