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The BUSINESS BOOSTER

5 Smart Ways to Sell More Products In Your

Online Store

© Catherine Langman 2016 | www.catherinelangman.com 2

So you want to learn how to sell more products in your online store?

Fantastic! I’m thrilled to be able to share some of my best insider tips that have helped myself and many of my clients to grow their sales and profits online.

In the following pages, I’m going to share with you five key steps – essential ingredients in the recipe for a successful online business.

Each step will teach you one strategy designed to help get you closer to your own goals, using the exact same blueprint I used to grow my own product-based business to 6-figures in under 12 months.

Of course, knowledge and theory is all well and good, but it’s useless without implementation!

Which is why I have included implementation worksheets within this guide to help you take action.

If you get stuck…

Sing out if you get stuck and need some personalised assistance to put this into practice in your own business.

Visit catherinelangman.com/book-me to schedule a complimentary Product Profits Strategy Session with me.

Introduction

http://catherinelangman.com/book-me


STEP #1 IS ALL ABOUT FINDING YOUR TRIBE.

Tell me, do you ever feel frustrated that your marketing emails are falling flat - with low open rates and click through rates? Or worse still, hardly any sales off the back of them?

What about social media - how’s your engagement in that department?

Many business owners I know (and many I don’t know but observe online) seem to struggle with these issues.

Their method of fixing it?

Trying to capture a wider audience.

Creating content and promotions to appeal to more people. Bringing in additional product lines to attract new and different customers.

Sound familiar?

There’s just one problem with this - and it’s a big one!

A brand that tries to appeal to everyone is much like the people-pleasing personality who won’t say anything at all for fear of offending anyone. Yawn.

And the customers turn away. They don’t love it. They don’t want it.

ARGH so very frustrating isn’t it?

Moral of the story?

Not everyone is going to be obsessed with you.

And the sooner you accept this, the better.

Chapter 1

The first step to having your products fly off the digital shelf


Because if you want to build an unmistakable brand – and cultivate an audience of completely obsessed fans – you can’t be a beige, watered-down people-pleaser.

You’ve got to share your opinions. You’ve got to take a stand on certain issues. Share true stories.

Your brand needs a personality that feels authentic – something your peeps will connect with.

You’ve got to be distinctive.

And guess what? That means some people aren’t going to like you.

Those people can seek out products elsewhere. They’re not meant to buy from you! Stop trying to convert them or woo them because it won’t work.

Sure, the market value for your product might be a certain size, but they’re never all gonna buy from you. Not even Apple can claim that level of autonomy!

I see tons of product-based business owners wasting SO much time and energy trying to please Every. Single. Person. Often, said business owners don’t even realise they’re doing it.

“Oh, I can’t say THAT on my blog. (Even though it’s totally true.) Some people might get offended!”

“I can’t photograph my products like that – it’s too cheeky, people won’t get my sense of humour!”

“I need to do all these things because that’s what my competitor over there is doing and I can’t risk falling behind.”

“I don’t want people to know that I run my business from the kitchen table. They’ll never take me seriously.”

If those kinds of thoughts are running through your head on a regular basis, that’s a problem.

You’re waiting tons of time and money – and missing big opportunities to stand out and shine – by trying to be all things to all people, all the time.

Truth Smack!

Stop trying to please everyone.

It’s tiring, feels awful, oh, and also: it’s impossible.

Let go of the fantasy that your brand is “perfect” for everyone. It’s not.

Instead: get realistic and get specific.

Seek out your tribe.

Pretend you are your brand for a second. Who turns you on? You’ve got desires and preferences.

Maybe tall, dark and handsome architects make you go weak in the knees.

Maybe you’re a sucker for anyone with a Scottish accent.

Maybe a wicked sense of humour, or a talent in the kitchen gets your attention every time.

You’re allowed to prefer certain qualities over others, choose your friends, and choose your sweetheart.

Chapter 1


You’re allowed to choose your customers, too.

It all starts by understanding what turns you on, in a business sense…and then actively seeking out those kinds of people.

What kinds of customers do you love? What are the qualities you’re looking for?

We’re not looking for cookie-cutter customers here – of course everyone’s different, but what are the common characteristics?

YOUR ASSIGNMENT: DESCRIBE YOUR CUSTOMER AVATAR’S PERSONALITY

Tip: Use the implementation worksheet to help you complete this assignment.

Clarifying the kind of customers you want to serve puts you in the position where you can then absolutely knock their socks off with your perfectly-matched products, your mouth-watering content and product descriptions, and your promotions and offers will start generating a shoe-sale-frenzy level of excitement and obsession amongst your tribe!

When writing your Customer Avatar description I want you to focus on personality characteristics, values, and emotional drivers – what’s important to them and what motivates them?

If you need some inspiration for writing your Customer Avatar – pretend you’re writing a character description for Game of Thrones. Make it juicy and emotional, NOT dry and boring (or, worse, corporate-speek!)

OK so now that I’ve let the Secret Weapon out of the bag, it’s you’re turn!

I want you to have a crack at it and whatever you do, don’t give in to the temptation of skipping this step. Trust me on this – it really does make a difference to your online sales!

