Succeed As Your Own Boss

ENDING SMALL BUSINESS FAILURE

  • Home
  • About
  • Book Melinda
  • Consulting
  • SBL Store
  • SmallBizLady University
  • Subscribe to Podcast
  • #Smallbizchat
    • Be a #SmallBizChat Guest
  • Blog
  • Contact
    • We’re Hiring!
You are here: Home / Branding & Marketing / Increasing Your Online Sales Part 2

Increasing Your Online Sales Part 2

July 13, 2011 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

Feel free to share...Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on google
Google
Share on linkedin
Linkedin
Share on pinterest
Pinterest
Share on reddit
Reddit
Share on email
Email
Share on print
Print

Last time, in Part 1 of Increasing Your Online Sales, we talked about 3 ways to increase your online sales, which had to do with building and managing your site properly. This post I’m going to share some great tools for doing testing yourself. I’ll also share some ways to collect information on your site and how to distribute your content better.

First, testing intimidates most small biz owners. It’s time consuming. It can be complicated. But these tools make it fairly easy and affordable.

Here are 11 free to low cost tools I’ve researched.

1. www.feedbackarmy.com
2. www.fivesecondtest.com
3. www.conceptfeedback.com
4. www.uservoice.com
5. www.usertesting.com
6. www.userfly.com
7. www.feng-gui.com
8. www.crazyegg.com
9. www.kissmetrics.com
10. www.usability.com
11. www.Clicktale.com

One last thing about design and testing, in general, whatever you want to be clicked, put it in the upper left corner. You can put it elsewhere, but so much research data, heatmaps, user studies, show people read in an F pattern and they scan the top two horizontal lines of the letter F first, then go down the left side. BUT, they start in the upper left corner. Hardly anyone puts their form or call to action right there. They put it to the right where it is less visible.
I’m not a fan of the so-called, Squeeze Page, where you give users/readers no choice but the back button to click out, but simplifying your copy and design to make it really clear is what I’m trying share here.

Create a way to collect customer information on your website

I’m amazed at how many companies don’t collect information. When they do, they have 20 fields they ask people to fill out. Stop. Research from MarketingSherpa and other expert firms show you should probably have only three to six (3 — 6) fields. Then, set up an autoresponder to immediately reply when someone completes the form. At the same time, have that autoresponder email a copy to the sales or marketing or customer service team to get someone engaged at your company. Automate as much as you can without losing the personal touch. I use Infusionsoft, but there are lots of webform companies out there and autoresponders like aWeber.

Distributing Your Content

Content is king, but location is queen and just about everyone listens to the queen… And the queen is keeping engaged with your customer’s problems, conversations, and challenges where they happen.

So, you start with your blog. Anita Campbell, well-known CEO and Publisher of Small Business Trends says you shouldn’t be a digital pauper living inside the castle walls of social media empires. You should have your own site, your own blog. Don’t neglect that. If one of the social media giants crumbles, where will you be?

After your blog content is consistent, then start publishing similar or excerpts of posts on Facebook and/or LinkedIn, then share those links on Twitter and at BizSugar. You can also publish your work on sites like Slideshare, Postling, and article repositories like ezinearticles, diymarketers, and many others. Create screencasts of some of your more educational content and share it on YouTube. The main goal is to use that content in different forms and point it all back to your blog or website.

Tell us how this series on increasing online sales will help you in your business.

TJ McCue is founder of TechBizTalk which does independent web-product reviews and offers a Simple Website package to help small business owners get online fast and inexpensively with a $99 website. http://simplewebsite.techbiztalk.com

Feel free to share...Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on google
Google
Share on linkedin
Linkedin
Share on pinterest
Pinterest
Share on reddit
Reddit
Share on email
Email
Share on print
Print

Filed Under: Branding & Marketing, Cash Flow & Finance, Guest Articles Tagged With: Anita Campbell, Increasing Your Online Sales, low cost tools, managing your website, sales results, tj mccue

Fix Your Business Now!

Order SmallBizLady's new book Fix Your Business, 90-Day plan to Get Back Your Life and Reduce Chaos in Your Business. It includes the 12 Ps of Running a Successful Business and readers will finish the book with a new strategic plan to take their business to the next level.

About Melinda Emerson

Melinda F. Emerson, “SmallBizLady” is America’s #1 Small Business Expert. She is an internationally renowned keynote speaker on small business development, social selling, and online marketing strategy. As CEO of Quintessence Group, her Philadelphia-based marketing consulting firm serves Fortune 500 brands that target the small business market. Clients include Amazon, Adobe, Verizon, VISA, Google, FedEx, Chase, American Express, The Hartford, and Pitney Bowes. She also has an online school, www.smallbizladyuniversity.com, that teaches people online marketing and how to start and grow a successful small business and publishes a blog SucceedAsYourOwnBoss.com. Her advice is widely read, reaching more than 3 million entrepreneurs each week online. She hosts The Smallbizchat Podcast and is the bestselling author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months, Revised and Expanded, and Fix Your Business, a 90 Day Plan to Get Back Your Life and Reduce Chaos in Your Business.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Let’s Connect

  • facebook
  • instagram
  • tiktok
  • pinterest
  • linkedin
  • twitter
  • youtube
  • feedburner

We’re proud to be part of the Mediaplanet Empowering Small Business campaign! The COVID-19 pandemic brought hardship and ruin on the nation’s small businesses, but there’s now reason for hope. Learn about the resources, support, and tools available to help your small business bounce back and grow stronger than ever by picking up a copy of the campaign in USA Today and reading it online here.

