Every business needs a reason why customers should buy from them instead of their competition. It doesn’t have to be anything grandiose, it just needs to matter to the customer.
Jessica Totillo, an eCommerce strategy expert, shares her wisdom and highlights seven ways that businesses can gain competitive advantage and increase conversion on eCommerce websites.
Jessica is working with and learning from the top experts in the digital marketing and eCommerce industry and loves working with female entrepreneurs and teaching the secrets of 7-figure eCommerce businesses
#1 Listen to Your Customer
We already have a lot of the data that we need. It's a matter of being aware and paying attention. What are your customers saying in their emails? Their product reviews? Social media? What are they asking when they contact customer services? What are they objecting to? What are they praising? What do you need to address? What do you need to celebrate?
Often we spend ages looking for that silver bullet and or the magic formula but really it can be something really simple. It comes down to what matters to your customer.
Determine what is important to your customer specifically and address it. Consider addressing it as part of your messaging or a new unique selling proposition and spend less time repeating the same message to each customer.
#2 Celebrate your smallness
So many other sites are likely selling the product you are selling but only you will know what’s different and unique about yours. It’s your story that people will relate to. Put as much of yourself into the business as you are comfortable with because people buy from people.
Being small you also have the added advantage of being more nimble and more able to pivot quickly. When you react quickly you can always be reaching customers where they are at.
#3 Pursue Social Proof
Create moments and opportunities for people to talk about you. When your customers are sharing their experience of your product and or service they are doing the marketing for you and helping you stand out from the competition.
#4 Get on Video
Bring your own personality out onto your website through video. Video is powerful because it very quickly grows like and trust with your potential customers.
Envelope your audience in the experience of your product because the biggest struggle with online shopping is the inability to touch and feel a product for yourself.
#5 Create Strong Product Descriptions
People consume information differently and so you have to create the same content in different mediums. For those who aren’t watching the videos, translate the content from the videos into the written word for your product descriptions.
#6 Don’t Neglect Photos
Website photos don’t have to be complicated and you don’t have to hire a professional photographer but they do require time and energy. Light, bright, well composed photos that have little or no distractions work best.
Think about the product itself. What is the right type of photo for the product you are selling. If you’re selling clothing, you'll need someone to model because people need to understand how it fits and how it moves. Make sure you get the details and all the right angles to best illustrate the product.
#7 Gain Customer Confidence
The barrier to entry of eCommerce is low and it's really easy for anyone to throw up a website. While people are more comfortable nowadays to shop online they are still wary of getting swindled. Your customers need to be confident that you are legit before they will buy from you.
The more you can put into a customer journey on your website the more your customers can trust you and be more willing to buy from you.
Takeaways
#1 Know your customer.
#2 There's mostly someone else out there who sells what you sell, but nobody else is you.
#3 Build trust in your customers by putting time and effort into factors like social proof, product reviews and content and videos that tell your story.
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