The year 2020 fast-tracked the shift from Physical to Digital at such a high speed that businesses even today are trying to find their winning combination to generate sales online.
A brand’s digital presence prior to 2020 was important but post-Covid has become critical for its success. As a business owner you may have created a website, a social media handle either on Facebook or Instagram or LinkedIn and you possibly are also running paid ads to attract leads or increase product sales. But yet, there are few unseen factors that your customers are accounting for before making the crucial, “Buy / No-Buy" decision.
Here are some facts and solutions to this very common issue that holds the power of making or breaking it all!
1. Social profiles
Your target audience won't be able to buy your goods or work with you if they are unaware of your existence. 60% of Instagram users claim to find new products on the app itself. Businesses with informative social media presence are more likely to be used by 63% of buyers who do online company searches. Social media activity reassures consumers that your company is legitimate and not a sham. The stats are mind-bending. I mean when I think of it, it concludes that effective marketing is no more an addition to any business, it’s the most important part of the big picture.
2. Social proof
Think of this as “Word of mouth”, where your happy customers are promoting your services for free and helping those who are on the edge to make a buying decision.
This involves demonstrating that many people have bought your product or service and support what you have to offer. Social proof works by leveraging our irresistible urge of humans to mimic others, fostering credibility and trust, and removing obstacles to online shopping.
This is why you may see companies being so upfront about getting feedback, presenting their testimonials, and focusing on generating good reviews. And it doesn’t stop there, you could smartly add social proof on your website too to give your target audience the confidence that it’s safe to do business with you.
The easiest places to gather reviews are Google My Business, Facebook, WhatsApp, DMs or you could get listed with sites such as Trustpilot or Clutch.
Businesses that focused on social proof 10 years back are thriving now! But it isn’t too late, as vital as the step is, it is as easy too!
3. Keep it Short
Make it easy for the customer to buy from you. Tell them about the problem you are solving, how others have benefitted, why should they buy the product/service from you and lastly as said in the 1972 classic movie “The Godfather”, Make them an offer they can’t refuse. Fluff-filled, pushy marketing material has grown old. If you are selling online, then be sure to be clear and precise. Keeping your website copy is essential. Customers entice less content rather than reading through an ocean of paragraphs about how great your product is. Give them evidence with an irresistible offer and optimize your website to make the purchase experience seamless.
For these exact reasons, a lot of businesses today are shifting from multi-page non-converting websites to high-converting e-page websites. One-page websites are popular and increasingly necessary for businesses of all sizes for the versatility the site offers for the business, use it as a profile page, use it in ads to push traffic to it, market it organically to your network or even plug in the link in your email marketing efforts.
Here’s a toolkit that you need to start with an effective marketing strategy, especially if you operate online:
- A sales-optimised one-page website that effectively conveys your message and has value for the viewer.
- Strategically planned social media handles to truly capture your target audience.
- A sales funnel that drives the customer to make small decisions and move them from awareness to action.
Bonus Tip
There is no “One Size Fits All” formula for selling online. So don’t get over-worked if you have not figured out your magic formula yet. The success of selling online is to first build the essential digital assets and then staying focused on growing those. Stay away from the “Shiny Objects”, there are quite a few out there. And when you need help, reach out to the experts, and invest in buying specialized services.
About the Author
Dharmesh Suryavanshi is the Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of Purview Digital, an agency that helps SMBs build and market online. Dharmesh has 21+ years of global experience working with some of the biggest Fortune 500 brands at leadership positions in Training, Business Management and Digital Consulting. He helps business owners to design the best-fit website and digital strategy to grow their business through online marketing channels.