You created a website to feature your products and your services to potential customers and you use digital marketing to drive traffic to your website. But, is your website converting those prospects into customers? Before we explore this further, let’s look at how consumers shop today.
Once cautious about shopping online, today’s consumers now make numerous purchases via the Internet daily. The online shopping industry has skyrocketed over the past decade and continues to grow.
Statista, the statistics portal, reported that:
- In 2012, U.S. e-commerce sales amounted to 289 billion U.S. dollars, up from 256 billion U.S. dollars in 2011.
- More than one third of U.S. e-commerce revenue was generated by travel and flight booking websites in 2012.
- The largest share of online revenue was generated by retail shopping websites however, which earned 210.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2013.
A current e-commerce market forecast projects online retail revenue in the United States closing in on 500 billion U.S. dollars in 2018. Simultaneously, the number of U.S. digital buyers is expected to grow from over 157 million in 2013 to 180 million in 2017, according to industry estimates.
However, there you are reading these numbers and then looking at the statistics for your website with disappointment. Why aren’t your customers/prospects buying or contacting you when they visit you online? Is it your content? Is it easy to buy?
7 Factors in Getting Website Visitors to Take Action
1. Is ordering easy?
If you’re selling products online, perhaps you’ve put too many steps in your application/ordering procedures, steps that actually take the user and potential customer away from the form itself.
Make it easy for your customers to order. If you send them in another direction to execute a step, they may never come back to apply or order. Don’t ask them to leave. Ask for the order.
2. Is there a “call to action” on your site?
I’m surprised how many sites don’t ask for a response. I’m talking about more than an “e-mail us” button. Each page of your site should have a call to action – tell people what you want them to do such as “call us today,” “send us an e-mail,” “submit your order,” “sign up here,” etc. It’s a simple step that goes a long way in getting results.
3. Are you taking advantage of interactive opportunities?
If customers can’t find the products they want on your site, they’ll go away disappointed. Don’t miss opportunities to link text on your site to other informative pages that encourage a buying decision. Look at each page and take advantage of places where you can create links (within your site) to something that piques readers’ interests.
4. Keep your prospects involved.
Give your prospects reasons to link to other pages within your site. Doing so provides an effective way for them to see what you have to offer and discover how they can benefit from coming back to your site.
5. Review your product line.
Merchandising director for Harriet Carter Gifts, Helen Gioulis, wrote “First, know your customers & anticipate their needs – your goal is to find products that suit your audiences’ likes and wants, not yours.” Perhaps people aren’t buying because you’re not delivering what they want or need. Review your product mix and see if it’s time to update the products or services you offer your target market.
“…understand that you’re selling more than a product; you’re selling a solution,” Gioulis continued. I call it “pushing your prospects’ buttons.” Powerful content explains that you understand their concerns. Then, reinstate how well your product/service provides the solution they’re seeking.
6. Are you staying up-to-date?
You know that posting a Website isn’t something you do and forget about. It takes aggressive marketing efforts and staying on top of the latest developments.
If you’re a business professional, then it’s my guess that your e-mail inbox holds invitations to attend webinars or tele-seminars on a variety of topics. Most are offered for free so take advantage of them when you have the time. You’ll discover everything from how to write content that converts to the latest pointers for social networking. Reading, be it online or off, will help you stay on top of your industry and ahead of your competition.
7. You can never learn too much.
Although your research may not always reveal a specific tip or trick for you to put on your site immediately, you will inevitably uncover valuable pointers and information on an assortment of topics that may help you in the future.
As savvy direct marketers know, there are various components that affect your results online. Therefore, if your Website is not performing to your expectations, review it as you would a direct mail package. Look at its components and test various aspects to see what makes the most difference.
The beauty of marketing your company online is the ability to keep your site new and fresh on an ongoing basis. If your customers and prospects aren’t responding to your site’s call to action, then re-evaluate and revamp. You may find that not only does traffic increase, but so do your sales.
What tips do you have to share? Or, do you have a question you need answered? Please post your comment below because I’d love to hear from you.