And in the next chapter, we tackle a dirty little secret that nobody tells you about selling physical products online… But don’t worry, I’m going to reveal all for you!

Chapter 1

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The first step in growing your sales online is: customer clarity. Why? Well, the truth is that customer-centric businesses tend to have most success with selling online. In the anonymous online world, the business that has the best, most natural product/customer fit, wins!

Here are the top three reasons why truly, deeply and madly understanding your customers helps you to sell more products online:

> Your copywriting gets better because you’ll start using the right words, the same words and phrases your ideal customers use.

> Your website content will be more effective, because you will know when (in your customers’ decision-making process) to deliver the right information and the right offers, and via which medium.

> You will attract more potential customers because you know where your audience is and how to speak to them.

When you fully understand your ideal customer, your business will really start to make more money. You’ll stop wasting your time and effort trying to be all things to all people. Which, quite frankly, is pretty annoying when you’re on the receiving end of it!

The end result? All your messaging – from your website, to emails, blogs and social media – will have more impact and your customers will learn to know, like and trust you. And when you’re selling online, that is pure gold.

Use the following template to profile your ideal customer.

I call it a Customer Avatar, but it is also sometimes known as Customer Persona or Buyer Profile.

Keep this Persona handy each time you create new content in your business, whether it be for social media, emails, advertising, your website or even in-person content like in-store or trade shows. Remember, consistency is key!

Your secret weapon to growing sales? Knowing your customers like they’re your best friend!

Customer Avatar

Persona name:

Age:

Quote:

Income bracket:

Location:

Gender:

Occupation:

Education Level:

Number & age of children:

Marital status:

Job title:

Other:

GOALS AND VALUESGoals:

PAIN POINTS & NEEDSPain:

OBJECTIONS & INFORMATION REQUIREMENTSObjections to the sale:

MEDIA CONSUMPTION / SOURCES OF INFORMATIONBooks:

Magazines:

Blogs/websites:

Experts/industry leaders::

TV shows:

Other:

Values: Needs:

Information required to get past objections:

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Hi there, nice to meet you, when do you want to get married? Let’s choose our kids’ names!

Not exactly what you’d expect to hear on a first date, right?

That’s because everything in life and business needs to move in a logical sequence, to allow a relationship to develop over time.

Just like you don’t ask your date to get married before you get to know each other, you shouldn’t ask your potential customer to buy your product before getting to know you first.

Building a relationship with your website visitors is important because it allows people to get to know, like and trust you before they ever take out their credit card.

STEP #2 IS TO BECOME A CHICK CUSTOMER MAGNET (RATHER THAN A SALESPERSON)

How?

By learning the art of (customer) seduction…

Firstly, you gotta stop being needy (a.k.a pushing for the order)

I want you to stop chasing your customers with your discounts and ‘buy now’ messages… and get them chasing you instead!

Your website is your shop, right?

Well, I want you to think of it a little bit like your home.

Chapter 2

Can I buy you a coffee?


Chapter 2

Think about when you invite friends (or a date!) to your home for the first time. How can you make them feel welcome and comfortable?

A couple of hints:

>> Don’t set your pop-up form to appear immediately upon a visitor arriving at your website – this is really annoying and immediately puts your visitor in a negative mindset.

>> When you do invite people to sign up to your email list – offer them value first rather than a discount.

Secondly, offer your website visitors a Welcome Gift (a.k.a an opt-in bribe)

People freaking LOVE getting gifts.

Research has proven that offering someone an unexpected gift is one of the quickest ways to form a bond with that person.

As human beings, we are wired to appreciate favors & treats! We love getting free stuff.

And when that “free stuff” happens to be totally awesome, beautiful, inspiring or helpful?

Instant OBSESSION.

What is a Welcome Gift, exactly?

It’s a free gift that you offer your website visitors (and potential customers) as a “thank you” for joining your email list.

A welcome gift can be…

• A physical item (such as a sample of your product)

• A digital item (for example, a free email course like this one, or an eGuide or video tutorial)

• A challenge (check out the Simple Green Smoothie girls for an example of a brilliant challenge)

• A checklist (I love my client Cheeky Chompers’ example – “10 Ways to Sooth a Teething Baby Without Reaching for the Medicine Cabinet”)

• A downloadable or printable (a beautiful graphic or a worksheet or template of some kind).


Chapter 2

YOUR ASSIGNMENT: DECIDE WHAT WELCOME GIFT YOU WANT TO CREATE.


This is a Newsletter-and-Discount-Free-Zone peeps!

The #1 key to choosing the RIGHT welcome gift for your audience? SPECIFICITY.

What, specifically, do your customers need to know, understand or believe in order to want to buy your product?

Your welcome gift should answer this AND be the logical first step towards buying your products.

If you’re feeling stumped — wondering what kind of Welcome Gift would be ideal for your audience — here’s a great question to ask yourself:

What is the biggest thing my customers are struggling with when they first arrive in my world?

And what’s one gift that could help them with… that?

