A website is the digital storefront of your business, and just like a brick-and-mortar store, you need to attract customers and convince them to make a purchase.
But generating sales from your website can be challenging, especially with the fierce competition and ever-changing landscape of the online world.
In this post, I'll reveal 13 powerful strategies to turn your website into a sales-generating machine.
By implementing these proven techniques, you'll not only create a seamless user experience for your visitors but also convert them into loyal customers.
It's time to unlock your website's full potential and supercharge your revenue. So let's dive into the 13 ways to get more sales from your website and set your business up for success.
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1. Offer Fewer Options
At first, glance, offering a multitude of choices might seem like an effective way to cater to your customers' diverse needs and preferences, ultimately increasing your chances of making a sale.
However, in reality, the opposite is often true.
The concept of offering fewer choices is rooted in the psychological phenomenon known as “choice overload” or “analysis paralysis”, a concept popularized by psychologist Barry Schwartz.
According to this, when customers are presented with too many options, it leads to decision fatigue, confusion, and ultimately, a higher likelihood of abandoning the purchase altogether.
This is because they're constantly second-guessing whether they've made the right choice or if they could have found something better.
By limiting the number of choices available to your customers, you simplify the decision-making process, reducing the cognitive load and making it easier for them to confidently choose a product or service that suits their needs.
To implement this strategy on your website, consider the following:
Identify Redundancies
Evaluate your current offerings and identify any redundancies or opportunities for consolidation. Suppose you sell clothes in your online store, and you have multiple styles and colors of the same item. By combining similar products, you can reduce the number of options and make it easier for your customers to choose.
Compare the limited color options in the example below…
…with this website that's overwhelming with so many color choices.
The first one is bound to convert better and sell more!
Promote the best-selling products
Focus on your best-selling or most popular products and services, and promote them more prominently.
For example, a fragrance website could display its top-rated products on the homepage, giving customers a starting point to explore the most popular and well-reviewed items.
Here's an example of how Snif does it.
MasterClass has a list of ‘trending' classes on its home page.
Remove Not-So-Popular Products From Your Website
Regularly review your customers' feedback and sales data to determine which options resonate best with your target audience.
For instance, you may find that certain product categories or items only sell occasionally, or not at all. By removing these products from your website, you can reduce the number of options available and make it easier for your customers to navigate your offerings and make a decision.
2. Reduce Website Friction
In the context of websites, “friction” refers to anything that hinders or complicates the user experience, making it difficult for visitors to complete their intended actions.
It can be put into two primary categories:
Technical Friction
These are issues that arise due to the website's design, functionality, or structure, making it difficult for users to navigate or complete their intended actions. Common technical friction points include:
a. Long and complicated processes, such as lengthy forms.
b. Poor website design that confuses visitors.
c. Slow-loading pages or non-responsive design.
d. Broken links, 404 errors, or other technical issues.
Psychological Friction
These are factors that create doubts, hesitations, or concerns in the minds of users, making them less likely to trust the website or make a purchase. Common psychological friction points include:
a. Lack of transparency, such as hiding contact details or not displaying a physical address.
b. An unprofessional website appearance that raises questions about credibility.
c. Unsupported claims that make customers question their validity.
d. Insufficient product information, leaving customers uncertain and hesitant to purchase.
e. Unresolved concerns or unanswered questions about the product's value, reliability, or suitability.
Look at your website from a new customer's perspective and see if you notice any friction.
To resolve technical friction, work closely with your design and development team to optimize website performance, improve navigation, and streamline processes. This might involve simplifying forms, enhancing site layout, or fixing broken links and other technical issues.
For psychological friction, focus on building trust and credibility with your audience.
If you have a popular celebrity promoting your product, use it to squash all questions about credibility, price, value, etc.
Provide evidence to support any claims you make about your product or service, such as ratings, customer testimonials, or research data.
Show results achieved. Here's an example from a weight loss plan website:
Flaus, a company making electric flossers, displays badges on its website that demonstrate its commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. These badges include FDA approval, which ensures that their products meet safety and effectiveness standards set by the U.S. government, and a BBB rating, indicating that they have a top-notch reputation for customer service.
Ensure that your product pages include detailed and comprehensive information about your offerings, including pricing, features, benefits, and any relevant images or videos.
Here's an example from Carawayhome's website showing a product with all the relevant features that a customer might need to know before making a purchase decision for a kettle.
