"15 More Tips to Ramp up Your Website Conversion."
mkLINK Internet Marketing Tips(26 Feb 2007)
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Get More Customers for the Less Cost.

1-Testing, testing.
In a forthcoming newsletter, I'll be talking about multivariate analysis(Taguchi method). It's all about what bits you should change, then measure the results via your analytics software. Until then - just measure your conversion rate by testing the following:
Headline(The biggest factor!), Your USP, Your Offer, Guarantee, Bonuses, Delivery, Returns policy, Testimonials, navigation,
Font colours, Products(See below) - in fact anything that can make a difference. You can't test too much! Don't worry, there is software available...I'll give you more details soon.


Want More Conversion? - Visit http://www.mklink.com/consult/

2-"Use Quotation Marks"
Dunno why - but quotation marks around headlines make around 27% of people read them more. Funny hey?

3-Use Check Boxes
Interestingly, using check-boxes somehow get people to interact with your site and induces some sort of commitment. Something along the lines of "Yes - please send me my Free Download" etc. Make the checkbox un-checked initially - otherwise you've defeated the object of the exercise.

Want More Conversion? - Visit http://www.mklink.com/consult/

4-Keep it above the Line Sunshine.
Keep the important stuff "above the fold". (That's newspaper speak for not scrolling down) That means your contact details, top calls to action, offers, headline, top 5 benefits etc. Don't make people scroll down to get to your best bits...

5-Add your Badges of Honour
Increase your credibility with having a secure server certificate(for ecommerce sites), or trade associations you're a member of, or indeed anything of value and relevance.
Want More Conversion? - Visit http://www.mklink.com/consult/

6-"And that's Guaranteed?"
Where appropriate - offer a guarantee. I do. If you really believe in your product or service then reassure your customers with a guarantee - and then go beyond the norm and offer a better than money back guarantee if possible.

7-How would you like to Pay?
Not everyone wants to give a credit card via a website. Tough - get over it. Include your phone number so people can call you and buy over the phone. Offer PayPal - offer ability to take cheques. Let people order by fax or mail order.
Offer to break the price of expensive items over easy payments, if applicable.
HELP PEOPLE TO PAY YOU.

Want More Conversion? - Visit http://www.mklink.com/consult/

8-Don't keep me hanging on the Phone
There's a migration of totally electronic companies that have realized that people want to talk to someone - so put your phone number on your website. Odds are if people realize they can call you - and get good telephone service - they'll buy from you. Give them multiple options & irritating electronic messages when phoning at your peril.

9-Checkout Your Checkout
Keep Your Checkout As Simple As possible.

I repeat - "Keep your Checkout as Simple as Possible".

I want to buy some electronic games and a map. I don't want to join some stupid club or tell you my old Geography teacher's middle name.

Don't make things pointlessly complicated or force people to re-type their delivery address in for example - because you can't be bothered to add a bit of decent code. If you could see the abandonment rate at your online checkout - you'd weep.
Read "Don't make me Think" - by Steve Krug

Want More Conversion? - Visit http://www.mklink.com/consult/

10-Repeat Your Offer & Main Benefits.
This is especially true of long copy - people may need reminding at the end - just before your call to action.

11-Calls to Action - When Once Just Isn't enough
If your sales copy is long and your visitor has to scroll down, then repeat your call to action several times. For example...
Want More Conversion? - Visit http://www.mklink.com/consult/

....See what I mean?

12-Use Formatting
Keep text in fairly narrow columns - like this newsletter. Make your benefits stand out with bullet points. Highlight important words in bold, italics, different colours - or even all of then. Graphic designers moaning at this can take a hike - this stuff pays bills.
Break up text into short paragraphs.

13-Add a p.s. - or an Asterisk
For some reason everyone always reads a p.s. It's just something that itches us and we can't resist it.*

14-Put captions on Images
Again - people can't resist reading captions - just human nature really.

15-Sell what people actually want
Just in case you think I'm teaching granny to suck eggs - think again.
I've made this mistake. You've made this mistake - everyone has made this mistake. To find out what people actually want - ask them. Offer different stock, products, services. Look at chat rooms, newsgroups, forums. See what questions people are asking. Use Wordtracker for example to review search counts.

For example - I know for a fact that it's in everyone's interest to get their conversion rate as high as possible - before they spend a fortune getting to the top of the search engines. I tried selling and banging on about that for ages - until I realised that I should just give people what they want! Everyone wants to be at the Top of Google. So, now, after they've become a customer or subscriber, I *politely* suggest that they may want to sort their conversion out as well!

Want More Conversion? - Visit http://www.mklink.com/consult/

Want to know More?
Simply reply to this email, or call me on 01454 852414

* See what I mean? ;-)