For example: if you have a mineral make-up brand that’s 100% pure, natural and organic, designed for the time-poor Mum (read – dark under-eye circles, pallid complexion from lack of sleep, more wrinkles than were there yesterday, and zero time to apply make-up before doing the school run), perhaps your Welcome Gift might be a video showing a 2 minute make-up routine to perk up your appearance and your mood.

Why?

Because when customers first arrive in your world, they’re probably thinking, “I wish I had a magic wand that made me look and feel amazing without spending hours in front of the mirror”.

Your Welcome Gift can help!

And, because it’s not the whole solution – you should encourage your gift recipient to come back and buy your products as well.

Now, if you’re curious about HOW your customers – your tribe – actually decide to buy your products after they claim your Welcome Gift, you’ll get your answer in the next step!

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A Welcome Gift, which I often refer to as a “Customer Magnet”, is a valuable freebie that you give to your audience in exchange for adding their email address to your list.

It’s the irresistible free giveaway offer that leads people to engage with your brand. It also warms up your audience for future sales. If you’re giving something this great away for free, imagine what you might have for sale!

To spark your creativity and help you articulate your ideas for the best kind of customer magnet you can offer, we’re going to focus on the CONTENT and VALUE PROMISE below.

Try not to resort to offers such as “10% off” or “join our newsletter and stay up to date on all our news and promotions”. (Soooo not enticing!!!)

Also, when deciding on your customer magnet, you need to keep in mind your end game – how are you going to lead your subscribers on to buying your product?

The next chapter and worksheet will assist in executing this (the whole ‘lead your subscribers on to buying from you’ part), but the right Welcome Gift is the crucial first step.

In addition, you want it to be amazingly simple and quick for your ideal customer to use. A 20 page document, no matter how thorough it is, won’t look like value to someone who is extremely busy and looking for a solution fast.

You want to offer something that is easy to understand, quick to consume and instantly delivers value – think checklists, how-to guides, short lists of tips, downloadables/printables.

Identify your Welcome Gift

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NEXT STEPS:

To create a welcome gift your audience will find irresistible, write down your answers to these questions. (There can be more than one right answer so have fun with it!)

• What does my ideal customer need to understand, be aware of, or believe in order to want or need my product? What is the research or education process they go through before making a buying decision?

• What are the top 3 questions I’m constantly asked about my product?

• What are my ideal customers biggest pain points? What would help ease their pain? How can I show them or give them confidence that I have the solution for them?

• What content would be so valuable that my audience will say, “I can’t believe that was free!”

• What is the SPECIFIC value that I can offer with my customer magnet – write down at least 3

• How can I lead from this customer magnet into my paid product? How do they relate?

Keep it Simple:

Your welcome gift, or ‘customer magnet’, should compliment or align with the product you plan to sell. Ideally, purchasing your product should be the logical next step on from consuming your customer magnet.


Tell me, what is the one ultimate job your website has to do?

Well, if you’re selling products online, then that’s easy – it’s to make sales! And if you’re reading this guide then I’m guessing you want to know how to do more of that.

Now, I want to ask you a tough question.

Do you believe you’ll make more sales if only you could get more people to visit your website?

I’m sorry to say, that’s often not the case. People rarely buy from you the first time they’re on your site.

But if they’re on your site, they’re likely to fit your ideal customer profile. So you don’t want to lose them, do you?

So that you don’t miss out on any potential sales from these first-time non-buying visitors to your website, you want to collect their name and email address.

We call these email subscribers “leads” – they’re your potential customers, and we discussed in the previous chapter how you could most effectively entice as many potential customers to subscribe to your email list as possible.

So what are you gonna do with those email addresses next?

Hint: you do NOT simply add them to your email newsletter list!

Our goal is to move your customers from just-found-out-about-you to ‘YES-I’m-buying-this-product-now!’

And you’ll never achieve that by sending out ad-hoc newsletter blasts to your entire email list.

The key to increasing the number of customers who buy from you is…

Follow up with your new subscribers and make them an offer they can’t refuse!

Chapter 3

How to Double the Number of Customers Who Buy From You


Chapter 3

Direct selling experts will always say you need to follow-up multiple times in order to get a sale. The money is in the follow-up.

Which is why crafting the perfect welcome gift is so important, to attract more potential customers to your website and to capture their email address so that you CAN continue the conversation with them and follow up with them after they leave your site.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT: CRAFT YOUR HIGH CONVERTING FOLLOW-UP CAMPAIGN


When it comes to selling on email, you want to employ the right strategy in your first follow-up sequence – this is the automated email sequence that goes out to your new email subscribers if they signed up to get your free customer magnet but didn’t buy yet.

You should be following up a minimum of three times, which means having a minimum of three emails in your automated email sequence.

Email 1:

In the first email, you share a secret based on your own personal story or that of a customer. Give them the story around what problem, need or desire your product provides a solution for, by telling them how it did this for you. And them make them an offer to buy this product.

Email 2:

The second email presents the same offer, but couched as a solution. Start by acknowledging their current situation, share some facts and figures, share your own “before and after” story, and present it as a logical, evidence-based argument about why the best solution to their problem is to buy your product. And then ask them again to buy your product.

