There are many different elements to landing a sale, and promoting your product is just the start. What about those site visitors you want to convert into paying customers, or those potential customers you haven’t yet reached?
The key to generating more sales online is to increase your conversion rates and improve lead engagement, both of which stem from creating personal relationships with your customers.
In the days of e-commerce, building trust between a retailer and consumer is much more difficult to achieve than through a physical storefront, but it is still essential for good business. Put simply, to buy what you are selling, a customer has to believe in your brand and feel that your product will benefit them. It’s not as easy as it sounds, however, so here are some tips to help you put the theory into action.
Provide Value
As an entrepreneur, it’s all too easy to focus on serving the needs of your business rather than your customers, but this model is simply not sustainable. Before you even think about marketing tactics and increasing conversions, you need to make sure you’re offering something of value. Your customers need to believe that you have a product they want – something that will remove a negative element from their lives or help solve a problem – and for a good price. Honesty and integrity should be the cornerstones of any business; you’ll never get away with anything else in the age of online transparency.
Consider Your Customer
Another way to provide value is to make sure your customers are getting your content in the right format. People quickly become annoyed by too many ads or spam content, so you need to strike a delicate balance between helpful and harassing. Older customers may prefer actual mail pieces where they can order products through a paper catalog, while younger people may be more receptive to apps that let them order on their phones. In short, you need to make it as easy as possible for your customer to find and purchase your products without disruption.
Create an Online Experience
It’s important for your website to be clean, crisp and user-friendly so your customers enjoy spending time there. A 2012 study showed that 25% of abandoned purchases weren’t completed because of complicated website navigation, while 17% were due to concerns about payment security, so you need to make sure neither of these things is an issue. Keep your website secure and make it easy for customers to browse and check out. Everything about your sales process should add to your customers’ online experience and make them want to shop with you again.
Follow Up With An Email
According to a recent report, email marketing continues to be the top influencer of repeat purchases compared to display ads, social media and search engine optimization. People of all ages have access to the Internet, plus email allows you to communicate directly with your customers after they make a purchase, so it’s important to utilize this.
Although email marketing may sound simple, there are several nuances to be aware of if you want your email marketing campaign to be successful. For example, some subject lines, content and even days and times of sending can equal a higher click-through rate than others. Look online for an informative guide to email marketing.
Create an FAQ Page
Creating an FAQ page gives you the opportunity to address customer objections before they become reasons for them not to buy. During in-person sales, we have the benefit of a face-to-face conversation where we can address customer questions and concerns, but e-commerce businesses have to be a little more subtle.
Creating an FAQ page is simple. Start by listing all the possible concerns or questions your customers might have about your product (for example: “Does it really work?” “How long does shipping take?” and “Why should I buy from you?”). Then you can answer them by showing off your credentials and backing up your claims with testimonials and reviews. Always make your contact page easy to find in case your customers need extra reassurance, and list your business address to show that there’s a physical organization behind your site.