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How to Encourage Customers to Buy Your Product

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The GoCardless content team comprises a group of subject-matter experts in multiple fields from across GoCardless. The authors and reviewers work in the sales, marketing, legal, and finance departments. All have in-depth knowledge and experience in various aspects of payment scheme technology and the operating rules applicable to each. The team holds expertise in the well-established payment schemes such as UK Direct Debit, the European SEPA scheme, and the US ACH scheme, as well as in schemes operating in Scandinavia, Australia, and New Zealand. See full bio

Last editedOct 20222 min read

It’s a fundamental question for any business. How do you encourage a customer to buy once you’ve attracted their attention? Simply setting up an ecommerce shop isn’t enough with the level of online competition out there. Fortunately, there are many ways to convert leads into sales, from special offers to strategic pricing. Here’s how to encourage customers to buy your product online.

1. Use enticing sales copy and product photos.

You’ve successfully driven traffic to your website, but grabbing a customer’s interest is only half the battle. From here, you need to determine how to encourage customers to buy your product online based on the product descriptions. To accomplish this, you’ll need accurate, persuasive sales copy and attractive photos to match. Online shoppers rely on visuals to make their purchasing decisions, since they can’t touch the products as they would in a physical setting. Invest in high quality product photography to land that sale.

2. Showcase customer reviews and testimonials.

Glowing reviews from real-life customers can convince a new lead who might be on the fence about trying your service. Use social media to your advantage by engaging with past, present, and future customers. Send follow-up emails after each purchase with a request for a testimonial or review – even simple star ratings will make your product look more trustworthy to potential customers. You can make these testimonials and ratings easy to find by placing them on your landing pages, product pages, and social media sites.

3. Provide opt-in special offers.

If you’re wondering how to encourage impulse buying, pop-up incentives are a great way to capture a visitor’s attention. When the user visits your website, provide a banner or pop-up offering perks like free shipping or a percentage off their first order. In exchange, they’ll sign up for your mailing list or even make an impulse purchase. Just take care not to overdo it, as a series of pop-ups can be more annoying than enticing. It’s important to utilise tools like A/B testing to see which format and frequency is best.

4. Provide time-sensitive deals.

When it comes to determining how to encourage impulse buying, creating a sense of urgency is also useful. For example, time-sensitive offers or discounts lead the customer to make a purchase due to a fear of missing out. Limited-edition products, one-time discounts, or today-only free shipping are all ways to instil this sense of urgency in your customers. When writing calls to action, emphasise the benefits that the user will receive. By purchasing your product, the customer will receive an instant solution to their problem.

5. Streamline your checkout page.

You’ve convinced the customer that they need your product. They’re ready to make a purchase, so don’t lose the sale at the final hurdle. Shopping cart abandonment is a major issue for ecommerce businesses, but where do so many websites go wrong? Encourage customers to buy products with a simple, streamlined checkout page. Ditch unnecessary fields or extra steps. Keep your checkout form to a single page, with the option to complete the purchase as a guest.

6. Provide a seamless payment experience.

Cater to as many payment preferences as possible, from debit and credit cards to Apple Pay and Klarna. Buyers are happy to see their preferred payment method, making this an easy way to encourage customers to buy your product online. GoCardless makes it easy to take both recurring and one-off payments online, putting the business in control of pulling payments from client bank accounts via direct debit. Customers only need to authorise payment the first time, improving the payment experience with convenience.

From email marketing to custom payment options, there’s a variety of strategies that successful businesses have at their disposal. Be sure to highlight benefits to the customer with a clear call to action at every step of the user journey. By following the steps above, you’ll stand a greater chance of sealing the deal with higher conversion rates.

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GoCardless is a global payments solution that helps you automate payment collection, cutting down on the amount of financial admin your team needs to deal with. Find out how GoCardless can help you with one-off or recurring payments.