Email 3:

Use FOMO (fear of missing out) as a motivator to take action! Remind them about the desired result they are looking for and then link back to your product shop page on your website.

Remember...

There are only 3 ways to increase your sales and profits online:

1. Increase the number of customers who buy from you, 2. Increase the frequency your customers buy from you, or 3. Increase your average order value.

The strategy outlined in this email is designed to help you achieve #1. In the next two steps, we’ll focus on the second and third way to increase your sales!

Specifically, in the next chapter we’re tackling how to truly WOW your customers. You want to build a crowd of obsessed brand fans who’ll salivate over your every single offering!

If you want to sell more products online (without discounting!), you don’t want to miss this step in the process.

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How to Create Email Campaigns that Sell Like HotCakes

Once you master the skill of selling via email, you will always be able to make money in your business!

By Catherine Langman - Success Coach to Productpreneurs

How to Create an Email Campaign that Sells When crafting an email promotion – which could be sending a new offer or promotion to your existing email list, prospecting for new potential stockists, or following up with brand new subscribers to your email list – there is one fundamental thing you must do (and this is something many small business owners completely skip): you must follow up.

Following up is non-negotiable!

It is simply not enough to send an offer once. Have you checked your average email open rates or click through rates? I bet there is a big proportion of recipients on your list who don’t even open your email, let alone click through.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t want what you’re offering – your email subject line may not have been interesting to them, or they may have ‘saved it for later’ (and then forgotten), or they may not be ready for your offer just yet. Or, given the average person receives around 147 emails per day (!!) – they may have simply missed it the first time!

Here are a few pointers to remember when approaching email marketing:

1. Nurture your new email list subscribers with a ‘welcome’ sequence of 3 to 5 emails, delivering valuable content that will educate or be of interest to your ideal customers.

2. Each email should make the same offer (call to action), but presented in a slightly different content focus in order to appeal to the different buying motivations (see worksheet below for more details).

3. Work hard at your subject lines – they need to be clickable, without using any overly sales-trigger words that are likely to send your message straight to the spam folder!

4. Only have one topic or offer and one call-to-action per email!

Remember, the goal with each email is to create a reason for the recipient to buy from you (a purchase opportunity) and also to deliver value.

16

How to Create Email Campaigns that Sell Like Hot Cakes

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN TO CREATE YOUR HIGH CONVERTING EMAIL CAMPAIGN

The following worksheet outlines a content strategy for your email campaigns, covering off the top 3 psychological reasons why people buy.

Email #1:

Send time: immediately (upon subscribing, or upon start-date of promotion)

Type of email: Welcome & establish expectations (if new subscriber), or introduce new offer (if promotion).

Subject line:

Email text:

Email #2:

Send time: 2 days after previous email

Type of email: Gain email – share secret, tell the story about why you started your business and what your vision is, introduce product benefits, and end with a link to your product.

Subject line:

Email text:

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Email #3:


Type of email: Gain email – social proof email, share an “Average Jane” Case Study (hopefully about a past customer, but can be another story about your own experience if you’re just starting out). Illustrate how your product helped the person in the case story achieve their results, and then link to your product.

Subject line:

Email text:

Email #4:


Type of email: Logic email – solutions email, start with where they are right now (the problem they’re experiencing), share some facts and figures, share your own “before and after” story and present it as a logical argument about why the best solution to their problem is to buy your product.

Subject line:

Email text:

Email #5:


Type of email: Fear email – “fear of missing out” is a huge motivator, so if the offer has a limited time only then emphasise that. In the absence of real scarcity, like a coupon code expiring or a sale ending, you would pitch this email as an “after this email I won’t keep talking about this, so get in now before you forget about it in the shuffle of life”, or “Don’t wait a minute longer to experience X desired result”. Remind the recipient about the end result they want and how your product will help get them that. Link to your product in body of email and PS.

Subject line:

Email text:


So, you meet a cool lady — briefly — at a dinner party. She seems nice. Maybe a potential friend. Someone to hang with. Could be great!

She asks for your phone number and email address and promises (“pinkie sweeeear!”) to get in touch ASAP to set up a girlie date.

You’re thinking: YAY! Visions of pedicures and buttered popcorn and Ryan Gosling movie marathons dance in your mind.

But then… months go by.

She doesn’t ring. She doesn’t email. Not even a friendly text. Nothing.

And then — almost a year after you handed her your email address — you wake up one morning to find a bizarre pile of “urgent requests” in your inbox.

“I’m moving! Can you help me pack?” she asks, quickly followed by…

“I’m getting married! Be my maid of honor?” followed by…

“Oh, could I get a ride to the airport tomorrow?” and then…

“Support my cousin’s Kickstarter campaign!” and then…

“I’ve been thinking about you a lot, lately. How ARE you?”

Huh… whuhhh? No thanks. You’re not feeling the love. You’re just baffled.

This woman is not really your friend.

It feels like she just wants to “get” something from you… but you don’t even have a relationship yet!

