If you're a marketer like me, your number one concern is probably converting customers. I would assume that you've probably read and heard a million and one ideas about how to build relationships, retain customers, create a list of potential customers, and inspire consumer loyalty. But how do you convert prospects into customers?
Maybe there are a lot of people out there who see your ads, think about them, and say, "I ought to..." Well those are the ones that are just waiting to be convinced to to do something about it. They are the ones that need to be convinced to take action and there is definitely something you can do to get them moving!
1. Improve Your Offer
Who can pass up the deal that's too good to resist? Think about it... how often do customers want your product, but just want something a little bit more? Everyone wants to feel like they got a good deal... I know I do! If you have a long list of future sales that have the potential to be converted into real sales now, sweeten the deal and make the offer so good they just can't resist. Why profit tomorrow when you can profit today!
Now, I'm not implying that you should drop your prices to sweeten the deal. Maybe you can just as easily load it up with bonuses to increase the perceived value without cutting away at your profit. Bonuses motivate sales, maybe even more than slashed prices.
2. Follow Up
How would you like to increase your sales by more than 50 percent? Well studies show that you can with a simple tactic that anyone can implement. You've got to follow up.
Odds are that prospective customers aren't going to buy your product or service the first time they see or even hear about it. Chances are it will more likely be the third or fourth time, but they will most likely have to hear from you that third or fourth time before they actually become a customer. Do you have a follow up system in place?
Simply contact the "almost customer" every month with a new offer, or give them more information about the product they are showing interest in. It doesn't have to be an difficult process. Just keep in contact, but give them something everytime you do. Doing so goes a long way toward building trust... which is the key to building life-long, loyal customers.
Internet Marketers experience a high number of people who browse their site then bounce out, so a great way to gather the contact info you need is to offer a free ebook or informative report that consumers will find of interest. Afterall, you can't follow up without some form of contact information. Once these people have given you their information to email them the product, you have what you need to keep in contact. This will allow you to work on converting them into loyal customers. And make sure that you personalize as much as possible. If you can get the first name of your customer... great! A personalized message has greater appeal than "addressed to occupant" messages.
