eCommerce Conversion Funnel Basics
A marketing funnel is a concept designed to take an unknown customer to a purchasing customer in a short span of time. It's really a marvel of modern psychological understanding and that’s how you need to approach it. You’re trying to understand what customers are thinking, what their needs are, how you can show them you’re the one who will fulfill those needs, and then satisfying their trust in you. The conversion process is the toughest of all and it can feel like a tug of war. Here’s how you can prevent ecommerce leads from escaping the conversion funnel and achieve a higher success rate.
Pulling them in
Start off by researching buyer personas. This will entail formulating a picture of various customers, from different backgrounds, salaries, purchasing habits, etc. After you have understood the various types of customer that is more likely to shop in the industry and field you operate in, your goal is to make a first impression. The way you present your brand is the lasting way in which it will be perceived.
Brand awareness
The most popular techniques for raising brand awareness are using email campaigns, social media marketing, direct or paid media such as newspaper and magazine placements, and SEO.
One of, if not, the most powerful marketing tool for brand awareness is high-quality blog content. Let’s face it, you can’t explain who you are, what you do best, and how you’re going to improve the future of customers in a social media post. You need to write relevant, detailed, and valuable posts on your business blog, using modern SEO techniques to drive traffic to your website.
Interaction
Engage with people on social media, by taking the time to reply to comments and using hashtags. Send out promotional emails with discounts, sales as well as review feedback options. Allow customers to leave comments and rate products. You should take full advantage of live streaming platforms like YouTube and Twitter, to show your face and have Q&A sessions.
The moment of truth
The ecommerce conversion zone can be daunting but if you are focussed on your call-to-action (CTA), you will stand a higher chance of reducing cart abandonment and customer hesitation. Make the purchasing process simple, with a few steps to the end as possible. You should also have fantastic catalog optimization so your customers can find specific products quickly. You should have a live chat feature, so your customer's service workers can answer any final questions customers have left.
The pot of gold
When you have converted a customer, you should show them the pot of gold at the end of their journey. This can come in many forms but it should be done in the way of special promotions, offering them product review and feedback opportunities and doing things like sending them a virtual greetings card on their birthday, coupled with access to an exclusive sale. It's 2020, you need to have a customer loyalty program. This is one of the best ways to retain and reward customers for shopping with you.