Chapter 4

The Red Carpet Experience


Chapter 4

Plus, she’s been missing in action all year long! Everything about this just feels… wrong.

You’re not going to help her out. You don’t particularly want to play with her.

If there was an UNSUBSCRIBE button at the bottom of her annoying emails, you’d be clicking it, fast. Goooodbye.

Now, obviously, you would NEVER behave like the “Bad Girlfriend” in this story to one of your friends.

You have better manners — and more common sense — than that.

And yet…

Many business owners behave just like “Bad Girlfriends” to their clients, customers, readers, subscribers and social media followers.

I know you’ve encountered a few of ‘em, out there.

Maybe (gulp) you have a couple of “Bad Girlfriend” habits, yourself.

Here’s how to spot the signs…

“BAD GIRLFRIEND” BUSINESS OWNERS…

• Collect people’s email addresses and plop them onto a mailing list… but then, they never write. (Or they write boring, generic stuff without any heart or excitement…Or even worse – they send sale after discount after promotion, imploring you to part with your money!)

• Promise the moon and the stars (new products! new promotions! new services!)… but then, they fizzle out and fail to deliver.

• Go “silent” for months at a time… but then, they suddenly barge back onto the scene with five billion new offerings, product launches and urgent requests to tweet, share, like, buy!

• Focus exclusively on what they can GET… but never seem to consider what their customers, clients and fans actually want and need.

• Rarely stay in business for long. Because pretty soon? People just stop listening. :(

“Bad Girlfriend” business owners are not necessarily “bad people.”

In fact, quite the opposite.

Often, their intentions are in the right place — they really DO want to be of service! They’re just going about it the wrong way.

They’ve gotten caught up in online marketing mumbo-jumbo craziness, or they’ve been influenced by one too many “gurus.”

Basically? They’ve gotten temporarily disconnected from common sense — and temporarily disconnected from what “business” is really all about:

Connecting. Helping. Listening. Serving. Showing up. Showing that you care.

Truth Smack! You must treat your customers with the same care and respect that you would treat your closest friends.

You have to show up for your business audience, consistently.

You have to be reliable and keep your promises.

You have to give first, and ask later.


Chapter 4

Basically? Just be a good friend.

If you feel like you’ve been acting like a “Bad Girlfriend” to your business audience… don’t stress.

You can absolutely repair your reputation.

You just have to start showing up — and showing the love.

One of the best ways to shake out the old energy and begin a new business era?

GIVE YOUR CUSTOMERS THE RED CARPET EXPERIENCE.

Remember the good old days?

Those dreamy days when someone would open a small business… start producing goods (or offering services)… do a phenomenal job… dazzle his or her customers… build a reputation… and then get tons of new customers, through word of mouth?

Guess what?

WE STILL LIVE IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS.

That is still how business works.

You open up shop. You give your customers an amazing experience. They leave, smiling.

They rave about you to their friends. More business comes your way.

Same flow. Yes, even today. It’s just that the Internet has made everyone temporarily insane.

Many business owners have gotten swept up by shiny marketing tactics that promise sensational results. (“10x your sales in 10 seconds! Blah blah etc!”)

We’ve become disconnected from the ONE thing that really matters, in business: Your reputation.

Your reputation — more than the size of your customer database, email list, social media following, or any other metrics — is what will determine your success & profitability.

If you have a shitty reputation, you won’t continue to sell products.

If you have an outstanding reputation, then people will talk about you (online and offline) and get other people excited about your stuff, too.

This is the simple, honest truth.

Treat your customers like royalty.

Not every customer is going to be obsessed with you — no matter how phenomenal your products or your reputation may be.

But some ARE going to be obsessed with you.

And when those oh-so amazing customers pop into your world… you’ve got to treat them like absolute royalty.

This doesn’t mean saying “Yes” to every request or letting people take advantage of you. It also doesn’t mean that the “customer is always right.” (My view on that is the customer isn’t always right, but they must always feel heard…)


Chapter 4

YOUR ASSIGNMENT: PLAN YOUR RED CARPET EXPERIENCE


To give your customers the red carpet experience, you can…

• Send hand-written notes to your customers with every order – thanking them for their custom and remembering them if they’ve come back.

• Wrap each order lovingly (I mean, who wouldn’t want to feel like they’re opening a gift when they receive their order?)

• Send personalised emails to your customers, offering interesting, valuable information or content (not just offers to buy)

• Ask people what they’d like you to create, next. (So that you can honestly say, “Hey, I made this for you.”)

• Create special challenges and games for your community.

Now it’s your turn to delve a little deeper into how you can personalise your communications to make your customers feel loved.

Check out the implementation worksheet to help you plan your own customer’s red carpet experience!

And now – let’s take a deep breath. In the next chapter we’ll dive into the lucky last strategy in this training, which is all about selling more products EFFORTLESSLY!

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How to Give Your Customers a Red Carpet Experience

Use this worksheet to brainstorm ways you can design your buying process (online and offline) in a way that your customers will LOVE.

Think through the process in three stages – Before (the customer purchases), During (the transaction itself), and After (the purchase has been made).

