Have your eCommerce sales flatlined? Do your brand’s revenues keep falling short of set targets? Use these tips from top online sales courses to bring them back to life.
Improve your store’s visibility
Today’s customers are swimming in online options. Global eCommerce statistics show that there are between 12 and 24 million active stores worldwide. Given these numbers, carving out a visible online footprint is essential. After all, if potential customers can’t find you, you don’t exist.
A robust online presence makes it easy for your target audience to find your business. Also, the stronger your online presence, the more you come across as a legitimate business.
Here are a few ways you can improve your online visibility.
- Start a blog and share high-quality content that provides value to your target audience.
- Build a social media presence and be an active user.
- List your business on online business directories e.g., Facebook Pages, Google My Business, Better Yahoo Business Listings, among others.
Display trust seals on your website
Online shopping is convenient. However, the potential risks associated with shopping online can overshadow the convenience.
An eCommerce purchase can potentially open the door to scams, viruses, stolen account information, or identity theft. According to The Federal Trade Commission, consumers reported losing more than $3.3 billion to fraud in 2020.
As a result, eCommerce businesses looking to scale their sales need to ensure their sites come across as a beacon of trust. One way brands can do that is with trust seals. Trust seals, also called trust badges or secure site seals, are symbols that verify that a website is safe and secure.
A study co-conducted by Econsultancy and Toluna found trust seals gave participants a deep sense of confidence when shopping online. Research by Actualinsights also found that over 60% percent of consumers opted not to make a purchase when there was no trust badge.
Optimize the checkout process
A staggering number of customers walk away from their carts. For example, in 2020, Statista reported that almost 90% of consumers abandoned their shopping carts. Cart abandonment can take a chunk out of your profits. So, finding ways to get buyers over the finish is crucial.
There are many reasons why customers abandon their items at checkout. However, studies show that one of the main reasons is a complicated checkout process. As a result, creating a checkout that buyers can zip through with ease can help keep customers from bailing on their selections.
Online business course experts estimate that checkout optimization can increase sales conversions by almost 40%. Here are a few tweaks you can make to keep customers from bailing on their selections.
- Reduce the number of steps in your checkout process.
- Allow customers to checkout without registering for an account.
- Autofill addresses and information.
- Provide an option for social account sign-in.
- Use visual cues wherever possible e.g., a visual progress indicator.
Personalize the buyer’s shopping experience
Crafting a more tailored experience for your customer is a great way to drive more revenue. According to Epsilon, 80% of consumers are more likely to buy when brands offer personalized experiences. Also, Salesforce reports that 40% of shoppers who click a personalized recommendation during their first visit return.
To create an exceptional personalized experience, you need customer data. You can then leverage that insight to personalize your customer’s shopping experiences. For example, you could:
- Welcome back returning customers.
- Create offers based on user behavior.
- Show recommendations based on previous purchases.
- Display products or services based on location.
All of these personalization strategies help influence buyers to take desired actions.
Offer as many payment options as possible
Your entire eCommerce business revolves around getting paid. So, you want to make it as easy as possible for customers to pay. The best way to do that is by offering multiple payment options.
The more willing customers are to pay, the more conversions and sales you’re likely to score. Studies also show that offering multiple payment options can increase the probability of a buyer becoming a return customer.
Thanks to advances in technology, there are tons of different options for accepting payments online. Besides credits cards, there are now app payments, electronic wallets, and cryptocurrencies, just to name a few.
You don’t need to offer all the options that are available on the market. Not only are there merchant costs to consider, but each payment type also has its advantages and disadvantages. To pick the best options for your store, business sales online courses recommend looking at your target audience to see which payment methods they prefer to use.
Build an email list
Email marketing plays an instrumental role in successful online businesses. One of the top benefits of using emails is that you can create targeted content. According to Campaign Monitor, segmented campaigns can raise revenue by as much as 760%.
Sending personalized emails can also drive impulse buys. Impulse buys account for 40% of all eCommerce sales, reports Invesp. That’s a gigantic slice of the pie. As an online store, you don’t want to miss out on that opportunity.
To reap the benefits of email marketing, you need to build a solid email list. Here are some easy and proven ways you can collect email addresses on your website.
- Offer discounts in exchange for an email address.
- Add sign-up options at checkout.
- Embed sign-up forms on high traffic pages.
- Use strategic pop-ups and overlays.
Final thoughts
The popularity of online shopping means that there is now a lot more competition. As a result, eCommerce brands need to constantly look for ways to increase sales. When well-executed, the above tips can become the rocket fuel that optimizes conversions and help online sales soar.
