As much as every business consulting firm or entrepreneur expert would strongly recommend online methods as one of the paramount ways small and medium size business owners can use to increase sales, it is also necessary to apply basic principles that will ensure that allocations for online marketing is not wasted and returns or conversion rate is pretty high.
Start-ups that are focused on providing services come up with small online marketing budgets. However, this doesn’t imply that returns should be small. Every form of time and money invested should yield appreciably. But for this to be feasible, there are minute things such as what method and how to apply them will definitely increase return on investment.
Here are some basic principles that should be applied by small business owners or digital marketing team of start-ups.
1 Make all product reviews conspicuous.
At the first glance, customers will go through the review section in order to build trust in the product by sampling others opinion. Make it easy for customers to go through the reviews, a lot of companies make it difficult for consumers to read reviews and this forces them off their website. Reviews from Yelp, Instagram, Facebook, google, Bing, thumbtack and others should be easily accessible right from your homepage. This simple method will help them navigate to any of the aforementioned rather than leaving them to search for reviews, which most consumers will rarely do.
This will not only increase conversion rate. it will also build their trust in your product, if they don’t trust you, they won’t buy from you and this is what makes brand; trust in what you have to offer. It is good to know that every conversion is an indication that trust have been won and every customer that returns indicates a person whose trust continues to be upheld.
2 Provide a reliable online customer service.
This applies more to start-ups in the service providing industry. There are times when the customers need instant solutions. If you don’t have several channels for them to reach your business and speak to a customer care representative or event a chat-bot that would respond to basic problems, there are high chances of missing out on several opportunities.
Emails should be replied almost immediately; phones and text messages should be replied at the first beep. Delay may lead to customers prospecting for another solution and this can reduce conversion rate and unpleasant reviews.
A potential customer should find it easy to contact your business, display contact details on your website, preferably at the top corner. A phone number for those who wish to speak with someone right away and those that intent to send details via email. Even with all these learn how to set up your customer support department having a team dedicated to this will ensure proper work done.
3 Employ Re-targeting method to get customers while they’re making compares.
Most customers will check others who provides similar services as yours before settling for most preferred, potential clients might forget you once they leave your website to make research and contact others but re-targeting is one of the most potent ways of putting your business in their minds.
As your business shows up on their Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube feeds and you keep close tab on them as they surf the internet, when they’re ready to make decision, there is a high probability of your business coming to their minds.
Although, personalizing your re-targeting will help achieve more than just making it a one for all. A potential customer who have already made a submission for quote request is at an entirely different stage from another who only visited the website briefly. Such potential client needs a well-designed marketing message which will encourage them to make final purchase or complete a quote request.
4 Bank on popular badges of high vote of confidence to instill trust.
Appearance matters a lot, so do first impression. It is necessary to have a high vote of confidence at the heart of potential client right on your website’s landing page. While having a discussion with a software developer who is also freelancer he noted that one of the major methods that helped increase conversion rate was the attachment of badges he got from well-known and highly trusted professional bodies. Regalinks landing page speaks for itself, a level of confidence is built with this.
Any potential customer that visits your page’s ‘About’ section should see membership badges and if possible, include awards (if any), these go a long way in deciding whether potential clients will make payment for services or not. For service providers, badges of professional organisations such as Chambers of Commerce and Better Business Bureau (BBB) accreditation is highly recommended. Although, for an e-commerce website, these might not be of great need. But for all local service providers in their early stage should leverage on accreditation such as BBB.
Bottom line: all these principles will generally help build trust in potential clients and also held trust in clients and it will increase conversion rate but all should be done within the confines of understanding human psychology. Generating fake reviews could be harmful to trust that have been built, rely on organic ones and ensure to work more on providing better services, content is king, good services speaks for itself. These principles alongside tips on how small businesses can maximize ROI using social media techniques will help win incredible medals.