S AL ES & M ARKET ING / W EB

Call to Action by Bryan Eisenberg & Jeffrey Eisenberg

BOOK SUMMARY Vitals
Paperback (288 pages), Thomas Nelson (Oct 2006) ISBN-10: 078521965X PSRP: 24.99 USD

Last Revised January 26, 2013 Overview: The web offers an ever larger audience for products and services at costs that continue to fall. Call to Action provides a structured approach to planning and building websites using a Persuasion Architecture to maximize conversions. It focuses on mostly timeless principles to develop an online sales approach inviting visitors to stay and become customers.

Review: Provides a useful framework to thinking about how customers and clients view and use your website/app. Ideas could have been mapped more effectively and consistently. Useful examples and case studies. Conversion is (Almost) Everything There are three ways to increase site revenues: 1. 2. 3. Increase Traffic (Pay-per-click, ads) Merchandising (Increase % share of wallet) Improve conversion rate styles are consistent with message. While usability and good programming are important and necessary, persuasive copy and design are critical. Business objectives must be balanced with customer needs, which in turn lead to greater conversions, customer satisfaction and profits.

Improving conversion maximizes efforts in the other two ways that cost money. Improving conversion rates means maximizing returns on investment, marketing costs, lowering customer acquisition costs, and improving customer retention. Seek big gains on conversions first, merchandising second and then look to drive traffic. Conversion should be differentiated from persuasion. While persuasion is designed to move users to conversion, persuasion is a non-linear process and attempts to anticipate every requirement and need at every step of the process to discourage users from leaving. Persuasion should be approached in a structure that recognizes users as unique, considers interactions online and off, and varying substantially based on user demographics, psychographics and topographics. Target 100% conversion: theres always room for improvement. Focusing on other aspects first is like trying to fill a leaky bucket by pouring more water in rather than fixing leaks. At FutureNow, (the authors consultancy), they have identified at least 1100 variables that can influence conversion including the following: Brand perceived value season usability of site navigation page layouts offer(s) price copywriting site design policies shopping design guarantees competition (online/off)

Case Study: Dells Toolkit to Improving Conversion 1. Metrics Rigor: Frequent use and wide access to clearly defined metrics (traffic, conversion and diagnostic metrics). Using dashboards/operational reviews to report on customer experience comparing metrics to goals. Focus and Ownership: Position of Web producer is accountable and manages part of site workflow, content, and merchandizing. They are given ownership of a metric like conversion and report weekly to internal stakeholders on progress. Start small Go Big: Small, cheap and scalable improvements that then get rolled out if successful. Designing on Purpose: Always attempting to understand what users want versus what they do then designing to anticipate needs. Driving Urgency: Promotions emphasize urgency through (a) copy (e.g. click here now, limited time offer, last day), (b) clear action/link/button, (c) cross off pricing, showing savings and (d) clearly defined deadline of promotion. Frequency & Consistency: Continual contact with merchandising promotions, consistency in layout throughout site. Users come into site at different levels and frequency so consistency helps reinforce the message.

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Before writing a single line of code, plan. Einstein: If I were given one hour to save the planet, I would spend fifty-nine minutes defining the problem and one minute resolving it." Successful sites organize around context of themes and trends instead of categories. They study how users interact with a site. They test vigorously with A/B splits on email and web copy testing variables. They strive for consistency ensuring

Defining Value The web is just the next step in the evolution of markets removing friction from the buying experience. A successful website still performs the functions of an offline salesperson
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guiding them through all 5 steps of a professional sale: Prospect, Rapport, Qualify, Present, and Close. Websites are often just noise relative to the underlying value customers perceive. The first step is defining how you create value for your customers. Mohanbir Sawhney, Kellogg School of Management, sees value as follows: Customer-defined: based on needs not product features Opaque: unique to consumer, the best we can do is attempt to understand what they find important Multidimensional: economic & psychological Trade offs: relative to total costs (cost/benefit) Contextual: depends on usage/context Relative to alternatives. What differentiates you from competitors?

Creating optimized text/links for search engines

Selling on the web is rarely linear. Four types of visitors: 1. 2. 3. 4. Know exactly what they want (shortest distance to checkout is key) Just browsing (need to see a strong value proposition so that if they do not buy today, they will come back) Not sure what they want (the majority of traffic) you need to do everything right to sell anything No interest whatsoever arriving by mistake

The Persuasion Architecture approach was developed to reach the majority of buyers with 8 core principles: 1. 2. 3. 4. Focus on needs first not making site pretty/cool Be detail oriented & persistent. Always seek to be better: #1 may have 10x revenues as #2 Understand your customer. Web experience should plant seeds of a real relationship that takes time. Dont frustrate your customers. 5. If theyre able to quickly accomplish needs, they will be more willing to look around No surprises: keep things simple, clear, predictable and consistent. Dont focus on entertaining them. On average, 30% of buyers find what they want. The others run into obstacles and leave.

Dont confuse value with price. Price is only one part. Sometimes youll be more successful charging more.

Persuasion Architecture Persuasion Architecture is the authors web-based professional sales approach. All information/every detail is carefully and deliberately planned in a unified form. Visitors must be persuaded (never pushed) along paths they need to walk to accomplish goals. Marketing messages are integrated and consistently presented online and off from a sites fabric, email marketing campaigns, CRM, to responses to customer. Steps to building a Persuasion Architecture: Uncovery: Clearly defining your audience/who. Developing personas & narratives that describe how they buy and how they need to be persuaded. Wire framing: the what of creative process page by page representation of entire site with only barebones text & links. Storyboarding: the how. Developing persuasive copy, a graphical mock-up and an html mock-up. Prototyping: A frozen stage of finished prototype that meets needs (no additional features allowed). Development: Only now do you begin coding. Every detail should now have been specified dont let programmers make choices for you. Programming costs more than planning. Every hour spent on planning saves 3 in programming. Optimization: Unleashing to the public and a starting point for testing, analytics & continual improvement

Dont make assumptions that kill sales. Dont assume every visitor will/can buy. Focus on those who are interested and can act. Dont assume theres a normal conversion rate.

