Getting The Sale is About Converting Prospects to Customers

Internet marketers are constantly reminded how important it is to drive traffic to their Web sites, but that alone is not nearly enough to ensure success.  Getting the sale is what counts, and to achieve that requires a system that transforms the prospect and casual visitor into a satisfied, longterm customer.

While a high, consistent flow of traffic is desireable, if it is to yield favorable results, it must also be targeted and qualified. This tips the scales in your favor from the outset. So even if you have low traffic, the fact that it is the "right" traffic is an important element, and it will significantly improve your customer conversion ratio.

But the biggest hurdle Web marketers have to overcome in getting the sale, is establishing trust. The average online consumer is informed and knows what she wants. She's also impatient and skeptical, having been ripped off at least once before.  Consequently she's very discriminating about where and with whom she spends her money.

Even if you are well-known and established in your niche, you still have to demonstrate trust and confidence to your visitors (or at least reassure them of it), so that they continue to do business with you.

So how do you tackle this hurdle to convert more prospects, increase your customer base and boost sales?  Here are a couple of approaches that have worked for me and will be useful for you:

1. Deliver the Experience the Visitor Expects

Assuming that your promotional strategies are sufficiently persuasive to attract visitors to your site in the first place, now that they're there, you must keep up the momentum and cater to their expectations by delivering an experience that is rich, engaging and informative.

Your site must be warm, welcoming and well-presented. Its content must be current, informative and thorough.  Make it easy for people to find what they need in as few clicks as possible. Providing a comfortable, functional environment for your visitors is a plus that always helps the decision making process.

2. Create a Dialogue With Your Prospects

Studies show that it generally takes repeated interaction with a prospect before he or she will feel comfortable enough to do business with you. Offering a free report, newsletter or thank you gift is an effective tactic for breaking the ice.

Simply place a form on your site so that visitors can input their contact information and then be notified by email on how to get your giveaway. This opens a line of communication that you can use to update visitors on new developments,  products and specials offers. 

They will now be in a better position to assess the quality of your information, and at the same time get a glimpse of your personality. The better they get to know you, the more confident they'll become.

Once the trust barrier has been kicked down, you'll open the floodgates to a multitude of eager prospects lining up to do business with you.