TIPS TO THRIVE IN ECOMMERCE

INTRODUCTION

We love ecommerce! And better yet, we love helping people like you sell stuff!

In this free guide, we offer 21 tips we truly believe will make a difference in your

ecommerce business. We’ve covered everything from passion to quality, customers

and honesty, to social media and selling. It’s our hope this ebook inspires at least

one great idea you can use in your business today.

From all of us at AmeriCommerce, thank you!

BELIEVE IN YOUR PRODUCT

There’s no greater ingredient to sales success than simple PASSION. Love what you’re doing, love the product you’re selling and success won’t be far behind.

Your conviction and belief in the sheer awesomeness of your product will always shine through like a beacon!

“For every sale you miss because you’re too enthusiastic, you will miss a hundred because you’re not enthusiastic enough.”– Zig Ziglar

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• Do you believe in all the products you’re selling?

• Make sure you only recruit people who have a genuine passion for your brand and products

• Look over your copy and ensure that this passion comes across in every word

• Make sure every customer touch-point refl ects just how much you care!

Why? Because passion is infectious!

1

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• Can you sum up your products’ key selling points in 30-60 seconds? If not, rehearse it until you can!

• Is your marketing copy too long and wordy? Can it be shortened?

Why? Because your audience hasa limited attention span!

Whether you choose to sell online, face-to-face or over the phone, one thing always rings true; your potential customer has a surplus of stuff to do, and a limited amount of time.

Work hard on being able to sell your product’s key benefi ts as quickly, clearly and simply as possible and you’ll fi nd your message sinks in much better.

2

DON’T WASTE WORDS

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• Make sure important information such as your shipping and returns policies are clearly presented, and can be located easily.

• Make sure your marketing copy and product descriptions are clear and truthful.

• Ensure you and your team answer any customer enquiries with total honesty.

Why? Because getting a sale under false pretences isn’t worth the long-term damage to your brand!

If you’ve ever found yourself on the ‘wrong side’ of a deal, you’ll know how darn frustrating it is. The fi rst thing you do is promise you’ll never buy from that person or company again; the second thing is to tell 10 of your friends to make sure they don’t make the same mistake. Honesty and clarity builds trust – and that increases the likelihood of customers wanting to buy from you.

3

BE HONEST AND CLEAR

UNDER PROMISE OVER DELIVER

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• Are you promising delivery dates tocustomers? Can you hit them every time?

• Are you doing enough to make it up when you disappoint your customers?

• Do you have structures in place to ensure customer promises are always noted and followed through?

• Are you managing expectations properly?

Why? Because false promises are the quickest way to undermine your brand’s trustworthiness… and nice surprises are more welcome than nasty ones!

If you’re serious about building a loyal and passionate customer-base, you simply cannot aff ord to let them down. It’s vital that you do what you say you’ll do, every time.

Sure, you may lose a few sales to competitors who promise the world…but you can be sure that, when their fantastical promises go undelivered, customers will always come back to you.

And they’ll respect you all the more for your honesty.

4

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• How simple is your buying process?

• Do customers understand it?

• Could it be easier?

• Could there be less clicks involved?

Why? Because if you don’t, your competitor will!

However great the product is, if your process is diffi cult and long-winded, there’s always a risk that your customer will look elsewhere. Spending their hard-earned dough is enough to ask, without expecting them to jump through hoops for the privilege.

Forget about ‘Click here to learn more’ – and start thinking ‘Click here to buy now.’ Increasingly, you need to reduce the layers between your customers’ arrival on-site and their purchase. This means they’re less likely to get cold feet, get distracted or change their mind.

5

MAKE BUYING EASY

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• Are you following up all your customers to ask how their experience was?

• Could you run a survey on your website or social media?

• Make sure you act on any feedback you do receive.

Why? Because honest, impartial opinions help you improve…and customers love to feel valued!

