The purpose of a business is to convert leads into paying customers. Without an exchange of value, the company doesn’t exist.
But figuring out precisely how to get people to convert isn’t the easiest process in the world. It takes time and significant energy to convince people to part with their cash. For most firms, it feels like a constant uphill struggle.
That’s where this post can help. We explore some of the common mistakes businesses make when converting customers and how to avoid them. You’ll learn what companies are getting wrong and what you can do to correct the situation in your enterprise. By avoiding these mistakes, you can enjoy running your business more than your peers and get rewarded more often for your hard work.
Mistake #1: Not understanding your target audience
The first big mistake business owners usually make is failing to understand their target audience. They believe their customers have a particular set of values or characteristics when they don’t.
The problem is this: if you don't understand your target audience, you will have a hard time creating a value proposition that resonates with them and persuades them to buy from you. You will also waste time and money on marketing campaigns that don't reach the right people or generate the desired results.
How to avoid this mistake
Fortunately, avoiding this mistake is pretty simple. It just requires doing some market research and customer segmentation. You need to identify who your ideal customers are, what their pain points are, what their goals are, and how your product or service can help them.
Think carefully about what you’re really selling. Don’t assume you know, even if you think it is obvious. Put yourself in the shoes of your customers to get a better sense of why they come to you and the value you offer. It’s easy to get side-tracked or take the wrong approach.
Mistake #2: Not having a clear and compelling value proposition
Another common mistake that businesses make is not having a clear and compelling value proposition. Value propositions are essential because they tell customers why they should buy from you. It should be something concise that provides people with immediate value, relevant to them.
How to avoid this mistake
Avoiding this mistake requires creating a value proposition that communicates the value you offer. Your products should fulfill your customers’ needs in some manner.
The easiest way to do this is to point out what makes your brand different from the competition. You want to point out why customers should choose you over them.
Talk about the emotional side of your product and how it helps improve your customers’ quality of life. Avoid talking about the features or the technical ways it is better than the competition unless there is emotional or psychological value in doing so.
Mistake #3: Not following up with leads or customers
The third big mistake businesses make is failing to follow up on customer leads. They receive a call, but they don’t respond, destroying their pipelines.
For instance, a lot of companies fail to nurture customers until the point they are willing to buy. They abandon them part-way through the sales process, assuming they will follow through to completion or they are flaky.
Similarly, many businesses focus on acquiring customers but neglect to retain them or encourage repeat purchases. Firms miss opportunities and fail to maximize the lifetime value of their clients.
How to avoid this mistake
Fortunately, avoiding this mistake is pretty easy these days. The trick is to find ways to follow up with customers and make it process-driven.
For instance, you can maximize the lifetime value of clients through:-
Email marketing
SMS text messages
Social media marketing
Using other channels
When you approach users through these platforms, you are more likely to foster a long-term relationship with them and help them stick with your brand.
You should also do practical things, like adopting an answering service or using an assistant to take calls and chase up leads. Putting these services in place makes it much more likely you will follow up with clients and make them feel catered to by your business.
Another strategy to employ at this stage is customer segmentation. You need to arrange them into categories according to their behavior, preferences, or interests and personalize your messages accordingly. Having these segments makes it much more likely you will be able to communicate with them in a language they understand and meet their needs.
Mistake #4: Not optimizing your website for conversions
Another common mistake is not optimizing your website for conversions. Many websites have poor design, navigation, usability, content, or calls to action that prevents visitors from taking the desired action. The sales funnel is not clear to some users, making it hard for them to bite the proverbial bullet and commit to your brand. Websites don’t do any hand-holding, meaning customers don’t know which action they should take next, or why.
How to avoid this mistake
Avoiding this mistake is pretty easy, as you might imagine. To optimize website conversions, you’ll need to:-
Add pop-ups or interstitials that encourage customers to sign up or take action
Use analytics to determine your website’s performance and conversion rate
Use compelling calls-to-action to tell customers what to do next at every stage of the buyers’ journey
Use various forms and pop-ups to get more email subscribers
Leverage testimonials as a form of social proof to encourage more people to sign up for your services and take action
Use simple language that highlights why people should take action and use your products or services
Add clear and punchy headlines to your pages to capture users’ attention and communicate value
Wrapping Up
Many businesses make significant mistakes when trying to capture the attention of customers and convert them. That’s because getting things wrong is easier than getting them right.
Fortunately, this post showed you how to avoid the most common mistakes and put your business on the right track.
