Since COVID - 19 has made online shopping even more popular than ever, it's now a critical moment for small businesses to do a site audit of their business website to fill in any potential gaps so that sales potential increases for each visitor!
When we’re online shopping we make decisions based more on emotion and less on logic. As in "Buying this pair of shoes will make me feel better and get me out of my funk" rather than "I literally have no shoes and right now purchasing footwear is an actual necessity." Emotion is what drives purchasing behaviour.
If you are promoting the literal best product ever sold in your store or on your website with all the facts proving why it's useful but it evokes no emotion for onlookers it may very well fall flat. Consumers are less likely to buy it despite its fact based greatness because they have no connection to it. However, if you promote it as a LIFE ALTERING, GAME CHANGING product that is actually a wise investment you'll peak a lot of interest.. NB: **I'm not saying to make inaccurate claims** - I'm saying a product that tells me it 'promotes stress relief' because of its natural organic ingredients will grab my attention without promising me stress relief. You've effectively triggered a word attached to an emotion - stress - and told me that this fancy oil *may* help me reduce said stress! Factually, it's all debatable and results may vary no matter what you are selling, but the point is that your web design including layout and copy has to give visitors a sense that they will be better off making the purchase than if they don't.
Here's some quick ideas on how to provide an experience for your visitors and increase sales!
Words Matter:
• Using copy that evokes emotion
• Focus on savings & benefits
• Pay attention to using percentage discounts over dollars and vice versa (which will your customers respond to more? A 5% discount (that's not a lot) or Savings of $10?
• If you have a charitable component to every purchase make that known! Example: If shopping at your business means every $5 I spend will mean $1 goes to a charity tell me that but less in factual speak and more in emotional speak that makes me feel like a hero for shopping with you
Is everything where it needs to be?
• Make sure everything is where we’ve come to expect it to be. Example:
• Cart is at the top right corner
• Announcement bar has the minimum spend for free shipping
• Add to cart/call to action is easy to locate & see
In short, help your customers help you by making your website easy, comfortable and inviting while creating a sense of welcome and you'll see great results!