By Jon Clark, managing partner at Moving Traffic Media, a boutique digital marketing agency offering PPC, display and SEO services in White Plains, NY.
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You’re killing it with marketing and generate plenty of traffic but still aren’t seeing conversions and return on investment (ROI).
It probably isn’t one big thing you’re doing wrong, but multiple smaller things you could be doing better.
Here are 10 strategies to finally convert repeat visitors into customers.
1. Value-Based Pricing
Value-based pricing is a method of pricing your product according to what your customer is willing to pay based on the value they expect to gain.
The benefit of this pricing platform is that you aren’t competing with or comparing your pricing structure to other brands. It’s based entirely upon the optimal pricing structure for your market, which is something your customers will find too attractive to resist.
2. Adapting Your Product Search
Think about how your audience searches for products. Do they search by price, new releases or physical features like color or size? Complicated search features are off-putting; keep it simple.
Let’s say you sell home décor. A visitor is interested in decorative pillows, and you have hundreds of styles. Rather than overwhelming shoppers, make it easy to filter the selection by color and size.
A few options that match their needs are better than many that don’t.
3. Cart Abandonment Software
There are endless reasons someone abandons a cart. Cart abandonment software is the tool that helps you identify why and lets you do something about it.
The software analyzes and tracks abandoned carts. It helps you develop and implement cart completion incentives, making new customers out of former browsers.
4. Tripwires To Start The Money Flowing
A tripwire is a value incentive a business offers to solidify a customer relationship. It’s a low-risk tool for converting leads that works by pulling the customer in through incredible value.
One of the most well-known examples of a tripwire is a movie club — you know, the ones where they offered you four movies for a super low price. In exchange, you agreed to at least consider purchasing a new movie each month, usually auto shipped.
There may be a purchase commitment, or there may not. The point is that a conversion was made and a relationship formed. Customers are more likely to make purchases from brands they already know.
5. Accessibility Through Live Chat
Another reason customers might leave before making a purchase is unanswered questions. Your FAQs can only do so much, and emails are a little more effort than someone might be willing to make to get a question answered right away.
One solution is live chat. Done right, live chat is great for converting traffic. Done wrong, it can result in more bounces, not less.
The key is to be available when you say you are. If you don’t have the resources for 24/7 live chat, then clearly state when live chat is available. Answering questions in real time means you can convert before they back away.
6. Reviews
Research shows 92% of customers read online reviews before purchasing, and they’re more likely to take into consideration reviews they read online over personal recommendations from people they know.
Make finding reviews about your products easy by including them on your product pages.
7. Revisiting Your Return Policy
A return policy can be as important as price and quality. Customers want to know exactly what to expect in terms of returns. If you have a stringent return policy, ask yourself why. You want to protect your investment, but being too unyielding could turn customers away.
8. Evaluating Your Checkout Process
You should be reviewing your checkout process regularly. It should be smooth, fast and efficient no matter what’s being purchased or how large the order.
9. Having Visual Trustworthiness
If you had to choose between trusting your personal information with someone with no indicators of trustworthiness and a business with a site that you already know is secure, which would you choose?
Luckily, the solution is simple: Demonstrate trustworthiness visually. Small images of accepted credit cards and security networks add instant validity.
10. Letting Them Be Your Guest
Finally, allow your visitors to buy without creating an account.
Creating an account adds time to the checkout process, during which customers might decide to go somewhere else.
You aren’t really losing anything by letting customers check out as guests. You still have all their important information. The guest option says you respect their time and know they’ll be back later.
Bottom Line
The key to converting repeat visitors is to think about the buying process from their point of view. There are a million small ways to become the brand they want a relationship with, and each one counts. Stay focused on the customer, and you can’t go wrong.
