Transforming Your Online Sales Strategy

There’s nothing quite like that purchase notification email landing in your inbox. It’s likely what keeps the fire lit in your business, but let’s face it; the road to converting clicks into cash can be a rocky one. Lucky for you, we’ve compiled our top 6 tips shown to increase sales online with ease.

From optimizing your sales funnels to focusing on building a community around your brand, we’ve got a handful of small tweaks you can implement in your business to keep those sales emails rolling in and your customers more engaged than ever before!

Optimizing Your Marketing System for Sales

If you’re looking to increase sales online, the first thing on your list should be to ensure that your system is set up to optimize for conversions. It’s one thing to have a sales funnel and direct traffic there, it’s a whole different animal to optimize your marketing system as a whole. 

Let’s take a look at our top suggestions for setting up your business marketing and sales system to convert like crazy. 

1. Optimizing Sales Funnels with A/B Split Testing  

How do you know exactly what resonates with your audience? Your headline or layout on your sales page might look great to you but is it moving your customers to purchase? Therein lies the beauty of A/B testing your sales funnels. 

By putting in the effort to set up A/B testing [A.K.A split testing] within your sales funnel you ensure you’ve got a clear picture of what’s hitting the mark with your customers and what’s falling flat.The goal is to optimize every step of the customer journey to ensure their road ultimately leads to a sale.

It's not the most glamorous part, but understanding these types of analytics can show you exactly what's working and what needs tweaking.

2. Tailoring Your Follow-Ups with Email List Segmentation

Not all your customers are created equal. Some are solidly in the bargain hunters camp while others buy on an impulse.This is why email list segmentation is so important. It allows you to tailor your follow-up messages to deeply resonate with each different segment of your audience.

By using your sales and marketing system to gather data about your customer preferences, you can ensure that your sales emails hit home and give the customer exactly what they need to click purchase. In addition, A/B testing doesn’t begin and end at your sales funnels. Try split testing your sales emails as well to really dial in what your audience is looking for.

If you aren’t sure where to start with segmenting your email list, don’t worry we’ve simplified email list segmentation so you can easily personalize your future sales campaigns. 

3. Hands-free Sales Techniques through Automated Follow-Up

Now we’re on to one of our favorite topics: automation. While we’re firmly rooted in the digital age, we believe that automation is the movement of the future. Business automation is the definition of working smarter not harder and we’re here to shout about it from the rooftops as a path to increasing sales online. 

When was the last time you almost purchased something but then realized you were late for an appointment, your dog needed to go out, or your kids were a little too quiet in the playroom? Now, do you remember that little text or email reminder that popped up on your phone an hour later reminding you to complete your purchase? Ah yes, the beauty of automated abandoned cart sequences.

Automated email follow-up sequences like these ensure that your potential customers are looped back into your sales funnel. This is especially important when they're on the verge of making a purchase but just need that extra nudge or reminder. It's like having a virtual sales assistant who never sleeps [and doesn't require a salary!].

Prioritizing the Customer Relationship for Boosted Sales

These days in the digital realm, customers expect a certain level of engagement and accessibility. With the bulk of major brands having a social media presence, 21st century customers are even used to being able direct message their with favorite brands. 

So how does this translate into your small business? Especially considering you likely don’t have a huge customer satisfaction team on board? 

Allow us to share a few tips that are sure to quickly build trust and a sense of community among your customers. 

1. Testimonials for Building Trust with Your Customers

Nothing is more convincing than the words of happy customers. Think about it, do you check the reviews on pretty much anything that you buy at this point? We know we do. 

By shining a spotlight on your customer testimonials, you build trust and offer real-world  tangible proof that your products or services are worth purchasing. 

These testimonials and reviews should be front and center on your sales funnel, or product page, and you can even build them into your website copy. If you need a hand making those changes, be sure to get our Social Fox Sales Page Playbook that’s full of easy-to-execute templates that use customer testimonials to optimize your sales pages for conversions.

