It doesn’t matter how good your website may be there will always be ways to improve it, especially with regard to converting visitors into customers. Unfortunately, there is no magic solution to improve things but there are things you can do to enhance your site’s effectiveness.
The first thing a visitor to your website will see is the Headline. The importance of having a really eye-catching and engaging headline is well documented, indeed, there have been whole e-books written on this topic. It must have punch and raise immediate curiosity in the readers to make them want to explore the website further. Especially with a new site, it is a good idea to create two or three different headlines and interchange them to see which converts the best. Once you have established which is best you can then make that your permanent headline.
It is quite common in off-line business for retailers to offer two methods of payment; either a one off purchase or a payment plan of some form. With an online business, even on a moderately priced item, say $60, you could give your customers the option of a single payment or three monthly payments of $20 each. Many people like to spread costs, especially if there is no interest to pay on the spread payments. This will have the effect of encouraging visitors to buy. The more expensive the product is, the more attractive the payment plan becomes. This is a very useful ploy in converting visitors to customers.
The guarantee is essential when selling on the internet. If a customer purchases an item in a shop they have the opportunity to see, handle and even test the item. The customer can question the shop assistant about features, warranty, etc. and only buy when they are convinced that the item is exactly what they want. Purchases online involve a certain amount of trust. By offering a 100% cast-iron guarantee a visitor is more likely to become a customer if they can see that the purchase is genuinely risk free. In effect, they will have the product for 60 days (or whatever the offered guarantee time limit may be) before making a final decision as to whether to keep the product or not. This will result in some returns, but it will be worth it, as a significantly larger number of people will make the purchase in the first place.
Technology today enables internet marketers to add either audio messages or video presentations to a website. These can help to present a product or service to the potential customer and talk them through the purchase process. It is a way to personalise your site by giving your visitors the sound of a human voice and/or human face to relate to. I think that most people get irritated at times by the impersonal nature of much communication in this day and age, (I know that I do) so people will really appreciate the human contact, albeit, one way. This will help to make your visitors more comfortable about dealing with your website and will therefore improve your conversion rate.
Once a visitor has become a customer that is not the end of the story, – far from it. In the world of off-line business companies use the term “after sales service”. As internet marketers we should offer exactly the same service. Follow up the purchase with occasional emails. This is the perfect opportunity to build a relationship with a customer and keep them on your list. Apart from the fact that such a thing is good business practice, it can easily lead to repeat sales.
Consider these points in relation to your own website and see if any are applicable to your particular set up. Converting visitors into customers is a very important part of your business, so it does need to be thought about carefully to make your website as effective as possible.