Many websites continue to have hard time to keep site visitors coming back and make sales. Turning site visitors into customers has become the biggest challenge for e-commerce websites that are run by small business owners. Several areas should be re-examined before implementing major promotions. It is crucial to understand following guidelines that work for most small business websites.

Improve Your Site Navigation

First of all, you must make sure that your website has a user-friendly navigational structure. The first-time visitor might get lost in your pages. It is very important to enable your visitors to easily find way around your site; In addition to a search engine for a bigger website, a site map should be also helpful. If you run a smaller website, a site map is good enough for visitors to find pages they are looking for. Your website should contain fewer images so that visitors don't have to wait too long to get through. Text links connecting each page should be underlined. Most site visitors no longer prefer buttons and text links without underline. I highly recommend that you use a detailed structure for your site map.

Display Your Return Policy

Many site owners have asked me the same question: "my website gets a lot of hits, but I'm not making any sales! What am I doing wrong?" So many times, when I visit such sites, it is not difficult to find the problem. Some of websites lack basic details on return policy. It is understandable that visitors will not buy when return policy is not clearly displayed. From time to time, customers tell me that they are very concerned about ordering merchandises at websites that are run by web entrepreneurs or home-based businesses. To boost consumer confidence, you should have a FAQs page on return policy. If you ship merchandise through UPS, then add a link of UPS so that your customers can track their orders online. There are some e-commerce rating programs you might consider participating, such as VeriSign.com, Better Business Bureau Online, ePublicEye.com. Sites with their logos have a big impact on consumer confidence.

Communicate with Your Site Visitors

Do you respond your site visitors' inquiry within 24 hours? If not, you will definitely lose potential customers. It is very important to reply your visitors' emails in a timely manner. A while ago, I found an interesting business newspaper that I had interest in displaying an ad for our Internet marketing service. I sent an email to inquire their advertising rates. After a few days without any response, I sent another inquiry, and no reply was received. I finally gave up because I did not spend my money with a company that does not care about its customers. Many visitors will not become your customers when they initiated inquiries. Keep their emails and send follow-ups on a regular basis and remind them your new services and products.

Implement New Approaches

As a website owner, you must continuously implement different approaches to keep your visitors coming back and attract new visitors. Think creatively. I have advised our clients to offer a free sample or discount coupon with each order that customers have placed. Online coupons are popular among consumers. You may consider offering rebate to customers during holiday season. For example http://www.DollarTemplates.com offers monthly drawing for free prizes, it has drawn attention from repeat visitors.

Seek a Third Opinion

Ask your family members and friends about how they think about your website. Your web developers are not always telling the truth. Ask your friends to rate your website's design and functionality. Constantly survey your customers about their satisfaction and ask them to rate your website as well as your customer service. An independent opinion will help you conduct your e-business in a more effective way. If you are not sure about your website performance status, you may inquiry a free analysis from us.

In conclusion, when you closely monitor your website and keep asking questions, you will quickly find out why visitors become your loyal customers. Reward your customers with incentives, in return they will bring their friends to your website and turn their purchasing power work for you.

About the Author:
Brian Su is a senior consultant of http://www.SmarTechlab.com - an Illinois-based consulting firm that specializes in e-business development and marketing strategy. He also manages a popular microportal at DollarTemplates.com at http://www.DollarTemplates.com that provides pre-made e-commerce and portal web templates to entrepreneurs around the world. He is a frequent contributor to many online newsletters and publications. Mr. Su advises small business owners on marketing and promotion strategy. He can be reached at his websites.

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