Generating new leads is a tricky business, especially for online businesses who have a ton of competition. How much time are you spending on lead generation? How does this compare when you add in the cost of staffing and marketing?
When shipping is part of the cost of your services, you may already know that 30% of all online purchases are eventually returned, therefore you may want to consider some additional or alternative steps to win back customers.
Small and mid-sized logistics businesses commonly struggle with growth. Poor lead generation, low sales conversion rates, and lack of sales predictability are some of the leading factors. It is likely that your company is spending 5-15% of your gross revenue on marketing, however driving website traffic and building landing pages won’t be enough, particularly with your industry’s specific needs. If you are getting a lot of customers from your website traffic, great! Generating leads will only bring more success and profit.
Did you know the average conversion rate for a Facebook Ad is 9.1%. Website conversion rates, however, lag at an average of just 2.35%. If you know you can do better, it’s time to think about your own conversion rates. Calculate your current rate and set goals so that you can think about the techniques your company can follow to achieve those goals.
Here are some strategies that you can start putting into practice today to increase your sales predictability, produce leads consistently, and convert the leads into returning customers.
Use Google Analytics
Your website is going to be the main method in which new customers find your services. Set up Google Analytics to get an excellent insight into your website visitors.
- Find out how new visitors discovered your website. Was it from keyword searches? Were they redirected by referral websites?
- Know where your visitors are from and how much time they are spending on your website.
- Understand if the visitors are new or returning customers.
- Are they browsing from their desktop or from a mobile device?
- How many of your visitors converted, and what was the process or interaction that lead them to that conversion?
Make shipping prices and conditions transparent
Trust is a vital part of your relationship with clients, and is what will bring them back as repeat customers (as well as making referrals to their friends and families). And any frustration of uncertainty will complicate and compound any issues they are having.
- Be clear and upfront about your prices and shipping costs and conditions from the beginning of any transaction
- Specify each different delivery option you offer
- Let your customer know the terms for expected delivery dates and times, as well as any potential holidays that could delay delivery times and therefore any associated costs and return times
- Your clients are entitled to any and all information you can possibly provide so that they can have realistic expectations and avoid potential disputes
- Clear language on all conditions and written information is key
- Being upfront and honest will keep loyalty flowing both ways in your valued customer relationships
Choose superior shipping partners and logistic tools
It may well be that the individual customer has no idea that there is a distinction between who delivers their order and the company from whom they actually purchased the goods they have ordered. Because of this, your shipping partner needs to be top-notch; after all, they are representing you.
- Choose carefully! If your chosen shipping partner lacks the level of customer service you are hoping to convey, switch to one that shares your commitment
- Price will obviously factor heavily into your decision, but it shouldn’t be the only thing driving your final choice
- Research your potential partner’s successful delivery and delay rates, customer support information, and complimentary insurance details
- Look for and use comparison websites. These are great because they often additionally provide offers from competitors and the choice to vary your shipment needs to find the best provider for you
- Check a company’s reliability on your own; research reviews and ratings on top of listening to the company directly
Offer the right shipping options
Once you have chosen the best shipping partner, the next step is to make sure your shipping options are the best. With 45% of online shoppers abandoning their virtual shopping cart due to shipping options they didn’t agree with, and 38% of said customers refusing to shop at a company again after a negative delivery event, this step is imperative to success.
- Offer shipping methods that are not terribly expensive and attract customers. This can be translated as having a good variety of cheapest and fastest delivery options to choose from
- Incentives such as free or affordable shipping are expected in today’s market, so make sure you are living up to the average customer’s expectations by providing this yourself
- Factor in extra expenses, such as international and expedited shipping, and keep these costs as low (and transparent) as you can
- Consider integrations with software that can sync to each location you are selling from online to best route each order to the closest shipping center for faster delivery and better service overall
Have excellent return policies
Giving your customers more time to return products will only build more trust and loyalty. It will also reassure them that if something is wrong with the product they have ordered, they will be able to get a refund.
- Make all return policies clear and easy to understand. This will prevent any potential disputes and help your customers to calculate the exact process and cost should they choose to return an item
- Include this policy alongside the product and in all correspondence: its high visibility is absolutely necessary
- Allow extra time for returns. Build trust and ensure your customers are comfortable sending items back to continue to foster that loyalty
Increasing your conversion rates means understanding what works and what doesn’t with your customers. And don’t worry if new visitors aren’t converting the first time. They may come back when they have more need (or more money). The important thing is that you have taken the time to incorporate these tips into your business plan on top of the web content that makes your company look so appealing.
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