No matter how much time you’ve spent creating your new WooCommerce site, once the first sales roll in, it may feel like it’s not quite the success you thought it would be. Simply put, once you begin seeing your conversion rates slide it’s time to take action – or your new venture will be dead on arrival.
Rather than simple chance, there’s likely some definite reasons why your products aren’t selling – perhaps it’s because your initial marketing strategies are off, or your website’s design lacks accessibility. Whatever the reason may be, the fact of the matter is that nobody’s buying from your new WooCommerce site, and it needs to be sorted – pronto!
In this post, we’ll cover four key reasons your products aren’t selling, and suggest the actions you can take to fix them. By the time you’re done, you’ll be in a better position to boost conversion rates and see your new WooCommerce site generate revenue.
Let’s get started!
1. You’re Targeting the Wrong Market
Your fledgling store’s sales are going to suffer if the right people aren’t seeing your products. It may be because your copy, marketing techniques, promotions, or all three aren’t resonating with the visitors who have begun to land on your site. Simply put, you can’t launch an online store, tack on some products, and expect to make sales right off the bat.
Also, remember that you can’t sell to everyone. Identifying and understanding your target market, therefore, is vital – although this really should have been done before the launch. To rectify it, you’ll want to rework your marketing strategies and develop a plan your target market will respond to and relate with. Online marketers who don’t have a targeted marketing campaign generally end up with a generic sales pitch that doesn’t convert.
To get started on your own site, you need to ask yourself two simple questions:
- What are you selling?
- Who is going to buy your product?
Once you’ve answered the preliminary questions, look to find some people who fit into your target market, and have them evaluate your site’s design and user experience. You might be surprised to find yourself having to make some early design modifications, and reworking your initial sales copy.
2. You’re Not Marketing Your Products Correctly
It’s a complete fallacy that a good product markets itself. No matter how good your product is or how large of a social media following you have, you’re going to need to put in some marketing efforts to sell it. As a new store owner, you’re also going to have to tackle elements such as designing catchy marketing campaigns and sales pitches to build brand awareness.
The first way to go about this is easier said than done: convince your target market that your product is amazing. To put this into practice, create some example user personas that relate with your potential customers, and figure out why they should buy your product. Begin to ask questions about their personalities – for example:
- How will it improve their lifestyle?
- How can this product or service make them happy?
- What do they need from you in order to purchase it?
This will also require you to form a sales pitch that’s personalized for your target market. Look to understand the sales language your customers respond to, and try out different campaign messages to see which one converts the most. A/B testing your sales copy, utilizing strong calls to action, and implementing landing pages are all great ways to take a first step in the right direction.
3. Your Sales Copy Is Too Direct
Sales copy that’s too direct from the get-go arguably isn’t the best way to market your product to potential customers. Instead, the brighter path is to make sure it delivers value to your customers. Giving your target market a reason to buy your product through a more diversified approach will definitely help boost your sales.
That said, there are times when a more direct approach is not only advised, but necessary. For instance, if you’re retargeting customers who’ve bounced off your website, a pushy sales pitch will be more effective in bringing them back to your site for two reasons – it’s both concise and direct.
One way to get the ball rolling is to develop a content plan for your online store. Instead of filling up your site’s web pages with promotional offers and catchy sales pitches, write up blog posts relevant to your industry that deliver value to the reader. Then, when it’s time to roll out a new product, you can look to divert back to your standard direct marketing approach.
4. Your Products Aren’t Accessible
Sometimes the biggest problem your new WooCommerce store faces is not a marketing issue at all, but a technical one. It may be because your website has a poor design that compromises the customer’s user experience, or lacks responsiveness. This is especially pertinent if you’ve got out of the blocks quickly to take advantage of the market.
One major indicator of this problem is a high bounce rate. This figure is trying to tell you that you’ve managed to get people to your site, but for one reason or another they’re hitting the back button. In short, if your products are hidden away and inaccessible, you’re not going to make a lot of sales. To rectify this, you’ll need to think again about undertaking a complete redesign of your website – this time ensuring your products are at the forefront.
This is where heat maps can be a godsend. They enable online store owners to observe user behavior on their site, and identify what causes them to bounce off without making a purchase. Furthermore, you can also split test your site’s navigation and layout, and look into user flow mapping in order to start revamping your site’s design. Above all, keep in mind that you’re designing for conversions first and foremost.
Conclusion
If your new WooCommerce store is lacking in sales, the fault might not be in your products but in the way you’re presenting them. Ultimately, the way you market your products to potential customers is absolutely vital, and if your site isn’t converting as you’d like out of the gate, it’s time to get to work.
Let’s quickly recap what you need in order to make sure your WooCommerce site starts pushing products off of its virtual shelves:
- Target the right market.
- Market your products correctly.
- Publish content that delivers value.
- Make sure your products are accessible.
Have you faced problems in increasing your new WooCommerce store’s sales? Get in touch via the comments section below and let us know!
Image credit: JuralMin.
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