11 Ways to Turn Your Website Into Your Best Salesperson

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11 Ways to Turn Your Website Into Your Best Salesperson

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Yet Another Publication By:

Go Digital or Go Home

[email protected] e

t

w

Cloudrock.sg | Cloudrock.my

mailto:[email protected]





http://www.cloudrock.com.sg/





http://www.cloudrock.com.my/






Page |02 Cloudrock.sg | Cloudrock.my

DRIVE Drive traffic to your website using SEM and other inbound marketing tactics

CONVERT

MEASURE

Convert that traffic to leads, customers and revenue

Constantly measure and experiment to do it even better

What We Do

Go Digital or Go Home Cloudrock is a full service digital marketing agency with a presence in both Singapore and Malaysia. We offer services such as website design, SEO, pay per click and analytics.

We create and implement strategies that drives qualified visitors to your website; convert those visitors into leads and customers; measure the results achieved and develop improvement plans to make it even more successful.

Your digital marketing journey starts here.


Page |03 Cloudrock.sg | Cloudrock.my

Fairuze Shahari is the principal consultant for Cloudrock SG. He handles content creation, SEO and PPC and supervises the web design team..

Table of Contents Selling has always been hard... | p01

A New Breed of Salespeople for a New Generation of Buyers | p06

Fairuze Shahari

Buyers Search Online First Before Contacting You | p06

Highly Influenced by Online Sources | p07

Key Influencers Frequently Online | p09

11 Ways to Turn Your Website Into Your Best Salesperson... | p10

Ready to ‘Hire’ Your Best Salesperson? | p22


And it’s not getting any easier now.

We’re right smack in the middle of the Information Era. Your buyers know that and are taking advantage of the wealth of information available online to make better buying decisions.

Before they even make personal contact with your company, they seem to know everything about your product category. They know the best prices, the right questions to ask, which features your products are missing... everything.

You may find your sales teams having trouble keeping up.

One of the key issues is this - your online presence simply isn’t pulling its weight. It’s not providing your buyers with the information they’re looking for and persuading them that your business is the best solution for them.

It’s not generating qualified leads, and it’s definitely not holding up against your competitors’.

It’s just not working.

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Selling has always been hard...


So, how are we going to solve this? Here’s a novel way of looking at your website – expect of it as you would a salesperson.

And why shouldn’t you?

Your website won’t replace your entire sales force, but it should be able to perform most of the duties your salespeople do. This makes your sales team more effective at what they are supposed to do best – closing sales!

Must project a professional attitude at all times

Must possess a positive attitude and constantly want to improve himself / herself

Must be able to understand my wide range of (somewhat complicated) products

Must be able to adequately demonstrate my company’s products

Must be able to build rapport with my prospects and customers

Must be willing to travel and meet customers at a moment’s notice, even on weekends

Must be able to meet sales targets and KPIs

Will be subjected to monthly / quarterly performance reviews

Attractive compensation package!

This e-book will show you how you can ‘train’ your website to have the same qualities.

The best thing is that how well your website performs is mostly in your control.

Before we go into how we can turn your website into a star member of your sales team, we are first going to examine how the Internet has affected your buyers’ purchasing patterns.

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A New Breed of Salespeople for a

Saying that the Internet has had an impact on the way buyers make purchasing decisions would be an understatement. It has greatly shortened the sales cycle, made product information more widely available and prices more transparent.

Your salespeople now have to deal with a much better informed generation of buyers.

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New Generation of Buyers

Buyers call you less often.

But when they do call, they are more informed.

They say yes – and no – faster. Frequently, the decision has already been made in the buyer’s mind before they even contact your salesperson.

New Info Search Process

Old Info Search Process

What does that mean for you?

Buyers Search Online First Before Contacting You


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Highly Influenced by Online Sources

According to Nielsen, the Internet is an important source of information for Malaysian buyers – 64% said they were ‘highly’ or ‘somewhat’ influenced by website advertisements.

