21 must-read tips to thrive in ecommerce - Whether you're a seasoned vet or new to the game, we've got some knowledge jewels for you http://www.americommerce.com/get-thrive-ebook http://www.americommerce.com/get-10-ways-drive-traffic-convert-shoppers-ebook

1. TIPS TO THRIVE
IN ECOMMERCE

2. INTRODUCTION
We love ecommerce! And better yet, we love helping people like you sell stuff!
In this free guide, we offer 21 tips we truly believe will make a difference in your
ecommerce business. We’ve covered everything from passion to quality, customers
and honesty, to social media and selling. It’s our hope this ebook inspires at least
one great idea you can use in your business today.
From all of us at AmeriCommerce, thank you!

3. BELIEVE IN YOUR
PRODUCT
There’s no greater ingredient to sales success than simple PASSION. Love
what you’re doing, love the product you’re selling and success won’t be far
behind.
Your conviction and belief in the sheer awesomeness of your product will
always shine through like a beacon!
“For every sale you miss because you’re too enthusiastic, you will miss a
hundred because you’re not enthusiastic enough.”
– Zig Ziglar
STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• Do you believe in all the products you’re
selling?
• Make sure you only recruit people who
have a genuine passion for your brand and
products
• Look over your copy and ensure that this
passion comes across in every word
• Make sure every customer touch-point
reflects just how much you care!
Why? Because passion is infectious!
1

4. STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• Can you sum up your products’ key selling
points in 30-60 seconds? If not, rehearse it
until you can!
• Is your marketing copy too long and wordy?
Can it be shortened?
Why? Because your audience has
a limited attention span!
Whether you choose to sell online, face-to-face or over the phone, one
thing always rings true; your potential customer has a surplus of stuff to
do, and a limited amount of time.
Work hard on being able to sell your product’s key benefits as quickly,
clearly and simply as possible and you’ll find your message sinks in much
better.
2
DON’T WASTE
WORDS

5. STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• Make sure important information such as
your shipping and returns policies are clearly
presented, and can be located easily.
• Make sure your marketing copy and product
descriptions are clear and truthful.
• Ensure you and your team answer any
customer enquiries with total honesty.
Why? Because getting a sale under
false pretences isn’t worth the long-
term damage to your brand!
If you’ve ever found yourself on the ‘wrong side’ of a deal, you’ll know how
darn frustrating it is. The first thing you do is promise you’ll never buy from
that person or company again; the second thing is to tell 10 of your friends
to make sure they don’t make the same mistake. Honesty and clarity builds
trust – and that increases the likelihood of customers wanting to buy from
you.
3
BE HONEST AND
CLEAR

6. UNDER PROMISE
OVER DELIVER
STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• Are you promising delivery dates to
customers? Can you hit them every time?
• Are you doing enough to make it up when
you disappoint your customers?
• Do you have structures in place to ensure
customer promises are always noted and
followed through?
• Are you managing expectations properly?
Why? Because false promises are
the quickest way to undermine your
brand’s trustworthiness… and nice
surprises are more welcome than
nasty ones!
If you’re serious about building a loyal and passionate customer-base, you
simply cannot afford to let them down. It’s vital that you do what you say
you’ll do, every time.
Sure, you may lose a few sales to competitors who promise the world…
but you can be sure that, when their fantastical promises go undelivered,
customers will always come back to you.
And they’ll respect you all the more for your honesty.
4

7. STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• How simple is your buying process?
• Do customers understand it?
• Could it be easier?
• Could there be less clicks involved?
Why? Because if you don’t, your
competitor will!
However great the product is, if your process is difficult and long-winded,
there’s always a risk that your customer will look elsewhere. Spending
their hard-earned dough is enough to ask, without expecting them to jump
through hoops for the privilege.
Forget about ‘Click here to learn more’ – and start thinking ‘Click here
to buy now.’ Increasingly, you need to reduce the layers between your
customers’ arrival on-site and their purchase. This means they’re less likely
to get cold feet, get distracted or change their mind.
5
MAKE BUYING
EASY

8. STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• Are you following up all your customers to
ask how their experience was?
• Could you run a survey on your website or
social media?
• Make sure you act on any feedback you do
receive.
Why? Because honest, impartial
opinions help you improve…and
customers love to feel valued!
Sometimes, you’re in so deep that a fresh opinion can really help. And who
better to provide a new outlook than your customer?
You can guarantee they’ll be totally honest and impartial, generating a
ton of new ideas to help you improve your service. But asking questions
also tells your customers that you really value their opinion. It’s a win-win
situation!
“Most people think ‘selling’ is the same as ‘talking.’ But the most effective
salespeople know that listening is the most important part of their job.”
– Roy Bartell
6
ASK QUESTIONS

9. STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• Make sure the people who look after your
customer service channels are well-versed in
this golden rule
• Anticipate frequently asked questions and
make sure, where possible, you have the
answers.
Why? Because, long-term, it’s better
to be ‘uncertain’ than ‘wrong!’
As much of an expert as you may be, sometimes your customer will ask a
question you don’t have the answer to. The temptation in this situation will
often be to guess, or assume. However, as always, honesty is usually the
best policy.
Take the time to find out the answer and call the customer back later,
or simply tell them that’s something you’re not sure about. You can
guarantee that’s less likely to irritate them than if you take a stab in the
dark and wind up being wrong!
7
IF YOU DON’T
KNOW THE
ANSWER DON’T
GUESS

10. When you’re doing a great job, it’s
all too easy to give yourself a big
ol’ pat on the back, and start to
rest on your laurels.
The thing is, selling is a
competitive business. You can
guarantee the guys behind you
are chasing ever harder to try
and catch you up. This means you
need to keep up the pace, keep
improving and keep learning.
STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• What more can you do to make life even
better for your customers?
• Are you capitalizing on every opportunity
you’re given?
Why? Because complacency leads to
mediocrity!
8
NEVER STOP
LEARNING &
IMPROVING

11. STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• Do you have a blog? Are you updating it
regularly with featured products and expert
opinion?
• Are you engaging with fans on social media?
• Could you create bigger pieces of content –
e-books, articles and infographics?
Why? Because it’ll help direct traffic
to your website, and develop an
authoritative, expert voice for your
brand
Content marketing is all the rage these days, and harnessing its power can
unlock tons of awesome benefits.
Creating great content – blogs, articles, e-books, infographics and more
– can enhance the experience of your existing customer base, and draw
new customers to your business as they discover your content via search
engines and social media.
9
PRODUCE GREAT
CONTENT

12. You have a lot to thank your customers for – but how often do you
actually tell them? Saying ‘thanks’ doesn’t have to cost the earth. Simple,
inexpensive stuff like a hand-written thank you note with their order lets
your customer know exactly how much you appreciate their business,
costing you next to nothing. You could also consider starting a loyalty
scheme or sending them a free gift.
It’s pretty obvious that customers are much more likely to come back and
shop with you again if they know how much you appreciate their custom!
STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• Why not set up a loyalty scheme to reward
loyal customers?
• Send hand-written notes with customer
orders
• Send your valued customers a free gift
• Give them an unexpected reward at the
checkout – free shipping or a discount.
Why? Because it makes your
customer feel special, builds your
relationship – and makes you feel
good, too!
10
NEVER FORGET
TO SAY THANK
YOU

13. STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• Identify your key customers and consider
what extra stuff you can do for them – send
them a birthday card, a hand-written note,
or a free gift
• Consider setting up a referral scheme to
reward people who spread the word about
your brand
• Use your social media channels to build up
conversation and relationships with your
customers.
Why? Because holding onto existing
customers is much easier – and more
fruitful – than going out and finding
new ones!
Repeat business is, by definition, a more reliable and consistent source of
income. But more than this, if people love doing business with you, they’re
much more likely to recommend your services to their friends, families and
colleagues.
This is a level of marketing money can’t buy. A 2011 survey showed that,
despite American businesses spending over $200 billion per year on
advertising, only 4% of Americans actually trust advertising the most
as a source for product or service information. 83% preferred to trust
recommendations from people they actually know.
So, rather than spending that money on advertising, why not focus your
resources on strengthening relationships with some of your key clients?
11
BUILD
MEANINGFUL
RELATIONSHIPS

14. Social media, CRM and direct mail all offer you a great way to keep in
touch with your audience. Your database is probably jam-packed with
people who are keen to know more about your product or service. You’d
be crazy not to use it!
Make sure you keep in touch with your database, but equally, make sure
you’re sending high quality, interesting and engaging content.
STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• Send out an e-mail newsletter
• Communicate with your fans on social media
with fun, interesting content.
Why? Because customers like to
receive relevant, interesting content -
and sending it makes sure they don’t
forget about you!
12
KEEP IN TOUCH

