| Though it's wonderful to get all those hits to your | | | | over and over again.While a good FAQ is a great |
| e-commerce web site, hits don't mean much unless | | | | time-saver for the person who has to answer those |
| you convert them into sales. This is especially true if | | | | questions, it also gives site users the impression that |
| you are paying for, and not converting, clicks.If your | | | | your site is well-thought-out, that you care about |
| website is suffering from the "Conversion Rate | | | | their questions and will take time to answer them |
| Blues", consider the following steps for improving | | | | thoroughly. You can build trust in your website by |
| sales and ultimately, profits:1. Make sure your website | | | | having relevant product-related content throughout |
| is optimized to attract people with the highest | | | | the site as well, but there's nothing like a well-planned |
| potential to buyWhen I first designed my log | | | | FAQ to assist in answering questions.4. Make Your |
| furniture website, Log Cabin Rustics, I unwittingly | | | | Shopping Cart Easy to UseI've had a little trouble |
| targeted an audience that wasn't the perfect one for | | | | with my shopping cart from time to time. It seems |
| my site. As things turned out, I didn't even rank for | | | | that if I modify the header for my site, and put in a |
| my two top key phrases, log furniture and log beds, | | | | link that says "http:" instead of "https:", the secure |
| in the search engines. I managed to get pretty high | | | | part of my shopping cart pops up an error message |
| on the scale, however, for log cabin related | | | | with every click of the mouse. Take it from the |
| searches.People who build log cabins are a target | | | | voice of experience-this is not conducive to sales.If |
| market of mine, since many of them eventually | | | | your sales are clicking right along, then suddenly drop |
| purchase log furniture to go with their home. The | | | | into the abyss, it's a good idea to go out and place a |
| most likely immediate customers, however, are those | | | | test order. I'm embarrassed to say that in my |
| who actually searched for the term "log furniture" | | | | busy-ness, I've had to have a customer inform me |
| rather than "log cabin". When I re-optimized my site | | | | of how very difficult it was for them to place an |
| for the search terms I thought would bring the | | | | order. Upon investigation, I have found several times |
| highest conversion rate, visitors to my site were | | | | that something had gone wrong on my site.In |
| more likely to buy because my site was selling what | | | | addition to making sure your shopping cart is fully |
| they were searching for. My efforts paid off, when | | | | functional and doesn't return error messages, it pays |
| my conversion rate (and sales) doubled in the month | | | | to have a shopping cart that is easy to use. I am not |
| or two following my changes.2. Add a personal, | | | | an affiliate for Clickbank, but whenever I buy an |
| trustworthy touch to your siteI don't personally care | | | | e-book from someone who is using their service, I |
| to have my picture posted on the front of my | | | | am always impressed with how smooth and quick |
| website, although many people do. I do have my | | | | the online transaction is. There have been other |
| name prominently on the site, together with | | | | times when I really wanted to purchase something, |
| information about why I sell log furniture and my | | | | but some little glitch in the shopping cart wouldn't let |
| business background as a CPA. I have found that a | | | | me proceed with the order, and nearly drove me to |
| personal touch goes a long way towards selling log | | | | distraction. As a customer I always think to myself, |
| furniture. Many of my customers spend $2,000, | | | | "if these people can't get their website to work, how |
| $3,000 or even $4,000 on their log furniture order, | | | | do I know they can ship me an order?" |
| and some of them have waited years to get the | | | | As a webmaster or mistress, you certainly don't |
| furniture they want.They didn't find what they | | | | want to be on the receiving end of such |
| wanted in their local area (they must not have many | | | | thoughts-and you can prevent it by making sure your |
| white cedar trees in Texas), but they found it on my | | | | website shopping cart is easy to use, and testing it |
| site. There's just one problem, however. They wish | | | | every now and again to make sure it's working |
| they could touch the furniture, slide the drawers in | | | | properly.5. Give Free Shipping or Make a special |
| and out, look for drips in the finish, and generally | | | | offerThis might seem like a no-brainer, but it really |
| evaluate the quality before the drop that kind of | | | | does work. I used to give away a free rocking chair |
| money. I have had people drive 4-6 hours on more | | | | to anyone who bought a suite of log bedroom |