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Just in time customer service (when and where its needed). Include status updates, purchase acknowledgements, feedback actions, and honoring guarantees. Give customers reasons to place their confidence in you. Additional tips: Make it simple to find information, navigate and buy Have helpful & descriptive information on products and services Prominently display toll free number & other help tools on every page

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Focus on conversion. Be the site customers think of immediately when they need what you sell: Informative and user friendly. Make online better than being there in person. Study & adopt values of the customers you seek Dont let the brands you carry define who you are, create your own brand identity Less hype, fewer short term promotions Points of action are points of greatest impact Clearly identify unique value propositions (UVP): consider font size/text color/copy/buttons Build anticipation through better text/copy. Strong copy engages prospects senses and stimulates desire until they take action.
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Successful developers have a high degree of empathy for their visitors and values: Selling products for which theres a true need Creating websites that persuade and entice Anticipate questions, fears and concerns Presenting information when needed, just in time (not too much, not too little) Emphasis on customer benefits not features

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Apply AIDAS: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action and Satisfaction. Look at but do not copy other sites industries and customers are different. Focus on building around your UVP & constantly improve. Dont impute only self interest on users. Support an organization/cause you believe in.

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Methodical: seeks accuracy/consistency, facts & organization. Prefers to focus on how. How can your solution solve my problem? Provide hard evidence and superior service Values order, neatness, facts, attention to detail, accuracy in reporting, credibility, data, truth. Appeal by using tables/product specs/comparisons

Recheck the basics. Know & communicate the value you offer Refine your logo: clean & simple Points of action: Clearly defined. Familiar placement (ideally on the right side of page where users are peripherally aware). Address privacy concerns. Ask bare minimum and ensure clear exchange of value with each request of information Assurances up front: emphasize safe and secure transactions and hassle-free guarantees (ideally place on right side of page where visitors are peripherally aware). Adjust assurances as visitors move further in sales process. What they see must be what they get. Review back end offline customer service and fulfillment. Could mom shop website? No substitute for third party testing/applying feedback.

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Spontaneous: seeks acceptance, lives in moment, appreciates personal touch, flexible with fear of missing out. Focuses on why. Why is your solution the best now? Address immediate needs with credible options Values enjoyment, adventure, authenticity, internal integrity, honesty, values, opinions, big picture, personal detail

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Humanistic: seeks applause, puts others needs before their own, creative & entertaining. Prefers big picture. Prefers to focus on who. Who has used your solution? Offer testimonials & incentives Values belonging, cooperation, giving, caring, service to others, creativity, entertainment, acceptance, freedom, the big picture

A key part of the Persuasion Architecture is anticipating questions and information. 80% of visitors want to know the same things. Dont make them hit the contact us button its frustrating for them and costly for you. Dont make them plough through FAQs if avoidable. Put what people want to know in body, copy, headers, subheads, and banner ads. If there are too many questions, create multiple FAQs. Consider investing in tools that allow customer service to sweep questions and answers into a database for future reference to customers and customer service reps alike. Maximize the ROI on your site. Be the resource that finally answers visitors' questions that cant get answered anywhere else but make sure youre answering the right questions. Find out how others see your business. Ask the right questions ask yourself and your staff: First time visitors to our store tell us One of the most unusual questions we've had was One thing people tell us they are confused about our business is I was especially proud helping a customer with We do a lot of things that customers never see; if they knew this they would The biggest error made by first time buyers is When we talk with the customers, they always tell us (about our business)

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Competitive: wants accomplishment, competence. Impatient, driven by curiosity, values control. Prefers to focus on what. What can your solution do for me? Provide rational options, probabilities, and challenges. Reassure with guarantees. Values competence, understanding, control, curiosity, challenges, meeting goals, motivation, achieving success, accomplishment, future success, directness, to the point descriptions

The goal is to create an experience your personas will love. Persuade people and not stereotypes. Work with frontline staff to build credible, identities to represent personas use first and last names, job worries, family needs, values, goals and desires. Understand their demographics, psychographics (personality, values, interests, lifestyles), and topographics (compare factors across industry). Calls to action will depend on their personalities so identify with their temperaments luring them along storylines/trails allowing them to serve themselves. Basic steps to tailor your website to each of the personality types: Map objectives Develop strategy Understand customers buying processes Understand & refine the sales process Researching key words & phrases used Defining key business metrics to use

Personas and Narratives Understand who youre trying to persuade, what information they require and the language that motivates them to action. The authors identify 4 persona types:

Low conversion rates are often because of a primary persona is created that does not address needs of most users do not focus just on one persona. Link content to personas. Use their vocabulary. Before design/writing copy, spend time building
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scenarios. Plan hyperlinks and the words around them. Use wireframing to plan interactions and build persuasion scenarios that can be evaluated in context of the entire site. Make sure each page is relevant to each persona satisfies their needs and answers their questions before moving to buying process. Note on complex sales: These are still managed as persuasive process. No matter the complexity, each click requires a decision and satisfaction to move forward. Factors that influence persuasive process include the following: Knowledge: How difficult is it to understand nature of product/service & procedures for buying? What do they need to know? Site should help to eliminate friction as a result of lack of knowledge. Understand who customer is (e.g. buying agent or end user) and adjust messages accordingly. Need: How urgent is the product/service required? How quickly do decisions get made? Is purchase one time/ongoing? Risk: Especially related to issues of finance, how risky is the sale? Remember that for many, safety and trust are more important than price. Increasing financial risk requires a more detailed persuasive structure. Consensus: How many people are in the buying decision? Copy must be relevant, inform, reassure and persuade

Wireframing A wireframe is a page by page non-technical representation of every click through possibility and path visitors might take. Interactivity/skeletal structure is mapped: no pictures, no graphic design, only barebones text and hyperlinks. Answers: What actions (incl. nav. links) meet the objective? Which personas need to be persuaded to take action? How do you persuade each persona to take action?

