E-Psychology: Increasing Your Sales On-Line

As any successful entrepreneur knows, there's more to generating on-line sales than owning a web site. To produce sales, your web presence must be effective, easy to navigate, and properly marketed ? all of which require a well-rounded understanding of your target client.

But how do we get inside the collective mind of our market? The key is psychology ? in this case, e-psychology ? or the science of understanding how consumers shop on-line. Understanding how consumers make the purchase decisions on-line will allow you to develop web site content that appeals to the maximum number of prospective clients.

World Wide Psychoanalysis

Internet advertising isn't the same as print advertising. Web surfers tend to read less on-line, instead using visuals such as photos, animation, and colorful graphics to gather information. From a development standpoint, this places an emphasis on site navigation and overall layout.

The motivations behind on-line purchase decisions differ from those generated by more familiar mediums. To achieve success, your on-line sales strategy must embrace these differences.

Let's begin by glancing at the web sites of your biggest competitors by sales volume. Chances are, the primary content is designed to accomplish three goals:

* Generate interest, usually by eliciting or identifying a need

* Convey the unique value of their specific product or service, and

* Promote a transaction.

To produce sales on-line, your web site must do more than serve as an information resource about your company. Your site must ask for the business. Each page of the web presence should lead to an action step promoting a sale or contact request.

On- or off-line, asking for the business is the only way to achieve any greater result than educating prospective clients about your industry and product or service.

Writing For The Web

The foundation of any purchase decision is the desire for a product or service, usually based on a pre-existing need or want. Selection of a specific product or service provider begins when a consumer identifies a company that offers a value most compatible with the consumer's perception of value.

Start by writing your web site's content to elicit the general value the product or service provides. Introduce solutions generated by having the product or service, based on the typical ultimate desires of the target market. For example, the benefits of developing a web site for a small business may include increased sales, expanded credibility, and a 24/7 on-line purchase option.

Next, build on this general foundation by introducing the features, benefits and value of your own company. Remember that surfers tend to do less reading on-line, so you'll need to accomplish a great deal in each line of text. Each sentence must:

* Convey the tangible and intangible value of your product or service

* Include key terms and phrases effectively describing your industry and products/services

* Promote prospect-to-client conversion

* "Hook" the surfer, encouraging further reading

Use plenty of bulleted lists to highlight information at a glance, making sure to limit the number of words used in each bullet. Regardless the space available or font size used, each highlight should not exceed one line of text.

Paragraphed text such as sales copy or product descriptions should be kept simplistic, yet appealing to the physical senses. How will your product or service enhance the individual's life? What are the most common benefits of your version that existing clients do not recognize until after purchasing the product or service?

Keep Your Prospects Focused

One of the primary reasons prospective clients do not proceed with a purchase is their own inner dialogue. Typically, consumers will continually try to talk themselves out of a purchase, until absolutely certain it is the best choice for their need. When the positive elements of an opportunity outweigh the negative feedback generated by inner dialogue, a purchase will result.

Therefore, it is important to keep your prospective clients focused on the features, benefits and value of your company through effective site content. If you are serious about developing a business that will control a measurable amount of market share, your products or services will reflect Unique Selling Points (USP) upon which your entire sales strategy will be founded. Integrating your USP into all aspects of your web presence will help to build and maintain a cohesive, positive focus on your products or services.

Closing the On-line Sale

A client isn't a client until after a purchase is completed. Bringing your prospect to the point of purchase isn't enough; a smooth, effective closing process is required to maximize the potential for on-line sales success.

An effective closing process must reassure the prospective client's decision to make a purchase before, during, and after a transaction. This can be achieved by:

* Offering visible customer support options throughout the purchase

* Employing a user-friendly shopping cart and multiple on-line payment methods

* Clearly explaining each step of the purchase process

* Providing immediate transaction confirmation by e-mail, telephone, or your web site

Each step of the sales process is an opportunity to develop trust between your company and a prospective client. Developing long-term relations remains the best way to build a faithful, strong client base that will remain loyal to your business.

