6 Answers that Increase Sales

I cannot even begin to count the number of orders I have abandoned online because my questions weren’t sufficiently answered prior to the purchase. Whether it was a lack of shipping pricing or a vague privacy policy, something made me wary about completing my purchase with that particular seller.

As a business owner – and if you are making money online that’s what you are – you could lose out on a substantial number of sales simply because you are not answering all your prospects’ questions. Along with the basics like price and delivery time, there are other bits of information the saavy would-be-customer will want to know. Here are six questions you should provide answers to somewhere on your sales page.

1. What if I Have Questions or Problems Later?
   Be clear on the types and levels of support you offer to your customers. There is a huge difference between a company (or sole proprieter) that offers a 1 hour service level agreement (SLA) and one that says they will try to get back to you within a week. A solid support structure can also often function as a selling point.
2. Is it Safe to Order From This Site?
   
   Privacy and security are huge issues with internet shoppers. Do not let your customers wonder if their information is safe and/or if it will be shared later. I wouldn’t recommend selling or renting out email addresses, but if you do be up-front about it. You must be honest with customers or you risk losing all credibility – and some money if you get caught and fined. A well-written privacy statement and a secure ordering page are essential.
3. Are Other People Satisfied with This Product?
   Social proof is one of the best ways to grab sales. If you can get some strong testimonials to place on your sales page or website, that could give your conversion rate a healthy boost. Whatever you do: never make up testimonials.
4. Who The Hell Are You?
   If you have established yourself as an expert in your niche then you need to somehow show this on your site. If you are still working on that then fake it ’til you make it. I am not saying you should make up credentials like PhDs or something like that, but there’s no harm in calling yourself Matthew the Marketing Mastermind.
5. Why Should I Buy This Product Here?
   You must increase the perceived value of your product as much as possible. Unless the product is one of your own creation, you will have competition for your sales. Not only do you need to have the best deal, you need to crank up the value by throwing in bonus products and/or services. If there is an affiliate program associated with the product then make sure that is communicated on your site. Even though they could receive the same benefits regardless of where they purchase the product, they may not know this and will purchase from you if you clearly state the option.
6. What if I Hate the Product?
   Any and all guarantees should be clearly stated on your sales page. It is proven that the long the guarantee, the fewer chargebacks. Though this seems contrary to logic, think about it: if you have just 30 days to review and return a product you are going to keep it in the front of you mind as something you need to do soon. If you have 90 or 120 days you are more likely to file it away as a less urgent task. Unless you keep an automatic reminder of everything you buy, you’ve had a product sitting on your harddrive for 90 days and haven’t yet reviewed it, are you going to remember when those 90 days are up? Regardless of the length on which you decide, if you have a guarantee of any sort be sure it is easily found.

There will nearly always be questions left unanswered. Some prospects will contact you directly and some will just decide not to buy because they can’t find the information for which they are looking. It is important, however, to do your best to anticipate all potential questions and answer them. The less you leave for the visitors to figure out on their own, the more able they will be to make an informed purchase. And people really like to know what they’re getting.