While wire framing, identify how needs/values are addressed for each persona for a given page though multiple personas may access same page. Entire website and all interactions are designed and evaluated before any costly graphic design or programming is started. This model is easy to change, provides decision makers ability to feel what it will be like to use site. Purpose is to maintain flow of specific logical and business functions. Identify all entry and exit points/actions users will experience on each page of the site. Dont confuse wire framing with storyboarding. Wire framing defines the what of the creative process. Storyboarding defines how.

Storyboarding A key part of storyboarding is developing the right text/copy to grab the attention of users and motivate them through website. This includes a graphic mock-up, ensuring copy can be easily scanned/skimmed. Content is prioritized, and ideas are kept as simple as possible. Copy should allow for imagination and avoid predictability. These are words that allow you to touch, feel and smell. These descriptors/triggers better reach users. Focus on what matters most to users and help them visualize/feel the solution. Dont overuse we its not about you. Its about your visitors. Anticipate how users think and interact. You have 2-3 seconds to convince them that a page is relevant and you have theyre looking for, otherwise, theyll leave. They wont try to understand elements they are not familiar with. Users are task oriented and goal driven. They tend to dislike distractions like flashing gifs, and intrusions like pop-ups/unders. The 8 second rule: would a new visitor who has never heard of your company or seen your website know what your website is about in 8 seconds or less no matter where they landed? Each page should fulfill AIDAS test (attention, interest, desire, action and satisfaction). Inspires user to take an obvious/easy action giving them what they want exactly as they wanted it. First storyboards should be grayscale without the emotional influence of color. After, color mock-up, and then finally html mock-up focusing on download speeds, browser capabilities, style sheets and tabular formats (helping search engine spiders crawl your site.) Five steps: 1. Persuasive copy What action (incl. nav. clicks) need to be taken? Which personas need to be persuaded? How do we persuade them to action?
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Building Persuasive Scenarios Successful scenarios meet needs of specific groups of users and effectively measure success/failure of a scenario. There are linear and non-linear components to each scenario. Focus on their buying process versus your selling process given the flexibility the web provides. Key components: Driving/prospecting points: Search engine result/pay-perclick/banner ad or home page Funnel points: A landing page/main category page. Points of resolution: Supplemental pages that resolve questions. Link to waypoint or conversion point. Waypoints: Persuasive critical points targeting needs of the majority of a given user segment. This may be a detailed pricing page for a Methodical. Conversion beacon: A point that all users must go through to get to a conversion point (e.g. sign up button with each step of signup considered a conversion beacon). Conversion point: Point where user has successfully completed persuasion scenario. Usually some type of confirmation.

Both linear and non-linear aspects of process can and should be analyzed. If questions arent answered clearly/thoroughly, users will slow down. Answers should have subtle call to actions with links to required information. Caution: avoid having too much information. Answering questions that users dont have can be frustrating.

People pay attention to copy even before images. Persuasive copy answers unspoken questions relates back to underlying business value in a useful way to customer. It is relevant, addresses needs, values and provides momentum to the target action. Connect with, dont talk at people. Use the language they use, make it personal. Keywords: words used to search Trigger words: related to keywords and words that help reinforce needs Diction: same voice that customers speak 3.

Users still peripherally see right area. Good area to communicate confidence (assurances, guarantees, testimonials). Some call to actions work e.g. subscribe, Amazon.coms carting. First task: Orient visitors then use active window to keep attention and persuade. Put info where users expect to find it.

Graphical mock-up: Mock it up in Photoshop/Illustrator/Freehand or other preferred software. Aesthetics are important: 46.1% of consumers assessed credibility of site based primarily on appeal of overall visual design. Aesthetics should support underlying content and targeted actions and not just marketing eye candy. Use design for three reasons: Evoke memories/images associated with brand To make you look professional Assist with persuasive momentum of site

Differentiate audience between those who search for additional info versus search to buy: Search for content: Seeking sites that specialize in precisely the content sought Search to buy: Seeking simple, trustworthy, streamlined buying experience, outstanding service and value; anything else confuses. Stages: Prospect, Rapport, Qualify, Present, Close. Walkthrough AIDAS process with each persona. On length of text: Web works better with facts than emotions but you can move beyond building simple trust & credibility and use text to appeal to emotion. Emotion is critical to decision making. It takes 300-500 words to cover a topic: make point correctly rather than quickly. Cover essentials but keep things interesting. Do not waste readers time. Use the right trigger words. Use scenario design to define/measure more effective conversion plans. Use appropriate trigger words. Adjust metrics accordingly to scenario design. Focus on benefits, not features. Go through each of your products features. Products have four levels: Features: What products have Advantages: What they do Benefits: What they mean to user Motives: What features satisfy

Every design element (image, graphic, layout) must help user to be more confident in company/product or persuade them to action. Keep layouts consistent. Dont do splash pages as they kill mood for visitors. Remember to try to think how user thinks. Not how you think. Use contrast to help guide eyeballs: Be able to see calls to action 6 feet away Size: big vs. little Weight: thick vs. thin Structure: shifting weight with each stroke Form: rectangular vs. rounded Direction: straight vs. slanted Color: warm vs. cold

Users skim and they scan. Plan for both: Scan: minimizing time to find what they need. Skim: reading using indicators that include bolded text, bullets, short text blocks, strong first/last sentences in each paragraph, legible fonts and also effective hyperlinks. Users will read shallow but wide. Use different elements to attract attention (guidelines not rules): Headings: Uses extra white space to help visually organize. Should fit on one line. If headings echo navigation, use exact same words. Different styles, types and sizes help identify them through scanning. Consider indenting text from left margin to create additional balance. If read in isolation, do headings communicate basics? Pull Quotes: Adds style/captures attention. Highlights and identifies key phrases. Read all pull quotes in sequence to see if they make a point. Note that they dont present well in non-graphical browsers. If you use these, consider having text-only pages as well.
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Copy is best to communicate benefits. Remember to consider personas. Speak emotionally answer whats in it for me? to spur sales/action. 2. Rough sketch: Visual sketch up of website. Develop global navigation scheme. Understand eye tracking patterns: When looking at a page, people first look at text summaries and captions then graphics (if at all) People first try to orient themselves scanning top left, moving across center to right then left again crossing center in seconds. (opposite for cultures where reading typically right to left) Make sure UVPs are clear and prominent. Users generally end up primarily in center looking elsewhere for additional info. Left side can function as stabilizing window.

