In the field of e-commerce, one of the most vital factors for the business is how the user interacts with the website. If the king is content, then the queen is usability. The website should be designed for the user’s needs in the first place. That’s why every business owner should make sure, that the tendency of the client-oriented approach is followed. The client wants to have a possibility to feel admiration, to think slow and do fast. If you want to generate income in your business – figure out how to achieve unique advantages over the competitors. To know how to do this right, we need to understand how the customer thinks and acts. If you are a product owner or a founder, who’s in charge of successful client interaction, let’s consider some topics and features to think about improvements of your website. Check the questions after each point to ask yourself and create a roadmap for improvement in the nearest future.
1. Declutter.
In the information era, it becomes harder and harder to find what you really look for. When you’re completely lost in the endless aisles with tons of products, customizable filters will help to avoid this annoying feeling. The tricky part is to know what the customer is really interested in. The ones who have found a perfect balance between minimalism in filter results and rich catalog proposal will win.
- Is your menu navigation lean and reflects client’s mindset?
- Does the filter and sorting fit your client’s needs or is it generalized?
- Think of drop-down lists to hide some categories. Not all users are well-aware of brands, still on some sites the brand lists are too long.
2. Care.
Do you know what your true needs are? Hard to say, huh? It is even harder to predict client’s needs, but it’s not mandatory for building a good relationship. Try to be helpful for your clients, not just politely say hello, sell and try to sell more every month or so, reminding about your products via email.
Share your expertise, as you gain an authority in your field. Don’t be afraid to share your experience for free. This may be something really tedious, but helpful. For example, a checklist of how to take care of your products. Or else regular how-to’s, the goal is to make your customer’s life easier. Some questions to think about:
- What problems do your clients face in their everyday lives? Can you help them?
- Do you really care about your client’s experience after they purchase your product?
- How will your product affect lives of your clients and the communities they live in, in a broader context?
3. Be an influencer.
It’s important to understand, what you really sell is not the product itself, but the experience of using it. If you define your values first, your clients can reflect your merits. When you create a brand community, you find more like-minded people. So let the customers be involved and express their unique personalities through your products. People are willing to pay more for becoming a part of a social community and to represent the special way of thinking. Share your tips and ideas on how to become better via social networks, blogs and word of mouth.
- Can you link a lifestyle to the brand(s) you sell?
- How your product changes the customers’ way of thinking?
- Is your social media presence inspirational for your customers?
At the bottom line, you see: it’s all about giving the clients the feeling that someone really cares about them. That’s our true need.
Thank you for reading and I’d love to hear your ideas on how merchants can take care of their customers better?