Yes, we are starting to sound like we only know two words, “increase sales”. However, you have to admit these are pretty important words for any business. Especially for an ecommerce website where your next competitor is just a click away waiting to take your customer if your game isn’t better than theirs.
Now there’s another word: Game. How well are you playing the ecommerce game? Are you playing to win?
If you’re not sure, here are some thoughts to ponder. Put these thoughts into action and fire up your sales.
- Are you thinking like your customer?
Think like you just landed on the site for the first time. Can you find what you’re looking for? Place products in more than one category when applicable, or wherever relevant. Place links to information wherever it’s needed. The easier it is for your customers to find what they want, when they want it, the more likely they’ll buy. - Are your prices, offers, and terms easy to understand?
Keep it simple. Make sure your toll free phone number, pricing, shipping, add to cart button, etc. are all clear and easy for anyone to find with as little thought as possible. It’s a fact that the more you make people think, the more likely they’re moving on to another site. A confused customer is a lost customer. - Are your pictures your best salespeople, or are they duds?
A picture is really worth a thousand words. Therefore, add additional product pictures to close the sale wherever applicable. Keep in mind that most people don’t actually read ecommerce sites, they scan. Make sure you’re getting their attention with the right information to convert them into buyers. - Have you marketed your website today?
Market your website once it’s live and continue doing “something” to market it every day thereafter. A website that isn’t actively working to market itself on a continuous basis, isn’t going to grow and thrive. As with any endeavor there’s no free lunch. - Is your site easy to navigate? Is it easy to buy your products online?
Make your products easy to buy. It seems obvious, but it’s a mistake often made by online retailers. Make sure your website functions well across all areas such as navigation and shopping cart checkout. A site that’s hard to navigate or complete a purchase on will quickly be abandoned by your visitors.
Now it’s time to ask yourself the big question. Is your site meeting these guidelines? If you can’t answer a resounding yes to each of these questions, you’ve got some work to do. In fact, it would be wise to bookmark this page and refer back to these points periodically to ensure that your site is getting the results you deserve.
Now get back in the game and increase your sales!