Highlighting text: Distinguishes essence of message. Use minimally. Read highlights in isolation do they carry a message? Embedded links: Gives visitors quick access to content and captures attention. Links should be short, concise and intuitive. Use keywords/trigger words words that match users goals and causes user to click. Make sure links deliver. Big Picture Guidelines (also applies to text): Maximize familiarity / consistency Design Shallow to Deep home page with short text to lure users further into site Classify well: understandable terms Punchy, compelling headlines/summaries Be direct, be short, concise/precise make accessible to impatient users Simple language avoid jargon/rhetoric

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Color mock-up Color should enhance, not define the experience. People associate emotions with various colors. Choose at most 4 (preferably 2 or 3) different colors and keep consistent scheme across site. Color is one of 6 important elements of effective design: line, shape, value (lightness, darkness, shading), blank space, textures/patterns, and color. Start process of color design with words describe the mood/ambience of business. What are the feel/style/characteristics of the core audience? Assemble collection of nature pictures with subject matter or colors you feel represent what you do. Take color palette and choose most prominent colors. Dont make ability to distinguish color critical 10% of users have visual impairment. For example, dont use color to show a field that needs to be corrected on a form. Color can be used to improve usability: Use solid, plain backgrounds behind text. Ensure strong color contrast between background and text. Avoid patterns. The best is black on white. If users spend a long time or you are targeting the elderly, use brighter colors For visitors to easily distinguish colors, choose darker shades of blue, red and purple and paler shades of green, yellow and orange. Avoid blue for text (if not links) Avoid diagrams with thin lines Avoid pairing color opposites/high chroma colors like blue and yellow as it can create optical illusions/headaches, perceived vibrations and phantom shadows.

Navigation has two roles: orienting visitors (letting them know where they are), and directing (shows visitors where they can go and how to get back) Some basic techniques for organizing navigation: Hierarchical: sideways, tree-like Global tabs: running list throughout site Local: related info within category but not between categories useful if users land through search engine but its not quite the right page. Embedded links: underscoring clear actions Site maps: only 1-3% use. Too much information but its useful for search engine bots. In-site search engines: avoid if possible. Studies suggest users more likely to find on their own than using an in-site search engine.

Basic principles in designing navigation: Standard icons/conventions (dont be original) Consistent, simple and intuitive Illustrate basic structure of navigation to help users feel more confident. Clear concise labels for navigation elements. Review logs for the specific terms/words users are using to search site. Use text for navigation elements, avoid graphics. If you have to use graphics, also use text. Dont link everything. Less is more. Make links clear as to where they go. Provide help online and offline. Keep links within page simple and clear so they dont need to click back. They may leave altogether. Dont disable the back button. Customize your 404 page with site maps to orient When finalizing your mock-up, it should be in grayscale. A design that looks good in black and white will likely more easily come alive with color.

Color can organize a site visually, draw a users eyes to important information, while deemphasizing other information. It can convey structure of the navigation system and can be used to code different features. 5. HTML mock-up While a good coder can code almost any design, a good designer can produce great designs without sacrificing usability if they understand limitations of HTML. Consider what can be converted to HTML and what must remain image. Consider download time, compatibility with multiple browsers (lowest common denominator), using CSS for simplicity, laying out tables with understanding of how search engines spider site and choosing easy to read fonts.

Keeping it Simple and Consistent A point thoroughly emphasized throughout the book: Design for the lowest common denominator dont assume expert users. Ensure pages load fast the best sites load in 10 seconds and no one will wait 30. Never make them download plug-ins. Emphasize text with clear strong statements. Dont confuse people (e.g. using blue for anything but links).
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The first acceptance test should be black and white to ensure Persuasion Architecture holds. Once the design is completed, add emotion of color.

Avoid scrolling if possible but if not, place important information above scrolling line. Dont do horizontal scrolls. Offer simple and consistent navigation. The average user will only look at 2-3 pages before leaving. Get them where they want to go quickly. Make everything obvious. White backgrounds are quick to download and help information stand out. Label clearly without jargon and be concise in explanations. Jargon is sometimes necessary with a targeted select audience to communicate credibility but keep usage low profile. Dont strand users. Always have a call to action, make checkout clear. Have clear navigation links within page so they dont need to use back button. Avoid in-site search if possible. If necessary, label clearly with instructions, and have buttons to help narrow search. Anticipate nature of enquiries and adjust results accordingly. Allow users to qualify/constrain searches with additional checkboxes or drop downs. Incorporate synonyms and equivalents. Establish internal glossary of terms and thesaurus so that it recognizes misspellings. Buying process should be simple and clear provide helpful tools and guide them through. Pay attention to detail to build trust. No typos, grammatical errors, screen error messages, images that dont open, browser compatibility problems, functions that dont work. Check repeatedly on different browsers. Some of the things the top 100 websites have in common: fast download times, few graphics, minimal, if any multimedia, very few obvious JavaScript tricks, no DHTML, no splash pages, no background imagery no frames high contrast text with lots of white space most links in "traditional" blue, underlined text solid database powered back end

Qualifying Visitors The process of qualifying and presenting information to users is iterative by choosing to go deeper into your process, your users are self-qualifying. They acknowledge appeal of the unique value proposition you communicate. It starts with your home page. Your home page should not be the snapshot of everything you are as a business would be information overload/paralysis of analysis. Keep things simple. If a landing page is the first interaction with a website (versus home page) it must still identify who you are, communicate whats in it for the user, incorporate AIDAS for persuasive momentum, and reinforce the reason they landed there (e.g. linking it to a marketing campaign). Match ad copy closely with key words so users immediately see relevance. Use landing pages maximizes pay-per-click marketing as it specifically addresses the need the user is looking for. The goal is to figure out why the user clicked there and encourage them to keep clicking. Limit choices. Use the alternate close: no yes/no questions. Offer limited choices. Lead them deeper/close the sale. Use embedded links within body of copy in the main panel of the page leading users to where you want them to go next. This is best optimized with testing over time. If you provide simple choices to choose from and engage them properly, they will follow your path. Use your web logs to analyze navigation path activity within the persona scenarios youve developed.

