Have you ever been on a date with someone who “ghosted” you? It didn’t feel good, did it? That’s how a website visitor feels when they think you could solve their problem, but they aren’t sure yet.
A sales funnel is a tool to take your website visitors from a lead to a converted sale. You will use the sales funnel to take them from the awareness stage to making a decision. The stages of the sales funnel are:
Awareness Stage – A customer has his or her first encounter with the brand or product.
Interest Stage – The customer identifies a need that the product or service can satisfy, and develops an interest in the possible benefits.
Consideration Stage – The customer does research, comparing the product to other solutions provided by competitors.
Decision Stage – The customer has determined that you offer the product or service that IS the solution to their pain point. They are ready to make a decision, thus completing the buyer’s journey.
Buying Stage – The final transaction takes place. They go from a lead to a sale!
Evaluation Stage – The customer uses the product or experiences the service, and makes a judgment on the quality received. They may be left unfulfilled and go elsewhere the next time they encounter the same problem or they may continue to engage with your brand.
Re-purchasing Stage – This is when the cycle starts again; the customer becomes aware of a new product or additional service by the company and considers their next purchase.
Because today’s consumer shops online, whether they are buying a widget or a coaching program, your website is the tool that takes them through the buyer’s journey through the use of a sales funnel. If your sales funnel isn’t effective, you may get website visitors, but they don’t receive enough information to make a decision–thus, they go to your competitor.
Does your website effectively take the customer from awareness to purchase? To make your website an effective sales funnel from beginning to end, ask yourself the following questions:
Do you have the keywords your customers need to find you?
80% of consumers start their search online. For your customer to become aware of a new product and reach the consideration stage, they have to be exposed to your website first. If your messaging doesn’t have the keywords your potential customers are looking for, your website doesn’t come up as an option. Of course, you can write your web copy on your own; but, do you know how to incorporate keywords and SEO tactics so that your website ranks?
Hiring a professional copywriter is worth the investment. If you invest $2000-3000 to incorporate the SEO tools you need to rank in the searches, and your average sale is $500, it only takes six sales to recoup your investment. How much are you losing by not investing in a professional copywriter who can help you rank?
Is your landing page effective?
Once customers reach your site, are they welcomed and directed to the pages they need? Most site visitors will spend 7 seconds or less to determine whether they’ve found the right company that will solve their problem. Does your landing page do this quickly and concisely?
Do you offer something valuable?
The customer is trying to make the decision between choosing you and a competitor when they visit your website. In order for them to make the right decision, they need as much information as possible. Use the Law of Reciprocity to your advantage by offering them a valuable downloadable resource–often called a lead magnet.
Do you continue to engage with them?
Have you ever been on a date with someone who “ghosted” you? It didn’t feel good, did it? That’s how a website visitor feels when they think you could solve their problem, but they aren’t sure yet.
They download your lead magnet, but you haven’t set up a series of emails to follow up with them. They feel “ghosted”!
If you continue to follow up with them, there’s a high likelihood they will go from a lead to a sale. Some studies show the increase is 451%! Hiring a Direct Response Copywriter who can write an effective sales funnel for you can result in a 451% increase in sales. What is that worth to you?
Your website can be a comprehensive tool for lead generation and sales if you incorporate an effective sales funnel into the process–walking the website visitor from a lead to a sale to a repeat customer.
Want to increase your sales? Schedule a discovery call here.
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