It’s not easy being green… uh … I mean doing digital marketing for a business. It’s a big, complex task. There are so many other businesses out there, competing for the same audience that your target audience is probably suffering from decision fatigue.
You have to find a way to stand out from the crowd and draw attention to yourself.
Find a way to convert prospects into customers.
But how?
To simplify things, I\'m going to go with a dating analogy.
Step 1: Your Dream Date
First things first… do you really know who you’re selling to? Maybe you have a vague idea of your target market. Using the Date analogy, maybe you think you’re selling to someone tall, dark, and handsome. Ok. But in today’s killer business environment, you’ll probably lose business since people want to be catered to. You need to solve their specific problem. So, think hard about who your ideal target market is. Maybe it’s gentlemen who are over 6 feet with taupe to ebony complexions that have roman noses, long eyelashes, luscious lips, and large hands.
Step 2: Your Destination Date Location – Your Website
We often hear website owners complain that their websites are getting traffic but that traffic is barely converting prospects into customers. If you’re in this situation, you need to look at WHY they aren’t converting. A few reasons for your website’s poor conversion:
- Crowded Homepage
The easiest way to put this… too many elements on the home page distract your visitors. Do you know why we all love using Google? It’s because there’s no clutter on their homepage. You need to create a home page that funnels your traffic to the most relevant inner pages. Create inner pages that address specific pain points of your target audience and make sure the copy is relevant to the keyword the customer did a search for or provide answers to questions they have. It’s that simple. A very user-friendly website is a high converting website. - Bland, generic content
Why would I want to give you my contacts or even buy from you if you can’t inform me properly? - Poor design
Have you seen websites these days? If yours isn’t half as good, people won’t trust you, period. - Too Many Buzzwords
Honestly, if your audience doesn’t understand half the stuff you’re saying, they’ll leave. If I tell you that an article is targeted at
conversion rate optimization for Jacksonville businesses – I’m pretty sure you probably have no idea what that is. But you’ll find that I’ve hardly used that term here. Why? Because if it doesn’t make sense to you, then I’m not communicating.
As you can see, I’ve kept it simple and have tried to minimize the use of buzzwords while still explaining in clear terms what you need to do to convert your traffic. Am I doing well so far? ????? So, limit the use of buzzwords. Instead, strive to educate and inspire action in your audience. - No Personality
You know how you don’t like people with no personality? Well, it’s the same here. I’m sorry, but bland and unimaginative content doesn’t cut it anymore. Your content must be outstanding, top-notch, unique, and above board. Unsatisfactory, generic, and poor quality content will destroy your brand faster than anything. You should be or sound like the authority in your niche. Create visually interesting documents, kick-ass free reports, informative white papers, attractive infographics, epic articles and blog posts, entertaining videos, and interesting podcasts that are truly spectacular, and your conversion rates will soar through the roof. - Difficult navigation
If I can’t find what I need on your website in less than 3 seconds, I’ll go someplace else. Easiest way to NOT convert prospects into customers? Make the navigation confusing! There’s a rule in the online marketing community: all visitors must find what they need on your website in five clicks or less. Doubt it? Take a look at Amazon, CNN, eBay, Zappos, Google, and other highly popular websites. You’ll find that these websites all have one thing in common: the ability to deliver specific information in five clicks or less. So, structure your website so that it is easily navigable. - Always Call to Action
Here’s the thing: if you don’t ask, you won’t get. It’s that simple. After entertaining, educating, informing, and engaging your audience with killer content and actionable steps that they can use, it’s time to ask for the “sale.” Always put a call to action. Use low restrain incentives like free reports, access to a free newsletter, a low priced product, and free trial services. These work like gangbusters.
Step 3: Date ✅ ... Date Destination ✅ ... Now what?
From above, we have the actual “date” and have the perfect place to take them (your website). Now comes the important part of engaging and building a relationship with your prospective customer. Even if you feel like you’re already converting at a decent rate, there’s always room for improvement. Even a relatively small increase in your conversion rate could mean that you could expand your marketing efforts, reach a wider audience, and grow faster.
Here are a few tips:
⭐ Tip #1: Keep Following Up With Them
People are busy and are afflicted with what I call “bright – shiny – syndrome.” They may have planned to get back to you or make that purchase, but something in their lives pulled them away, and you just slid off their brain.
It’s amazing how your conversion rates can skyrocket if you simply keep following up. Emails are easy to schedule and automate. Use technology at it’s best!
⭐ Tip #2: Always Tell Them What is the Next Step
In order to convert prospects into customers, you have to get them to commit to something, even if it’s small. This way, you can keep them moving down your funnel and a greater likelihood that they’ll keep progressing. But if you don’t TELL them what the next step is, they 100% won’t take it.
⭐ Tip #3: Understand your customer’s pain
In order to sell to convert your prospects, you have to dig into why they need your product or service.
Ask yourself at least 3 Whys. Why does my prospect want my digital marketing service? Because it will help them grow their business. WHY do they want to grow their business? To make more money. WHY do they want to make more money? So they can take a vacation and spend time with their family. See? You’ve now gotten a better idea of your prospect and why they want your product, and you can use that in your marketing. It may take a little more digging and a few more WHYS, but you’ll get there.
⭐ Tip #4: Frame your marketing around those pain points
Now that you’ve uncovered their pain, let’s use them (sounds a little harsh, I know, but effective).
Now when you go to write the copy for your landing page, the home page, emails or whatever other business assets you have, you can say something along the lines of:
ProductName can help you eliminate problem A, B, and C, and you won’t be wasting X amount of time / money on XYZ anymore.
NOT:
ProductName can help you achieve A, B, and C, and it will benefit you by doing XYZ.
Do you see the difference?
We’re now talking about their pain points instead of potential benefits. In general, the human race is naturally loss averse. The average person would find losing $10 a lot more painful than unexpectedly finding $10.
The goal here is to get your prospect to feel like they’re missing out by NOT using your product.
⭐ Tip #5: Use Humor
What do you do if your prospects are ignoring your emails, and you can’t get them to respond? Try a little levity. Don’t keep sending the same email over and over again. It didn’t get noticed the first time, what makes you think if you send it six more times with ever so slight variations, that it’s going to work?
For example:
One last note about turning prospects into customers
And there you have it – our best tips on how to convert prospects into customers!
Did you notice the common thread in all of these tips?
Get to know each prospect and tailor your approach specifically to them.
Once you do that, your prospect will feel understood and supported, and that tips the scales in your favor. And may the odds ever be in your favor!
How does your website stack up when it comes to generating sales?
Leave us a comment below with your top tips!
If you would like help implementing the items above, we can help! And of course you can get the latest marketing information on our blog today.
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