Tactics: Better Merchandising Dont assume customers know everything about a product. Basic tips to presenting information: Present enough information like product specs Educate and even entertain, but ensure visitors dont have to look elsewhere. Make it easy to navigate. Save buyers time, and they may buy more. Avoid clutter, use thumbnails of images/rollovers Have similar/compatible items near point of purchase Ensure users can add multiple products to cart Satisfy needs/ease of use dont focus on innovating You can have more than one way to add to cart Example: Sharper Image shows best seller and sales driver on home page to promote specific products while spurring impulse buying. Also displays 3 related products in product views.

Choosing and Using Images Every image should facilitate buying process. If it doesnt sell, it could hurt. Present product images first as thumbnails with larger images reconfiguring entire screen or better, pops up. Pop ups have advantage of allowing user to see image while staying visually in touch with the source page. Caution: they slow momentum unless they are effective at persuading. Assume users want more rather than less information but be clever at hiding/expanding it. Images convey features, benefits and values. Show the product in context, next to competitors products. Show benefits/product in use. Credibility is life and death to your company. Image quality, look and feel must therefore be consistent and communicate the values users identify with.

Developing an E-mail Strategy There are two useful types of emails direct response, buy now and branding/identity building messages focused on longer term goals of organization. To write effective emails you need to say the right thing at the right time. The goal of emails is to capture mind share. You can improve it by increasing relevance of your message and/or repeating the
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message with greater frequency. Most firms use email with a short term focus. There is a bigger opportunity to communicate your brand/values and a longer term relationship. Balancing between audience and content: Focus on content not on reaching the wrong people in email. Consider the stage of buying decision a user is at and tailor emails accordingly: Problem/need recognition Information search Evaluation of alternatives Purchase decision Purchase Post purchase evaluation

points/concerns by guiding them to pages with comprehensive info. Resolving doors satisfy buying process and bring users back into sales process. Carefully worded "exit links" are calls to action woven into copy of resolution page introducing product specific solutions to questions being asked. Links help to manage complexity. Point of resolution links (with accompanying information) reduce clutter while respecting reality that buying decision isn't usually a linear process.

Four tips to build momentum in forms/cart: Tell prospects what theyll get, not what you get if they click instead of register here, use download kit / read white paper. Show exchange of value. Dont pre-check check boxes. You are forcing prospects to opt-out if pre-checked putting them in no mindset. Leave unchecked and train them to say yes and signal commitment. For errors, provide minimum client side automated handling while also providing redundant server side error handling just in case client side browser cant handle error checking. Reiterate unique value proposition on order /registration form. Very few users are 100% committed to filling out forms. Tell them what theyll get. Make sure first sentence starts with checkbox and the word yes. Put checkboxes next to every I want to receive and put borders around this as well. Makes them commit themselves further to pressing submit button.

In business-to-business (B2B), the stages are further defined: Suspects: All potential buyers. Get attention to qualify potential buyers. Prospects: Suspects with active interest. Gain interest and further qualify/identify key players decision makers and influencers. Leads: Prospects actively engaged in buying process. Reinforce their past analysis. Understand negotiating style, needs and key issues/values. Buyers: Leads currently negotiating with you and have made commitment to buy in principle. Encourage them to verify past analysis while correcting any missteps and overcome surprises that may be in way of closing sale. Customers: Those who have paid for service/product. Ensure their satisfaction so you can upsell, cross sell and re-sell.

Ask what prospective buyers need to do to move forward with a buying decision? Who has to be persuaded to take action? How are those decision makers persuaded? Always be conscious of question: Why should I buy from you? Use their language knowing where they are in buying decision. Clearly identify and address abandonment. Try to target abandoners of a specific product category and offer special and exclusive offers on popular cross-sells, accessories and complementary products/services.

Shorter isnt always better. Less information (like not collecting key email contact information) can lead to fewer sales though it may have a greater response. Steps to reducing abandonment: If conversion rates are really low, improve home and landing pages, re-evaluate persuasion scenarios, and ensure persuasion scenarios arent interrupted. Pages must link together in step by step fashion and that each step can be anticipated with user in control. Avoid forcing user to pogo-stick (jump between pages to comparison shop because they lack information): give enough information in right places. Site should have a unified feel, reinforce visitor expectations arrange site in predictable ways. Scenarios should be focused avoiding wasting time of users. Ensure every page is complete containing all the information user needs at that point of persuasion process. Many people leave after seeing first/second page - focus on the big picture scenarios to persuade them to stay. Thoroughly integrate Persuasion Architecture users who are thoroughly persuaded are often motivated to navigate worst checkout process. The more time they spend on site, the more theyre willing to buy.

Building Momentum Momentum is providing users information they want, when they expect it. Persuasive momentum is built by helping users move through AIDAS. It begins with the hyperlink. Hyperlinking strategy is the backbone of a persuasive site: Calls to action help guide users to next step in sales process. Each step requires visitors to take specific action (e.g. contact, locate, find, and view). Pair imperative verb with implied benefit. Points of resolution in the buying process take the form of hyperlinks. Links answer user questions/ resolve sticking -

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Building a Better Shopping Cart Get the Cash (GTC): Offer as many payment possibilities as you can display prominently and clearly (e.g. multiple credit cards, COD, or money order) Multiple payment channels (secure server, fax, mail and phone) As many third party payment services that can offer benefits to the business (Yahoo!, PayPal, AOL, etc.) Prominently display security assurances (security certificates, guarantees, return policies, and privacy policies) at the right time/place (at corresponding points of action) -

Like Amazon, add reassurances you can always remove it later under the add to cart. Nordstrom prominently shows graphics point out easy returns, free exchanges, secure shopping, credit card safety and privacy. With each call to action, anticipate questions that can slow things down: Add to cart: What if I decide later I dont want it? Subscribe: What are you going to do with my name and email? Choose shipping option: What if user wants to change later? What if it costs too much? Can it be changed? Enter credit card: Can I review and change it later? Change the card without losing cart?

