How do you get customers to actually purchase your products

This is the major battle for online businesses. 

How to get customers to actually purchase my products and patronize my business? Such a headache, especially when you are in a field full of competitors. You can't actually force people to buy your products, but you can convince them to.

It is not because, you just post something online, that someone should see it or would see it and buy. It involves much more than that. Operating an online business may be simple, but if you want to push your business to a high level, you need to constantly do extra. 

In our previous post "Where do you get customers for your products?", I have outlined ways through which you could get customers for your business, in this post let's talk about how you could get these customers to actually purchase your products and patronize your business.

Let's keep something in mind, you can't force anyone to buy your products, you can only convince, attract or entice them to do so.

How do you entice customers to actually purchase your products?

1) Build an online presence 

Online business means online presence. Build a strong online presence on Facebook/Meta, Instagram, Twitter or Thread.  You don't need to be on all online platforms though, just identity platforms where you can reach your desired target market. 

How do you build a strong online presence?

• Open business pages on online platforms, where you can reach your desired target audience. If you can't really tell which platform to use, start with Facebook and Instagram. These are the popular ones.

• Make sure all your pages have the same logo and profile details. Your pages must have the right information, that will  give that professional look. Add keywords (words attached to your business and products), contacts, links to your other pages or what's app business link. When someone gets to your page, it should be very much easy for him/her to contact you or place an order.

• Be constant with your content posts (videos or pictures). You should be posting constantly on your various pages. 

• Share your pages' links everywhere, on other platform or groups, and ask others to also do same

2) Presentation

How well do you present your products to your audience? Presentation is very important, because that is what actually attract someone to buy from you and not the other seller. A good presentation touches your audience's feelings and emotions.

What do I mean by presentation?

• Visuals (Photo & Videos): Create beautiful pictures and videos of your products, with simple backgrounds. Don't copy other businesses' photos. Have your own photos with your logo on them. Let your pictures display your originality. Your photos must be unique.

• The message: What message does your product carry? is it a solution to a problem? What story is your product or business telling? What benefits does your product offer? Why should I buy your product? Whoever sees your product posts, must identify something that will automatically connect him/her to your product. Something that will awake in him/her the need to purchase your product. 

• Emotions: You must present your product with your emotions. When someone comes in contact with your page, your passion should be displayed and felt. 

• Your Stores: Your business page (Instagram, Facebook) is basically your store, shop or office, depending on what you are selling. It must look nice and well organized. Imaging walking into a boutique meant for men's wear, but you see groceries and toiletries hanging here and there, or the wears are scattered all over the place, I bet you will either be disappointed or doubt if you are in the right store. Same applies to your online stores (business pages). Your product photos and videos must be so well displayed, that it will automatically attract whoever goes there. Your online store is your showcase room.

Good presentation is key, when you want customers to buy your products and patronize your business. How you present your product to your audience, will determine whether or not, they will buy. A good presentation is a big bait, it entice your audience. You can have a very cheap product at hand, but with good presentation it could easily be sold at a high price. The way you present your product and business, is how people will actually see it. 

3) Customer relationship & Communication

After you have beautifully displayed your product, what will make a customer patronize your business or even propose it to other people, will be your relationship with that customer. Some people have very attractive product, you go on their page, contact them to place an order, and the way and manner at which they talk to you immediately puts you off. 

Anytime, a customer contacts you, even if it's for just an enquiry, let it be a memorable experience for that customer. Make your customers feel very special, in your post, on the phone, during a chat. Let them feel like your business is all about them. At the end of the day, you want to make that sale.

Some customers can be very troublesome, so if there are some limits, some things you cannot offer, communicate it to them politely. Avoid getting angry, try as much as possible to control your emotions. The last thing, you'd want is a crazy client ranting negatively about you and your business on social media.

4) Marketing

A good presentation is already a way of marketing your product and business. Now you need to add some few things, which will create some urgency for that purchase.

• Pricing: Your prices must be very competitive. If you are selling far higher than your competitors, what would make them buy from you? If your prices are too low, what guaranties that your products are of good quality? Your prices must not be too low nor too high. With a good presentation, your offer must beat your competitors prices.

• Promotions: Running promotion will push customers to rush on your product within a specific period, all because of that special offer attached to it. It can be a price discount for a weekend or a special holiday discount, a free delivery offer for first ten orders, or a buy this and get that for free. You can create special offers for only your followers. 

• Reviews: Show some of your customers testimonials. Any good comments or appreciation, you've received from your customers, screenshot them and post them on your platforms for your audience to see. This is a very good way to push those who have a little doubt and hesitating to buy from you. It increases trust in your business.

• Sponsorship: You could sponsor some specific online shows or programs, especially those that have something related with what you are selling. You could offer a special discount to those attending that particular program.

As a startup online business, put enough effort in building your online presence, and give your product and business an attractive image. These will help raise the bar for your business, and making sales won't be a hard thing anymore.

Do you own an online retail business? or planning to do so? Do you want to improve on your online retail business skills? if yes, then feel free to join our telegram community, where we will all be learning on improving our skills and taking our businesses to the next level.

Join here