Sometimes, you’re in so deep that a fresh opinion can really help. And who better to provide a new outlook than your customer?

You can guarantee they’ll be totally honest and impartial, generating a ton of new ideas to help you improve your service. But asking questions also tells your customers that you really value their opinion. It’s a win-win situation!

“Most people think ‘selling’ is the same as ‘talking.’ But the most eff ective salespeople know that listening is the most important part of their job.”– Roy Bartell

6

ASK QUESTIONS

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• Make sure the people who look after your customer service channels are well-versed in this golden rule

• Anticipate frequently asked questions and make sure, where possible, you have the answers.

Why? Because, long-term, it’s better to be ‘uncertain’ than ‘wrong!’

As much of an expert as you may be, sometimes your customer will ask a question you don’t have the answer to. The temptation in this situation will often be to guess, or assume. However, as always, honesty is usually the best policy.

Take the time to fi nd out the answer and call the customer back later, or simply tell them that’s something you’re not sure about. You can guarantee that’s less likely to irritate them than if you take a stab in the dark and wind up being wrong!

7

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE ANSWER DON’T GUESS

When you’re doing a great job, it’s all too easy to give yourself a big ol’ pat on the back, and start to rest on your laurels.

The thing is, selling is a competitive business. You can guarantee the guys behind you are chasing ever harder to try and catch you up. This means you need to keep up the pace, keep improving and keep learning.

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• What more can you do to make life even better for your customers?

• Are you capitalizing on every opportunity you’re given?

Why? Because complacency leads to mediocrity!

8

NEVER STOP LEARNING & IMPROVING

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• Do you have a blog? Are you updating it regularly with featured products and expert opinion?

• Are you engaging with fans on social media?

• Could you create bigger pieces of content – e-books, articles and infographics?

Why? Because it’ll help direct traffi c to your website, and develop an authoritative, expert voice for your brand

Content marketing is all the rage these days, and harnessing its power can unlock tons of awesome benefi ts.

Creating great content – blogs, articles, e-books, infographics and more – can enhance the experience of your existing customer base, and draw new customers to your business as they discover your content via search engines and social media.

9

PRODUCE GREAT CONTENT

You have a lot to thank your customers for – but how often do you actually tell them? Saying ‘thanks’ doesn’t have to cost the earth. Simple, inexpensive stuff like a hand-written thank you note with their order lets your customer know exactly how much you appreciate their business, costing you next to nothing. You could also consider starting a loyalty scheme or sending them a free gift.

It’s pretty obvious that customers are much more likely to come back and shop with you again if they know how much you appreciate their custom!

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• Why not set up a loyalty scheme to reward loyal customers?

• Send hand-written notes with customer orders

• Send your valued customers a free gift

• Give them an unexpected reward at the checkout – free shipping or a discount.

Why? Because it makes your customer feel special, builds your relationship – and makes you feel good, too!

10

NEVER FORGET TO SAY THANK YOU

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• Identify your key customers and consider what extra stuff you can do for them – send them a birthday card, a hand-written note, or a free gift

• Consider setting up a referral scheme to reward people who spread the word about your brand

• Use your social media channels to build up conversation and relationships with yourcustomers.

Why? Because holding onto existing customers is much easier – and more fruitful – than going out and fi nding new ones!

Repeat business is, by defi nition, a more reliable and consistent source of income. But more than this, if people love doing business with you, they’re much more likely to recommend your services to their friends, families and colleagues.

This is a level of marketing money can’t buy. A 2011 survey showed that, despite American businesses spending over $200 billion per year on advertising, only 4% of Americans actually trust advertising the most as a source for product or service information. 83% preferred to trust recommendations from people they actually know.

So, rather than spending that money on advertising, why not focus your resources on strengthening relationships with some of your key clients?

11

BUILD MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS

Social media, CRM and direct mail all off er you a great way to keep in touch with your audience. Your database is probably jam-packed with people who are keen to know more about your product or service. You’d be crazy not to use it!