Make them confident. Make it easy to click yes. Make sure they do not have to leave the page to see assurances. How to fix your shopping cart: Check the number of steps in checkout process. Dont assume you need to reduce. Include progress indicators (e.g. Step 2 of 5) always providing opportunity to go back/review without losing all the data that theyve entered. Always provide link back to the product. Let them confirm theyve selected the right item. Add pictures inside the basket (can boost conversions by as much as 10%) Provide shipping costs as early as possible. If possible, while they browse given total cost is critical question to all buyers. If shipping info is same as billing info, include box that auto fills information. Manage delivery date expectations. Show stock availability on product page with estimated delivery dates or this product usually ships in x days. Make it obvious what next step is. Visual cues, prominent buttons. Dont make remove from cart and checkout buttons visually similar. Make it easy for shopper to add/remove items in the shopping cart. If a product comes in multiple sizes or colors, make it easy to select or change values. Allow people to buy same pants of two different colors. Blame any mistakes on the server that server didnt understand a foolish user error. If information is missing or filled out incorrectly, give distinctly visible and meaningful

error message and clearly state what needs to be changed. Provide your full contact information during checkout process to give them confidence in you. Give users option to call. Use separate telephone numbers different from rest of the site. Track, evaluate and understand shoppers needs and behaviors. Give them fax order form so they can complete order by fax if preferred. Focus on needs of new customers than registered customers. Much harder to acquire new customers than keep selling to loyal customers. Registered users will find a way to sign in. Dont make login/registration a barrier to checkout offer a way to buy that doesnt require registration. Add third party reinforcement messages. Verisign, BBB and logos of credit cards either help or have no impact. Hacker safe certification helps clients all across the board especially for larger orders. Present coupons carefully. Should add to experience not create doubt for those without coupons. Deal with pricing issues head on. If you sell name brand products & youre price competitive, consider lowest match guarantee Track mistakes system should notify you of errors in checkout process. For example, one client noticed that some users turned off cookies. With cookie-less checkout, they raised significantly conversions. Save the shopping cart for them and allow them to buy when ready. Dont worry about users who leave stuff in them. Offer telephone checkout. If theyve gotten this far, theyre most likely considering buying. When all else fails, survey. Try exit surveys if people abandon checkout. Offer incentives to complete.

Every site will have its own issues/environment. Case study: CafPress: Allowed new users to buy without registering. Buyers can sign in as guests. Streamlined checkout process reduced the this looks like work factor into 3 pages. Gift message field only appears if customer ticks check if this is a gift order box. Offer point of action assurances. Give visitor option to call by offering telephone option. Unique ID number assigned to each cart. Tested a viral element at end sending 5 friends $5 coupon by email while also providing user with $5 coupon. Coupons also included suggestions based on most popular/unusual products.

Turning First-Time Buyers into Repeat Customers Use a welcome kit to bring them back. This generally includes a welcome message/thank you, and a description of the people behind the company. Personalize the relationship describing how your beliefs and values impact the user experience/products. Describe your company history if appropriate. Offer member cards/ID/phone stickers/info magnets. Personalizing can increase second purchase rate by as much as 50%. Use surprise gifts. These are useful to customer but dont have a logo/phone number on them. Consider more
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valuable gifts for high ticket first time orders. New customer offers are not surprise gifts. Use samples appropriately. Sample anything you have related to a purchase and may be consumable. Have a variety so that new customers get samples of something they didnt buy. Dont forget the importance of packaging. Use fresh clean blank boxes unless you can get customized ones with logo. Kraft tape, and blank newsprint /peanuts to pack. Costs more but better impact.

accommodate that keyword better. A lack of conversion may also be related to the product itself or an attribute of it. This may be the case if the abandonment rate from the shipping/confirmation page is high. Use Average Time on Site as an indirect measure of effectiveness of keyword/site. People dont waste time browsing for products they dont want to buy. They might decide not to buy because of cost, shipping, return policies or the phase of the moon but it wont be because of the ineffectiveness of a keyword. Track pay-per-click conversions on a micro action basis. These are the key decisions that need to be on the way to the ultimate conversion. By tracking these micro actions, you can track failure and optimize dialog using the same key trigger words that youve embedded in your Persuasion Architecture. Select keywords based on your buying process specific to your product/service. Pay attention and track visitor latency the time it takes from first coming onto your site and ultimate conversion. This may adjust your strategy. Calculate clear metrics. Calculate ROI correctly. Divide spend per keyword/phrase by gross margin (gross profit minus COGS) on the specific products bought. Set clear goals so if your goal is to generate leads, determine base amount of what a lead is worth to you. Focus on phrases/words with the best returns on profitability before those that generate the most traffic/gross sales. Follow users as they go through scent trails and see where they leave and track how effective your scent trails are from landing to call-to-action. How to set up the metrics: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Start with fresh spreadsheet In one column, list top one hundred search terms/phrases (both paid/organic). Assign 1-5 rating (5 being highest) of how important the landing page is to the ad word user clicked on Next column list single page access/bounce rate Next column, list every conversion goal (calls to action) from that page Calculate bounce rate from each step in scent trail from landing pages to call to action pages

Using the Right Metrics With over 1100 variables that can affect conversion rates, its important to measure the right variables. Metrics are used to gauge tactical and strategic objectives. Not all metrics work. Tracking abandonment: Single page accesses: they came, they saw, they left. These visitors werent inspired to look further. Scenario analysis: following visitors through website. Are they clicking where you want? Where do they leave? Shopping cart abandonment: find out where they get frustrated enough to say goodbye.