Consumer generated content, such as product reviews and opinions posted online, is now one of the most trusted forms of media among SE Asian digital consumers. More than half (54%) completely or somewhat trust consumer opinions posted online.

Influence of Web Advertising in SE Asia


http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/reports-downloads/2011/south-east-asian-digital-consumer-habits.html

To drive home the point that the Internet is playing a big role in the Malaysian purchasing process, consider that:

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77% of Malaysian buyers surveyed had discussed or posted their own reviews online

94% have read other people’s comments

88% have watched an online video about the product they were thinking of purchasing

Social Media Supported Consumer Decision Making – Past Year


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Key Influencers Frequently Online

On the whole, Malaysian buyers spend over 20 hours a week on the Internet, with 88% going online daily or several times a week. Now’s that’s a lot of potential contact time that your company could capitalize on.

Even more importantly, 41% of those in the 30-39 age group – the current crop of key influencers and soon-to-be business leaders – go online at least once a month.

This age group represents the current and future business leaders. They are the ones in charge, or at the very least advising their bosses on what to buy. Whose products and services are they endorsing now?


Incidence of Internet Use in Past 4 Weeks Split by Key Demographic Segments

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So your buyers’ behaviours are changing, and you need a new breed of salespeople to keep up with them.

Let’s call your new salesperson your Sales Site.

Here are 11 ways how you can turn your under-performing website (you do have a website, right?) into your next star salesperson.

11 Ways to Turn Your Website

Into Your Best Salesperson


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We’re sure you have gone over the company introduction presentation with your salespeople ad nauseum. The slide deck has been etched into their minds and they can probably recite it in their sleep.

Include as much or even more information on your Sales Site. Remember, online buyers won’t be able to ask questions and receive answers on the spot as they might during an actual presentation. Pre-empt the questions your buyers might have and include them in your About Us or FAQ page.

Does your Sales Site know everything about your business that it should? 1

Tip Ask your frontline staff what are the common questions they receive from new customers. Other than your sales staff, as your receptionist, technical service guys, basically anyone who interacts directly with your buyers.

What do you expect your salesperson to tell new customers about your company?

Is that information highlighted properly on your Sales Site?

If a customer visits your Sales Site, how can they tell that you’ll be a good fit for them?


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Having spelling and grammatical errors on your Sales Site is akin to your salesperson showing up in a crumpled shirt with a button missing. It’s just not professional, and doesn’t give the buyer a lot of faith in your competency.

According to a Missouri University of Science and Technology research, you have only 0.2 seconds to create a first impression online. This means that your website must have a clean, professional design and be easy to navigate.

Also, spelling errors have been known to reduce sales by more than half.

Double check the copy on your Sales Site and ensure that it is presenting its best face to the buyer.

Is your Sales Site projecting the proper image? 2

Tip When writing, we don’t notice our own mistakes since the brain automatically “corrects” wrong words inside sentences. Try reading the text backwards, word by word, to spot spelling errors.


http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/223150
















http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-14130854



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As a business leader, you understand the importance of keeping your salespeople up-to-date on all the products, services and prices that your company offers. You have weekly meetings and write dozens of memos just for that.

You should have the same expectation of your Sales Site. It should be accurate and frequently updated with your current offerings and prices (if applicable). A website that isn’t up-to-date loses you credibility fast.

It is important that the different departments communicate with each other clearly and frequently when it comes to updating your Sales Site’s content.

Does your Sales Site have all your current products, services and pricing? 3

Tip Keep your digital marketing agency in the loop whenever new products come in or changes in offerings occur. File sharing services such as SendSpace and Box allows you to share huge files quickly.


http://www.sendspace.com/

https://www.box.com/

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You already know that a product demonstration brings you that much closer to closing the sale.

Your salespeople frequently have to jump through hoops to be given a chance to demonstrate your products. And such demonstrations frequently disrupt the buyer’s work day – they have to get permission from their supervisors, block off a chunk of time, co-ordinate with their colleagues and other departments… you get the drift.

