How to Convert Your Online Leads Into Sales

In Calgary’s tough economy these days, small businesses are having to become more and more creative, and more and more clever, at capturing online interest and turning those people into dedicated, long-term customers. And that’s exactly where we come in. At Emphasize Design, we stay ahead of the trends and are consistently researching, working, and testing to find the most effective way to convert leads and keep your business successful and growing.

Before you can convert leads, however, you must consider where your prospective client is in the sales funnel. Expecting a purchase before you properly present your business is a bit like asking your date for a good-night kiss right after you introduce yourselves to each other. Our inbound marketing approach funnels prospective customers through the sales process by attracting them (ethically) to your company’s website, converting them into leads, and then following up with a campaign to close the deal. So it’s important to realize that lead conversion doesn’t necessarily mean you have scored a sale. But it does mean that you and your prospective customer have decided that you like each other, that you have some things in common, and you’d like to get to know each other better.

Starting at the Beginning

You can’t convert leads without doing some serious legwork first. Before you can impress a prospect, you absolutely must have the foundation needed for a healthy small business already in place.

First up is brand awareness. Many people mistake their logo for their brand, but logos actually only comprise a small part of brands. Your brand is who you are and what you do, and you should be able to encapsulate that in just a few words. Think if Nike’s “Just do it” campaign. Just eight letters are able to denote the dedication required to be an athlete and how Nike can provide exactly what you need to get it done. If you don’t know what your brand is, take the time to have it fully defined before putting yourself out there.

Second is knowledge of your audience. If you don’t know whom you are trying to sell to, how can you do it effectively? Describe your ideal customer and then be sure to speak directly to them in your marketing materials.

Now that you are able to define who you are as well as whom you would like to know about your business you can get going on attracting customers to eventually convert leads. Use tools like keywords, social media, blogging, SEO, and online advertising to build business recognition online while also reinforcing your brand. Then entice people into staying in touch with your business by using the following tactics.

Keep following up. It has been said that it takes at least five different times of contact with a new business before a person will consider purchasing something. You can help expedite the process by following up on any and all inquiries, whether with a phone call or an email. A customer relationship management system is great for helping you keep track of who has been sniffing around your business and who needs to be contacted.
Provide something extra. We all like getting value for our money, and tend to return to the places where we think we are being provided a good deal. For first-time purchasers, offer a freebie or a discount to help sweeten the pot. A great tactic is to provide something useful and with your business’s name on it that will remind your new customer about their positive experience shopping with you.
Don’t forget a call-to-action. When you want to convert leads, a call-to-action (CTA) is imperative. When it comes to anything online, one of the worst things you can do is lead someone to a dead end. Visitors should be able to click through organically, with information about a product seamlessly leading them to where they can find out how to purchase it or learn more, and that is where CTAs come in. Your CTA should stand out from the rest of the page, so bolder, larger text and link buttons work well. Use simple, positive language that gets the reader excited about clicking through, and always put your offer in clear terms.

Keep Your Online Store Clean and Mean

The great thing about ecommerce is that your business is essentially open 24 hours a day. Good online stores all have a few things in common:

They provide plenty of photos of your products from all angles and in many sizes. Multi-media options like videos can be even better. Videos can be very good for showing exactly how a product works, and live chat is very helpful for those who have a question and want it answered immediately.
Offer detailed descriptions, but keep them clear and concise. Use short sentences and bullet points to make it easy on the reader.
Always make sure the user is aware where they are in their progress. It’s helpful to have the number of steps needed to complete a purchase and which step the user is at denoted loud and proud at the top of each page.
Make pricing clear and straightforward with no additional, unexpected charges. And, as mentioned earlier, a little gift from you is never a bad idea.
Make sure your website is fully responsive and viewable on all devices ― large and small.

Follow up with an email thanking your customer for their purchase and providing comprehensive shipping information so that they can track their delivery progress.

Let Us Guide You Through Creating a Solid Sales Funnel

At Emphasize Design, we provide the complete gamut of website marketing services, starting with your small business website design and taking you fully through attracting, converting and closing customers. Our expertise can even extend further, as our resources include all kinds of information, such as tips on knowing what to charge for your services and the steps to take to register and get your business started.