How to get sales on your website
At Black Nova Designs we pride ourselves in the providing the highest standard of service for all of our clients. Website design was our first and still is our most popular service for consumers. Working within WordPress has its advantages that clearly appeal to people, personalisation, control, and innovation. We could list all the reasons why WordPress is great, but we also want to focus on clarifying what our services actually provide and what you can expect to receive as a result of creating a website with us. All too often business get confused with the purpose of having a website and expect their new site to bring sales instantly.
“I paid a lot of money for a website and it’s getting no sales”
“I can’t afford to pay for the website as it’s got no sales”
“I want to cancel as the website is not bringing me income”
These are normal frustrations that businesses have when they don’t see sales that they had assumed would happen after creating a website. We want to ‘de-bunk’ all the theories behind website design and explain what you should expect when you design a website with us and how to gain sales and clients through your website after it is hosted on the world wide web.
‘What is a website and why should my business have one?’
Creating a website is like building and designing your own 24-hour shop for consumers to visit, even when you are sleeping. They allow prospect clients to access all the possible information about your business, view images and your previous work as well as contact you directly. Some websites even allow users to create their own product and view it before purchasing, also known as a customizer. Features like these are unique to websites and can be found nowhere else, this is a key reason why users will prefer to visit a web store rather than an in-person shop. It also gives business owners the capabilities to present their brand online without having to interact constantly. In principle, so long as you have a page for users to visit online, your website is serving its purpose. However, it is proven that businesses who manage, interact, advertise, and promote their website on other channels will see larger success than those who don’t.
‘So how can I drive users to my website?’
Would you visit a shop that had no shop window or owner selling to you? Ultimately, the answer is no. Consumers need a business to spark their interest, otherwise they wouldn’t know you exist. This is the basic principle of marketing and why it exists. Marketing comes in many forms:
- Advertisements
- Branding
- Blogs
- Audio/printed interviews
- Social media
These types of marketing are like a set of tools for your business to use in a way that attracts clients. Marketing and business go hand in hand, you cannot do one successfully without the other. So, it is fantastic to have an online shop, but without a sufficient marketing plan to promote your business website, you will see very few users interacting/viewing your site. As a result, your website will not provide any additional sales for your business or gain any interest because users won’t know it even exists! This is a crucial aspect of website design that needs to be explained. All too often users will create a website and expect their business to gain new clients and increase sales instantly – to be completely transparent, this doesn’t happen without promotion. You NEED to be promoting your website across as many channels you have access to or seek PR from local news outlets. It is so important that you as a business, push clients to your website and share your URL as far and wide as possible.
‘I thought SEO would boost my website for me’
Ranking no.1 on google does not guarantee instant sales. SEO is a way of promoting your website to drive more traffic to your website. However, without an engaging and appealing website or product/service people won’t purchase anything. Similar to a shop, you can make your online store look and perform well but if the products or services you sell are not the right fit for the user then they will not buy from you. Sales have nothing to do with your website or SEO or any design aspect, ultimately it comes down to what you are selling and whether it is fit for the user.
‘How long will it take to see an increase in sales?’
How long can it take you to create a plan and act on it? Ask and set yourself ideal goals to achieve. This may be a ‘flash sale’ or ‘giveaway’ to intrigue prospect clients. This will result in sales and as a result good customer experience and more recommendations. Increasing your sales can only happen from previous sales leaving a good repour and this is built on good memorable experiences which can only be made by the business.
Once you get the ball rolling you will just have to keep oiling the tires. Weekly check-ups should be mandatory but once you have a strategy that works for you and you have clients visiting your site and purchasing, there will be recommendations and then the cycle will continue for the better.
‘What should I expect from my website designer?’
Your designer is an expert in creating a visually appealing online store where you can showcase your business, products, and services. They, however, do not guarantee sales or website clicks.
Areas that you can rely on your designer to have experience and knowledge in are optimum user experience, screen responsive designs and easy navigation.
Your website will grow and feed on users who fit your business model and need your products or services. Elements of each of these areas can easily be designed in your website to appeal to your clients and can determine the type of website you should build from the beginning.