Market Research, Marketing Strategy

eCommerce Sales Funnel Strategies for eCommerce Success

In the fast-paced e-commerce world, not having good eCommerce sales funnel strategies can hurt your business. It’s like being lost in a big maze without a map. If you don’t have a clear plan to help people go from just checking out your products to actually buying them, your online business can get lost and not make much money.

Whether you’re just starting or want to make your online business better, you need to know and use these important strategies. They’re like a guide to keep your e-commerce business on the right path.

Come with us as we explore these strategies and learn how to avoid the usual problems that can stop your business from growing and making money.

Let’s get started.

What is an eCommerce Sales Funnel?

An e-commerce sales funnel is like a roadmap of how a customer goes from first hearing about your brand to buying from you. It shows all the steps they take along the way. Smart Insights discovered that, typically, about 43.8% of people who visit your website look at a product, but only 3.3% of them actually buy something.

An effective sales funnel is important for your online business in various ways:

It makes more people know about your brand.
It gets you more potential customers.
It helps more people decide to buy from you.
It keeps customers coming back for more.

Five Stages of eCommerce sales funnel

The e-commerce sales funnel has five parts:

Awareness
Interest
Consideration
Conversion
Retention

Awareness Stage

The first step is to let people know your brand and what you sell. You can do this in a few ways:

Creating compelling brand awareness: Make your brand look and sound great. This means having a unique name, logo, and message that people like. Also, have a good website that shows off your stuff.
Leveraging content marketing to capture attention: Write or make really good stuff that people like to read or watch. For example, if you sell clothes, you can write a blog about the latest fashion and show links to your clothes that fit those trends. Share this good stuff on social media and other places online to reach more people.

Interest Stage

Now that people know about your brand, you want to make them curious and want to know more about what you sell. You can do this by:

Nurturing leads with valuable information: Offer them something useful, like a free e-book or webinar, in exchange for their contact info. Then, you can send them emails with more info about your stuff.
Showcasing unique selling propositions (USPs): What makes your business special and better than others? Tell people why they should pick you. For instance, if you sell clothes, you might create a video showing how your clothes are super high-quality and eco-friendly.

Consideration Stage

Now, potential customers are thinking about buying, but they want to be sure they’re making the right choice. Here’s what you can do:

Providing in-depth product information: Give them all the details they need about your products. This includes clear descriptions, great pictures, and what other customers have said. You can also have a chat or video chat so they can ask questions.
Implementing social proof to build trust: People tend to trust businesses that other people like. You can show that other customers are happy by sharing their good reviews on your website. You can also ask customers to talk about their good experiences on social media.

Conversion Stage

Now, it’s time to help potential customers make a purchase from your business. Here’s how you can do it:

Craft convincing call-to-action (CTAs): You want to tell people what to do in a way that’s clear and convincing. For example, you might say, “Buy Now” or “Add to Cart.” Put these messages in places where people can easily see them on your website and in your ads.
Simplify the purchase process: Make it super easy for people to buy from you. Your website should have an easy and straightforward checkout process. You should also give them different options for how to pay and get their stuff. For instance, a clothing brand might offer free shipping on orders over $50, and they might have a quick one-click checkout to make it fast and simple.

Supported by studies, businesses with a simple purchase process are 62% more likely to make a good sale.

Retention Stage

Now, the goal is to make sure customers who have bought from you come back for more. Research shows that customers who come back to your store are 9 times more likely to buy again, and they usually spend more each time.

Here’s what you can do:

Engage customers post-purchase: After someone buys from you, say “thank you” with an email. You can also offer them special discounts or deals to make them want to come back.
Encourage repeat business and loyalty: Make a plan to reward customers who keep coming back. For example, a clothing brand might give customers a 10% discount on their next purchase if they leave a review. They could also make a loyalty program where you get points for every purchase, and you can use those points to get discounts or free stuff.

Do You Need a Sales Funnel for Your Online Store?

Yes, a sales funnel is like a path that helps you guide people from just hearing about your online store to buying from you and becoming regular customers. It’s super important for online shops that want to sell more and make more money.