Get a FREE Chapter of SmallBizLady’s Book,
"Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months, Revised and Expanded"!

Become Your Own Boss

Sign up for the SmallBizLady Buzz Newsletter by Clicking
the Button Below:

Most Popular Posts

>Seven Ways to be More Profitable in Your Small Business
> 7 Ways to Attract Customers to Your Small Business
> 6 Tips for Managing Small Business Finances
> How to Run a Successful Multilevel Marketing Business
> 10 Ways to Grow Your Small Business With Instagram
> How to Sell on Facebook
> How to Get Over the Fear of Starting a New Business

Featured Videos

Bloomberg News Interview
How to Support Small Businesses During the Holidays

“12 Principles of Highly Profitable Businesses with Melinda Emerson” from Sonia Dumas
October 2020

MSNBC Interview
Top Tip: Never Let a Customer Down

National Speakers Association
Winter Conference 2016

Fox 29 Philadelphia
'Small Biz Lady' gives best advice for starting a new business in the New Year

Fox Business
Starting a Business

MSNBC
The importance of job mentoring for women

#SmallBizChat Live
National Small Business Week: Q&A

Good Day Philadelphia
Expert Shares Tips on How to Become Your Own Boss

Google
Best Practice for Social Media

Testimonials

Become Your Own Boss is a must read if you’re thinking of launching a business of your own.
Jean Chatzky, Bestselling Author of Money 911 and Financial Editor of NBC’s Today Show
Great step-by-step advice for anyone looking to start their own business.
Andrew C. Taylor, Chairman, Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Melinda Emerson has written a remarkable book. It is essential reading for anyone seeking to make the transition from working girl to successfully working it, as an entrepreneur.
Cynthia McClain-Hill, Past President, National Association of Women Business Owners
The perfect companion for those planning to go out on their own. Melinda delivers firsthand practical advice on how to be the successful entrepreneur. Read it if you want to get it right the first time.
Kenneth L. Shropshire, Professor at the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania
If you are looking for a versatile speaker who can talk about how to grow small businesses or get started with social media, look no further.
Heather Van Sickle Executive Director, National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE)
Her wit and depth of subject knowledge were entertaining and empowering. Melinda is definitely on our short list of seasoned entrepreneurs and business leaders we look to invite back in the near future.
Tennille M. Robinson Senior content & Event producer for Inc. magazine
Melinda Emerson, “SmallBizLady,” is an engaging and witty speaker and a great addition to any conference. Her terrific presentation and compelling delivery give people the information they need and want to become their own bosses and grow success… Read more
Laurie Dalton White Conference Director, Pennsylvania Conference for Women
Melinda Emerson has been a fantastic small business and social media resource for the Pitney Bowes team. Not only is she personable and easy to work with, but she also has an innate understanding of the small business audience. My marketing programs … Read more
Justin Amendola, Former VP, Global SMB Digital Strategy, Pitney Bowes

Latest #SmallBizChat

The Art of Successful Lead Follow-Up: Tips and Tricks Featured Image

The Art of Successful Lead Follow-Up: Tips and Tricks

As a small business owner, you know that generating leads is only the first step in the sales process. Following up is essential to turn them into paying customers. Lead follow-up is often neglected, yet it’s critical to converting leads into sales. This article will discuss why lead follow-up is important, different follow-up methods, and […]

Fix Your Business Q&A Video

Recent Posts

  • The Art of Successful Lead Follow-Up: Tips and Tricks
  • The SmallBizChat Podcast: Bringing in Industry Experts to Go Further Faster with Jy Maze
  • 20 Email Marketing Tips for Small Business Owners
  • March 2023 #SmallBizChat: What Your Customer Wants and Can’t Tell You
  • The SmallBizChat Podcast: Building and Running a Strong Family Business with Christine Noh

Categories

  • 10 Things Lists
  • 12 Things
  • 15 Things Series
  • 31 Ways to Boost Your Small Business
  • Ask Smallbizlady
  • Become Your Own Boss Tips
  • Branding & Marketing
  • Business Inspiration
  • BYOB2011
  • Cash Flow & Finance
  • Customer Service
  • Featured Post
  • Featured SmallBizChat
  • Fix Your Business
  • Grow Your Business
  • Guest Articles
  • How to Start
  • Leadership
  • Melinda Emerson @SmallBizLady
  • Mompreneurs
  • My Recommendations
  • Pink Slip Entrepreneurs
  • Q & A Interview
  • SmallBizChat
  • SmallBizChat Live+
  • SmallBizLady Recommends
  • SmallBizRadio
  • Social Media
  • Solopreneurs
  • Special Reports
  • Starting A Small Business
  • Teams
  • Technology
  • Telesummit
  • The SmallBizChat Podcast
  • Uncategorized
  • Women in Business
  • Your Small Business

#SmallBizChat

  • SmallBizChat Archive
  • @SmallBizLady

Business Advice

  • How to Start

SmallBizLady Store

Products

Free Chapter

Get In Touch

  • Write For Us
  • FAQ
  • Be a #SmallBizChat Guest
  • Contact Us
Copyright © 2023
Quintessence Entertainment, Inc
PO Box 280
Drexel Hill, PA 19026
(610) 352-0680
Privacy Policy · Refund Policy

Let’s Connect

  • facebook
  • instagram
  • tiktok
  • pinterest
  • linkedin
  • twitter
  • youtube
  • feedburner