Joshua Saunders

As the year comes to a close, many of you may be reflecting back on your businesses over the past year.  And I’m sure you will be in January and February as you start to prepare your taxes.  So your online business didn’t go so well this past year… here are some reasons why and what you can do to turn it around in 2008.

1. You don’t have original content.  There are millions of websites like yours, you must offer somethign unique, something special.  Quality content builds your businesses credibility.
2. You don’t promote your business as much as you can.  Sure, you spend ample time trying to get your name out, but your business need to be blasted everywhere.  In your email signature, on any forum signatures, on any literature you send out, on articles you publish, on newspaper editorials… even on the back of your car.  Use yourself as a walking billboard and promote to everyone you see.  Word of mouth is the best way to attract new business.
3. You have a crappy website.  Maybe the website was designed by your 12 year old son, or maybe you don’t have your own domain name.  Get this fixed.  Spend a little bit of money to make your website look professional.
4. You are using outdated ad copy.  You need to be constantly testing the copy on your website; find what works and what doesn’t work.  Run A/B tests, use different landing pages and see what works best.  But don’t keep the same copy year after year and expect things to change.
5. You don’t offer urgent incentives.  You need to urge people to buy NOW!  Not in a few days, not this month.  People purchase more when faced with a deadline.  Send out coupons that expire in 2 days, have one-day only specials, offer free shipping for 12 hours only.  Make people want to buy now, not come back let.
6. You aren’t attracting your target audience.  You are promoting your website all over and you get some decent traffic, but no one is buying.  It’s time to analyze who’s coming to your website.  Are you targeting the right people?  Use specific keywords, target based on age, gender, and demographics.  Your advertising copy should appeal to the emotions of your target audience, not to everyone.
7. Your customers don’t have a warm and fuzzy feeling.  Your site needs to be safe and secure.  And beyond that, you need to show your customers this.  Your audience will buy more when they trust you won’t sell their information and their credit card information won’t be stolen.  So promote your security features.
8. Potential customers feel disconnected from your business.  Your audience comes and goes, they have no attraction to your store, no personal emotional connection to your website.  Change this!  Connect with them by telling them about yourself and about your store.  Make it personal and relate to your audience.  People buy more from people who they can relate to.  If you are selling to mothers, talk about how you have three children and you thought of this online business in the midst of carpooling your kids to soccer, baseball, and swimming practice.  You should have a section that talks about your business.  Getting your customers to support you on a personal level, even if they have never met you, will grow your business!