2. Conversations that Convert Using Chat Widgets

Have you landed on a website recently and had a question but no easy way to get an answer? It's frustrating, right? Chat widgets are here to bridge that gap! 

These little helpers sit quietly on your page, available to answer queries or guide visitors, often making the difference between a sale and a bounce.

Based on your business and availability, this chat functionality can be set up in three different ways: live, automated, or a blend of both.

• Live Chat: Messages received go directly to your marketing software or to your phone as a text message so you can help your would-be customer directly with any questions they need answered. This is great if you typically have working hours where you’re available to answer these queries.

• Automated Chat Bot: You can set up your chat to run 24/7 by utilizing automation based on your customers responses. This works well if you track frequently asked questions as you can essentially provide a menu of topics your customer can select from in their chat. 

• Combination Chat Bot: Combine the two options above for a blended chat experience. During working hours, you can respond to chats for that personalized touch, and then after working hours, people who chat in, get the automated menu options. It’s the best of both worlds!
  

Getting started with chat widgets isn’t as difficult as you might think and as an integrated part of your sales system, can have a huge effect on your bottom line. 

3. Community Building for Increased Sales with SMS Marketing

We’ve already covered the fact that modern shoppers are looking for that personalized touch when deciding where to spend their hard-earned money, and there’s nothing more personal than getting a text from your new favorite brand. 

Enter the rise of SMS marketing, your new tool for fostering a sense of belonging among your customers, or as the cool kids say, creating “a tribe”. 

The beauty of SMS marketing is its immediacy and personal touch. Unlike email marketing, people read their text messages almost immediately, keeping you and your brand top of mind.

It’s like having a direct line to your customers, sharing updates, special offers, or simply spreading the love with personalized messages. When your customers feel seen and valued, they're not just more likely to buy from you; they’re more likely to become brand evangelists, spreading the good word far and wide.

But here’s the best part; building an SMS community that’s buzzing with excitement around your brand ensures that you’ve got a built-in audience for your next launch. The result? A surge in sales every time you have something new on the horizon. 

Plus, the feedback you’ll receive from your tribe is gold, helping you to refine your offers and increase your sales online.

What’s Missing From Your Marketing Plan?

From optimizing your marketing and sales system to having customer-forward support and communities, we’ve shared strategies to help you with increasing sales online. Now it’s time to execute. In that regard, we suggest a layered effect. 

Start with the strategy that’s easiest for you to implement in your system and build from there. This allows you to both avoid the overwhelm of trying to implement six different things at one and shows you exactly which strategy has the most effect on your sales. 

Is your current marketing and sales tech stack missing the mark on some of these ideas? Social Fox could be your new best friend!

Social Fox is our all-in-one marketing and sales software where all the strategies we covered today are native to the platform. That means no more Zapier to integrate your CRM with your payment processor and your email marketing platform. We did mention we love working smarter, not harder, right?

We know that behind every brand or digital storefront is a business owner who’s desperately looking to create more time in their day. That’s likely why you branched out as an entrepreneur in the first place! So don’t let a tech stack that’s lacking create hassle and strife in your day-to-day, upgrade to the all-in-one solution that’s setup to make running your business effortless! 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why is A/B testing crucial for online sales?

A/B testing allows businesses to understand precisely what resonates with their audience. By testing different elements, you can determine the most effective strategies to maximize conversions.

2. What are the benefits of SMS marketing over traditional marketing methods?

SMS marketing boasts immediate reach, high open rates, and a personal touch. It’s a direct line to customers, making it highly effective for promotions, updates, and fostering community.

3. Why is community building vital for increasing online sales? 

Building a community fosters loyalty and trust. Loyal customers are more likely to make repeat purchases, recommend your products/services, and provide valuable feedback.

4. How does email list segmentation boost sales? 

Segmentation enables businesses to send tailored messages that resonate with different audience segments. This personalization often leads to higher engagement and conversion rates.

5. Can I try Social Fox for free to see if it’s right for me? 

Absolutely! We offer a 7-day free trial so you can decide if Social Fox is the right fit.