3 Great Ways to Increase Your Internet Sales

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  1. 1. http://www.instituteofoutsourcing.com 3 Great Ways to Increase Your Internet Sales SOCIAL NETWORKING Social Networking sites like Facebook and Twitter are perfect ways to reach millions of new customers. Facebook gives suggestions according to whatever is trending, or what seems to fit a Facebook user's interest. Online stores make use of photo-hosting sites like Instagram to show customers pictures of their new products. Use these sites to advertise your products and services. The hashtag feature of Instagram can increase the chances of people finding your photo. Any search engine marketing expert will tell you that people rarely go to the second or third pages of results anymore, so tag your photos with the most pertinent tags to land yourself first on the list. Facebook also generates Page suggestions to users based on the pages their friends and mutual friends have liked. Come holidays or special occassions, why not offer free shipping to a customer if he/she likes your page on Facebook? Count the shipping costs as promotional costs. You'll earn it all back with your newly-expanded consumer base. While you're at it, consider holding contests on Pinterest or other sites, with small prizes (like discount coupons) for everyone who participates, and a slightly bigger prize (like 1 free item) for the winner. Ask people to share your site or write testimonials for chances to win vouchers or a free small item with their next purchase. People won't hesitate to share on Social Networking sites so long as there's an incentive. CHECK YOUR LINKS Always prioritize functionality over being flashy. You might love how the computer-generated snowflakes look against your moving winter background, but that much sparkle can get annoying if you're stuck staring at it too long. People are on your site to purchase something; you don't want them to lose patience. Limit your buying process to just three or four clicks. Allow registered customers to purchase something just by clicking one buy button. Don't forget a return option, or encourage them to send you an e-mail, in case they accidentally click something they don't want. Customers who have to go through 3 pages of confirmation forms might not give your site a second chance. Speaking of pages, make sure you organize your store! Having a search bar at the top is pretty standard, but this is only good for people who already know what they want to buy. People who are there to browse don't want to go through 30 pages of scattered items with nothing in common. If you're selling facial products, separate 'facial wash' from 'sunscreen lotion'. If you're selling clothes, don't let shirts, pants, and dresses be all on one page. Potential customers will appreciate this. PROMOTE AND PERSONALIZE Don't stand alone! Promote your site like crazy. The problem with online stores is that they're less
  2. 2. prone to people accidentally stumbling across them. So don't be afraid to stamp your URL on everything. Place it in electronic signatures, brochures, catalogs, and whatever else material you use. Register variants and misspellings of your domain name as well. For example, your domain name Shirts 'n Shoes should also turn up if someone types shirtsnshoes, Shirts And Shoes, or shirts & shoes. Users are usually too busy to properly check their spelling, and you can't just rely on Google's automatic correct. More importantly, don't forget to personalize. Customers like to feel valued. Let them know you're grateful for their patronage. Even if you can't possibly establish a bond with all of them, give them the illusion of one. If you're sending out community notices to customers, program your letter so that their registered name is placed in the salutation. Consumers will feel better if their letter reads Dear Sally, or Dear Debrah, instead of Dear Customer,. Another way to establish a personal bond is through honesty. When describing a product, include as many details as possible. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but detailed descriptions help. If this is too taxing for you, consider hiring website content writers or else show pictures of the product at every angle. Let customers know about any flaw or discoloration beforehand. If they find out only after they get the product, you'll lose their trust. TAGS: search engine marketing expert, website content writers, search engine marketing, search engine marketing expert, website content writers, search engine optimization marketing services, business process outsourcing services