Why do you have a website?

Think about your answer for a second.  Really, take a break from this post for a brief moment and think about why you have a website.

This is a broad assumption, but I’m sure the answers range from (1) communicate with my clientele more efficiently, (2) effectively deliver my brand image and message, and (3) help maintain my competitive advantage.  While these are all great reasons, the underlying reason that you have a website is to increase your revenue stream.  However, in order to increase your revenue stream you must be able to improve your conversions and, therefore, overcome customer objections.

The Three Fears

Have you ever been in a grocery store and picked up something you thought you would buy then two minutes later you put it back down?  It’s the same reason that people venture to your website, pick up the phone and start dialing, but hang up before they send the call.  It’s the same reason that a website visitor looks through your products, adds a few to their cart and then logs out before buying.  And, it’s a powerful little thing called fear.

A few years ago, I went shopping for a new shirt and found one (a pink one) that would have looked great with my suit.  However, as I started to venture closer and closer to the checkout counter, I took a hard right turn and hung the shirt up on the rack because I couldn’t stop thinking about what my colleagues would think about the “pinkness” of the shirt.  I could hear the comments in my mind and I had a fear of being belittled.

While it seems absurd to think that adults are afraid of being mocked, it is the absolute and unfortunate truth.  It’s the little voice inside their head that makes them reconsider the purchase.  They reiterate those concerns and in a matter of mere seconds, you have lost the sale.

To further explain the handicapping effect of fear, have you ever been to a restaurant and been disappointed with the food?  The next time that you pass by that restaurant you decide to give them a second chance and (yet again) you are disappointed but now you feel stupid for even giving them a second chance.  That restaurant has helped you establish a fear of feeling stupid.

Now, the world of the web has opened up the opportunity for scammers to take full advantage of your clientele.  They provide knock-off products and services that they promote as the authentic product (or something similar).  After your clients go through those experiences they feel stupid for believing in those companies and, therefore, are detoured when they start the buying process from any other website.

The last type of fear stems from the economy in which we live today.  While it didn’t necessarily start with the downturn of the business world in the U.S., customers are more financially savvy today than they have been in the past.  People fear the loss of money.  As a quick anecdotal example, I was on the fence whether to purchase a snowblade for my tractor instead of hiring a snow removal service.  It took a long while to decide on the purchase, and even as I was checking out I had to question whether or not I would be wasting my money on the product.

In comparison, the internet provides a great tool for people to research different products or services.  The downfall being that there is less face to face (or product to face) contact which has increased that innate fear we have of potentially wasting our money on a piece of junk.  How do people know that what you sell or promote on your website is going to be worth every penny and then some?

Overcome Those Fears

Fears are one of the most difficult things to overcome.  In the world of psychology, phobias are treated by the thousands every day of every month of every year, and the sad fact is that there are more and more cases appearing.  However, fear can be overcome and you can improve your website conversions to increase your revenue.

  • Trustworthiness — Literally everything on your website needs to exude the feeling of trust.  Provide contact information throughout the site and ensure that the information is up to date and that you are reachable through that contact information.  Visual displays from the Better Business Bureau, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), and any other security/good business information.  Consider adding testimonials to your site and/or each individual product.  You may also want to add frequently asked questions that are easily found, and clear calls to action.
  • Transparency — A company that is fully transparent consistently provides a feeling of openness and, therefore, consumer confidence.  Update your blog with company information (good, bad, great, and ugly).  Keep your clients abreast to product/service changes, alterations, improvements, and price adjustments.  The key is to stay far away from fine print and bold everything that you do.  You are merely establishing a stronger relationship with your client in doing so.
  • Credible Authority — Become and remain a credible authority within your industry.  I blog every day (except Sundays), you know that you can keep coming back for fresh information Monday through Saturday on ways to improve your business today.  I would like to think that you keep coming back to our site because we have establishing ourselves as a leader in web design, branding, and marketing.  You can become that recognized leader by openly helping your clients with beneficial blogs, content filled newsletters, and resources that better their world.

So, take a few minutes today and think about how you can get rid of your clients’ fears today and improve your conversions.  Remember that you have to overcome their fear of wasting money, feeling stupid, and being mocked.  The only ways that you can efficiently accomplish this task is to become a credible authority in your industry, establishing a solid trust, and remain transparent.  Overall, if you follow those guidelines you will beat the three fears of your buyers and increase your revenue.

Need Help?

If website design is something that you are interested in but don’t know how to get started, contact us today to schedule your free marketing analysis.

Sources:
“The Essential Step-by-Step Guide to Internet Marketing”-E-Book
SlideShare.net
Image Source: HubSpot, “The 2011 State of Inbound Marketing”, E-Marketer.com