Understanding Your Target, the Customer
Having designed a beautiful website or blog you think that you are going to attract clients, right? but unless you really know what your customers are looking for you or what they want to buy, it is most unlikely your going to be make sales or make money.
A Website is like a storefront which must attract customers with things they want to buy. So what are they looking for, best deals, best buy, discounts, bargains or a real must have at any price product? Spending time researching your target, is time well spent.
Once you have grabbed the customers attention your next task is to get him/her to either make that purchase or to optin to your mailing list, newsletter or must have special offer. Once there you can proceed with the follow up. A good way to get a response from your mailing list is to email your existing clients and ask them to complete a survey or even ask while they are browsing on your website. Ask them about their choices. Why do they like your products? Do you discount prices or offer coupons? Are your prices consistently lower than others? Is your shipping price cheaper? Do you respond faster to client questions? Are your product descriptions better? Your return policies and guarantees better than your competitor’s? To know your customer you can check credit card records or ask your customer to complete a simple contact form with name, address, age, gender, etc. when they purchase a product. All part of your customer service.
Does your website give enough contact information?
Selling from a website allows your customer to buy your products 24 hrs a day from anywhere around the globe. Always provide contact information, [compulsory in many countries eg: Germany, the Impressum] which should be visible on every page of your website, complete with mailing address, telephone number and an email address that reaches you.
People may need to contact you about sales, ask questions about products, general information or technical problems on your site. Provide your customers with enough options like credit card, PayPal or other online payment service so you never lose a sale and keep it simple. There is nothing more infuriating for customers that being taken from one page to another countless times and never the pay button, and you the seller also want to hear the ‘kerching’ symphony; keep it simple and make sales.
Zo Nicholas
