Are you an looking to market your company and its products and services on the web and are in a dilemma as to how to go about creating a website that looks good as well as brings sales? Most business houses hand over the job to website design companies, little knowing what it takes to create a website that sells. They are floored by the design and graphics, paying little heed to what is most important to their particular niche: Are people going to visit their site, and are they going to purchase the products and services? It is time to become aware! Here are a few tips that I have employed successfully in order to help you get started.
Design And Graphics
Search Engine Optimization
Search Engine Optimization
The design and layout of your website is crucial for online sales. Here's what should be taken note of:
• Ensure to keep the most vital marketing messages at the top of the page. This is sure to grab the attention of the customer at the very first instant. If it is kept below or if the customer has to scroll down to read your sales pitch, you might just be losing numerous customers even before they begin shopping.
• Make sure that the graphics and design are not too loud. In other words, keep it simple yet attractive. This will keep the customer focused on the product that you are selling rather than get distracted with animations and pop-ups, which may annoy the customer so much that he or she will simply exit your website.
• The font type should be legible and not confusing.
• Choosing the right font color is also crucial. Most retailers choose to have the "Buy Now" buttons in red, a color that does draw attention.
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What could capture the customer's interest are photographs of your place of business. Most websites use stock photos, which can be quite boring for the customer, as he or she may have come across them in other sites. So, to avoid such monotony, it is recommended that you hire a photographer. Digital shots of the office are sure to add charm to your website. One may ask, why spend so much time, money, and energy when stock photographs are available? Well, photos of your place or work show that you exist, instilling trust and confidence in the buyer. Not just that, it also brings out your personality!
• Navigation: Make sure that the website is easy to navigate through. A complicated navigation will only put off the potential buyer. The various categories should be understandable.
It is pointless to set up a website without having customers aware of its existence, which in turn will result in no sales. You need to ensure that your website ranks high in the various search engines like Google, Yahoo, and MSN, just to name a few. So, to avoid a no profit website, you need to get the right web host.
What could also make your website popular is word of mouth. Ask your friends and relatives to browse through the site. If the site has had a huge impact on them, they are sure to spread the word. In time, your site will have had more browsers than you could have possibly imagined.
Selling on the web is quite different from selling in a shop. You need to understand how to make a sale online. Here are a few tips.
• Customer centricity: Every part of the site should be focused on your customers' needs, not simply the requirement of your business. Information should be easily accessible to the customer. From registration and providing payment information to a quick check-out, the entire process should be simple and pain-free:
1. Simplicity: Use simple language that is understandable to the general public. This is not the space to show off your language prowess. Avoid indulging in abbreviations and jargon.
2. Know your product: Why does the customer need to buy your product? Before getting started, you need to ensure that you know your product. Be confident about what you want to sell and make sure that you are the best authority on the subject. In other words, have all the right reasons for a customer to purchase your product. Bring out that unique selling point that is sure to take your product to the top.
3. The obvious solution: With a hard-hitting sales pitch, you can project your product to be the obvious solutions without having your customer feel that he or she is being lured into a purchase. The customer must feel like a smart, intelligent buyer who's making the right decision on his or her own.
4. Complete information: Unlike brochures, pamphlets, and other print media, where there is limited space for providing information, in a website there is more than enough space to showcase and provide detailed information about a product. Don't take advantage of this! Initially, simply introduce the product to the customer. Once you've chosen the right words to highlight the best of its features, ensure that you have a "Click for more information" option, so the customer is not bombarded with loads of information at first go.
5. Product description: Always give complete information about a product. From its name, product code, price, and a brief description of its USP (unique selling point), production information is vital for the potential buyer.
Incentive To Purchase
Customers look out for incentives to purchase a product, be it in a superstore or online store. Creating offers only ensures that a customer purchases a product right away. Some examples are:
1. Buy one, get one free
2. Buy one, get a second for half price
3. Buy one, get 5 free, or get 75% off on one
4. Free gift with every purchase
5. Free shipping
6. November special (or any month)
7. Offer valid only while stocks last
8. A free gift. NO outlay! (Trust me. It works).
Payment Methods
The customer should always be provided with options for payment. It is recommended that all major credit cards be accepted, or the site could be designed to accept payments via PayPal, OKPay.com, or ACI Worldwide, just to name a few payment acceptance sites. This not only makes payment process easy for the customer, but it also increases the credibility of your business.
