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Five Foolproof Ways to Improve Your Web Site Sales |
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When you run an online home-based business, your web site is more than
simply a company location. It's also your primary source of advertising
and marketing. If you've noticed that sales are lagging or if you're
simply looking for ideas for a site you're building, the following five
tips can help you boost revenue and develop an even more successful web
presence.
1) Stress Your UPS
In this case, UPS isn't referring to the delivery company. Instead, it
stands for Unique Positioning Statement and it's one of the most
important ingredients of your business. Your UPS is basically a
statement of what sets you apart from your competition.
Think of it as an answer to the question: Why should I do business with
you? You may choose to focus on service, price, or any other special
feature of your business that would appeal to customers. Whichever
feature you choose should be stressed in all your web site's content.
Don't shy away from telling others what sets you apart.
2) Add Interactivity
Consumers are shying away from passive activities where they just sit
and watch. Instead, they want to be a part of the action, so you need
to give your potential customers several ways to participate at your
site.
Possibilities include message boards, polls, chat rooms, and surveys.
By adding these types of elements, you are giving visitors more of a
reason to stick around, to return, and to recommend your site to their
friends.
3) Stress Credibility
No one wants to buy a product from someone they don't trust, so
building a sense of credibility with your site is crucial to your
success. You can accomplish this in a number of ways:
* Adding an "About Us" section
* Providing complete contact information
* Offering a money back guarantee
These methods work for several reasons. An "About Us" section allows
visitors to get a picture of who they will be doing business with while
the contact information gives them the security of knowing they can
reach someone in case there is a problem.
Furthermore, the guarantee expresses your confidence in your product
and that confidence is contagious. Testimonials, client lists, and
awards are also effective for building credibility.
4) Test Everything
The problem with most unsuccessful business owners is that they jump
right in to things without ever taking the time to test their site,
their product, their layout, even their links. The result is that too
much money is spent on things that do not work.
Any changes you make to your site need to be tested before being
adopted permanently. For example, if you change your headline on your
home page, compare your sales for the week of the change and the
previous week.
If the numbers drop or stay about the same, go back to the drawing
board. If the numbers go up, check one more week's sales numbers and if
the numbers are still high, you may have a winner.
5) Provide Reasons to Return
While it may only take a visitor to your site once trip to make a
purchase, you want to give them reasons to come back. Otherwise, how
will they know when you add new products? The key is to continue to
update your site, perhaps with articles or news, that may be of
interest to your target audience.
If your site becomes one of your visitor's primary resources for the
latest information on a subject they are interested in, you can be sure
they will bookmark your site and come back frequently.
Also consider having a mailing list. A mailing list will allow visitors
to provide you with their email addresses so that you can send them
notifications of updates, specials, and changes to the site including
ads and marketing materials for new products. These email messages will
also provide them with a reason to come back.
When you do business online, your web site takes the place of your
sales force. If it's not pulling in the numbers you had hoped for or if
you've seen your numbers going down recently, you need to evaluate your
site and decide where changes can and should be made.
Content, layout, graphics, even navigation all play a role in the
success, or failure, of your site and your company. Don't let a small
problem with your web site become the reason you go out of business.
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