Some of these ideas might overlap with your Customer Magnet ideas and that’s totally fine. This is simply another way you can approach delivering an outstanding customer experience so you can truly WOW your customers each and every time.

Sometimes I find it helpful to start with the end result and work backwards. That way you only have to think of the one thing that needs to happen before the point I’m at now, if that makes sense.

What does your customer avatar really want? Start thinking about how you can inject thought, compassion, love, personality, quality, enjoyment and a little fun throughout your customer’s journey.

1. BEFORE

Ask yourself, what is your ideal customer thinking, feeling and doing BEFORE she purchases? What is her problem or need that requires a solution? And how can you remove any fear, frustration, doubt or concern? How can you align your brand with your ideal customer’s desired end result? How can you exceed her expectations before she even buys anything? Use this space to brainstorm ways to create an outstanding customer experience before the point of purchase.

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2. DURING

What would your ideal customer absolutely love to experience DURING the purchase stage? What would they deeply appreciate whilst using or consuming your product? What would be useful, thoughtful or helpful? What would surprise and delight them? Use this space to brainstorm ways to create an outstanding customer experience during the purchase period.

3. AFTER

After the purchase is complete is a crucial time if you want to turn customers into raving fans. So don’t neglect this stage of the customer journey! Ask yourself, how can you surprise and delight your customers AFTER the purchase is complete? What would make them feel cared for and add value to their experience with your business and brand? Use this space to brainstorm ways to create an outstanding customer experience after they’ve used your product.

*Important note: Just because you write it down doesn’t mean you should execute it. Use this as a brainstorming practice and then choose the best ideas that are most aligned with your brand and your ideal customers’ desired end result. And have fun!


Congratulations !

You’ve just entered the world I wish we all lived in when we start getting involved in online business: the world of selling on autopilot.

The idea is that you don’t have to work harder in order to sell more and grow your business.

How cool is that?

So far we’ve talked about how to identify and find the right people (your ideal customers), how to build a relationship with them and convert them into a first time buyer.

Now, we’ll complete our 5-part training by finding out how to make your website do the hard work for you. On autopilot.

Now tell me, do you want to skyrocket your sales growth online?

Every single business owner I talk to – clients, students and others alike – wants to grow their sales. Preferably as soon as possible, right? (Actually scratch that – I do have one client who told me I’ve made her so busy she can’t focus on growth right now, she’s too busy ramping up her production to keep up with orders! But I digress…)

“Retention is the single most important thing for growth” (Alex Shultz, VP Growth, Facebook).

Chapter 5

Want the Secret Sauce to Supercharge your eCommerce Store?


Chapter 5

THE POWER OF ONLINE CUSTOMER LOYALTY

Back in the early days of of eCommerce, it was believed that customers were not loyal to any particular online retailer.

The World Wide Web seemed to make customer loyalty irrelevant; at the click of a mouse, shoppers could effortlessly cover the globe in search of the lowest price, with little to hold them at one site.

(I would argue that many business owners who sell online today still work off this assumption, with the result that the one and only tactic they use to convert new sales is a discount or low-price strategy!)

Yet, while it’s true that online shoppers can skip easily from one site to the next, what’s actually happened is that many online shoppers are actually highly loyal to their favourite online store. (Like me with my ever-favourite Birdsnest clothing retailer!)

Tools such as Internet bookmarks and highly engaging content (including email and social media) have led to online shopping patterns that are loyal, almost addictive.

Today, loyal shoppers visit their favourite sites far more frequently than they would any bricks-and-mortar store. And as a Productpreneur – you want to be that website, right?

And it gets even better: high levels of customer loyalty can have an enormous impact on the profitability of your website sales.

And by small changes – even a 5% increase in customer loyalty (repeat purchases from existing customers) can result in up to 95% growth in profits!

If ever there was a reason to make sure your customers are happy, this would be it!

HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE HAPPY AND COMING BACK FOR MORE??

(Other than making sure the product or service you sell them is absolutely sensational of course!)

There’s an important thing you should do with all new customers after their first purchase and, in digital marketing speak, it’s called “on-boarding”.

Essentially, “on-boarding” is welcoming new customers to your business and brand and ensuring their experience using or consuming your products is as enjoyable and successful as possible. Then, you can take it the next step further by making another offer to buy from you, personalised to the individual customer’s preferences.

Basically we’re doing two things here: rolling out the red carpet AND trying to sell them something that makes sense as a next purchase on from their last purchase. Nifty right?

And the reason I want to introduce you to the term ‘on-boarding’ is because this is actually something you can automate in your marketing automation email application.