Here are two big reasons why having a sales funnel for your online store is great:

Higher Conversion Rates and Increased Revenue

A good sales funnel helps you turn more people into paying customers. It does this by aiming your marketing at the right people when they’re ready to buy. For example, you can send special emails to people who’ve looked at your stuff but haven’t bought it yet. You can also give them discounts to make them want to buy.

Enhanced Customer Experience and Retention

A sales funnel also helps you make customers happy and keep them coming back. It does this by building relationships with people and giving them all the info they need to make smart choices when they shop. For instance, you can share helpful info and reviews about your stuff. And when they’ve bought from you, you can give them great customer support.

eCommerce Sales Funnel Optimization

Let’s find out how to strategically optimize the sales funnel for the success of your e-commerce business.

Stage 1: Awareness

The first step is the “Awareness” stage. This is like the top of the sales funnel, where people first find out about your brand. It’s where you have to introduce your brand in a good way and make people like it.

Here are some tips to make this stage work better in your e-commerce sales funnel:

Crafting an Irresistible Brand Identity

Your brand identity is what makes you different from other businesses. It’s your brand name, logo, tagline, and how everything looks. Make sure your brand identity is strong, easy to connect with, and something people remember.

Example: If you’re a clothing brand, you can have a brand identity that’s fun, young, and stylish. Your logo could be a simple but eye-catching design, and your tagline could be something like “Show your unique style.”

Navigating the SEO Landscape for Visibility

Search engine optimization (SEO) means making your website and content better so that it shows up higher in search results when people look for things like what you offer.

Example: If you sell clothes, you can make your product pages better for certain words like “women’s dresses” or “men’s shoes.” You can also write blog posts about fashion trends and advice. This way, more people can find your website when they search for these things.

Content Marketing Strategies

Content marketing means making useful stuff to get the attention of possible customers. This can be things like blog posts, videos, pictures with information (infographics), and audio shows (podcasts).

Example: If you sell clothes, you can make a blog post about what’s in fashion for the fall and winter. You can also make a video showing how to wear a specific clothing item. This helps get people interested in what you sell.

Leveraging Social Media Platforms

Social media is a good way to talk to possible customers and show off your brand. It’s important to be on the social media sites that the people you want to reach use.

Example: If you sell clothes, you can put pictures and videos of your clothes on social media. You can also show what happens behind the scenes. Sometimes, you can even run contests or give away free stuff on social media to get more people interested in your brand.

Influencer Partnerships

Teaming up with people who are well-known in your industry can help you get noticed by more people. Find influencers who believe in the same things you do and have lots of followers who like what you sell.

Referrals can be great for online stores because, in a study, 84% of people said they believe suggestions from people they are familiar with.

Example: If you sell clothes, you could work with a fashion blogger who has a lot of followers. The blogger could write about their favorite items from your new collection or make a video showing how to wear a specific outfit. This helps more people learn about your brand.

Stage 2: Interest

The “Interest” stage is the second part of the sales funnel. At this point, people know about your brand, and they want to know more. It’s like the stage where you help them learn and decide if they want to buy from you.

Here are some ways to make this stage work better:

Nurturing Interest Stage

When you give potential customers useful stuff and info, you’re helping them learn and trust your brand. This makes them more likely to think about buying from you when they’re ready.

Here are some more tips for this stage:

Be quick to respond: If people have questions, answer them fast and with all the info they need. This shows you care about helping them.
Give personalized advice: Once you know what someone needs, you can suggest things that fit them best. It shows you’re paying attention and really want to help them find the right product.
Make buying easy: When someone wants to buy, make it simple. Your checkout process should be easy, and you should offer different ways to pay. This way, they can buy without any hassle.

Email Marketing Campaigns

Email is a great way to keep talking to potential customers. You can send them newsletters, updates about your stuff, and special deals.

To get people’s email addresses, offer them something good in return, like a free ebook, a checklist, or a webinar. We call this a “lead magnet.”

Once you have their email addresses, you can start sending emails that fit their interests. This means you send them the info they care about.

