Setting up an ordering process is mandatory if you sell products or services online. In one of my articles entitled Online Payment: Accept Payment Through Your Website, I explained how to accept online payment by either setting up a merchant account or using a third-party credit card processor such as Paypal. You organise your web pages after deciding how to process your payments.
What Should You Focus on When Setting up an Ordering Process?
When setting up your ordering process, you have to focus mainly on developing three pages: a sales page, an order page and a thank you page. In the article entitled “Website Sales Copy: How To Write An Effective Sales Copy”, I went into how to write a winning sales copy. In this article, let me focus on the order and thank-you pages.
1. Order Page
The order page is what your customers use to place orders for your products or services. Your order page is an essential aspect of your ordering process because it helps you achieve your objective of making a sale by turning your visitors into buyers. You should, therefore, design it in a way that makes it easy for your customers to buy from you. Usually, it comprises online order forms, which you should create effectively to achieve your goals. To design effective order forms that increase your conversion rates, keep the following points in mind.
i. Simplicity and Size.
Your order form should be user-friendly. It should be straightforward and brief for anyone to use without any difficulty. People are hesitant to give information and always hurrying to do other things. There is always limited time. If you ask for too much information, you might turn away potential customers. Ask for ONLY relevant and necessary information.
ii. Position of Your Order Form.
You should place order forms in a more visible location on your order page for your customers to easily see them. Avoid putting your order form in places that have distractions like links. Distractions can easily lead to a loss of sales.
iii. The Appearance of Your Order Form.
Although beauty should not take precedence here, your order forms should appeal to your visitors as a minimum standard. Make them look well organised, well-aligned and in a colour that motivates your customers to take the desired action.
2. Thank You, Page
Your ordering process should have an effective thank you page. It is a critical ingredient in the ordering process. Imagine someone coming to buy from you, and you do not show any appreciation for bringing money to you. It’s ethically unbecoming. Although most online businesses have thank you pages, a few use them effectively. Your thank you page should send the right impression about you and your firm to build trusting relationships with your customers. What should an effective thank you page have? How should it appear?
i. You Should Customise Your Thank You Letter
As you write your thank you page, make sure you address your customers by their names. Make sure that the letter comes from you as an individual to make it personal. It helps build confidence, positive perceptions and trusting relationships with your customers.
ii. Explain What Has Happened and What Will Happen Next.
Make sure you confirm to your customers that you have received their order and what you do next. Tell them the name to appear on their credit card statement and the amount you will charge them. Let them know when the order will be processed and when they should expect to receive the items purchased. The page can also provide your customers with a link to download your product (if it’s downloadable)
iii. Make a Call for Further Action.
A person who has bought from you can come back or refer others to buy from you. Promise some incentive, like a discount, if they return to buy from you. Having an efficient ordering process is critical since it assists you in converting visitors into clients. If you want to sell your products and services online, you need to take your time to write a sales copy, order page and thank you letter effectively. Think about setting up an effective ordering process to succeed in your business.
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