When it comes to your website, extra attention should be paid to every minute detail to make sure it performs optimally and serves its purpose. Here is the last of ten important rules of thumb to make sure your website performs well.
Make it easy for people to buy from your site
Convincing your prospects to purchase from your site is a difficult job, but you'll make the process twice as hard if your prospects don't know how to actually buy what you're selling. No matter how good you are at convincing your prospects to purchase your products or services instead of your competitors', they won't buy if they find the process cumbersome. It would be a waste of everyone's time if you sold hard and sold well to a prospect only to have something go wrong when he or she is ready to pay. Eliminate any chances of that to maximize your profits!
First of all, check that people can find your order form easily and hassle-free. If you can write a clear, concise paragraph to direct your prospects to your order form, you can minimize the chances of them getting lost. You can also reduce the chances of losing prospects by putting a prominent link to your order page or shopping cart from every page on your site. If you're selling multiple products via a shopping cart, make sure the “go to checkout” button is in the same place on every page.
Do you offer multiple payment options? Some people feel comfortable paying via PayPal, While others won't touch it. Some may only want to pay with their credit card and others might want to send a check or money order. Most online shoppers are comfortable paying by credit or debit card, but there are still people who don't want to part with their credit card number online. The more options you offer, the better your chances of covering your prospects' desired payment method.
You will also want to prove you are a credible merchant. Is your order form secured using encryption technology? You would want to look into getting a SSL certificate for this. They used to be really expensive, but the price is coming down all the time.
A money back guarantee will make people will feel confident about buying from you. The best kind of guarantee is a results based one. If you guarantee your product or service will do what the customer wants (or their money back) you're transferring all the risk from your customers' shoulders to your own. If you use a third party payment processor – like ClickBank, PayPal, or 2Checkout.com, the customer has someone else to complain to if they want their money back and you don't deliver. If you're a reputable merchant, your customer will never need to use this facility, but just like the airbag in your car, it's nice to have the extra reassurance of knowing it's there just in case.
How about after sales support? Who do they contact if they have problems after purchasing – and how? Having a help desk so that customers can contact you or your support team after purchase will lessen the likelihood of customers fearing they are going to be stuck with a “lemon”. Telephone support, where possible, is also a good idea. If most of your customers are from the same country as you, consider having a toll-free or local call rate phone line. Alternatively, a voice over Internet system like Skype can enable customers from all over the world to contact you for free.
Customer testimonials add credibility, and you should actively solicit them from everyone who makes a purchase. Send them an e-mail after they've had enough time to use your product or service properly, and offer them a thank-you gift for their time.
Above all else, make them feel safe about buying something from you, a total stranger on the other end of the Internet.
In conclusion, you want to make your visitor's visit as painless and enjoyable as possible. If you follow these ten golden rules, build on them, and take them to the next level, you'll come a long way towards achieving that.