When you send emails, remember these tips:

Sort your email list based on what people like. This way, you send them the right stuff.
Make emails personal. Use their name and info to make the emails more interesting.
Use a clear and short subject line that tells what’s in the email.
Write emails that are interesting and match what people like.
Tell them what you want them to do after reading, like clicking a link or joining a webinar.

Webinars and Live Sessions

Webinars and live sessions are cool ways to show people your products and knowledge. They also let you talk with people and answer their questions right away.

Here are some tips for doing webinars and live sessions:

Pick a topic people care about: Think about what your possible customers want to know more about.
Tell people about your webinar early: Share it on social media, in emails, and on your website before it happens.
Use good sound and video gear: Make your webinar or live session look and sound good.
Get ready to answer questions: Think about what people might ask, and get your answers ready.
Talk with your audience: Encourage people to ask questions and join polls or surveys.
Give them the next step: After the webinar, tell them what you want them to do. This could be signing up for a free trial, getting a guide, or buying something.

Interactive Content

Interactive content is like fun stuff, such as quizzes, polls, and things that let you play with products. It’s a cool way to get people involved and learn what they like.

Here’s why interactive content is great:

It’s interesting: Interactive stuff is more fun than regular articles or posts because you get to be a part of it.
It’s helpful: You can use interactive stuff to tell people about your products or how your services can help them. For example, a quiz can help them find what they need.
It’s personal: Interactive stuff can be used to make things just for the person using it. For example, a poll can ask what they like and then suggest things they might like.

Here are some things you can do with interactive content:

Quizzes: Make quizzes that help people find the right stuff for them. Like a clothing brand making a quiz to find the perfect dress.
Polls: Ask people what they like or want. For instance, a software company can ask users what they want in their next product.
Interactive product displays: Let people explore your products in a fun way, like a furniture company showing how their furniture looks in your home.

When you make interactive content, think about these tips:

Make it about what your audience likes.
Make it easy to use.
Give people helpful info.
Make it just for them.

Stage 3: Consideration

The “Consideration” stage is the third part of the sales funnel. This is when people are thinking about what to buy and comparing different things before they make a decision.

This stage is really important because it’s your chance to show them why your product or service is the best choice.

Here are some ways to make this stage work better:

Compelling Product Descriptions

A good product description is one that tells people what a product does, why it’s great, and how it helps them. It’s a tool to convince possible customers to buy your stuff.

Here are some tips for writing good product descriptions:

Know your audience: First, understand what the people who might buy your product need and want.
Keep it simple: Make your description easy to read and understand. Don’t use hard words or technical terms that your audience might not get.
Talk about the benefits: Tell people how your product makes their life better or solves their problems.
Answer common questions: Think about what people might worry about when buying your product. Answer those worries in your description.
Use good pictures: Good images and videos can catch people’s eye and make your description more interesting.

Product Videos and Demonstrations

Product videos are like little movies that show off your stuff and teach people how to use them. They also help people feel more sure about buying because they can see what they’re getting.

Here’s how to make good product videos:

Plan your video: Before you start, think about what you want to say. What’s important about your product? What do you want your video to look and feel like?
Use good gear: You don’t need the fanciest equipment, but make sure your video looks and sounds nice. Get a good camera, a microphone, and good lighting.
Keep it short: People don’t like long videos. Try to keep your video under 2-3 minutes.
Talk about benefits: Explain how your product makes life better or solves problems. Tell people why it’s awesome.
Use great pictures: Good images and videos help get your message across. Use clear, high-quality visuals that match what you’re saying.

Customer Reviews and Testimonials

Customer reviews are like little notes from people who tried your stuff. They help others trust your business because they show that people like what you sell.

Here’s how you can get and show real customer reviews:

Make it easy: Let customers write reviews on your website or ask them to do it after they buy something.
Reply to all reviews: Say thanks to people who write good reviews and try to help if someone has a problem. This shows you care about what people think.
Show reviews: Put reviews on your website and in your ads. This helps people see that others had a good time with your business.
Share good reviews: Put nice reviews on your social media pages. This helps more people see them and trust your business.

