Good conversion rate marketing is like exercising. We go to the gym one day and we feel great while we’re there, we’re just happy we showed up and we’re ready to workout. We pick up the weights and get on that treadmill and we’re rocking. We fell fantastic. We hit the showers and head back home with a sense of accomplishment and mentally commit to exercising two to three times a week. Then the next morning comes and we’re soar then another day passes and another and soon we realize it’s been a week since we’ve been to the gym.
Conversion rate marketing is the same way. We know it’s the right thing to do. If your conversion rate is 3% that means 97% of that hard-earned traffic is wasted. Conversion rate optimization will decrease our cost per acquisition and increase our sales, leads, etc. Our marketing budget will be buff and more efficient. Yet just like consistently exercising, it’s hard work. We start out with the best intentions and commit to improving our conversion rate through continuous testing. Maybe we even get through that first test or two but just like going back to the gym, other things get in the way and we find it’s been months since we’ve done anything. Optimizing your website for improvement takes dedication and work. It’s not just about throwing up ideas to see what works. That will take forever to get results and no business has that much time to commit. Successful conversion rate marketing takes asking tough questions over and over to get to the heart of what to versions to run in an A/B or multivariate test.
One of the things that will boost your conversion rate through the roof is clearly expressing your value proposition. Usually that’s also the hardest one to get right but just like exercising if you keep at it and continue to ask the tough questions over and over again, even after you think you’ve got it, ask again and again. Just like walking or jogging on that treadmill you can’t just do it once and expect to get any long-term benefits from it. Improvement is a constant struggle against our own comfort level, so here are some tough questions for you to start asking and thinking about today and tomorrow and next week and next month and beyond.
- Why do you think each customer type chooses to buy your product?
- What problems is your customer trying to solve by purchasing your product?
- Describe the typical customers current situation before buying your product.
- Why should a prospect buy from you?
- What should a prospect trust you and your solution?
Anything worth perusing takes hard work and the dedication to keep at it consistently over time. It may be difficult at first and there may be many obstacles in your way, including your company culture or the belief that it’s the right thing to do. When you’re ready, start asking yourself and others in your organization the tough questions. You may find yourself at dead ends and people in your group or company may squirm and feel uncomfortable with some of the questions because they don’t know the answers. That’s OK. Remember it’s just like exercising, it get’s easier over time if you keep at it and that’s when you’ll find your company getting better at it as well.
Image from Gustty via Flickr used under Creative Commons license.
