These are the days when anything goes.
The path to purchase can sometimes feel winding, especially for customers who aren’t tech-savvy. I am feeling inspired by Sheryl Crow’s song for today’s post and how it fits in with the buyer’s journey when shopping online. So what can make the customer experience more manageable and help increase sales?
It’s essential to think about anticipating needs and making an impact on your target market. Not everything is as binary as it once was. Let’s look at some ways you can diversify your brand and channel some sales while improving your buyer’s journey.
Jump in, let’s go
So, where to start? You can begin by reading my 5 Tips for Building Brand Awareness Using Social Media Campaigns for some ideas on how to tackle getting the word out there without feeling too repetitive. Layering social media campaigns by using alternative methods at this stage is a great way to build awareness. Influencers are a popular alternative way to grow excitement for a launch or product.
Coordinate with Instagrammers or Youtubers in your niche for a sneak peek campaign or do a product giveaway. If your network is small, offering a free product or a paid promotion to an influencer in exchange for a review or plug on their channel can help educate your target audience and expand your reach.
Everyday is a faded sign
Is it me, or did you also think this lyric was “Everyday is a fate assigned.” in the 90s, too? Okay, back to the buyer’s journey. Create some posts to get people thinking about buying. Having a catchy bio, directing people to your newsletter, and using shop integrations is vital to getting people on board with your brand.
How tech-savvy are your shoppers? Do they use almost exclusively mobile devices to shop? Are they social media followers, or are they shopping via Google? Think about how easy it is for them to access your listings without having to contact you first. The fewer clicks to add something to their cart, the better.
Use these steps to improve your buyer’s journey and drive traffic to your brand.
- Keep your profiles up to date with a blurb about your business and link to your shop.
- Use a call to action when you post content. Remind followers to subscribe to your email list, browse your shop, or tap to buy.
- Don’t forget to use shopping integrations in your newsletters, Instagram or Facebook, and Pinterest where possible.
Get a little bit closer
What does the typical ordering process look like for your customers? Moving past awareness and into closing, let’s talk about the end of your buyer’s journey. Now that it is easier for your shoppers to find you and shop via social media, they will be more likely to make a purchase. If they have to DM you or search to find your website, then you have lost a large percentage of sales. So how do you keep your message exciting and begin initiating transactions?
Rotate some routine business information in your posts. Talk about similar products, add-ons, best sellers, and popular collections or fan favorites. Other important information to share regularly is payment options, gift cards (especially during the holidays), warranty information, and info about your e-commerce platform.
Another way to reach an audience beyond your networks and make a sale is to use coupon codes. Adding a discount to incentivize the purchase is a great way to close the sale. You can incorporate influencers or bloggers in your niche and create an affiliate code program. Payment can be made either by providing store credit or free product based on the number of code uses or as strictly commission depending on the influencer or product.
Feelin’ fine
Do you have repeat purchases? Is there a way to follow up with customers after they make a purchase? Turn your shoppers into advocates! Sending a follow-up newsletter or coupon to your customers post-purchase helps increase repurchase and shows you’ve put the work into your brand to be professional and are grateful for their support. Put the customer experience to work for future shoppers!
“He says he’s been down this road more than twice”
Even after the buyer’s journey is over, continued contact with your customers can also include where to find more product information, tutorials, or downloads. Make sure if you’re asking for reviews and testimonials, that you aren’t breaking any FTC guidelines regarding incentivized reviews.
What has been your buyer’s journey?
Leave a comment with your buyer’s journey comments or questions about shopping online. I hope I’ve helped reduce the length of the journey and make it easy for the customer to make the best decision regarding your products or services. Artists can inspire people in a lot of ways, and I want you to learn how to encourage sales and make the process as painless as possible for both the artist and the consumers. If you need help setting up your customer experience for success, give me a shout!