Remarketing Strategies

Remarketing is like a way to remind people who looked at your stuff but didn’t buy it to come back and buy. It helps you sell more.

Here are two common ways to do remarketing:

Cart Abandonment Emails: These are emails you send to people who put things in their online cart but didn’t buy them. The emails remind them about the stuff in their cart and maybe offer a discount to make them buy.

In 2019, a study by the Baymard Institute discovered that 50% of shoppers left their carts because they were surprised by extra shipping costs, and 21% left because the checkout was too long and confusing.

Retargeted Ads: These are ads that show up on the internet to people who visited your website or saw your stuff on social media. They remind people about your stuff and try to make them come back and buy.

Stage 4: Conversion

The “Conversion” stage is the fourth part of the sales funnel. This is when people buy your stuff.

This stage is super important because it’s where all your work in the earlier stages of the funnel pays off. If you did a good job teaching people about your products and helping them, they should be ready to buy now.

Here are some ways to make this stage work better:

Simplified Checkout Process

A simple checkout process is one that’s easy and doesn’t give customers a hard time. It should be quick, with as few steps as possible and no extra stuff that might stop customers from buying.

Here’s how to make your checkout process smooth:

Offer Guest Checkout: Let customers buy without making an account. It’s more convenient, especially if they’re just buying once.
Give Payment Choices: Let customers pay how they want, whether it’s with a credit card, debit card, PayPal, or something else.
Keep It Short: Make the checkout process as short as possible. Only ask for the information you really need.
Use Simple Words: Use clear and easy words in the checkout. Don’t use fancy or confusing words.
Show Progress: Tell customers how far they are in the checkout and how many steps are left. This helps them feel less worried and makes the checkout seem easier.

Limited-Time Offers and Discounts

Sometimes, offering discounts for a short time can make people want to buy right away. But you need to be careful not to make your products seem less valuable.

Here’s how to use discounts the right way:

Make It Worth It: Your discount should be good enough to make people interested but not so big that it makes your products seem cheap.
Create Urgency: Tell people that the discount won’t last long. This makes them want to buy sooner.
Target the Right People: Offer discounts to people who are likely to want your stuff.
Tell Everyone: Let people know about your discount on your website, social media, and emails.

Retargeting Ad Campaigns

You can bring back people who showed interest in your stuff but didn’t buy with retargeting ad campaigns. Here’s how it works:

Someone checks out your website.
You put a retargeting pixel on your site, which watches what they do.
They leave without buying.
The pixel keeps an eye on them on other sites.
You show them ads about your stuff on those sites.

These ads can help remind people about your products and get them to come back to your site and buy.

Here are some ways to use retargeting ads:

If someone put things in their cart but didn’t buy, you can show them ads with what’s in their cart and maybe a discount.
If someone downloaded info about your product, you can remind them about it and offer a free trial.
If someone looked at flights and hotels for a trip, you can remind them about the trip and give them a deal.

Retargeting ads are a great way to turn interested folks into paying customers. Just remember to:

Sort your audience into groups based on what they like.
Make sure your ads look good and get attention.
Write ads that are short and clear and make people want to do something, like visiting your website or signing up for your newsletter.

Trust Signals and Security

When people shop online, they want to feel safe and trust the website. There are a few ways to show them you’re a reliable and secure place to shop:

Trust Badges: These are little images on your site that say, “We’re trustworthy.” They’re given by groups like the Better Business Bureau. When people see them, they feel safer.
Secure Payment Icons: These are small pictures on your site that say, “We use a safe way to pay.” Credit card companies like Visa and Mastercard usually give these out. When customers see them, they know their payment is secure.
Guarantees: These are promises you make to customers. For example, you might say, “If you’re not happy, you get your money back.” Guarantees make customers feel less worried and more likely to buy from you.

Stage 5: Retention Stage

After customers buy from you, it’s important to keep them happy and coming back. Getting new customers is more costly than keeping the ones you have. If you can make your current customers stick around, you’ll make more money.

Smile.io’s 2023 data shows that after the first purchase, a customer has a 27% chance of coming back to your store. After the second purchase, it increases to 49%, and after the third, it’s 62%.