With your Sales Site, you allow your buyers to see your products at their convenience, anytime they want, how many times they want. They can even save it for reference or share it.

Upload pictures and photographs from multiple angles to showcase your products. Invite your visitors to ask questions through your Sales Site (and make sure you answer them in a timely manner).

For even more impact, create videos of your products being used, preferably in a similar setting as your target buyer’s.

Is your Sales Site adequately demonstrating your products? 4

Tip There are many other ways to showcase how good your products are using video – you don’t have to keep creating instructional use ones. Here’s a great one from Nikon Imaging Japan that shows how their Nikkor glass is made.


http://nikonrumors.com/2013/01/10/how-nikkor-glass-is-made-video.aspx/







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You expect your salespeople to listen carefully to what your customers are saying. Being able to read between the lines to understand the true message behind the words being said is a highly desirable quality in a salesperson.

Your Sales Site should do the same. In fact, your Sales Site can measure what your visitors actually do, rather than just what they said they’ll do. What content are they hoping to find on your website? Which page or collateral is the most compelling? What steps do they take before they contact you?

Set up your analytics software properly, and you can get a wealth of data on buyer behaviour on your Sales Site. Analyse that data to come up with actionable information you can use.

Does your Sales Site listen to what your customer is saying? 5

Tip Just because you can measure it doesn’t mean you should. Drill deeper by using the 5-Why technique to determine if a particular metric is useful for you to track.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5_Whys





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Offline, you get your salespeople to maintain contact with your buyers to build what we call ‘top-of-mind awareness’. This means that when your buyers want to purchase something, they will think of your brand and contact you for a quote.

Online, you want to show up whenever your buyers are actively searching for your products.

Go to your favourite search engine and type in the product category for a product you’re offering.

Does your Sales Site show up in the search engines for your keywords? If not, who are? These are where your buyers are going during their information search stage.

With over 93% of online visits starting with search, it’s imperative that you place yourself directly in your buyer’s path. Digital marketing activities such as SEO and PPC help you get found online and drive traffic – beautifully targeted and qualified traffic – to your site.

Can your customers find your Sales Site when they need to? 6

Tip Have you ever wondered how search engine spiders like the Googlebot see your website? Use this free search engine spider stimulator to have a look. You might be surprised.


http://www.searchenginejournal.com/10-stats-to-justify-seo/36762/














http://www.webconfs.com/search-engine-spider-simulator.php







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How does your Sales Site build rapport?

Keep the tone of your Sales Site conversational yet professional. When preparing your copy, use the same terminology and words that your buyers do. Avoid corporate-speak and talking too much about yourself. Remember, all your buyers want to know is how you can help solve their problems.

Provide resources that your buyers might find useful – stuff that will help make their own jobs easier. For example, prepare a buyer’s guide or a white paper solving a common problem.

Show them more about your great company culture and how much better their life would be if they worked with you. If you can successfully build rapport through your Sales Site, you will notice a lot less resistance when your buyers actually do contact you.

This leads to a shorter sales cycle and more revenue.

Is your Sales Site any good at building rapport? 7

Building rapport with their buyers is a key part of any salesperson’s job. Your buyers want to work with people they like. And who wouldn’t? So how do your salespeople build rapport? They make small talk, they remember birthdays and provide useful information. Any salesperson who talks about the sale from the moment they enter the room won’t be successful for too long.


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Just like any salesperson (or human being, for that matter), your Sales Site is a process, not a one-time project. They hardly ever get it right on their first sales call.

Salespeople need to gain experience, learn and constantly improve themselves.

For your Sales Site, constantly monitor your analytics software to determine what improvements you can make to your website. Going a step further, you can employ click-tracking technology to place yourself in your visitors’ shoes.

For example, are there any elements getting in the way of your website converting (e.g. long enquiry forms)? Is the bounce rate particularly high on a particular page?

Find these problems and fix them. Over time, your Sales Site will turn into a sales juggernaut.