15. Sometimes, you have to give a little to get a little! Stuff like Free Shipping
and Discount Codes may take a little off your bottom line, but they’re
also an awesome way to build more traffic to your store, reward your
customers and push those transactions over the finish line.
This can make a huge difference. Studies have shown that 80% of
customers would be more likely to purchase products online if they were
offered free shipping.
STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• Set up a discount code or offer free shipping.
• Include an extra item in their package as a
gift or a token of your appreciation.
Why? Because this can bring new
customers to your business, and
convert some of your ‘lurkers’ into
customers!
13
GIVE A LITTLE
EXTRA

16. Did you ever buy something online, and then…nothing? No
guidance on when to expect your delivery, no updates on
its progress, in fact, nothing but radio silence?
There’s nothing more annoying than having to chase up
orders you’ve placed, but so many businesses still put their
customers through this.
Make sure they’re not one of them by having a structure
in place that keeps them right up to date. And if there’s a
problem with the order, be proactive and make contact
before your customer contacts you!
STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• Does your checkout screen tell your
customer what the next step is, and when to
expect it?
• Do you have a process in place to spot any
errors with orders and pro-actively contact
the customers who are affected?
• Include email automation for setting
expectations after the order’s placed, when
the order ships, and a week after the order
was made.
Why? Because they just gave
you their money…this is only the
beginning!
14
ALWAYS TELL
YOUR CUSTOMER
WHAT TO EXPECT
NEXT

17. If you’re selling face-to-face, it’s
always a good idea to make an
effort to look your best. Turning
up wearing sneakers and dirty
t-shirts is hardly a recipe for sales
success, however awesome your
product!
It’s no different with ecommerce
– it’s really important that your
store looks smart, professional
and sleek. Store design is a huge
deal and it’s important to create
something that looks attractive
and represents your brand well.
STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• Does your store design look as awesome as
it should?
• Make use of responsive design for tablet
and mobile friendly viewing of your store.
Why? Because appearances do count
for a lot!
15
MAKE SURE YOU
LOOK YOUR BEST

18. STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• Does your store suggest products based on
shopper behavior?
• Consider a ‘best sellers’ or ‘popular products’
list.
Why? Because understanding your
customer better means you can be
tailored with your suggestions – and
this is incredibly persuasive!
The power of suggestive selling
has been well documented
over the years…and, with the
increasing level of technology
involved in ecommerce, there are
amazing opportunities to suggest
products customers REALLY love.
It’s great for everyone!
Consider whether you have the
technology to up-sell and suggest
products to your shoppers easily,
and based on their behavior. If
not, head straight to step 20!
16
KNOW YOUR
CUSTOMER
AND SUGGEST
SIMILAR
PRODUCTS

19. Modern ecommerce success is about being everywhere.
Wherever your customers are, you need to be there, like a shining beacon
of awesomeness.
Increasingly, people are finding products on social networks and your
success depends upon whether or not you can get your products in front
of them, wherever they may be!
STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• How much of your traffic is coming through
social networks? Could it be more?
• Are you set up so that customers can
complete full transactions through
Facebook, Twitter and elsewhere?
• Is your site optimized for mobile shopping?
• Are you sharing discounts, promotions, or
even ‘add-to-cart’ links to drive sales?
Why? Because ‘Build it and they
will come…’ doesn’t apply anymore
(except in ‘Field of Dreams’)!
17
EMBRACE
THE POWER
OF SOCIAL
SHOPPING

20. However good your
store is, it’s likely that
some customers will just
get itchy feet and move
on without making a
purchase.
The thing is, abandoned
carts still represent an
opportunity. Reaching out
to customers and making
an effort to understand
what caused them to back
out of their purchase
can help you offer an
incentive and ensure
they eventually buy your
products.
STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• Are you contacting customers with
abandoned checkouts to try and win them
back?
Why? Because abandoned carts can
still lead to sales opportunities!
18
UNDERSTAND
WHY CUSTOMERS
DON’T BUY AND
ADDRESS THEIR
CONCERNS

