When he started StickerHub.com as a Web-based business, Sean Wigand was able to draw on his experience and success with other e-commerce sites. He uses social media as a promotional tool, but the site is the focal point for engaging consumers and converting them into customers.
“The key online is making sure visitors have a good experience on your site,” he begins.
Wigand’s advice: Keep the design simple and attractive, well organized, and easy to navigate so visitors can quickly find what they want then place their print order.
The bounce rate — how quickly they leave— is a good indicator of whether the site is working for or against you. “A customer knows within two seconds whether or not they are going to stay on that site,” he notes. “If it doesn’t load fast enough, if they encounter errors, or if it doesn’t look nice, they will leave relatively quickly.”
Wigand recommends Google Adwords as an especially effective tool for attracting visitors. Subscribers’ sites show up as sponsored search results based on specific keywords.
“You can use a keyword campaign to find out which search terms are best for driving people to your site,” he advises. “But you’ve got to experiment with different keywords, and test them a week or two, to know which work best for your type of business.”
Converting those visitors into customers depends on their entire experience, from initial impression, through ordering and customer service.
“Make sure you include a phone number people can call if they have a question,” he says. “People like to know they can reach someone, but you also need to make sure you’re willing to invest the time to be there on the other end to pick up the phone if they do call.”
—Mike Antoniak
Note: To read about Sean Wigand’s growth into the wide format printing industry, read the August 2014 issue of Sign Builder Illustrated.
