s just not the case at all. Selling online is a technique that requires constant attention and tweaking to make your sales better! Here are some tips that we, at Wide Open, suggest to enhance your sales and take you to the top of your industry!
AND remember, we are ALWAYS here to help!
There’s really no great secret about increasing sales through the Internet. You drive your traffic by creating more leads. When the shoppers arrive at your site, you engage them and convert their interest into a sale, which will result in increased revenue.
Here are some specific suggestions to build your sales momentum and to make your online store outshine your competition!
1. Find linkable partners that will boost your visibility online!
With a brick and mortar storefront, the biggest selling factor is where it is located! The more people that see the store, the more people that will visit the store. It is the same thing online, except, your “location” is all the different places your site can be found on the Internet including search engines, social media, blogs and paid ads.
Take a deep dive into your target audience and research your customer’s profile and preferences. Develop some giveaways, interactive ads, and some must-read content for as many places online as you can. Always linking back to your online store!
Try trading or paying for links with other small or midsize e-commerce marketers like yourself. But before making any deals, verify that your links add value on those sites. For instance, links to your upscale B&B might bring in business from local restaurant sites or a car rental agency or even a local chamber of commerce, but it would make no sense at all on a site selling video equipment. By making them relevant, you will get more bang for your buck!
2. Always keep customers heading toward your checkout page!
Customers won’t wade through faulty, bulky, or clunky user interface. Broken links or poor navigation will only tarnish your hard-earned sales opportunities. Make your navigation flow smoothly and continually check that every link works on a regular basis. Customers today want instant gratification. If your online store is slow and cumbersome users will go elsewhere.
While graphics make your site look great, without text to encourage search results, customers may never even make it to your home page. Consider easy ways to get to the shopping cart and reliable product search functionality. Often, a shopper will arrive at your site with product specifics already in mind, you do not want to make that buyer work to find your products!
3. Make it personal!
Your customers will feel more valued and comfortable about buying from you online if you establish a bond between them and your brand. The more you’re in touch via emails or newsletters and display a personal tone, the more your customer will relax. Write your content, write about things that your company does, write about things that are not your company but are of interest. This makes your customers feel safe and takes the online experience to a more personal level. They begin to feel like they are getting to know you, your brand, and your store!
4. Be honest and detailed about your products!
The best way to go about writing a great product description is to go back to the basics: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How? Who is the product for? What is the product in 2 sentences with details as to what it is? Where is the product made and possible brand or manufacturer? Where is this product used for the customer? Why is this product better than competitors or how is it useful? How does the product work? Keep it simple, informative, and honest. And lastly, Pictures, pictures, pictures!
5. Update your online store and services to your customers regularly!
The main goal is to get customers to come back and spread the word amongst friends and family that your online shop is definitely worth a visit. So you have to do everything you can to make their experience fast, fun, and over-the-top better than your competitors! Update your content often! Change out imagery and specials so it feels like a new experience every time they visit! Explain all your policies upfront and promise 100% money-back guarantees! Quickly respond to every query or comment and invest in a live chat functionality so that your customers can get answers to product questions right away! Create reasons to return to your site with reward points!
Mainly, make connections with your customers and never let go!
