This is for you, E-commerce people!

So now that every plan you had for 2020 has had to be completely adjusted, and the initial fears of uncertainty are starting to diminish, let’s take a look at your strategy.

Let’s get back to the basics. As I mentioned in my last article, the first thing we should always do is understand our target audience. Who is your target audience? Define what that means. Your product could have SEVERAL targets, or limited to a small collective, but you MUST identify who they are. After we define our audiences, now we research. You are not doing yourself any favors just building your online store and running ads, without doing your diligence and research. What do they respond well to? How can they identify with your product(s.) A well converting funnel must appeal from entry to post purchase, to your audience.

Here are a few tips:

1. Invest in a heatmap

2. Once your site is live, do user testing

3. Read your data (regularly)

4. Check out your competitors

5. Be sure your message is clear and consistent (What are the benefits, what “problem” does your product solve)

6. With well over 85% of traffic being mobile, invest in the mobile version of your website

7. Get reviews! Social proof is one of your greatest assets!

8. How does your imagery appeal to your target audience?

9. Font, font size, and placement of CTA’s make a bigger impact than you realize

10. Build trust, be open with product expectations or any guarantees you have

One thing you should remember is that your audience doesn’t stay stagnant, so neither should your site. Don’t be afraid to re-evaluate and make changes. There are TONS of plug-ins , widgets, customer support tools, etc, that are being developed daily. Be on the lookout for solutions that can help deliver the experience your users are looking for. Often times, I talk to store owners and they say the words “I want my website to look like....” or “I want for my brand to ...” Your focus should ALWAYS be on what your users want and need. Sure, you can have some input on the design look and feel. The reality is, you built your online store to makes sales and generate revenue, not just to look pretty.

This brings me to my next point, part of making changes to your site means doing your diligence in understanding your data. You should never make a change to your site without asking yourself “Why.” Why am I making this change? Why is this change necessary? Why this change over other changes? There are a ton of “why’s.” Be sure your plan is well thought out and not just because you like the idea. If you have the traffic, invest in an A/B testing tool and hire an agency that specializes in testing. You wont regret it, I can assure you that! In my opinion, it’s one of the MOST useful and underrated resources out there. Once you start testing, you won’t want to stop, so long as, you go into it with an open mind. If you don’t have the traffic, then leverage your resources you have set up, and monitor your data regularly. Hire an expert to give you a fresh set of eyes and to help come up with a strategic plan. It’s okay to not “know it all.” There are so many people out there who spend their lives learning new technologies and industry trends. I talk to a TON of business owners that are scared to make that investment because they feel the cost could be applied elsewhere. In theory, they’re not wrong. The cost could be applied elsewhere, but what they miss out on could cost them more in the long run.

No matter if you‘re doing $1M or more in sales per year, or are just starting out, it’s always smart to re-evaluate your user wants and needs. Next time, I’ll discuss in more detail specific pieces of your sales funnel and how to maximize their potential.

Thanks, Elizabeth