Website not selling? Twelve questions you should ask yourselfWritten by David Bell
So your website is getting visitors, but not enough are buying. A common online problem, unfortunately. Here are twelve common faults found with websites that don't sell. If you answer no to any of them, you need to take action. 1)Does your text focus on emphasizing benefits and results customer will get from purchasing and using it? Sales copy needs to be focused on benefits to end user, not on features of product. List features, and then translate them into benefits customer will get. Move away from "our Widget does this, this and this.." to "You will soon be doing this .." 2)Does your website convey enough strong benefits? Brainstorm to come up with a list of benefits. Rank them in order of importance. Then mention them in order throughout text, best first. Summarizing them with bullet points too also works great. 3)Does you text stimulate emotions? People buy with heart not head - so try and stimulate emotions - use words to paint a picture of life after they've bought your product " Imagine freedom of no more back pain..." or "...money worries could soon be a thing of past, and you could soon be taking those exotic vacations...". 4))Does headline grab and draw you in? You've got to try to stop them dead in their tracks with headline. Use best benefit of your product, and create interest so they read on. Make it hard hitting, but not unbelievable. 5)Do you have a call to action? People put off decisions, even if they're 90% sold on your product, they may still decide to "sleep on it". Don't let them have time to forget - give them an incentive to purchase now - discounts, bonuses etc. 6)Does your website load and function ok? Slow load times may cause people to get impatient and go elsewhere, even though it registers a visit. Do all links work, and more importantly, have you tested your order page by running dummy orders? 7)Do you have any testimonials from satisfied customers? Testimonials are everywhere online, and people expect them as a matter of course. Ask those who have purchased what they thought -email them a simple customer satisfaction survey, offer a freebie for replying and use best comments. If your product is free,try a testimonial swap with a seller of a complementary (but not directly competing) product -offer to review his product if he reviews yours.
| | Quick and Easy Ways to Boost Sales!Written by Wendy McClelland
Are you looking for some new ways to build your bottom line this month?First of all - keep in touch with your customers! One of best ways to do this is with a newsletter. Today it’s easier than ever to have a newsletter – use email. If you don’t have your customer’s email addresses already, start asking for them when they pay for something at cash register. Give them an incentive for signing up for your free newsletter – maybe a free gift or a small discount or even a prize draw they can be entered into. Use your newsletter to let customers know about sales in advance, extend special invitations to past customers only and open store during non-regular hours. A popular sporting goods store where I live does this twice a year - and lineups to get in weave through store parking lot and people talk about sale for weeks – before and after it happens! This is a GREAT publicity AND sales tool. Add other incentives in newsletter like: a 10% discount for past customers on a new product line, or offer an old customer a 5% discount on their next purchase if they bring a new customer to a special sale. Give customers a gift for every referral they send to you. Can you team up with other businesses in your area to offer a “package” promotion? If you are a make-up artist can you team up with high end dress shops in your community to offer a “bonus” make up package for prom or other special events? By combining services both businesses win and customers love it because they save time since they don’t have to run all over town! This would work well if you gave manicures, pedicures or did hair as well. Professional photographers can also find unique ways to team up with all of these businesses as well. Think “strength in numbers”! If you save customer time and effort running around THEY WILL BUY FROM YOU and very much appreciate you.
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