If you think about how people purchase products or acquire services, you’ll quickly realize that online shopping is becoming the norm.
According to statistical data, there are 2.64 billion digital buyers worldwide as of February 2023, making up 33.3% of the world’s population. The SaaS market is estimated to be worth approximately $197 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $232 billion by 2024. And most importantly, 71% of businesses now have a website, with as much as 28% of all business activity being conducted online.
But while these numbers are impressive at first glance, it’s essential to understand that having an online presence isn’t enough to convert an audience into loyal customers. After all, median conversion rates range between 2.4% and 9.8% (depending on the industry), and even if you do convince people to add your solutions to their carts, there’s still a 69.99% chance they won’t go through with the purchase.
The answer? Identifying, discussing, and overcoming buyer concerns. So, if you’re prepared to do a bit of optimization on your website, here’s how to boost sales by proactively addressing conversion obstacles.
Lower the stakes
Most buyers are, naturally, risk-averse, especially when it comes to purchases that exceed a certain amount.
Statistical data shows that 79% of consumers think free returns are essential when shopping online. And if you look at the scientific research on consumer behavior, you’ll find that a lenient return policy promotes customer trust and enhances purchase intention.
So, if you’re trying to get your audience to invest in your products, you must first convince them that they’re not making a commitment they can’t get out of (or that will last a lifetime).
Fortunately, lowering the stakes is relatively easy to do. By adjusting your messaging and CTAs, you can effectively convince web visitors that getting a quote or signing up for a free trial doesn’t require an unbreakable vow.
For example, if you check out the Pumpkin Cat Insurance page, you’ll notice that the brand invites prospects to “Fetch [their] free quote,” meaning it’s not trying to convince them to purchase right away. Moreover, the page is filled with helpful information about how the service works, including a sample policy that pet owners can read through to understand what they’re signing up for if they choose this pet insurance provider.
Or, if you want to see how you could do this in the eCommerce industry, check out the Jacquemus product pages, which include a dedicated Delivery and Returns section. This info tells customers how long they have from the date of delivery to return their orders for free.
It’s a superb way of removing a common conversion obstacle, as all this strategy requires is a simple sentence summarizing your returns practices and, optionally, a link to the relevant policy.
Make It easy to visualize your product
Most people have, at some point over the past two years, purchased an item online. And though some consumers may feel more comfortable with eCommerce due to its convenience and versatility, buyer research shows that one of the main things people still go back to brick-and-mortar stores is the ability to see and feel products before deciding to purchase.
A 2018 consumer survey from Klarna discovered that almost one-half (46%, to be more precise) of U.S. shoppers like to touch and try items before buying them.
So, what does this data mean for businesses trying to boost sales? Well, it’s a clear signal that one of the best ways to encourage conversions is to make it as easy as possible for web visitors to visualize your products.
In addition to ensuring that each product page includes a rich gallery with high-quality photos, explore advanced ways to present your solutions to your audience. Show scale, get up close with details, and give web visitors a glimpse into what your solution looks like when it’s in use.
For an excellent example of this strategy in action, check out the La Roche Posay sunscreen product page below. You’ll see how well-thought-out the brand’s product gallery is, containing multiple images of the packaging, texture, and even how it looks when applied to different skin tones.
Of course, you could also go into further detail to ensure your target audience has all the info they need to visualize your products before committing to a purchase.
Videos are excellent for showing off how items behave and perform in the real world. Moreover, they’re among the best choices for educating your audience on how your products or service work. After all, data shows that 79% of people have been convinced to buy software or an app by watching a video.
If you’re willing to take things to the next level, you can even employ AR to allow potential buyers to try out the items using their smartphones, as done on the Garnier virtual color try-on page.
Welcome high-touch sales
Depending on your audience and product, the most common conversion obstacle your business may deal with is that your potential customers want to interact with a human before buying. And this reluctance shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.
According to statistical data, 81% of Baby boomers still prefer to shop in-store. When that’s not an option, they choose well-known retailers like Amazon or go directly to a (trusted) brand’s website. The one thing that all of these behaviors signal is that older shoppers tend to seek reliability, convenience, and, preferably, human assistance.
To ensure your target audience has access to all of these things on your website, one simple strategy you could adopt is to enrich your website with messages and CTAs that show your representatives are ready to help prospects make the best purchase for their needs.
For instance, if you check out the GetSafe medical alert systems pricing page, you’ll see it includes CTA buttons inviting visitors to call toll-free, a footer telling prospects that they can contact the brand for custom-tailored packages to ensure the best possible fit, as well as a chat feature that makes it super easy for potential buyers to get in touch with the brand’s customer service.
B2B organizations should employ similar tactics to welcome high-touch sales, mainly because they deal with complex buyers’ journeys. According to Gartner, the B2B sales journey often involves up to ten decision-makers. As much as 17% of the process is spent meeting potential suppliers. And the importance of high-quality information is crucial for ensuring a positive customer experience and scoring high-value, low-regret deals.