The infinite potential for your success is dependant only on the satisfaction of your most recent client.

Jim D. Ray is a seasoned web developer and president of Web Presence, a national web design firm serving the small business market sector. To learn more, or for a free quote for your own web site, visit the Web Presence at http://www.web-presence.net.

---

8 Solid Reasons All Non-profits Need a Web Site

A nonprofit organization can take advantage of the Internet for... Read More

How To Profit Using Public Domain Works

The public domain is full of books, journals, literary works,... Read More

Success is a Process, Not an Event

We all need a little inspiration once in a while,... Read More

The 9 WORST Internet Marketing Mistakes

Have you ever wondered how can you possibly figure out... Read More

Learning the Value of an e-Business Website

Starting a business is a huge, but rewarding, task to... Read More

How To Be 100% Sure That Your New Product Is A Winner

Yes folks, there is a way of making absolutely certain-sure... Read More

Discover How To Find The Gold Online

Finding the GOLD!!!G'Day from the kitchen table of Scott WilsonTime... Read More

Using Autoresponders In Your Online Business

Autoresponders return previously stored messages or sets of messages in... Read More

Milk Your Winners, Drop Your Losers

In my previous article How To Be 100% Sure That... Read More

How to Make Money with Your Own Internet Business

Many people fail to realize how they can really make... Read More

X-Ray Specs, Turning 30 and Achieving Website Success

I was writing the final chapter of my book on... Read More

List Building Through Cooperative Partnerships....

This is a little tip I got from Alex Sampson,... Read More

Marketing Automation For Small Businesses And Web Entrepreneurs

Many Internet marketers wonder how they spend less time marketing... Read More

Internet Marketing: Dr. Robert Anthony Reveals How To Use Quantum Physics To Supercharge Success

What secret dreams do you have for your Internet marketing... Read More

Interactive Content ? Blogs, Forums, and Feedback ? What Does Your Web Site Need?

The business principle of continued contact and online relationship building... Read More

What You Wont Learn In Business School

What You Won't Learn in Business School----------------------------------------We all know the... Read More

Idiotic Marketers Who Waste Time Should be Shot

Ok, that's a little harsh for a title but you... Read More

Online Sales: 10 Heavy Duty Tactics To Sky-Rocket Your Online Sales

Here are the 10 heavy duty online sales tactics that... Read More

Hide and Seek

What's happening to the personal touch on the World Wide... Read More

Book Yourself Solid, 7 Keys To Getting More Clients Than You Can Handle Even If You Hate Marketing

If you haven't already heard the buzz, Michael Port is... Read More

Analyzing Website Traffic

Analyzing your web traffic statistics can be an invaluable tool... Read More

After Fifteen Years Or More Of Frustration With Internet Marketing, I Think Ive Found It!

Hello Internet junkies and friends,Did I mention my frustration with... Read More

Five Steps To Successful Web Marketing And Sales Process!

The basic principles used successfully by brick and mortar storefronts... Read More

An Introduction to Mortgage Marketing

The other day I had an appointment to meet with... Read More

3 Simple Steps To Get Free Original Content for Your Website

As a web business owner you will be well aware... Read More

Improving Your Conversion Reduces the Need to Constantly Promote Your Sites

I just got off the phone with Michael Fortin, one... Read More

Online Advertising for Dummies

Whether you are checking your email, shopping on a website... Read More

Internet Marketing On A Budget

Establishing a web presence on the internet is based on... Read More

Sales Training: How To Succeed Online By Networking Your Business

The backbone of business success is communication.And networking is one... Read More

Time Management And Organization For Online Marketers

TIME DEMON. For online marketers, time is one of their... Read More

Do You Know the 3 Key Strategies to Using Lead Capture Pages?

Leads are the Life Blood of any Online Home Based... Read More

How a Multi-Faceted Approach to Site Promotion Can Secure Your Search Engine Positions

Copyright 2005 Tinu AbayomiPaulIn my last article on site promotion,... Read More

10 Search Tips for Internet Marketers

From kids to the old, everybody searches and search engines... Read More