Ten Reasons Why Your Website Isn't Producing Sales
 Getting people to your website is not an easy thing to do and getting them to become a paying customer is even more difficult. Here are some reasons why websites, don't generate sales.
e-Commerce sites have one purpose: to make sales. Websites have
become one of the most innovative business tools of our
time.
Listed below are some of the main reasons why potential
customers may be driven away from your site, thus preventing you
from making a sale.
1. Slow Loading Time
A website that is slow to load is sure to cause visitors to move
on, never to return! It's just like waiting in line in a
retail store. Customers won't wait unless the have to. Slow loading can be due to a number of reasons including: poor design, the use
of excessive and uncompressed graphics, or a slow web server.
2. Confusion
A site that is confusing is guaranteed to lose customers.
Visitors come to your site looking for something, not to
become confused. They expect to easily navigate within your site, and if they are unable to do so, the get irritated and
leave. Layout and clarity are important. Keep your site clean,
clear, and focused.
3. Unappealing Appearance
Your site reflects your business image. If your site looks
like it was built by an amateur, your potential customer will be left with the
impression that your business is unprofessional.
Avoid the
following:
- Large headlines or text, implying that you are yelling at the
reader
- Flashing text with bright colors that distracts the reader and
makes your site look tacky
- Tiny type
- Colored backgrounds, making reading
difficult
- Spelling errors, showing that you didn't take the time to
proofread
- Broken links, indicating that you don't maintain or care about
your site
4. Lack of Credibility
Credibility is not easily achievable, yet it is a significant
part of the sales process. On the web it's hard to gain
credibility, because there is no face-to-face contact.
The
following conditions on a website will decrease creditability and should therefore be avoided:
- Outrageous claims that can't be backed up
- No guarantees
- No contact information
- Unappealing appearance
- Cluttered Design
Trust is earned with time. When someone enters your site for the
first time, you don't have the opportunity to establish a
trusting relationship; therefore it is essential to have a
professional site that includes all your company's information.
Also, be sure to offer a believable, clear message and a strong
guarantee. It is imperative that you eliminate any risk that the
customer may perceive.
5. An Unclear Purpose
Visitors have to understand what your site is about in a matter
of seconds. How many sites have you visited that have left you
unsure of their purpose? Did you spend time trying to figure out
what the intent of website owner was, or did you simply leave? Keep your site focused, and simple. People will appreciate it and this will remove another barrier of the buying process.
6. Difficulty in Making a Purchase
If someone can't find a product, price, or the order page on your
website, you have a problem. Make it easy for your visitor to make a
purchase. One problem I have run into was a site that didn't accept my information at the check out, because of some program error. It's a good idea to
test your site and each option on your checkout page beforehand to avoid situations such as these.
Another problem worth mentioning is having too many options at the checkout. If you are trying to upsell, do so before the checkout, not during. People may get confused and frustrated about the difference between the standard product and the upsell product and may leave without making a purchase.
7. No Call To Action
If you don't ask for the order, you are losing sales.
A lot of
people will be interested in your product, but if there is no call
to action, people will do nothing or, think they will make a
purchase later and then forget to do so. You have to close the sale when they are at their peak interest.
Just ask for the order.
It can be as easy as putting in a phrase such as: "Click here to
immediately process your order and download your product within 3 minutes"
8. Low Traffic Volume
It doesn't matter how good your website, product, service, or price
is, and it doesn't matter if you're giving away water to a
thirsty population; If your site has little to no traffic, you won't
be making sales! You have to drive targeted traffic to your site
in order to make sales.
9. Marketing to Everyone
If you think your products or services are suited to everyone,
you are making a huge mistake. The more specific you are in
defining your audience, the more you can understand them and
adapt your business to address their needs and desires.
For example if you're selling baby products and your audience is
comprised of senior citizens, how many sales would you make?
If your audience is the wrong match for your product or service, it doesn't
matter if you give it away because they won't be interested. For best
results, your targeted audience must have a desire for your
product, and the ability to buy it.
10. No Reason To Buy
 All of the above contribute to a website that won't make the
sale. But if you have the right product at the right price, and
it's targeted at the right audience, you have won half the
battle.
Make your offer so compelling that
buyers are literally reaching in their pocket for their credit
card. If you want to see some excellent examples of this
technique, watch a few infomercial's. They are masters at putting
together packages that are irresistible.
Using the above as a guide when creating or remodeling your website will help you optimize it and increase online sales. You can
then focus your energy on implementing marketing strategies to
increase your success even more.
That's The Way I See It!
Acey Gaspard
A Touch of Business.com
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