3. Create a logically organized website
A logically structured website enables users to navigate and find relevant information effortlessly, reducing cognitive load and frustration. When users have a smooth and enjoyable experience on your site, they are more likely to trust your brand, engage with your content, and ultimately make a purchase
Here are some examples and best practices for making information easy to find:
Clear Site Hierarchy
Create a well-defined structure for your website content, with main categories, subcategories, and individual pages. For example, an e-commerce site might have main categories like “Men,” “Women,” and “Kids,” and then subcategories like “Clothing,” “Shoes,” and “Accessories.”
Search Function
Include a prominent search bar on your website, allowing users to quickly find specific information or products.
For example, Amazon has a highly visible search bar at the top of its website that allows users to search for products by keywords, categories, or other criteria.
You can even suggest some searches based on trends, best-sellers, etc. in your search bar.
Here's how Lululemon implements this idea.
Well-Structured Navigation Menus
Design easy-to-use navigation menus that display the main categories and subcategories of your website. These can be horizontal or vertical menus, drop-down menus, or mega menus that show multiple levels at once.
For example, on ClickFunnels, we have a main menu with a submenu that takes you to different products. This makes it easy to navigate to the right product without getting lost.
Internal Linking
Incorporate internal links within your website content to guide users to related pages or resources. Internal links are hyperlinks that direct users to other pages or resources within your website.
In fact, Gymshark converted me from a visitor to a customer with this strategy.
I recently went on a search for the perfect workout hat to wear during my outdoor runs. That's when I came across a blog post from Gymshark, a fitness apparel company that I had heard about before but had never purchased from.
As I read through the post, I realized that there were internal links within the post that directed me to Gymshark's collection of hats.
I not only found the perfect workout hat for my needs, but I also discovered a new favorite brand for fitness apparel.
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4. Use Impactful Images
The human brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than text, which means that images have the potential to make a lasting impact on your website visitors.
But here's the thing – it's not enough to simply slap a few random images on your website and call it a day. If you want to truly make an impact and connect with your audience, you need to be deliberate and intentional in your use of images.
Instead of using boring, generic stock photos, invest in high-quality custom images that showcase your brand in the best possible light.
And it's not just about the quality of the images – it's also about their relevance and connection to your brand message.
Here are 4 things to keep in mind when choosing images for your website
Showcase Your Products in Context
Rather than simply displaying product photos, try showing them in context to help customers envision how they might use or wear them.
For instance, Yeti Coolers often display images of people using their coolers during outdoor trips and adventures. This helps customers envision themselves benefiting from the product and increases the likelihood of a purchase.
Tap Into Emotions
Incorporating images that evoke emotions can create a connection with your audience and encourage them to make a purchase.
For example, IKEA has the image of a small girl in a garden, proudly holding a set of gardening tools from their store. This image could evoke feelings of joy, pride, and a connection to nature.
This would appeal to customers who value sustainability, environmentalism, and outdoor activities.
Nike also often uses images of athletes pushing their limits, which taps into the feelings of determination and achievement. This emotional connection motivates customers to associate the brand with their personal goals and aspirations.
Humanize Your Company
Show the human side of your business through images that feature your team members, company events, or behind-the-scenes glimpses.
For example, Buffer, a social media management tool, shares images of their remote team members in the section that talks about customer support. This personal touch helps build trust and credibility with their audience.
If you want to explain something complicated, or technical, illustrations can be a great way to make it more understandable.
Here's how Teabox, a tea company compares its process with a traditional process via illustration.
Here are some ideas of types of images to use for different businesses
| Business | Image Type |
| SaaS | Dashboard screenshots, animated GIFs |
| E-commerce | Products in use, lifestyle images |
| Online courses | Course worksheets, video GIFs |
| Professional services | Founders, team members at work, happy client interactions |
| Restaurants | Food images, staff interactions |
| Travel agencies | Destination photos, customer experiences |
5. Drive Relevant Traffic
Improving sales doesn't merely happen when more people see your products; it occurs when more people who are likely to buy and are part of your target audience see your products.
In other words, you need to focus on driving relevant traffic to your website instead of just attracting a generic audience.
To do that, you need to nail these two things:
The Right Channel Where Your Audience Is
This could be on social media platforms, online forums, or even specific websites or blogs.
Here's a handy guide mapping the type of business to the right channels
| Type of Business | Right Channels |
| B2B | LinkedIn, Industry Conferences, Webinars, Niche-specific Forums, Email Marketing, Business Blogs |
| E-commerce | Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, Influencer Collaborations, Niche Blogs, Email Marketing |
| Online Education | Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Educational Blogs, Podcasts, Webinars, Forums, Email Marketing |
| Health & Wellness | Instagram, Facebook, Health Blogs, YouTube, Podcasts, Wellness Communities, Influencer Collaborations |
| Travel & Hospitality | Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Travel Blogs, YouTube, Influencer Collaborations, Review Websites |
| Finance & Investment | LinkedIn, Finance Blogs, YouTube, Twitter, Financial News Websites, Podcasts, Email Marketing |
If you are using SEO, you can focus on long-tail keywords that are more specific to your niche and target audience. This will increase the likelihood of attracting relevant visitors through search engines.
