| Though it's wonderful to get all those
| |
| | I am continually tracking the questions
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| hits to your e-commerce web site, hits
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| | people ask and modifying my site to make
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| don't mean much unless you convert them
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| | sure it answers those questions. That
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| into sales. This is especially true if
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| | way people can get answers to the most
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| you are paying for, and not converting,
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| | common questions right away, and I don't
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| clicks.
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| | spend time answering the same questions
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| If your website is suffering from the
| |
| | over and over again.
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| "Conversion Rate Blues", consider the
| |
| | While a good FAQ is a great time-saver
|
| following steps for improving sales and
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| | for the person who has to answer those
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| ultimately, profits:
| |
| | questions, it also gives site users the
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| 1. Make sure your website is optimized to
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| | impression that your site is
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| attract people with the highest potential
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| | well-thought-out, that you care about
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| to buy
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| | their questions and will take time to
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| When I first designed my log furniture
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| | answer them thoroughly. You can build
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| website, Log Cabin Rustics, I unwittingly
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| | trust in your website by having relevant
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| targeted an audience that wasn't the
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| | product-related content throughout the
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| perfect one for my site. As things
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| | site as well, but there's nothing like a
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| turned out, I didn't even rank for my two
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| | well-planned FAQ to assist in answering
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| top key phrases, log furniture and log
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| | questions.
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| beds, in the search engines. I managed
| |
| | 4. Make Your Shopping Cart Easy to Use
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| to get pretty high on the scale, however,
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| | I've had a little trouble with my
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| for log cabin related searches.
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| | shopping cart from time to time. It
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| People who build log cabins are a target
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| | seems that if I modify the header for my
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| market of mine, since many of them
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| | site, and put in a link that says "http:"
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| eventually purchase log furniture to go
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| | instead of "https:", the secure part of
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| with their home. The most likely
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| | my shopping cart pops up an error message
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| immediate customers, however, are those
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| | with every click of the mouse. Take it
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| who actually searched for the term "log
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| | from the voice of experience-this is not
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| furniture" rather than "log cabin". When
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| | conducive to sales.
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| I re-optimized my site for the search
| |
| | If your sales are clicking right along,
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| terms I thought would bring the highest
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| | then suddenly drop into the abyss, it's a
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| conversion rate, visitors to my site were
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| | good idea to go out and place a test
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| more likely to buy because my site was
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| | order. I'm embarrassed to say that in my
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| selling what they were searching for. My
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| | busy-ness, I've had to have a customer
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| efforts paid off, when my conversion rate
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| | inform me of how very difficult it was
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| (and sales) doubled in the month or two
| |
| | for them to place an order. Upon
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| following my changes.
| |
| | investigation, I have found several times
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| 2. Add a personal, trustworthy touch to
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| | that something had gone wrong on my site.
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| your site
| |
| | In addition to making sure your shopping
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| I don't personally care to have my
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| | cart is fully functional and doesn't
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| picture posted on the front of my
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| | return error messages, it pays to have a
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| website, although many people do. I do
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| | shopping cart that is easy to use. I am
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| have my name prominently on the site,
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| | not an affiliate for Clickbank, but
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| together with information about why I
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| | whenever I buy an e-book from someone who
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| sell log furniture and my business
| |
| | is using their service, I am always
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| background as a CPA. I have found that a
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| | impressed with how smooth and quick the
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| personal touch goes a long way towards
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| | online transaction is. There have been
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| selling log furniture. Many of my
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| | other times when I really wanted to
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| customers spend $2,000, $3,000 or even
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| | purchase something, but some little
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| $4,000 on their log furniture order, and
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| | glitch in the shopping cart wouldn't let
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| some of them have waited years to get the
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| | me proceed with the order, and nearly
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| furniture they want.
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| | drove me to distraction.
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| They didn't find what they wanted in
| |
| | As a customer I always think to myself,
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| their local area (they must not have many
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| | "if these people can't get their website
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| white cedar trees in Texas), but they
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| | to work, how do I know they can ship me
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| found it on my site. There's just one
| |
| | an order?"
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| problem, however. They wish they could
| |
| | As a webmaster or mistress, you certainly
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| touch the furniture, slide the drawers in
| |
| | don't want to be on the receiving end of
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| and out, look for drips in the finish,
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| | such thoughts-and you can prevent it by
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| and generally evaluate the quality before
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| | making sure your website shopping cart is
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| the drop that kind of money. I have had
| |
| | easy to use, and testing it every now and
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| people drive 4-6 hours to visit my store
| |
| | again to make sure it's working properly.