Some of the right metrics for e-commerce: Objectives: Cash flow, profitability, and balance sheet reporting. For the board of directors and senior execs. Strategy: Gross and net sales, cost of goods sold, sales per visitor (SPV), cost per visitor, customer conversion rates. This is reported to management. Tactics: Any measure that examines how business is run overall site performance, individual promotions, fulfillments, and customer service. These are managed and shared at the front line level. Defining key metrics: Gross sales: Total sales at originally invoiced prices Net sales: Gross less discounts, returns, allowances and any adjustments to customers Cost of goods sold: Cost of producing finished products, direct costs (labor + overhead) Sales per visitor: Average dollar amount purchased per visitor (not per order); measures efficiency and ability of your site to close orders. Cost per visitor: Divide marketing expenses + web expenses by number of unique visitors. Conversion rate: Ratio of orders to web site visits (aka sales closing rate). Efficiency of a website in turning visitors into buyers and is a primary driver of ROI

Track where your scent trail breaks down. Make sure if the users intent is obvious, the scent trail youve created on the chosen term matches users intent. When a user clicks they expect to either find the answer theyre looking for or a link that will take them to the answer theyre looking for.

It is critical that you have a system in place to monitor and increase conversion rates. Return on investment (ROI) is generally too blunt of a measure as it doesnt speak to root cause which may be completely unrelated to marketing (e.g. high shipping costs). Maximize pay-per-click by tracking on a macro action basis by linking keyword/phrase click through to conversion. A poor conversion may not be because you are buying the wrong keyword but it could mean that your website must

Ending the Single Page Visit People know what they want when they go on the web. Everything starts with the home page which is 50% of the battle. A good home page orients the visitor but a weak one results in lost marketing dollars and worse visitors never come back. The text portion should download first and fast 8-10 seconds max [probably a lot less today]. The entire home page should be 35k-40kb max.
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Some of the critical elements for each page (with search engines, users are more likely to land anywhere): Looks and feels professional Navigation obvious, simple and consistent Unique selling proposition clearly stated and strong Information presented from visitor's point of view Navigation anticipates and clearly supports all reasonable path choices Layout reflects eye scanning patterns and sweet spots Choice of page elements reflects knowledge of how text / graphics used online as opposed to print Graphics and text appropriate and well-chosen/ written Reflects principles of good usability Uses expert sales principles that encourage a buying decision with knowledge about consumer psychology, different personality types and personas Inspires trust and builds rapport (e.g. security more emotional than tech issue) Contact information prominent and easy to find Help available. User centered (vs tech centered). How many help channels do you provide? Smallest details such as fonts, colors, chosen with understanding and knowledge of what maximizes sales Delights visitors and inspires them to go deeper and guides them into website

Decide on criteria for success based on number of conversions/sales or over course of time As rule of thumb, one result should be a min. 3x other

There are a few ways to set up an A/B test. Use inexpensive scripts, route traffic to different servers or use software services like Optimost, Offermatica, or Visual Sciences. Test variables that have greatest impact: Emails: bonus gifts, coupons, P.S. messages, guarantees, opening sentence image, closing sentence images, "from" field, calls to action, opening greetings, type styles, layout elements, graphics Site elements: landing pages, language of copy (headings, body, calls to action, assurances), colors, location of elements, look/feel and hyperlinks

After you develop an appropriate toolkit of metrics, developing integrated reporting is the next step. The Holy Grail of reporting includes a suite of quantifiable, actionable metrics that capture behavior patterns and relate them to key transactional business levers of units, revenue and margin. Establish which metrics to use as key performance indicators (KPIs). These clarify and define relationships in data. They provide an expectation for performance that can be compared over time and can reveal meaningful change in activity for a selected period and provide guidance for what corrective actions may be appropriate. Establishing the right reports are critical to understanding how users interact with your Persuasive Architecture and in turn achieving a high ROI. More sophisticated sites establish more nuanced metrics over time.

Testing Testing puts your ideas under the unforgiving light of public scrutiny. Testing lets you to optimize your conversion rates by making the right changes, at the right time in the right sequence and then evaluating results before continuing. Be methodical. Go slow to go fast. Be sure what you are testing and how you are going to measure and interpret the results before starting. Know what success looks like. After first test, test against a control. Test only one item at a time so that you know what change is resulting in the improvement or failure. If testing emails, send test emails at the same time to eliminate timing variable. Some platforms like Optimost & Interceptor can help with this. A/B testing is tracking two separate groups against each other (e.g. testing subject line of email based on the open rate). Some guidelines in doing so: Beware the "fresh" factors: seasonality, time of day Sample size must be adequate and variation between should be statistically meaningful First step is to decide how you will split (e.g. 50/50, 80/20; randomly; by search engine) Decide on test stability i.e. if user comes back do they see same site? You can choose no stability, session stability, and cookie stability but at minimum, session stability Cookie stability is required to track latent conversions To determine the best test size, run a null test - A/A - use test size where test results converge

Web Analytics and Basic Reporting for Retailers The first step is to know how data is measured. For instance, do you exclude search spider activity? Is a page refresh counted as a page view? What do you want to know? Successful online retailing depends on consistent and regular test, measure and optimize cycles. Sales results and site activity/traffic reports, while important may be too simplistic in nature. For a retailer, KPIs include: Site wide conversion rates % of new/returning visitors Sales per visitor Average order value Average number of items purchased Shopping cart abandonment rate Repeat order rate (which can help calculate lifetime value of customer)

Comparing time spent on product information pages to store locator pages (helps determine whether users are at purchase or research stage of buying)

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Basic Reporting & Testing 1. Single page visits: Most important. Monitor key entry pages home page, category and landing pages. High numbers mean page wasnt relevant or they couldnt figure out what to do next Entry and exit rates: Monitor traffic sources what pages visitors enter on and if entry pages have high exit rates. Problems may seem minor but have high impact e.g. a change to a more relevant image Traffic by product category/individual products: Do they get the visits they deserve? If underperforming, eliminate or consider restructuring navigation. Products by search engine: Based on most recent search engine activity. Tells you which search engine people use to find your products and income they generate. Use this for SEO and ranking engines. Scenario/shopping cart analysis: How do visitors move through various stages of shopping cart and checkout process? Work to reduce abandonment.