Let's say you run an online store selling eco-friendly and sustainable home products. Your target audience is environmentally conscious consumers who are looking for green alternatives to everyday household items.
Instead of targeting generic keywords like “home products” or “kitchen items,” which would attract a broad audience, you should focus on long-tail keywords that are more specific to your niche and target audience. Examples of such long-tail keywords could include:
- “eco-friendly kitchen utensils”
- “sustainable bathroom accessories”
- “biodegradable cleaning products”
- “non-toxic home decor”
To find these long-tail keywords, you can use tools like Google Keyword Planner, or Ahrefs' Keywords Generator. These tools will help you identify relevant keywords with reasonable search volumes and low competition.
Once you have your list of long-tail keywords, you can create content that addresses the needs and concerns of your target customers. For instance, you could write blog posts on topics such as:
- “The Benefits of Switching to Eco-Friendly Kitchen Utensils”
- “How to Create a Sustainable Bathroom: Top Accessories to Consider”
- “A Guide to Biodegradable Cleaning Products for a Greener Home”
- “Non-Toxic Home Decor Ideas for an Environmentally Friendly Living Space”
The Right Messaging To Resonate With Them
Messaging is the way a business communicates its value proposition to its target audience.
For example, a restaurant might use messaging that emphasizes its use of locally-sourced ingredients and farm-to-table philosophy.
Nailing messaging is important because it helps to establish a clear and compelling brand identity that resonates with customers, and ultimately drives sales. Be consistent with your message across all channels, whether it's Facebook ads, emails, or landing pages.
6. Collect Email Addresses & Nurture Leads
Not every visitor to your website will convert into a customer on their first visit. In fact, it often takes multiple touchpoints and interactions with your brand before a visitor is ready to make a purchase.
By collecting email addresses, you can stay in touch with your visitors over time and continue to nurture the relationship.
This allows you to provide them with more information about your product or service, answer any questions they may have, and ultimately, build trust and credibility with your brand.
And when they are finally ready to make a purchase, they will be more likely to choose your brand over your competitors.
But how do you get visitors to hand over their email addresses?
There are many different ways that businesses can collect email addresses, depending on their industry, target audience, and marketing goals. Here are some examples:
For E-commerce
- Offering a discount or coupon code in exchange for email addresses. You can do this via pop-up as shown in the example below from a coffee brand.
Or you can add a signup form in the footer.
- Providing a free gift, free shipping, or samples in exchange for email addresses.
Apart from perks, one creative example I found was of this company making showerhead filters. They offer a free water report for your area in exchange for your contact information.
For SaaS
- Offering a free trial of the software for a limited time in exchange for email addresses
For example, at ClickFunnels, we provide a 14-day free trial in exchange for contact information.
- Adding a sign-up form at the end of each blog post that offers exclusive content or resources
For instance, this blog by an influencer marketing company has a sidebar for entering an email address and signing up for the newsletter.
- Providing free webinars, guides, templates, workshop access or tutorials that require an email address for download
Here's an example of a SaaS company offering a free event if you sign up and give work details.
For Courses
- Offering a free mini-course or introductory module in exchange for email addresses
- Adding an exit-intent pop-up that offers a free resource or special promotion in exchange for email addresses
Make sure that the offer is genuinely valuable and relevant to your target audience. Let them know how often they can expect to hear from you, what kind of content they will receive, and how they can opt out at any time.
Once you have collected email addresses, it's important to use them wisely.
Don't spam your subscribers with too many emails or irrelevant content. Instead, focus on providing them with valuable information, answering their questions, and nurturing the relationship over time.
This will help to build trust and credibility with your brand, and ultimately lead to more sales and revenue from your website.
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7. Show How Your Products Or Services Are Better Than The Alternative
When making purchasing decisions, people instinctively compare different brands and alternatives to find the most suitable choice. For example, someone might weigh the pros and cons of dental floss versus electric floss or contemplate whether to invest in a budget smartphone or a high-end model.
While the comparison is a natural part of the decision-making process, it can sometimes backfire if customers conduct their research independently, leading to distractions and potentially swaying them toward competitors.
