I just finished a webinar with Marketing Experiments about how to manage anxiety to increase your
website conversion. I expected a much more rational and calculated approach, but instead Flint stressed that you have to remember your customers are people, and people buy from people.
The key point was that you have to take into consideration peoples’ emotions when they're buying. Yes they will get excited and want to make the purchase but also they will have anxieties and concerns. To maximise your conversion you need to understand what is happening in the mind of the consumer and then try to minimise any concerns they have.
One of the key messages was to make sure you are giving the right message at the right point in the process. Upfront should be all sex and sizzle – you want them to press that ‘buy now’ button. However once you’re into the shopping process you need to reinforce other things – your high service levels, your guarantees, your security etc. These messages need to be relevant and specific to the anxiety of your customer at the right point.
There are a number of different methods you can use to manage your customers’ anxiety. The seven methods Flint stressed were;
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Testimonials – don’t just throw up good testimonials, use testimonials that answer concerns your customers will have at that point – again be specific.
- Language and Tone – use a style of language that’s familiar to your target customer
- Credibility Indicators – use security endorsements or awards where you can.
- Site Ratings – if you site has been rated or tested use these on your site.
- Guarantee – make sure your guarantees are clear and test the different language you use.
- General Anxiety Reducing Site Features – phone number, about us, support, cancellation or return product.
- Colours Matter – watch what colours you use. Bright headings or reverse fonts will increase anxiety.
It was a good webinar they do have a lot of useful information on their site, so if you’re interested in a more quantitative marketing approach I would recommend you have a look –
www.marketingexperiments.com.