In the first part of the series we covered the stage where you initiate contact with your ideal client. In the second, how to convince the lead and close a sale. Today we will be dealing with the last part. Which is this?
The last part of this series will focus on tips to have a frictionless purchase and further retain customers to keep sales numbers up.
Streamline the checkout process
According to Harvard Business Review’s The New Sales Imperative study, companies with an easy checkout process are 62% more likely to win a high-quality sale. It may seem very basic but the most common reason for cart abandonment is friction during checkout. The most reported problems are:
- Unexpected shipping charges
- Complicated site navigation
- Being forced into a long registration process
- Security concerns
This is why simplifying the checkout process and offering live chat on your website or mobile app can help you increase sales. Potential customers will have the necessary information instantly.
This may seem complicated, since much of your workforce will need to be in chat. Zoho Sales IQ has the answer: not only web chat can be used but it is also possible to incorporate a human-like AI chatbot, called Answer Bot. It uses natural language processing (NLP) and a library of business terms to understand customer queries and respond using your built-in knowledge base.
Generate continuity
The sales journey should not end with the transaction. Follow up with emails on how to use the product/service and motivate customers to get the most out of the purchase should complete the funnel. This can be automated using Zoho Campaigns (Email Marketing Platform).
Periodically ask customers for feedback
They always have an opinion that can help you improve. Neglecting their comments is a mistake, since many times they are aspects of your business that employees, being immersed in it, do not notice.
With a live chat on your website, you can provide excellent support when customers communicate, and even turn their comments into (internal) tickets to serve them. How? Integrating Zoho Sales IQ with Zoho Desk (Ticket System).
But what about those who do not comment? The fact that they do not expose problems does not mean that they do not have any. According to research by customer strategy expert Esteban Kolsky, 91% of dissatisfied customers who don’t complain simply leave. It is best to periodically request feedback on their experience with your product/service. This way you will not only be able to retain those who would otherwise have quietly left, but also get testimonials/success stories if they turn out to be happy customers.
Develop relationships with your customers
As we’ve said before, customers don’t want to be sold to. Developing and maintaining relationships with them will prevent you from falling into the vicious circle of prospecting where you are always pushing them more than accompanying them during the sales funnel.
A satisfied customer is more likely to buy than a new one. Existing customers are an excellent source of repeat business. According to the book Marketing Metrics, the probability of selling to a potential customer is only 5-20%, while the probability of selling to an existing customer is 60-70%.
That’s why you have to find ways to keep in touch with customers even after closing a deal: in person, online, outside the business.
Some of the Zoho solutions that help fulfill this advice are Zoho Social (For the management of social networks and their community) and Zoho Campaigns (Email marketing).
Ask happy customers for referrals
One always trusts more in the recommendation of someone who knows or has a certain reputation. When a company sees that another well-known company used your product/service, their doubts will decrease.
+ A plus: how to handle sales rejections
- Make sure it’s a definite no before you write it off (maybe they need a little more advice). Important: do not be too pushy.
- Don’t waste time on lost cases, use it to refine your sales process.
- Review your performance: Find out what works and what doesn’t. Analyze your sales data, call recordings, email follow-ups and chats to improve your sales strategy. These reports can be obtained from Zoho CRM.
Did you apply any of our sales tips/techniques? Tell us! Do you want to improve your process with Zoho applications? Our technical team can help you implement it.
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