Presenting the comparison on your page will prevent them from getting distracted and also allow you to control the narrative of your product or service.
Comparisons make the decision-making process easier for potential customers by providing a clear framework for evaluating the differences between products or services. By showcasing the benefits of your product or service in a direct comparison with alternatives, you can:
- Guide customers' focus on the most important features and benefits.
- Reinforce the superiority of your offering by highlighting its advantages.
- Keep customers engaged with your brand and content, reducing the risk of losing them to competitors.
You can develop a table that compares your product or service with competitors or alternatives in a side-by-side format.
Here's how Flaus, an electric flosser, does it by comparing the product with traditional alternatives.
Or you can list down a few reasons why your products or services are worth the try.
For example, Snif, a fragrance brand has this page on its website that shows Snif as the best available option.
When you are writing the copy for this section, it will help you know the right steps and copywriting formulas to follow to make your copy more persuasive without sounding desperate.
8. Install Live Chat or WhatsApp
Adding live chat or WhatsApp to your website can help to improve sales and customer satisfaction. It allows you to engage with customers in real-time, answer their questions, and offer assistance throughout their purchasing journey.
Customers who receive personalized support are more likely to complete their purchase and return for future purchases as well.
Here's an example of a brand that has a personal message from founders+live chat option on their website.
To implement live chat or WhatsApp on your website, you can use a third-party tool or plugins such as LiveChat or WhatsApp Business API. These tools offer customizable chat windows that can be added to your website and integrated with your customer relationship management (CRM) system.
Here's another example from a SaaS website with a chatbot answering the most common questions they get from visitors.
When implementing live chat or WhatsApp, keep in mind the following:
- Availability: Ensure that your chat agents are available to respond promptly to customer queries during business hours.
- Responsiveness: Train your chat agents to respond quickly and professionally to customer inquiries and concerns.
- Personalization: Customize your chat window to match your brand's design and tone of voice.
- Integration: Integrate live chat or WhatsApp with your CRM system to track customer interactions and improve follow-up.
9. Offer Subscription
Offering subscriptions can be an effective way to improve sales from your website.
Subscriptions help to sell more to the same customer, thereby increasing the frequency of purchases and customer lifetime value. This means that you can get more sales without having to spend more money on advertising or pay commissions to third-party e-commerce platforms like Amazon.
Subscriptions work particularly well for products that fall into one of three categories.
1. Consumable products that people use regularly, such as coffee, spices, soda, protein bars, or supplements, a subscription makes sense.
2. Something that requires scheduled replenishment, such as water filters or air filters, a subscription can provide convenience for the customer.
3. A membership subscription with its own perks, such as free shipping, discounts, early access to new products, or exclusive content, a subscription can provide value for the customer.
For example, Amazon Prime provides the benefit of expedited delivery and free shipping.
Olipop, a soda brand gives an extra discount and free shipping on subscriptions.
It's easy to assume that having your product delivered on a set schedule is convenient for everyone, but that's not necessarily the case.
Don't fall into the trap of thinking that offering subscriptions is an obvious choice for customers – you need to provide unique benefits that they can't find elsewhere.
These can be…
- Exclusive, always-on discounts for subscribers.
- Early access to new products
- Free shipping
- Entry into the loyalty program
- Mystery gift with every delivery
10. Use Tiered Pricing & Value Packs
Tiered Pricing
Tiered pricing is a pricing strategy in which different products or services are offered at varying price points. This allows businesses to appeal to a wider range of customers with varying needs and budgets and hence gets more visitors to make a purchase.
For example, you could offer a basic package with limited features at a lower price point, a mid-tier package with more features at a moderate price point, and a premium package with all the features at a higher price point.
Here's an example from the Write of Passage course offering 3 tiers of pricing
This is mostly useful when selling online courses or Saas products.
Another pricing strategy is offering value or family packs.
Value Packs
Value packs or family packs is offering a discounted rate for multiple users or multiple products. Businesses can increase their customer base and revenue while still providing value to their customers.
For example, Spotify's family plan allows up to 6 people to share an account for a significantly reduced rate per account compared to individual subscriptions.
Value packs also encourage customer loyalty and retention as they incentivize customers to stay with them for a longer period, rather than switching to a competitor who may not offer a similar deal.
This can be particularly important in industries where there are many competitors and customers have a lot of options to choose from.
11. Use Decoy Pricing
The decoy effect, also known as the asymmetric dominance effect, is a psychological pricing strategy that can help improve sales by influencing customers' decision-making.
