Keep it simple to keep the sale

We’re all living in a busy world with information overload – so it’s never been more important to keep things simple to keep the sale.

With a world of almost unlimited choice at our fingertips, it’s not uncommon for people to suffer what’s known as ‘decision fatigue’.

Each decision you make requires mental effort – and the more decisions you make in a short timespan means the more mental effort you need to spend.

So those who make things simple for their customers have a better chance of keeping the sale, but many businesses still make things difficult for the customer to buy from them.

Put yourself in the customer’s shoes and review how easy it is for your customers to buy from you.

Is it a simple three-step process, or does it involve considerably more steps than that?

If you provide a simple sales process that’s easy and enjoyable to follow it creates a much better customer experience.

Here are some key things you can do to improve your chances of customers buying from you.

1. Keep the choices simple

Many businesses pride themselves on the ability to offer a wide range of options and to have ‘something for everyone’, but that can backfire.

Presenting all the options up front can be simply overwhelming.

Have you ever been to a restaurant and been presented a wine list the size of a small novel? Where do you start!?

Presenting three choices (a higher price, a mid-range price, and a low price) is a classic sales move.

Maybe you can limit choices to your best-selling products or services? Just make sure you make it clear that they can ask for more options if they want.

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2. Keep the information simple

Customers need clear and concise information on products and services to help them make the right purchase decision.

When busy, reading reams of technical information isn’t the best way to spend your time.

A lot of businesses provide all the information they have to the customer, instead of the important stuff, in an attempt to impress them.

Understanding what information is key to your customers along with highlighting benefits and advantages is vital.

Listing features and expecting customers to know the benefits doesn’t work.

Go the extra mile and provide concise persuasive information and watch your sales soar.

3. Make it simple for people to pay

Sometimes business owners shoot themselves in the foot by making it difficult for customers to give money to them.

Have you ever been in a store with a credit card and then found out that they only accept cash? Sale lost.

Don’t let the way someone chooses to pay be what gets in the way of a sale.

Offer as much flexibility as you can with the way people can pay you, whether that be through offering a technology solution (such as a credit card) or a financing solution (such as instalment payments).

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4. Make it an easy decision to make

Customers need confidence in the product or service to make the decision to buy.

Warranties and guarantees coupled with a generous and simple refund policy can really help to build that confidence.

This is relevant for both online and offline purchases.

Develop generous policies such as a ‘no questions asked refund’ or 30-day refund and make the information on these policies clear to customers during the sales process.

5. Make it simple to say yes

Most people will actively seek justification to purchase if it’s a ‘nice to have’ buy.

We’ve all been through this when buying that totally frivolous thing that we just need in our lives.

These customers are already in the key consideration phase – you just need to give them a little nudge.

Consider having incentives to get the customer to buy in the moment. For example:

• ‘Buy today and receive free postage’
• ‘Buy today and receive a bonus product’
• ‘10 percent off if you buy today’