The Essential Entrepreneur, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 7Bringing in those sales

In chapter 6 we touched on the importance of creating an effective and well-targeted marketing campaign that triggers the desired emotive enquiry. Next we'll discover the importance of how your business engages with the customer when they make that enquiry to convert it into an all-important sale.

Converting marketing enquiries into sales

Once you capture leads and enquiries through your marketing, the next critical phase, which lets many businesses down, is converting that lead or enquiry into a sale. This is where the ‘tread meets the road’, as they say, and where the enthused potential customer actually gets to engage and experience their first impressions of dealing with your business. First impressions are like a first date: you may have a great photo and profile on the dating app, but if you lose them when you open your mouth it's not going to be a good night!

That first engagement with your website, retail store or salesperson needs to reinforce the brand values and the brand positioning that you have portrayed in your marketing. This is what got them there in the first place so make sure you keep it consistent throughout the entire experience.

If it's a website that they're directed to, it must look professional and the layout must be clear and functional. Your potential customers need to be able to quickly find the information they want to learn more about, and it must be presented in a clear and engaging way, again re-enforcing your ...