We live in the age of quick fixes and overnight success. Well, that’s the dream at least. A utopia where you can double your online sales in a week. But Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your business is going to take its time too.
However, if you do things right, maybe you won’t have to wait that long. Recent studies speculate that by the end of the year 2021, there will be over 2.21 billion digital shoppers.
So whether you’re selling shoes, cars, or heavy metal t-shirts, it’s safe to say that your niche probably exists. You just have to reach them. There may be no one quick way to increase online sales, but there are several things you can do to help you work your way to the top.
Here’s a checklist of the things you need to be doing to get those numbers higher!
1. A Clear, Realistic and Defined Target
Before you draw out your map, you need to know where you’re going. It’s simple enough to say, “Hey, I want to increase my online sales”, but in order to get there, you need to define your own success.
Analyze the data you have and consider what might be a reasonable target for you to reach. While you don’t want to choose a target that’s outlandish and straight-up overly optimistic, it’s important that the target is still sufficiently challenging.
After you’ve defined your goal, ensure that your entire team understands what it is you’re working toward. Digital marketing is a collective effort.
2. A Well Thought out Persona
The persona you create defines your entire strategy. A good buyer persona gives you insight into the psychology behind the choices they make. This insight will be the guiding force of every campaign you run, the content you create and the website you build.
You need to zero in on the right demographic, the age group, and the defining traits of your ideal buyer. Creating a well-defined persona takes a keen understanding of the product you’re trying to sell.
Who will it benefit the most? Who would want the product the most? Who is most likely to purchase something like that?
This isn’t about selling ice to an Eskimo. It’s about selling books to a reader.
A defined buyer persona goes a long way in helping you gain perspective on what you need to do to increase online sales. Marketing is an investment that is only worth it if you’re targeting the right people.
3. Content That Stands Out
Look, here’s the deal. Content marketing has and will definitely work for the foreseeable future.
However, the content you create has to be top-notch! There are loads and loads of content being released into the virtual world right now. In order to stand out, your content has to be brilliant in verbal, visual, and technical aspects.
Your SEO game needs to be on point. I mean, if they can’t find you, it doesn’t matter how great your content is. Your actual content has to be fantastic. Because when they do find you, why would they stay if there was nothing worth staying for?
4. Create Credibility: Why Should They Trust You?
Really, why should they? When people get to your website, it is important for them to register, whether subconsciously or otherwise, that yours is a credible, technologically secure website.
So, how can you do that?
A) Display Real Reviews or Testimonials
Now there are things you could do to increase your credibility. For one, add testimonials. Keep in mind that people can see right through a fake testimonial. To add authenticity, ensure you are using real reviews given by real people.
B) Back up Your Claims
Another way to build trust with your audience is by living up to the promises you make. If you make any claim, live up to it. Never miss out on the opportunity to provide evidence to back up your claims when you can.
C) Consider Offering a “Money Back Guarantee”
Offering a “money-back guarantee” has been proven extremely effective in increasing credibility with online users. It not only shows the user that you have faith in your product but also assures them that their money is not being spent in vain.
D) Display Badges or Certifications
Adding verification, certifications, or badges that can vouch for the value of your product or the authenticity of your website is a great way to inspire credibility as a website.
5. Seamless Transitions: Say No to Friction
You want users to make a purchase. And so you need to ensure that their journey, from liking a product to buying it, is as simple and seamless as possible. If they are presented with obstacles along the way, they will automatically be less inclined to make a purchase on your site.
Use your analytical tools to examine at what point users are leaving your site. Is it just before they reach their payment options? Spot user trends and figure out ways you can improve the buying process.
6. The Value Proposition: Why You?
There are a lot of brands selling similar products. Why should your customers buy from you? What makes your product different? In other words, what’s your USP?
Your landing pages are responsible for creating that marvelous first impression on every potential buyer. Highlight the benefits of your product in the most effective way possible.
This means that your copy needs to be clear, precise, and engaging. Your visuals have to be equally, if not more, compelling. Here, establishing your own credibility will also be extremely important.
At the very least, your landing page should serve to create a sense of intrigue or curiosity. The longer they are on your site, the more likely they are to buy.