Is your Sales Site constantly learning and improving itself? 8

Tip Unless you have a huge website with thousands of pages, we’ve found that Google Analytics is sufficient for most businesses. Ensure that it is properly installed on each page before you begin, with the correct filters, segments and goals set up.


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Unless you’re an E-commerce website, it’s very unlikely that your buyer’s going to whip out her credit card and make a purchase right then and there. So what does closing the deal mean when it comes to digital marketing?

Conversions.

Maybe you need your website to generate leads (i.e. fill in your online enquiry form) for your salesperson to close offline. Maybe you want to create awareness for your new product offering. Or maybe you want your buyers to sign up for your email newsletter so you can build the relationship. These are the conversions that happen leading up to a sale.

Remove all points of friction that get in the way of conversion. Conduct A/B split testing to determine which landing page designs convert better.

How your particular buyers convert is usually very personal to your business. You’ll have to constantly experiment and measure to get better over time.

Can your Sales Site ‘close the deal’? 9

Tip While digital marketing agencies like us will work off an established base of best practices, don’t hesitate to give us your assumptions about how your buyers might behave online. After all, you know your domain best.


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The age-old adage, ‘What can’t be measured can’t be managed’ still rings true today.

Just as you conduct regular performance reviews on your salespeople, the performance of your Sales Site must be measured as well. Set realistic KPIs and metrics and look at your website’s performance at regular intervals.

Depending on your goals, some metrics you could use include Page Views, Engagement, Visitor-to-Lead Conversion Rate, Revenue from Online Leads, Average Sales Cycle from Online Leads etc. The metrics you use will depend on your business objectives and the role the your digital marketing strategy plays in it.

Do you measure your Sales Site’s performance? 10

Tip Add dollar values to your conversions or micro-conversions for even more accountability. For example, estimate how many PDF downloads it usually takes to convert a visitor to a buyer and assign each download a dollar value. This makes reporting much easier.


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How much resources do you devote to ensuring that your salespeople are able to do their jobs? Give them too little, and they won’t be effective. Give them too much, and it might get wasted. We’re sure you have your own formula for that, but how about for your Sales Site?

Here’s an easy-to-remember guide – how much are you paying your average salesperson annually? Include commission payments, EPFs, training costs, paid leave and so on.

Simply use that as your annual digital marketing budget. And your website’s not going to just up and work for the competition across the street.

Ever.

Have you given your Sales Site adequate resources to succeed? 11

Tip Remember, your website is a process, not a project.


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As you probably know by now, a well-optimized website is one of the best ‘hires’ you can make. The big question now is, how do you get started?

Like you, we enjoy working with the people we like. There has to be a good fit, especially between the digital marketing agency and their clients because of the fast-paced and dynamic nature of their relationship.

If you think your company fits the description of one of our Perfect Customers – the Iceberg (next page) – then drop us an email today.

Ready to ‘Hire’ Your Best Salesperson?

Let’s See if We’re a Perfect Fit


Drive-Convert-Measure We employ a Drive-Convert-Measure strategy – we drive traffic to your website using search engine marketing and other inbound marketing techniques, convert that traffic to highly qualified leads and/or customers, and measure our successes so we can do it better the next time around.

Our strategy’s simple - It’s all in the execution.

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You’ve realized that the world is increasingly becoming more digital and you want in. Great! You know your domain best, so we’ll start by leveraging on your experience and assumptions and work from there.

Our iterative process ensures that we get results faster.

You’ve enjoyed moderate to great success offline, but in terms of digital marketing, you’ve only yet begun to scratch the surface (or haven’t even started!). You want to show your best face to your millions of potential customers out there through the web.

‘Icebergs’ are traditional bricks-and-mortar companies that:

have enjoyed moderate to great success offline and

understand that the web is an important part of their sales puzzle but

are still unsure what’s the best way to do so

and may or may not have an in-house marketing team.

A Cloudrock Ideal Fit – The Iceberg



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Yet Another Publication By:

Go Digital or Go Home

[email protected] e

t

w












http://www.cloudrock.asia/





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11 Ways to Turn Your Website Into Your Best Salesperson