Make sure you keep in touch with your database, but equally, make sure you’re sending high quality, interesting and engaging content.

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• Send out an e-mail newsletter

• Communicate with your fans on social media with fun, interesting content.

Why? Because customers like to receive relevant, interesting content - and sending it makes sure they don’t forget about you!

12

KEEP IN TOUCH

Sometimes, you have to give a little to get a little! Stuff like Free Shipping and Discount Codes may take a little off your bottom line, but they’re also an awesome way to build more traffi c to your store, reward your customers and push those transactions over the fi nish line.

This can make a huge diff erence. Studies have shown that 80% of customers would be more likely to purchase products online if they were off ered free shipping.

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• Set up a discount code or off er free shipping.

• Include an extra item in their package as a gift or a token of your appreciation.

Why? Because this can bring new customers to your business, and convert some of your ‘lurkers’ into customers!

13

GIVE A LITTLE EXTRA

Did you ever buy something online, and then…nothing? No guidance on when to expect your delivery, no updates on its progress, in fact, nothing but radio silence?

There’s nothing more annoying than having to chase up orders you’ve placed, but so many businesses still put their customers through this.

Make sure they’re not one of them by having a structure in place that keeps them right up to date. And if there’s a problem with the order, be proactive and make contact before your customer contacts you!

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• Does your checkout screen tell your customer what the next step is, and when to expect it?

• Do you have a process in place to spot any errors with orders and pro-actively contact the customers who are aff ected?

• Include email automation for settingexpectations after the order’s placed, when the order ships, and a week after the order was made.

Why? Because they just gave you their money…this is only the beginning!

14

ALWAYS TELL YOUR CUSTOMER WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT

If you’re selling face-to-face, it’s always a good idea to make an eff ort to look your best. Turning up wearing sneakers and dirty t-shirts is hardly a recipe for sales success, however awesome your product!

It’s no diff erent with ecommerce – it’s really important that your store looks smart, professional and sleek. Store design is a huge deal and it’s important to create something that looks attractive and represents your brand well.

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• Does your store design look as awesome as it should?

• Make use of responsive design for tablet and mobile friendly viewing of your store.

Why? Because appearances do count for a lot!

15

MAKE SURE YOU LOOK YOUR BEST

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• Does your store suggest products based on shopper behavior?

• Consider a ‘best sellers’ or ‘popular products’ list.

Why? Because understanding your customer better means you can be tailored with your suggestions – and this is incredibly persuasive!

The power of suggestive selling has been well documented over the years…and, with the increasing level of technology involved in ecommerce, there are amazing opportunities to suggest products customers REALLY love. It’s great for everyone!

Consider whether you have the technology to up-sell and suggest products to your shoppers easily, and based on their behavior. If not, head straight to step 20!

16

KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER AND SUGGEST SIMILAR PRODUCTS

Modern ecommerce success is about being everywhere.

Wherever your customers are, you need to be there, like a shining beacon of awesomeness.

Increasingly, people are fi nding products on social networks and your success depends upon whether or not you can get your products in front of them, wherever they may be!

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• How much of your traffi c is coming through social networks? Could it be more?

• Are you set up so that customers can complete full transactions through Facebook, Twitter and elsewhere?

• Is your site optimized for mobile shopping?

• Are you sharing discounts, promotions, or even ‘add-to-cart’ links to drive sales?

Why? Because ‘Build it and they will come…’ doesn’t apply anymore (except in ‘Field of Dreams’)!

17

EMBRACE THE POWER OF SOCIAL SHOPPING

However good your store is, it’s likely that some customers will just get itchy feet and move on without making a purchase.

The thing is, abandoned carts still represent an opportunity. Reaching out to customers and making an eff ort to understand what caused them to back out of their purchase can help you off er an incentive and ensure they eventually buy your products.

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• Are you contacting customers withabandoned checkouts to try and win them back?

