The ultimate aim of marketing is to generate and grow business. However, leads do not automatically convert into sales.
Fortunately, generating sales is a science that can be taught. The key focus should be on solving problems as opposed to selling products.
Here, I share my top tips to ensure leads are converting into sales for your small business:
1. Offer an incentive
Who doesn’t love gifts or free offers? Time-sensitive discounts provide a great push towards action. The offer doesn’t have to have high monetary value as incentives and novelties have the power to draw the attention of the average consumer. Special discounts give consumers the chance to build trust with the brand without the pressure a full investment.
2. Speed
Ensure that your sales team are well resourced so that leads are tended to promptly. Designate a team to handle inquiries from repeat customers and another to new business, ensuring that all stages of the sales channel are addressed. Consider minimising form fields, establishing one-click signup and sign-in options, fast and easy checkout and payment processes, and implement an active follow-up system to make sales both easier and faster.
3. Develop a comprehensive online FAQ page
As you may know, customers will enquire before making an informed purchase and the greater the investment, the more questions they are likely to want answers to. Compile a comprehensive list of responses to common questions you receive to cut down deliberation time, where sales leads may be lost due to lack of time and effort. This online ‘FAQ’ is an invaluable opportunity to educate customers about what sets the brand apart.
4. Follow up
A quick follow-up is an effective way of converting leads into sales in a short time frame. Simply touching base with customers following an inquiry results in a large percentage of leads across all industries.
It is crucial to get in touch with leads as soon as possible as research suggests that the level of interest drops significantly after just an hour. Ensure that you ask questions to open a dialogue.
Establish a deadline to remove unresponsive leads from the marketing funnel. If there is no response, your team do not need to waste time on this dead lead. Not every lead will be a prime prospect for your business.
5. Ensure that your email marketing stands out
Keep in mind that competitors may be following up with your leads at the same time and marketing towards the same audience. To avoid overly promotional emails, focus on providing fun yet informative facts about your brand across your marketing communications. Email marketing offers a simple way to reach out to customers and create personal relationships through targeted deal and follow ups
Melissa Haywood, Head of Vistaprint Australia