So, once a new customer places their first order with you, that purchase transaction should automatically trigger an email campaign as follows:


Chapter 5

YOUR ASSIGNMENT: CRAFT YOUR ON-BOARDING CAMPAIGN


Here’s how you do it:

1. Welcome to “Brand Name” family (send immediately)

2. Share a ‘before and after’ transformation or case study, to reinforce decision to buy (send 3 days later)

3. Did your product arrive and is everything OK? (Send 2 days after your product should have arrived)

4. Share ‘how to use’ tips and tricks to ensure your customer can successfully use your product (send 3 days later)

5. Invitation to social media (for example, ‘show us what adventures your (insert product) has been up to! Tag us on Instagram)

6. Request a product review (send 3 days later)

7. Time-sensitive promotion – should be a cross sell or up-sell, related to the product they purchased (send 3 days later)

8. Follow-up reminder #1 about time sensitive promotion (send 2 days later)

9. Follow-up reminder #2 about time sensitive promotion (send 1 day later)

Now, in order to run automated campaigns triggered by a purchase, you will need to be using a marketing automation application – something like ActiveCampaign, Mailchimp, or my preferred tool of choice Infusionsoft.

That way, it’s all hands-off for you, yet your customers are receiving relevant, personalised emails that are targeted towards their specific interests and the stage they’re at in their customer journey.

And this draws us to the end of the Business Booster training. I hope you’ve enjoyed it and found it useful.

If you’ve had some ideas you can start implementing in your own business, I’d love to hear about them! Tag me on your social platform of choice and let me know how you are taking action in your business: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn.

https://www.infusionsoft.com/?ls=rp_general-rp_awareness~infusionsoft-homepage-pp~2016-03-15__&utm_source=general-rp&utm_medium=rp&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=awareness~infusionsoft-homepage-pp~2016-03-15&PartnerId=001j000000hnoeD&AffiliateCode=a65958&CampaignId=701j0000001mlwy&TrackingLinkId=a1Bj0000002JwD4

https://www.facebook.com/cathlangman

https://www.instagram.com/cathlangman/

https://twitter.com/cathlangman

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+CatherineLangman/posts/p/pub

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathlangman

27

How to Get Repeat Orders from Happy Customers

Once you’ve converted a website visitor into a paying customer you want to make sure you retain this new customer and keep ‘em coming back for more!

This email sequence is designed to welcome your new customer to the ‘brand family’, make sure they love your product and are enjoying (or having success with) using or consuming it.

Then, the campaign should make the new customer a cross or up-sell offer – the offer should be the next logical step on from their initial purchase, or the next logical step along your Customer Buyer Journey.

This email sequence is potentially the most important to get right if you want to automate your ongoing sales growth online.

The reasons for this are simple:

1. Making sure your customers have a good experience with your business and brand, are happy and satisfied, gives you the best chance of turning them into loyal repeat customers and brand advocates (referrers).

2. Generating repeat sales is where the profits are.

3. Potential new customers are much more likely to buy from you based on a personal referral from someone they trust.

There could be 8 or 9 or more emails in the New Customer Welcome & Get a 2nd Order email sequence, depending on how many cross or up-sell offers you build into the sequence, and you can use the worksheet below to help you craft yours.

HERE’S WHAT THE CAMPAIGN LOOKS LIKE

Depending on which marketing automation application you’re using you should also be able to combine a first-time customer and a returning customer sequence into the one campaign.

You can definitely achieve this using the options I prefer for eCommerce – Infusionsoft and ActiveCampaign. (Hopefully it’s obvious that a returning customer would not require the same level of brand-indoctrination or educating on how to use your product compared to a first-time customer!)

Continue on to page 28 for an illustration of this campaign structure.

You can find your campaign worksheet on page 29.

https://www.infusionsoft.com/?ls=rp_general-rp_awareness~infusionsoft-homepage-pp~2016-03-15__&utm_source=general-rp&utm_medium=rp&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=awareness~infusionsoft-homepage-pp~2016-03-15&PartnerId=001j000000hnoeD&AffiliateCode=a65958&CampaignId=701j0000001mlwy&TrackingLinkId=a1Bj0000002JwD4

28

New Customer Email #1 “Welcome to the Brand”

New Customer Email #5 “Invite to Social Media”

New Customer Email #3 “Has product arrived?”

New Customer Email #7 “Time Sensitive Promotion”

New Customer Email #2 “Reinforce purchase decision”

New Customer Email #6 “Request Review”

New Customer Email #4 “Tips & Tricks”

New Customer Email #8 “Promo follow-up 1”

Returning Customer Email #1 “Thanks, great to see you again”

Returning Customer Email #5 “Promo follow-up 2”

Returning Customer Email #3 “Time Sensitive Promotion”

Returning Customer Email #2 “Is everything OK?”

Returning Customer Email #4 “Promo follow-up 1”

CUSTOMER PURCHASES ONLINE -IS IT A NEW OR A RETURNING CUSTOMER?

29

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN. CREATE YOUR CUSTOMER WELCOME & GET A 2ND ORDER EMAIL SEQUENCE.

NEW CUSTOMER CAMPAIGN:

Email #1:

Send time: one day after order received – separate from the transactional email automatically generated by your website

Type of email: Welcome to the “Brand Name” family.

Subject line:

Email text:


Email #2:


Type of email: Reinforce purchase decision – share a ‘before and after’ transformation, or case study from past customer or your own personal experience.

Subject line:

Email text:

30


Email #3:

Send time: 2 days after your product should have arrived

Type of email: Make sure customer is happy – ask have they received their order and is everything OK? Emphasise that your customer service lines are always open (share contact details) if they have any questions at all.