The decoy effect occurs when a third pricing option is introduced, which is intentionally less attractive than the other two options. This third option, the decoy, is priced higher than the other alternatives, making the middle-priced option appear more valuable and enticing.
The decoy effect works by leveraging the way customers compare and evaluate their choices. By introducing a higher-priced decoy, the middle option becomes more appealing to customers, as they perceive it to offer a better value for money.
For example, Mailchimp has three paid plans:
- Essential plan: $15/month
- Standard plan: $25/month
- Premium plan (decoy): $4200/month
Without the decoy, customers may compare the Essential and Standard plans and lean towards the cheaper option.
However, when the Premium plan is introduced as a decoy, customers now see the Standard plan as a more attractive option. The Standard plan offers more features than the Essential plan, and with the introduction of the Premium plan, the Standard plan appears to be a better deal.
12. Take Action on Abandoned Carts
Reminding people about their abandoned carts is essential for boosting sales on your website, as it enables you to re-engage potential customers who have shown interest in your products but haven't completed their purchase.
It works because people generally prefer to avoid losses more than they like to acquire gains. By reminding customers of the items left in their carts, you're emphasizing the potential loss they'll experience if they don't complete the purchase, which can motivate them to take action.
The best ways to remind about abandoned carts is via — emails, chats, or retargeted ads.
Cart Recovery Emails
Set up an automated email sequence to remind customers of their abandoned carts. These emails should be friendly and helpful, offering assistance in case the customer faces any issues during the checkout process. Include a clear call-to-action that directs them back to their cart, making it easy to resume the purchase.
Here's an example of Dollar shave club's abandon cart email. See how they've reiterated the benefits here to convince the shoppers to complete the purchase.
Abandoned Cart Messages
If your target audience is more active on WhatsApp, and you have the consent to send them a message there, you can craft a short message with a simple image to remind them about the purchase they left incomplete.
Here's an example of an abandoned cart message on WhatsApp. Observe how they're leveraging scarcity (‘…but we can't hold them for long') to encourage the recipient to make a purchase.
Offer incentives, such as a discount or free shipping, to encourage them to complete their purchase.
Retargeting ads
Use retargeting ads on platforms like Facebook or Google to remind customers of their abandoned carts. Create personalized ads featuring the products left in their carts, along with incentives to encourage them to return and complete the purchase.
You can take it up a notch by retargeting people who visited your website but left without taking advantage of free samples, or free trials.
Here's a version of a retargeted ad when someone visits ClickFunnels but leaves without taking the free trial.
If you want to reduce abandoned carts altogether, you should optimize the checkout process. We'll discuss that in detail in the next section.
13. Optimize the checkout process
When someone is ready to pay, they are indeed closer to completing the purchase, but they are also at a point where they might be more sensitive to any friction or obstacles. It's essential to make the checkout process as smooth and straightforward as possible, to minimize the chances of customers abandoning their carts and moving on.
Start by Identifying any friction points in your checkout process that might cause customers to abandon their carts.
This could include lengthy forms, limited payment options, or unexpected shipping costs.
Streamline the process to make it as seamless as possible, increasing the chances of successful conversions.
Here are some tips to do that:
1. Minimize the number of steps: Keep the checkout process as short as possible, ideally limiting it to a single page. Only ask for the essential information required to complete the transaction.
Reducing the number of form fields can make the process less daunting and time-consuming for customers.
2. Offer guest checkout: Not everyone wants to create an account before making a purchase. By providing a guest checkout option, you can cater to those customers who prefer a quick and hassle-free transaction.
Here's an example from a clothing brand giving the option to log in or create an account or continue as a guest.
3. Display trust signals: Include security badges, SSL certificates, and customer testimonials to reassure customers that their personal and financial information is safe with you.
At ClickFunnels, we display social proof, value proposition, guarantee, and clear pricing on our checkout page.
4. Offer multiple payment options: Cater to different preferences by providing various payment methods, such as credit/debit cards, PayPal, and other popular options.
5. Optimize for mobile: Ensure that your checkout process is mobile-friendly, as an increasing number of customers shop on their smartphones and tablets.
Final thoughts
The key to improving your sales is consistency. It's not about implementing all of these strategies at once, but rather taking small steps each week to optimize your website and improve your conversion rates.
All of the strategies we've discussed in this guide have been tried and tested, and they're not very expensive to implement.
So start by implementing 1-2 tips every week. See what works, and tweak it according to your goals and type of business.
And let's say you make $20K/month in sales, and improve your sales by 5% in a few months, it would add $1K/month. Over a year, that would add up to an extra $12,000 in revenue, which could be a significant boost for your business.
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