Bring serious value with social proof
Social proof is one of those sales-boosting elements that’s almost impossible to mess up (as long as you use genuine user-generated feedback). Nonetheless, to boost sales and conversions on a scale that truly matters, do your best to go the extra mile with customer testimonials.
Think about how you can present prospects with value via social proof and do your best to provide it.
In the B2B sector, detailed, industry-specific feedback is essential for convincing potential customers that they can trust your business to deliver reliable results. So, whenever possible, ask your clients to describe, in detail, how your solutions benefited them and present these testimonials in an engaging, results-oriented format.
For an excellent example of a business doing precisely this, check out the SellerPlex homepage, where, in addition to traditional customer reviews, the brand also shows off social proof in video format. The feedback videos don’t just offer a more personal alternative to typical instances of social proof. Even more importantly, they mention specific aspects of working with SellerPlex that have helped these users reach their business goals and get the best possible value for the money they could have asked for.
Of course, you can also go above and beyond with social proof when targeting end consumers. For instance, employing media user-generated content, like the user-submitted images on this Mannequin Mall product page, is a superb way to reassure potential buyers that what they see on your website is what they’ll get. And the best part is that this is a conversion-boosting strategy you can implement in a few different ways, from sourcing user posts directly from social media to allowing existing customers to add photos and videos to their product reviews.
Speed up your site’s load time
Most people have limited patience for slow web browsing experiences.
Yet, data shows that most businesses tend to miss the mark regarding this aspect of the customer experience:
- The average webpage takes 10.3 seconds on desktop and 27.3 seconds on mobile to fully load.
- Page load times directly impact bounce rates, with a mere 2-second increase resulting in a 32% higher chance of a website visit resulting in a bounce.
- And most importantly, investing in your site’s technical performance results in tangible gains, with faster sites having up to 5x higher conversion rates than those that take longer to load.
The best thing about this sales-boosting strategy is that it doesn’t take a complete website rehaul for you to see results.
Something as simple as compressing text and images can deliver impressive CR improvements, especially if the technical performance is coupled with value-oriented design and copy.
Address trust issues clearly
If you look back to the cart abandonment research quoted at the beginning of this article, you’ll realize that most users who don’t go through with a purchase do so because of a lack of trust.
The simple truth is that shoppers fear unforeseen costs. They don’t want to give away their personal info. And they’re hyper-aware of transactional security, with 83% of British shoppers stating they’re concerned about how their credit card information is processed during transactions.
Nonetheless, while these conversion obstacles are expected, they can be easily overcome with the right tactics.
First and foremost, when trying to boost sales, do your best to create trust-building content on your product pages to address common user suspicions.
For example, to ensure your target audience knows your brand’s commitment to relevant environmental or social issues, add webpage elements to calm their doubts. This is efficiently done on the People Tree website with the trust badges communicating the organization’s certifications.
Or, if you understand that your audience might be worried about paying online due to security concerns, point out the security systems you use to protect their credit card information. Or, even better, advertise one-click-payment options like Klarna or PayPal, as shown on the Anytime Baseball Supply product pages. These services are already trusted by buyers, helping you piggyback on their credibility and get more sales without proving you’re a dependable business.
Make meaningful promises
Nebulous value claims can catch a lot of attention. But when it comes to convincing consumers to convert, they may not be your best choice. After all, things that sound too good to be true usually are.
With this in mind, one of the best ways to overcome your audience’s conversion-hindering worries is to make meaningful and, ideally, measurable promises. Don’t just state that your products are best-in-class. Instead, show your potential customers why this is so.
For example, if you look at the B2B sector, you’ll see that many brands choose statistics and empirical data to deliver attractive value propositions.
Read more: How to Build a B2B Sales Process in Your Organization
The Aura homepage, for instance, calls its prospects’ attention to the fact that basic repricing leads to a 30% sales increase. But, thanks to its advanced repricing strategies (which users can read all about thanks to the convenient link leading to an in-depth guide to boosting Amazon sales), Aura has been able to help its customers control the Buy Box for 65%+ of the time, which is a massive advantage over its competitors’ products.
Make use of price anchoring
Lastly, as you explore hacks that can help you boost sales, remember that, in some cases, the best way to convince your audience to convert is to help them associate your product with value.
According to scientific research, price anchoring — tying a product to a higher price point — increases shoppers’ willingness to purchase a product. And you can use this to boost conversions or even improve AOV on your website with a few well-placed price tags.
For example, if you check out the NordVPN pricing page, you’ll see how effectively the SaaS business establishes its product as an expensive, high-value service. But, by crossing out the original price and highlighting the savings buyers can make when getting the 2-year plan, the brand effectively encourages its potential customers to see this as a great deal and significantly improves their chances of purchasing a plan.
Final thoughts
Getting your audience to convert into satisfied brand customers requires much work. And in some cases — especially when targeting fellow businesses — you must prepare for a long buyer’s journey.However, even a bit of audience research and a willingness to address conversion obstacles at the right moments during the sales journey can help you boost sales. So don’t hesitate to implement the strategies discussed in this guide and continue exploring ways to reassure your prospects that you’re a brand they can trust to deliver best-in-class products and services.
