In January 2018, former model Arjane Amante decided to join the online selling bandwagon, joining hundreds of stores in their bid for digital growth.

She put up her clothing line called "Attraction Designs," where she sells her own designs of chic, casual dresses for women who have a "simple yet elegant taste."

Online platforms are instrumental for business growth, Amante said, as her Facebook and Instagram pages have garnered a total following of a little less than 10,000 people.

With her background in information technology, Amante was able to utilize e-commerce platforms to reach a vast market of online shoppers.

"It's free, and we don't need to pay the rent for an actual shop," she said.

The fast spread of word-of-mouth advertising, according to Amante, made online marketing more efficient and productive. She also regularly holds online contests, writes blogs, and posts photos to engage with her customers.

For many, online selling is increasingly becoming a popular alternative to conventional jobs and brick-and-mortar stores.

Another online shop owner, who asked not to be named, also spoke of the benefits of selling through digital means.

A seller of footwear for women with wide and stubby feet, she stressed the importance of having several platform options for shoppers apart from social media such as a website.

Both sellers however said that while they have significant benefits, digital platforms also pose challenges, such as stiff competition and unwieldy message inboxes.

Amante said that aside from having to increase her sales targets to cope with rising production costs, she has trouble managing the numerous comments on her Facebook page.

Thus, she sometimes prefers to communicate through personal messages to be able to better gauge if she can give discounts or freebies, which buyers want.

According to UnionBank Vice President Dino N. Velasco, the key to efficient and effective business growth, especially among micro, small, and medium enterprises is by strengthening communication with suppliers, partners, and customers through digital means.

EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE GROWTH

Aside from establishing a brand's digital presence, effective communication is key, because it can help entrepreneurs save time, money, and effort.

However, they should also carefully choose the tools they use to optimize communication, as well as organize all aspects of their business, such as production and delivery.

"Going online is the first major step for businesses to thrive on digital, but another thing that entrepreneurs should consider is the extent of efficiency that their tools deliver for them," he said.

He recommended the use of a platform such as UnionBank's new digital one-stop hub for business owners to grow their brands.

UnionBank GlobalLinker, he said, can empower small businesses by providing solutions and other opportunities that meet their needs.

• UnionBank launches digital platform to help small firms go global

"We are strongly committed to empowering MSMEs in the Philippines by providing business solutions and other opportunities that meet their needs," he said.

"Now we are going a step further through UnionBank GlobalLinker, an innovative digital platform that helps entrepreneurs efficiently manage their businesses."

With such an innovative platform, budding microentrepreneurs like Amante can reach not only prospective clients but also business partners who can help them catapult business growth.

UnionBank's GlobaLinker provides next-level opportunities to help entrepreneurs succeed in an evolving digital economy, such as the following:

• Build a network of potential partners and customers,
• Access special deals that help cut costs,
• Build their own online store for free,
• Run their businesses efficiently with the help of collaboration tools, and
• Publish their own articles and start discussions to generate ideas.

Visit unionbank.globallinker.com to kick-start your business' digital visibility and productivity.