One of the gloomy consequences of the present economic climate is seeing high streets a little emptier, as shopper footfall reduces and struggling shops close down. Online stores, however, are not being hit quite so hard, and online sales continue to rise, albeit not at as fast a pace as previously witnessed.
Understandably, consumers are tightening their belts and correctly associating internet shopping with experiencing savings on their purchases. Add to this the increasing popularity of engaging consumers via various social media sites and you might be forgiven for thinking the opportunity for online stores has never been better. So how can etailers gear their sales techniques to appeal to shoppers' present mind-set?
10 Sales Tips to Appeal to Today's Shoppers
When price is not so much of an issue, consumers are more likely to be motivated emotionally when making purchases. Today, however, as shoppers are more inclined to count the pennies, logic and an eye for a good deal can be a greater buying motivation.
Following are 10 simple tactics. Although many of them may not be new to you, they are a timely reminder if you are not currently implementing them as you look to hone your selling techniques.
1. Be Creative with Bargain Offers
Look around for inspiration, then put your own personal slant on it. Focus on what you do best and turn it to your advantage.
2. Don't Seem Desperate
B.O.G.O.F.s, discounts and free gifts can all be great buying incentives – but remember to focus on delivering value. Depart too much from your USP and you can lose your advantage.
3. Point Out the Savings
Don't be shy. If you are providing significant savings and value, let people know it, in the simplest terms.
4. Run Competitions
Online competitions are a great way to spread the word about your store. Be creative and remember, the more value attached to the prize, the greater your competition's exposure is likely to be.
5. Offer Gift Coupons and Gift Wrapping
Shopping coupons make excellent gifts, and can be administered just as easily as from off-line stores. Gift wrapping is another great opportunity to provide added value.
6. Offer Free Shipping
Shop around; there will be a number of couriers vying for your business. You might find you can afford to provide free shipping on orders over a certain amount.
7. Keep Shoppers in the Sales Funnel
Make sure your shoppers are one click away from viewing your products from anywhere on your site. Once they have added products to their basket, keep the checkout button easily accessible.
8. Cross-Sell and Up-Sell
The Amazons of this world have been doing this for a long time, for one simple reason: it works. This approach gives the shopper a sense of importance (as you have taken interest in their selection) and encourages more sales.
9. Be Sociable – Be Yourself
Social networking continues to grow in popularity. Increasingly, shoppers are engaging with etailers before spending their hard-earned cash. See it as an opportunity to win one over on the faceless multi-nationals.
10. Become an Email Marketing Expert
If you are not staying in touch with customers by email, you are probably missing out on repeat sales. Your email newsletter enables you to extend your customer relationships beyond a one-off sale.
Selling online does not carry the same overheads that can cripple brick-and-mortar businesses in a downturn, but with increased opportunities comes increased competition, making it more important to adopt the best selling techniques in order to stand out from the crowd. If you would like help improving your ecommerce site, contact us.