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5. Intermediate Reporting & Testing 1. Sales cycle reports: Calculating how much time (in days) between a users first visit and purchase (defined as latency). You may have only one attempt to ensure information is helping consumers make minds up to purchase. Internal search words/failed search words: Track conversions from searches. Do new products need to be added? Search results/descriptions tweaked? Next page and previous page flow reports: Identifies where visitors go after looking at a page. Used to consider how to optimize website path design to funnel traffic to desired goal page. Compare with where users actually go. Marketing effectiveness dashboards: Tie effectiveness of campaigns to purchase behavior (e.g. affiliates, paid search, paid inclusion, email marketing, banners). Used to optimize spending. Look to book/browse to buy ratios: This is merchandising analysis to help monitor effectiveness of product pages in driving purchases. High visits/high conversion dont waste time here. High visits/low conversions this is what this report is for; it means that a page requires better merchandising, improved copy, testing price points. Low visits/low conversion suggests little interest in product or visitors arent finding what theyre looking for. Consider removing/replacing. Low visits/high conversion consider bundling these items with other top selling products. Increase visibility and drive more traffic to them.

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Multichannel reports: Use to understand how customers behave in all channels. First time versus repeat buyers by products purchased: What products are repeat buyers more open to buying and how does their shopping pattern differ to first time buyers? Provides guidance to promotions/merchandising. Segmentation analysis: Segment customers. The most advanced analytics performed by profile based segmentation using historical records of activity. Target efforts based on displayed behaviors this increases retention and lifetime value. Employ targeted email campaigns, know which web tools to invest in that high value customer segments use, and correlate online behavior with offline systems to deliver recommendation engines in call center. Learn how different segments behave: do segments view different pages or products? convert at different rates? use different site functionalities? different order sizes? A/B testing: Move beyond simple comparisons between two related groups/segments. Focus on true experiment with defined hypothesis and evaluation criteria. Measure actions to relative to visitors and calculate results based on profits (integrate of costs, returns, cancellations, discounts and actual shipping costs). Accurate tracking of individuals is critical. Dont track by IP alone orders could be over allocated to handful of users coming from large ISP proxy servers.

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Tactics: Converting Visitors to Subscribers 1. Max conversion rates for selling content online 2. Allow visitors a sneak peak to see value Offer free samples, testimonials, money-back guarantees and compelling graphics Make payment process as painless as possible

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Max conversion rates by cutting out irrelevant traffic Quality is significantly better than quantity Trace irrelevant traffic, calls & emails to source

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Dont overlook your site infrastructure Slow site means fewer page views and fewer search referrals as bots & visitors give up (fewer advertising revenues) Monitor peak times (e.g. after email promotion) Monitor site performance with easy to use tools

Tactics: Reaching Users where English is Second Language Advanced Reporting & Testing 1. Merchandising reports: Which brands, categories, and products sold best and up- and cross sell reports. Identify which products are most popular and which are likely to be sold together. Use reports to more effectively price and place products to increase average order values. Use short sentences: 15-20 word (20 words are close to danger zone). Concise, direct sentences. Simple sentence constructions. Subject + verb + object (if any) followed by any extra information. Stay in active voice, avoid passive verbs that can appear ambiguous. Choose one word verbs. Use pronouns clearly - e.g. who is "they"?
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Simple common words with clear meanings. Use positive language and avoid negative constructions, negative images and double negatives. Avoid clichs and slang. Use people who speak English as second language to proof and be very careful with humor. International Herald Tribune is a good online newspaper that writes English for global audience

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Can I get it for the right price? Convince prospects you have great price and dont have a need to go elsewhere Limited time promotion to product/category Free shipping (#1 online promotion) Show good, better, and best options Show comparisons to competitors Use slash-through pricing Repeat deal or promotion on every page

Diagnostics: Stages where You Lose Buyers Finding: Shoppers cannot find what they seek. Selecting: Shoppers do not have enough information to select the right product/cannot tell the difference. Deciding: Shoppers cannot tell if selected products are going to meet needs or desires. Carting: Shoppers do not know how to tell you they are interested in purchasing product. Checkout: Cannot complete checkout process to place their orders. Dont spend all your time here. This is responsible for only 13% of lost sales. Fulfillment: Don't get the products they ordered/decide they want to return them.

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Can I trust this company? Clean up site design: larger font size, less is more Add testimonials, security certs, affiliations Get listings in media such as Bizrate and Epinions Show personality Highlight (money back) guarantee Include privacy, contact us, and about us pages

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Can I buy easily? Usability and art of persuasive reassurance critical Site is seamless and fast Call to action on every page Add toll free phone number on every page Site performs same functions as off-line sales staff Anticipate questions and respond at right times Customers always one frustration from gone Keys to good customer service: simple and easy to find info / navigate site strong copywriting (helpful and descriptive info) on products/services simple, clear and easy to buy

The best way to track and determine why visitors are leaving your site is to watch them buy over and over again. Diagnostics: Dells Conversion Tips 6 customer critical customer purchase questions 1. Can I find what I'm looking for? 2. The easier it is to find, the less leakage and more repeat visits If you have one, tune internal search engine matching top search terms to product pages Top sellers on home page for people buy on impulse or recommendation Match landing page to marketing campaign (e.g. vanity urls) Test categories, naming and nav. with customers

Can I find something that interests me? Add related items to a product view Add relevant, topically based shopping navigation/search Add interactivity to pull visitors to site/page

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Do I really need this product? (Desire in AIDA) Answer all relevant questions and provide details in compelling way e.g. Why this product? How does it help visitor? Why now? Display larger product pictures Show product in action Headline the results your product promises Focus on benefits in the copy Make it easier to read - bullets, short sentences/paragraphs/conversational tone Add substantiated recommendations (e.g. 4/5 dentists recommend... )
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