Forum Moderators: buckworks
10 years in e-commerce, and looking, reading and trying to learn, have taught us a few things I'd like to share - maybe a lot of you can add to this list from your own experiences:
1. If at all possible, get your telephone number (and fax number) up on your web site - and probably on every page of your site. If it's a free-dial 1-800 number, so much the better.
For some web traders, particularly if you're small (trying to look big) and non-US based, having a number up on your site may be difficult. Try and get around the obstacles, because no contact number on a site definitely raises suspicion with some prospective clients (and often annoyance).
For non-US traders, maybe getting a US agent will be the answer to the telephone problem.
There are a group of wary consumers out there that just will not purchase from a web site that doesn't have all their contact details up there - and there is also a group of consumers that always want to talk with a human before purchase - no matter how clear and understandable your web site may be.
2. Consider getting a 'Trust Seal' for your web site - 'Trust-e.org', 'iacertified.com', 'BBBon-line' are a few - one may be suitable for you. There is a sizeable percentage of prospective customers that need just something to give them that extra bit of confidence in your operation, and things like a Trust Seal will help engender that confidence.
3. Get as many testimonials and references for your products/services as you can and somehow get them (aesthetically) up on your web site. If you can't do it yourself, pay someone a few bucks to turn the key new client list, or testimonials into a small attractive slideshow or flash movie. There are few things better than testimonials or a great client list to convince a prospective purchaser that they're actually missing out by not having your product!
4. If your product, or company, has won any awards then you need to tell the World - these are very much like testimonials - you need to maximize the benefits of them.
5. Get the book: "Don't Make me Think" by Steve Krug - read it cover-to-cover (only takes a day) and do so with every page of your web site in mind. If you finish the book and don't feel the need to make some changes on your web site, then you need to re-read it! Every web site can be improved - I'll say that again - every web site can be improved!
6. Are you just too close and connected to your web site to really objectively judge how good it is? Maybe it's actually not so good. Does it need a facelift? or maybe a complete makeover? Carefully review the opposition's web sites - look at all those that rate above you and around you in the search engine listings - is your web site the most attractive in the group? The most conducive to someone making a purchase? Would Steve Krug rate it the highest?
7. Do you list your prices - and list them clearly and all options in an unambiguous way? It never fails to amaze us that there are a lot of companies that want to sell their products on-line, but don't list the prices! We ALWAYS assume that's because the prices are waaay high, and they want you to call a sales rep - what other reason could there be? If you're such a company, then you need to re-think your strategy - you need to re-think your pricing, and make at least one pricing option attractive enough that you're eager to list it! If the pricing ain't there, and hitting me in the face, then I'm immediately suspicious, and I am always thinking "Expensive!". And if the reason you're trying to get me to speak with a sales rep is because your prices and options are just too complicated and exhaustive to list and display - then isn't that sufficient reason for you to sit back and re-think everything? One thing is certain though - I ain't going to call your sales rep!
8. Do you give customers the option (if appropriate for your product/market) of purchasing with a Purchase Order (PO) - for some clients, educational institutions for example, this is unfortunately the only purchase option.
9. Sign up with a site statistics analysis program, and learn what it is telling you about the visits to your site. One of the most recent (and free) applications comes from Google - Google Analytics. As with anything Google, it will be constantly improved. Look at such statistics as the 'bounce %' i.e. visitors that hit the home page and immediately leave, look at how many pages on average visitors view, and which page they leave the site mostly from.
The number goes through to my Mobile in the UK.