21. It’s important to be available to support your customers at every step in
the shopping process. Of course, in a bricks-and-mortar store, you could
approach your customer personally and ask if they need any help – pretty
standard practice.
But there are still online stores out there which don’t offer this kind of
support to shoppers. If a customer is unable to find the answers they’re
looking for, they’re not likely to stick around for long, whereas, if you’re
available to answer any questions they may have, you can ensure they’re
converted into happy customers – and they’re more likely to get a product
that’s well-suited to their needs!
STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• Could you set up a live chat service to help
your customers in real time?
• Are you available to help customers via
e-mail and phone?
Why? Because it helps turn curious
shoppers into happy buyers, and
increases the likelihood of them
getting a product they love!
19
SUPPORT YOUR
CUSTOMERS
THROUGH THE
PROCESS

22. In any sales environment, it’s
important that customers feel
confident before they hand
over their hard-earned cash.
They need to trust you, trust
the product, and be sure that
important stuff like their data is
protected.
By showcasing previous happy
customers, displaying security
seals and inviting the unbiased
opinions of other customers,
you can really help boost your
visitors confidence, and make
them feel more comfortable
spending their money with you.
STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• Include testimonials so visitors can see how
happy you make your customers
• Showcase product reviews so that shoppers
can get an impartial opinion before they buy.
• Make sure you display security seals so your
customers know their data is safe
• Make sure your contact information is clearly
presented and offer plenty of support such
as live chat functionality.
Why? Because confidence is a vital
part of the customer’s decision to
spend their money with you!
20
MAKE SURE YOUR
CUSTOMERS FEEL
CONFIDENT

23. Using the right platform is extremely important. It’s the system you will
use for managing products, layout, customer processes, orders, invoices,
shipping and marketing. Therefore picking a solution that works for you
now and as you scale in the future is an important decision.
With AmeriCommerce you can run one or multiple stores, have a
completely custom design, have customized rules for shopping, discounts
and special promotions. You can also sell on Facebook and other social
networks and even via email using our embedded ecommerce tools.
STUFF TO THINK ABOUT:
• Is your platform scalable as your grow (both
traffic, and with advanced features as your
gain sophistication).
• Is your customer data safe and your store
PCI Compliant?
• Can you get support and help with features,
setup, and problems?
Why? Because it’s tough to
replatform later so pick one that fits
your needs now and later when you
grow.
21
USE THE RIGHT
PLATFORM

24. QUICK LIST OF YOUR 21 TIPS TO THRIVE IN ECOMMERCE
1. Believe in your product. Passion is infectious!
2. Don’t waste words. Your audience has a limited attention span!
3. Be honest and clear. Sales by false pretenses damage your brand!
4. Under promise over deliver. Missed promises undermine your trustworthiness.
5. Make buying easy. Or someone else will!
6. Ask questions. Good feedback helps you improve and makes customers feel valued.
7. If you don’t know the answer, don’t guess. Better to be uncertain than wrong.
8. Never stop learning and improving. You’ll be left behind and lose your edge.
9. Produce great content. Build authority, trust, expertise and get more traffic to your website,
10. Never forget to say thank you. Builds your relationship and makes the customer feel special.
11. Build meaningful relationships. Its hard to attract a new customer so keep the ones you get!
12. Keep in touch. Improves your customer connection and provides interesting info.
13. Give a little extra. It attracts new customers!
14. Always tell your customer what to expect next. No one likes being out of the loop.
15. Make sure you look your best. Looks count and affect sales!
16. Know your customer and suggest similar products. The right suggested item means more sales!
17. Embrace the power of social shopping. Be everywhere your customers are.
18. Understand why customers don’t buy and address their concerns. Abandoned carts can convert!
19. Support your customers through the process. Good help turns shoppers into buyers.
20. Make sure your customer feels confident. Confidence is a key factor in the purchase decision.
21. Use the right platform. Start on solid ground you can build on as your grow!
Start a free trial today at www.AmeriCommerce.com

25. 5,000 +
Stores with us
$4 Billion +
Sold with us
9 Million +
Products with us
Our fully managed, scalable infrastructure,
runs on state-of-the-art servers at
Rackspace. Our uptime is stellar.
We Are PCI Certified and Meet or Exceed
Security Standards and Regulations. With
AmeriCommerce, Your Data and Your
Customer’s Data is Safe.

26. Start a free trial today at www.AmeriCommerce.com