Starting any small business can be tough. It is no secret that many fail to make it past their fifth year. Yet others go on to great success, growing from strength to strength. So, when it comes to an online business, how can you ensure you do not become a statistic?
In the early days, a steady flow of cash while you get your company established is imperative. Read on as we give our guide on how to attract customers and increase conversions for your small online business.
Use Incentives
Incentives are additional propositions given to customers that help persuade them to make a purchase or perform an action. For example, you may decide to give a discount, bonus, or free gift to anyone who buys a product. There is a whole range of incentives you will encounter daily when browsing online, from free shipping to trials. You just have to select the right one to entice your customers.
The iGaming industry has used this successfully for quite some time. In a crowded marketplace, sites like Buzz Bingo have used a strategic range of incentives to entice customers away from competitors. By offering free spins and welcome bonuses, s to their service for bingo slots online become incentivized. This is taken one step further by offering free play games that act like a trial would if you were selling a service.
Utilize Social Proof
Over 93% of consumers use customer reviews when dealing with an organization with which they are not familiar. Harnessing this is known as social proof. It is the concept of using the comments and recommendations of others to influence sales.
The web is filled with review sites, ratings, and ranking engines. If you can use your positive from them, people will be more likely to make a purchase. When your company starts, it may be hard to get social proof, so you should encourage it with the few customers you do have. Ask them to go online and rate you or ask for testimonials about your company in writing.
Social proof works best when in small doses, spread around liberally. Do not create a webpage full of comments about how good you are. Instead, dot odd reviews and comments from people across pages and social platforms. You can also facilitate this by making sure you engage with our audience on social media. Even bad reviews, when responded to correctly, can make your company come out looking positive and professional.
Simplify the Customer Journey
A recent trend in online marketing has been to reduce the websites of service companies to one page. This solitary page usually includes all the information needed, from what the company offers to how to them. It is an example of how you can simplify the customer journey.
Any obstacles for the customer are instances when they may decide to give up and go elsewhere. Complex forms, bad website architecture, faulty menus, or popups are all barriers in your sales funnel. Take yourself through the journey a customer may go on and see where bottlenecks or drop-offs could occur. Even slicing off one field from a form or simplifying a menu can have a huge increase in conversions.