Here are some ways to do it:

Order Confirmation and Thank You Emails

When customers place an order, they get an email with:

Order number
Customer info
Shipping details
What they ordered
Total cost

After they get their order, they get a “Thank You” email. This email says thanks for the purchase and might give them discounts or deals for the future.

Businesses can make these emails automatic, so they don’t have to do them by hand. Here are some tips for good emails:

Use the customer’s name and personal info to make the email fit them.
Put all the order info in, like the order number, what they bought, and where it’s going.
Offer them deals or discounts for later.
Give them your contact info if they have questions.

Requesting Feedback and Reviews

Customer feedback helps businesses understand what they’re doing well and what needs improvement. There are a few ways to get feedback:

Surveys: Ask customers questions about products and services.
Reviews: Let customers write about their experience on your site or other review sites.
Social media: Watch for feedback on social media. For instance, Facebook, with its 2.32 billion monthly active users, is an ideal place to make people aware of your brand.
Customer support: Pay attention to customer complaints and suggestions.

Once you have feedback, use it to make things better. Fix problems and make the experience better.

Here’s how to get more reviews:

Make it easy to leave reviews on your site.
Send emails after purchase to ask for feedback.
Answer all reviews, good and bad, to show you care.
Share good reviews on your site and in marketing to build trust.
Use reviews to improve products and services. For example, if you get lots of bad reviews about customer service, train your support team better.

Upselling and Cross-Selling

Upselling means encouraging customers to buy a more expensive version of what they want. Cross-selling means suggesting related products. Both can boost sales if done right. Here’s how:

Only do it for customers interested in your stuff.
Suggest things that fit what customers want. Like a better phone or phone accessories.
Give them a good deal, like a discount or free shipping.
Respect their budget. Don’t push them into stuff they can’t afford.
Don’t pressure them. If they say no, be polite and offer help if they need it.

Customer Support and Assistance

Customer support means helping customers before, during, and after they buy something. Good support can:

Make customers happy
Keep customers from leaving
Build loyal customers
Boost sales and profits

Ways to help customers include:

Talking to them on the phone
Emailing with them
Chatting with them online
Helping on social media
Providing self-help resources

You should choose the ways that fit your customers. For example, use live chat and social media for younger customers. Make sure you have enough people to help customers. Be quick to answer their questions and fix problems.

Tips for good customer support:

Be friendly and polite
Know your stuff
Be patient and understanding
Answer questions fast
Go the extra mile to help customers

Get advice from Visibility Fix on creating effective e-commerce sales funnel strategies for success. We’re a digital marketing agency using advanced tech and data to help you reach your goals and improve your online business. Our experts will teach you how to make successful sales funnel strategies that boost sales and keep customers coming back. Upgrade your online business today!

Wrapping Up

To sum it up, for your online store to do well, you need to use e-commerce sales funnel strategies. First, let people know about your brand, get them interested, and guide them to make choices. Provide excellent help, make purchasing simple, and encourage customers to return. Succeeding in online business is all about leading potential customers through the entire journey. So, start now and build your e-commerce success story!

FAQs

What is abandoned cart remarketing?

Abandoned cart remarketing is when a store reminds customers about things they put in their online shopping cart to convince them to finish buying.

How can personalized follow-ups enhance customer loyalty?

Sending personalized follow-up messages shows customers that you care about what they like and need, which can make them more loyal.

How do I simplify the checkout process for higher conversions?

Make the checkout process easier for customers to finish by having fewer steps and making it simple for them to buy.

What are loyalty programs and why are they important in e-commerce?

Loyalty programs are rewards and incentives offered by e-commerce businesses to encourage customers to shop with them regularly, and they’re important for keeping customers coming back for more.

How do I provide exceptional customer support for an online store?

To give great customer support for your online store, be kind, know your stuff, be patient, reply quickly, and be ready to do more to assist your customers.

What are some strategies to encourage customers to share their purchases on social media?

To encourage customers to post about their buys on social media, give them rewards such as discounts, special content, or opportunities to win prizes for sharing.