Selling From Your Website

by Corinna and Leron Gittens-Arnold

Greetings!

Friends and relitives ask us all the time " How do sell from your website?" and no doubt you want to know as well. Over the next two issues we will be covering this very thing! We decided to divide it into two camps - tangibles and non-tangibles. Feel free to create a hybrid if you are daring, however, for the sake of simplicity - both for your visitors as well as your planning figure out which of the two is applicable and focus your efforts as needed.

Tangibles:

If you are selling products, it needs to be organized in some fashion. Be it by subject , or alphabet, or some other method such as price or season as an example.

Lets say you're selling jewelry. You want to make it easy for your visitors to find what they're looking for first. You should have different sections i.e. rings, necklaces, watches, etc. You could have various designers alphabetized. It can also be broken down into price range aimed at a target audience. Or maybe target the sophisticed jewelry shopper who's looking for summer items or evening wear.

The idea is that it's easy for them to find what they want and make a buying decision, then get on with their life. They will remember that the next time they need a particular item.

Non-Tangibles:

We recommend a clear organised presentation for non-tangibles as well. Because you are not dealing with a concrete product, information and services can be precived as being a bit nebulous and therefore suspect.

As such, you want to make it very obvious what you are offering and how the client will benefit. Be precise. As in everything, keep it as simple as possible.

The less work on their behalf, the quicker they can come to a buying decision. Examples, testimonials and references work to establish an air of trust and security, thus motivating the visitor to sign on with you.

The Sale:

The mechanism in wich the money goes from them to you and the product then gets into their hands, is of course of prime importance.

In regards to payment, the obvious choice is of course credit cards. It's quick and easy on both you and your customers. Credit card payment is widly used and accepted.

And this can be set up realitively easy by you. There are commpanies online that are happy to do this for you for a piece of every transaction.

A small price to pay when considering that the sale may be lost due to too much trouble on your visitors behalf otherwise. 80% of something is better then 100% of nothing.

The Support:

I like to include extras. Links to other sites, pertinate information, or some other reason or benefit for the visitor to return to your site.

You do a good job with your site and they'll browse around and maybe even make that impulse buy AFTER they get what they were looking for in the first place.