7. Create an Amazing User Experience
It’s all about the user. It always has been. So ask yourself, how can you enhance the user experience? You need a great website—one that allows your users to navigate with ease. A great UX will also improve your SEO score and help you show up higher on the search engines.
As discussed above, a part of creating a fantastic user experience is ensuring that there’s a frictionless path from user to buyer. This means overcoming the basic challenges with technology to create a simple, effective interface. However, there is definitely more to this given the complex minds of the users involved.
Introducing options like live chat is great for potential buyers to address any concerns they have as quickly and easily as possible.
8. Increase Online Sales with Top Notch Customer Care
Nothing helps your sales like showing your users that you care about them. We live in an age where it has never been easier to communicate our grievances to the world at large. Needless to say, if your customers do not like you, they will definitely make it a point to let you know.
The online users have done their research, and they are bound to notice how you deal with your current customers. If the overall impression is negative, why would they buy from you?
They need to be able to see that if they did choose to make that purchase and take a chance on you, that you would have their back. Can they generate easy returns? If there happens to be an issue with the product, will you help them out?
Creating a customer care persona that is friendly, helpful, and accessible is extremely important for your users to see. It gives them the reassurance they need from the brand they choose.
9. Advertising on the Right Platforms
Nothing hurts your sales like investing in the wrong audience. Now yes, you may have created a fantastic buyer persona, but you need to meet them where they are.
What may work on one platform may not work so well on another. Don’t use the same advertising campaign on every platform. Tailor your campaigns to suit the platform as well as the targeted audience.
The way to attract more customers is by telling them what they want to hear. However, the medium is just as important as the message, so choose your channels wisely.
While social media, in general, can be extremely effective, it may not deliver the kind of results you would expect if your potential buyers are the kind who do not use social media.
Maybe sometimes you need a bit of offline advertising to help you get more customers online.
10. Retargeting Potential Buyers
Did a customer visit your site and NOT make a purchase? Don’t worry, there is still hope. And that hope is represented by retargeting your advertising.
Retargeting your customers involves customizing advertisements to the items they expressed interest in. The principle behind this is, if you had their interest once, you can get it back a second time.
Experiment with a bunch of options and find out what works best for you.
Speculate on the possible factors that stood between the user and his/her purchase. If you advertise for fixing or modifying these factors as best you can, you’re more likely to convert the user into a buyer.
11. Reach Out!
Or outreach, rather.
The principle of outreach marketing is to use a more direct, traditional form of sales. You could exercise your outreach program by getting in touch with influencers and bloggers and setting up a strong affiliate program.
People tend to trust recommendations by third parties more than a brand just selling you on themselves. This stands to reason. Why would any business NOT market itself? Marketing was never about quality, anyway.
Keeping this in mind, it might be extremely effective to get a few strong influencers or bloggers on board to help you out. This creates a sense of authenticity around your brand and helps boost your public image as well.
People like to be told what to like, and in a world with such an overwhelming number of choices, it can be encouraging to have their choices validated by someone else.
The psychology behind why influencers work is pretty straightforward; it is immensely effective in boosting your website sales. However, you do need to find the right influencers to see an increase in your website sales.
Another method of outreach is making your customers feel more included in your business. It’s about fostering the relationship you have with your loyal customers and providing them with a great customer experience.
12. Create an Aura of Approachability
If you’re running a B2B website or one that involves a more one-on-one approach, it is important that your contact information is readily available on your website. Most businesses prefer the more traditional approach of human contact to digital contact.
Research shows that a significant number of users complain about a seeming lack of contact information on most seller websites. Making it easier to approach your business is the simplest thing you can do to instantly create a better impression of being warmer and more approachable to online users.
Pay Attention to the Details
Increasing your online sales takes dedication on all fronts. You need to be able to pay attention to everything on this list as well as the finer nuances that lie underneath. Even details like your business domain name have an impact on whether people make that initial click.
You may not find overnight success, but making the transition to a better and more successful website takes time. In a nutshell, you will increase online sales, but you have to be patient.
It is the continuous practice of good marketing and consistent quality service that makes the difference.
Want to improve your website and attract more customers? Reach out to us and we’ll take it from there!
🌺Raich