Subject line:

Email text:

Email #4:


Type of email: Product education – share ‘how to use’ tips and tricks to ensure your customer can successfully use your product. You want to make sure customers get the most value from their purchase.

Subject line:

Email text:

31

Email #5:

Send time: 3 days after previous email (timing on this and subsequent emails can be dictated on the length of your customer journey, and the time it takes for customers to use or consume your product. If that’s a short journey, space the emails closely together, whereas if it’s a long journey or it takes a long time to use your products, then space the emails a bit further apart).

Type of email: Invite to Social media – for example, ‘show us what adventures your (insert product) has been up to! Tag us on Instagram’.

Tip: the language you use and the action you ask them to take (in this example – ‘show us what adventures…’) should make sense for your brand, your product and your audience.

Subject line:

Email text:

Email #6:


Type of email: Request a product review, for example ‘Tell us what you thought’. Make it easy for them to share.

Tip: You want reviews on your website, but try to make the review process simple. If your website requires people to create an account in order to leave a review, this may be a bit of a turn-off to some people. Instead, maybe ask them to comment on your Facebook page, or simply reply to your email or click from the email to a simple survey to answer a yes/no question and leave one comment. You can always manually add great reviews onto your website yourself.

If someone gives you a fantastic review, for example a really great ‘before and after’ type story, you can always go back to them and ask for more details as well as permission to use their review in your marketing. (If I was going to do this, I would send them a small thank-you gift before asking for more!)

Subject line:

Email text:

32

Email #7:


Type of email: Time-sensitive promotion – cross-sell or up-sell to a related product.

NOTE: This email should follow the ‘Gain’ theme outlined in our Welcome & Delivery email sequence.

Subject line:

Email text:

Email #8:


Type of email: Follow-up reminder about time-sensitive promotion.

Tip: This email should follow the ‘Logic’ theme outlined in our Welcome & Delivery email sequence.

Subject line:

Email text:

33

Email #9:

Send time: 1 day after previous email


Tip: This email should follow the ‘Fear’ theme outlined in our Welcome & Delivery email sequence.

Subject line:

Email text:

34

RETURNING CUSTOMER CAMPAIGN:

Email #1:

Send time: one day after order received – separate from the transactional email automatically generated by your website

Type of email: Thanks for coming back – nice to see you again!

Subject line:

Email text:

Email #2:

Send time: 2 days after your product should have arrived

Type of email: Make sure customer is happy – ask have they received their order and is everything OK? Emphasise that your customer service lines are always open (share contact details) if they have any questions at all.

Subject line:

Email text:

35

Email #3:

Send time: 3 days after previous email (note: the timings should be dictated more by your customer journey and the length of time your customers typically take to use or consume your products and therefore when they’re most likely ready to come back and buy again).


NOTE: This email should follow the ‘Gain’ theme outlined in our Welcome & Delivery email sequence.

Subject line:

Email text:

Email #4:


Type of email: Follow-up reminder about time-sensitive promotion.

Tip: This email should follow the ‘Logic’ theme outlined in our Welcome & Delivery email sequence.

Subject line:

Email text:

36

Email #5:

Send time: 1 day after previous email


Tip: This email should follow the ‘Fear’ theme outlined in our Welcome & Delivery email sequence.

Subject line:

Email text:

SOME EXTRA IDEAS TO BUILD LOYALTY AND ENCOURAGE REPEAT ORDERS:

1. Add a free shipping coupon code to the first ‘Order Received’ transactional email your customers receive immediately after placing their order. You can phrase this along the lines of, “Thank you so much for your order! Just in case you forgot something extra you really wanted – here’s a free shipping coupon you can use next time.”

2. Add a hand-written note with each order, and if possible, wrap it nicely so that the presentation is attractive when your customer receives their order. The hand-written note is an ideal way to invite them to post a pic of themselves using the product on social media.

3. In the ‘Your Order Has Been Shipped’ automatic transactional email generated by your website, include some sort of engagement and trust-building content, for example a link to a ‘how to use’ video on your website. Also, make sure your customer service contact information is really clear and invite customers to contact you with any questions.

NOTE: You can add additional cross-sell or up-sell promotions onto the end of this repeat-customer sequence depending on how many products you sell and the likely order in which your customers tend to buy them.


When would you love to see sales growth in your business? Are you a go-getter who wants results, like, yesterday? Or are more measured, “it’ll happen eventually” kinda person?

If you really want to fast-track your sales online and you don’t want to spend months figuring it all out for yourself, I’d love to teach you what I know to help you achieve your goals sooner and grow your business faster!

Visit catherinelangman.com/book-me to schedule a complimentary Product Profits Strategy Session with me.

Catherine Langman is an award-winning business owner with extensive professional experience in product development, brand communications, digital design and online marketing for product-based businesses.

As a business coach and mentor, Catherine has helped clients to achieve massive growth in their own businesses.

Need some help putting this all in action?

About the author

CLICK HERE to book your Product Profits Strategy Session


http://catherinelangman.com/praise/


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