Why? Because abandoned carts can still lead to sales opportunities!

18

UNDERSTAND WHY CUSTOMERS DON’T BUY AND ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS

It’s important to be available to support your customers at every step in the shopping process. Of course, in a bricks-and-mortar store, you could approach your customer personally and ask if they need any help – pretty standard practice.

But there are still online stores out there which don’t off er this kind of support to shoppers. If a customer is unable to fi nd the answers they’re looking for, they’re not likely to stick around for long, whereas, if you’re available to answer any questions they may have, you can ensure they’re converted into happy customers – and they’re more likely to get a product that’s well-suited to their needs!

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• Could you set up a live chat service to help your customers in real time?

• Are you available to help customers via e-mail and phone?

Why? Because it helps turn curious shoppers into happy buyers, and increases the likelihood of them getting a product they love!

19

SUPPORT YOUR CUSTOMERS THROUGH THE PROCESS

In any sales environment, it’s important that customers feel confi dent before they hand over their hard-earned cash. They need to trust you, trust the product, and be sure that important stuff like their data is protected.

By showcasing previous happy customers, displaying security seals and inviting the unbiased opinions of other customers, you can really help boost your visitors confi dence, and make them feel more comfortable spending their money with you.

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• Include testimonials so visitors can see how happy you make your customers

• Showcase product reviews so that shoppers can get an impartial opinion before they buy.

• Make sure you display security seals so your customers know their data is safe

• Make sure your contact information is clearly presented and off er plenty of support such as live chat functionality.

Why? Because confi dence is a vital part of the customer’s decision to spend their money with you!

20

MAKE SURE YOUR CUSTOMERS FEEL CONFIDENT

Using the right platform is extremely important. It’s the system you will use for managing products, layout, customer processes, orders, invoices, shipping and marketing. Therefore picking a solution that works for you now and as you scale in the future is an important decision.

With AmeriCommerce you can run one or multiple stores, have a completely custom design, have customized rules for shopping, discounts and special promotions. You can also sell on Facebook and other social networks and even via email using our embedded ecommerce tools.

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:

• Is your platform scalable as your grow (both traffi c, and with advanced features as your gain sophistication).

• Is your customer data safe and your store PCI Compliant?

• Can you get support and help with features, setup, and problems?

Why? Because it’s tough to replatform later so pick one that fi ts your needs now and later when you grow.

21

USE THE RIGHT PLATFORM

QUICK LIST OF YOUR 21 TIPS TO THRIVE IN ECOMMERCE1. Believe in your product. Passion is infectious!2. Don’t waste words. Your audience has a limited attention span!3. Be honest and clear. Sales by false pretenses damage your brand!4. Under promise over deliver. Missed promises undermine your trustworthiness.5. Make buying easy. Or someone else will!6. Ask questions. Good feedback helps you improve and makes customers feel valued.7. If you don’t know the answer, don’t guess. Better to be uncertain than wrong.8. Never stop learning and improving. You’ll be left behind and lose your edge.9. Produce great content. Build authority, trust, expertise and get more traffi c to your website,10. Never forget to say thank you. Builds your relationship and makes the customer feel special.11. Build meaningful relationships. Its hard to attract a new customer so keep the ones you get!12. Keep in touch. Improves your customer connection and provides interesting info.13. Give a little extra. It attracts new customers!14. Always tell your customer what to expect next. No one likes being out of the loop.15. Make sure you look your best. Looks count and aff ect sales!16. Know your customer and suggest similar products. The right suggested item means more sales!17. Embrace the power of social shopping. Be everywhere your customers are.18. Understand why customers don’t buy and address their concerns. Abandoned carts can convert!19. Support your customers through the process. Good help turns shoppers into buyers.20. Make sure your customer feels confi dent. Confi dence is a key factor in the purchase decision.21. Use the right platform. Start on solid ground you can build on as your grow!

Start a free trial today at www.AmeriCommerce.com

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