I can’t tell you how much time I’ve invested in researching ways to increase my sales online, and I’m sure the day that I stop is very distant in the future. With the way the internet has evolved and the ways it’s being used and viewed, you have to invest the time to stay informed, otherwise you’ll fall behind and someone else will make the sales.
Sales isn’t a difficult thing to master. It’s all about capturing the attention of the potential buyer, at the right place and the right time, with the right product. In today’s market, most of those moments happen on a mobile device and don’t last very long…but if your ducks are in a row, you’ll come out on top. For more information, you can Read more about micro-moments.
With that said, on with the show.
3 Things You Absolutely Must Do to Increase Your Sales Online
Capture Emails
Just as plain as that. If you want to drastically improve your sales online, you have to get into some sort of email marketing to two groups:
- Your Existing or Past Customers
- Your Future Customers
From my experience, if someone has already purchased a product from you, chances are, they’re likely to purchase from you again if you’ll just show them where to go and what to buy. People tend to shop in the same places…especially online. They create patterns. I always go back to the same sellers on Amazon, because I know the last product I received from them was exactly what I wanted. So create an email list which periodically follows up with you previous customers. Stay in contact and show them what you have in your inventory.
And I think it’s pretty obvious why you should capture emails from future customers. It works the same way. Stay in contact with your website visitors. Host a giveaway for subscribing to your newsletter and then keep them on the drip (periodic emails).
Utilize eCommerce Sites with High Traffic
There are several major websites that allow you to become a seller and sell your product to their audience….in exchange for a portion of your profits, of course. If your own website isn’t performing so well currently, they seek out other sites that have the traffic that your site doesn’t. Examples of some of the common ones are Groupon.com, Jane.com and similar sites. You might even find blogs with similar interests and offer to place an ad or two on their website to drive traffic to yours.
Try Something New Occasionally, Such as Texts/SMS Messages
Lately I’ve been getting a bunch of spam texts related to student debt relief. They’ll try to sell me on the fact that I’ve already been forgiven of my debt, or that my paperwork just came across their desk, and that they just need a few more details from me in order to close the deal.
Well, first off, I have no student debt and second, I didn’t ever give my phone number to any kind of debt relief agency. So their sales tactic was extremely spammy and less effective.
You have to think about it though. Text messages are read almost immediately after they’re sent. That’s quicker than email and more effective than an ad placed on a website somewhere. If you can capture cell phone numbers, just as you would an email address, you would have some amazing selling power at your finger tips. You now have a targeted audience base who will, on average, absolutely read your message almost immediately after you send it.
It doesn’t get any better than that.
So to wrap things up…I know these aren’t new marketing ideas, but they’re definitely in the top three and are extremely effective ways to increase your sales immediately, and long term.
If you’d replace one of these with another method, I’d love to hear it. Leave a comment below and state your opinion!
David Allred is the author and creator of CFW. David has been teaching entrepreneur minded people how to earn a full time income working from the comfort of home for nearly a decade.
Think about it. Never miss your kids’ events, set your own schedule, choose your own income and enjoy a lifestyle and income which most people only drool over!
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