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| on more than one occasion for that very
| |
| | 5. Give Free Shipping or Make a special
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| reason, and frankly, I don't blame them.
| |
| | offer
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| I'm pretty picky about my furniture too.
| |
| | This might seem like a no-brainer, but it
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| This is where I can help my customers. I
| |
| | really does work. I used to give away a
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| use primarily local suppliers, and
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| | free rocking chair to anyone who bought a
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| finished furniture that I sell is
| |
| | suite of log bedroom furniture, and you'd
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| finished right in our building. I can
| |
| | be surprised how many customers I had say
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| and do inspect much of the furniture
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| | to me "I just love the idea of getting
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| before it goes out. Our finishing
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| | something free!" At the moment, I give a
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| department does a pretty good job, but if
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| | 5% discount for the purchase of multiple
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| I see something I don't like, I have them
| |
| | items. That might not sound like much,
|
| sand it down and get it right.
| |
| | but its $100 on a $2000 order and many
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| Some people I sell furniture to place
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| | people are glad to have it.
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| their order online or with one phone
| |
| | I also include free shipping in the
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| call, but many of them talk to me several
| |
| | continental 48 states. This makes it
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| times before they place their order.
| |
| | much easier for people to know the exact
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| They start to feel like they know me, and
| |
| | cost of the furniture. I used to have
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| I start to feel like they are my friends.
| |
| | people people contact me to see how much
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| The last thing I want to do is ship a
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| | shipping would be, then I would estimate
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| suite of log furniture from Michigan to
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| | the cost of the furniture they wanted,
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| Caifornia and have it come back because
| |
| | contact several freight companies for a
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| the customer isn't happy. And I don't
| |
| | quote, re-contact the customer, etc.
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| want to let down my friends. When
| |
| | Free shipping makes everything so much
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| customers understand this, they trust me
| |
| | easier, and it really seems to appeal to
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| to deliver what my site promises, and
| |
| | my customers too.
|
| that translates into sales.
| |
| | In conclusion
|
| There are many ways you can build trust
| |
| | I'm sure there are other quality ways to
|
| in your website. When I realized my
| |
| | build people's confidence in your
|
| conversion rate was not what it could or
| |
| | site-thereby increasing both conversion
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| should be, I went out and researched the
| |
| | rate and sales. Some of my friends have
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| topic on the web. By reading a number of
| |
| | Better Business Bureau seal on their
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| SEO articles on the topic, I came up with
| |
| | sites, or participate in BizRate or other
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| a checklist of things to do on my site.
| |
| | rating services. I haven't tried any of
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| My list included:
| |
| | these yet, so I can't speak for them.
|
| - giving name and contact information for
| |
| | But I have learned from experience that
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| the owner of the site
| |
| | people want to know you are a real person
|
| - telling a personal history of the
| |
| | with a real business. They want to know
|
| business
| |
| | that you care enough to answer their
|
| - showing pictures of your factory,
| |
| | questions, they want a smooth shopping
|
| office, semi-truck or anything else that
| |
| | process, and they really do like special
|
| makes your business real. If possible,
| |
| | offers.
|
| give an online office or factory tour.
| |
| | In these days of security breaches and
|
| - getting a secure security certificate
| |
| | privacy concerns, many customers will
|
| and posting it on your site, and
| |
| | need extra reassurance about the care you
|
| - posting a privacy policy, warranty
| |
| | take in such matters. You can accomplish
|
| information, and product testimonials
| |
| | much in that direction by spelling out
|
| 3. Include a detailed FAQ on your site
| |
| | company policies on your site.
|
| A detailed FAQ that answers just about
| |
| | If you think the conversion rate on your
|
| every conceivable question can do much to
| |
| | site could be better, why not make a
|
| improve customer confidence in your site.
| |
| | to-do list of items mentioned in this
|
| Many people are quite methodical in
| |
| | article that might not be all they could
|
| their product research. They may be
| |
| | be on your site. And oh yes, if you have
|
| looking at my site at 3 in the morning,
| |
| | a website selling "widgets" but the only
|
| have a question, and want an answer NOW.
| |
| | people finding your site are those who
|
| Otherwise they will migrate on to a
| |
| | are searching for "bridges", you really
|
| competitor who has both the information
| |
| | should change your keywords.
|
| and product they are looking for.
| |
| |
|