| than one occasion for that very reason, and frankly, | | | | furniture, and you'd be surprised how many |
| I don't blame them. I'm pretty picky about my | | | | customers I had say to me "I just love the idea of |
| furniture too. | | | | getting something free!" At the moment, I give a 5% |
| This is where I can help my customers. I use | | | | discount for the purchase of multiple items. That |
| primarily local suppliers, and finished furniture that I sell | | | | might not sound like much, but its $100 on a $2000 |
| is finished right in our building. I can and do inspect | | | | order and many people are glad to have it. |
| much of the furniture before it goes out. Our finishing | | | | I also include free shipping in the continental 48 |
| department does a pretty good job, but if I see | | | | states. This makes it much easier for people to know |
| something I don't like, I have them sand it down and | | | | the exact cost of the furniture. I used to have |
| get it right.Some people I sell furniture to place their | | | | people people contact me to see how much shipping |
| order online or with one phone call, but many of | | | | would be, then I would estimate the cost of the |
| them talk to me several times before they place | | | | furniture they wanted, contact several freight |
| their order. They start to feel like they know me, | | | | companies for a quote, re-contact the customer, etc. |
| and I start to feel like they are my friends. The last | | | | Free shipping makes everything so much easier, and |
| thing I want to do is ship a suite of log furniture from | | | | it really seems to appeal to my customers too.In |
| Michigan to Caifornia and have it come back because | | | | conclusionI'm sure there are other quality ways to |
| the customer isn't happy. And I don't want to let | | | | build people's confidence in your site-thereby |
| down my friends. When customers understand this, | | | | increasing both conversion rate and sales. Some of |
| they trust me to deliver what my site promises, and | | | | my friends have Better Business Bureau seal on their |
| that translates into sales.There are many ways you | | | | sites, or participate in BizRate or other rating services. |
| can build trust in your website. When I realized my | | | | I haven't tried any of these yet, so I can't speak for |
| conversion rate was not what it could or should be, I | | | | them. But I have learned from experience that |
| went out and researched the topic on the web. By | | | | people want to know you are a real person with a |
| reading a number of SEO articles on the topic, I | | | | real business. They want to know that you care |
| came up with a checklist of things to do on my site. | | | | enough to answer their questions, they want a |
| My list included:- giving name and contact information | | | | smooth shopping process, and they really do like |
| for the owner of the site- telling a personal history of | | | | special offers.In these days of security breaches and |
| the business- showing pictures of your factory, | | | | privacy concerns, many customers will need extra |
| office, semi-truck or anything else that makes your | | | | reassurance about the care you take in such matters. |
| business real. If possible, give an online office or | | | | You can accomplish much in that direction by spelling |
| factory tour.- getting a secure security certificate and | | | | out company policies on your site.If you think the |
| posting it on your site, and- posting a privacy policy, | | | | conversion rate on your site could be better, why |
| warranty information, and product testimonials3. | | | | not make a to-do list of items mentioned in this |
| Include a detailed FAQ on your siteA detailed FAQ | | | | article that might not be all they could be on your |
| that answers just about every conceivable question | | | | site. And oh yes, if you have a website selling |
| can do much to improve customer confidence in your | | | | "widgets" but the only people finding your site are |
| site. Many people are quite methodical in their product | | | | those who are searching for "bridges", you really |
| research. They may be looking at my site at 3 in the | | | | should change your keywords.Cari Haus has been |
| morning, have a question, and want an answer NOW. | | | | successfully selling rustic log furniture and log beds on |
| Otherwise they will migrate on to a competitor who | | | | the Internet since 1997.Copyright 2003 by Cari Haus, |
| has both the information and product they are | | | | website is granted to reprint this article, either online |
| looking for.I am continually tracking the questions | | | | or in written publications, as long as the copyright |
| people ask and modifying my site to make sure it | | | | information, this paragraph, and a link address or a |
| answers those questions. That way people can get | | | | link to the Log Cabin Rustics website is attached at |
| answers to the most common questions right away, | | | | the end of the article. |
| and I don't spend time answering the same questions | | | | |