In order for your online business success to become a reality there needs to be customers who visit your site and purchase your product. Ideally these customers will be satisfied with their purchase and return to your site to shop again.
This is the idea and intent behind any well thought out business model. To attract customers, convert them to buying customers and then capture and maintain their loyalty.
This process is the heart of every successful internet business.
Let's look at the 3 core components of this marketing funnel:
Generate Traffic
The foundation upon which any business is built is the customers who make purchases. The need to attract them to your site and the ability to do so is key to your online success.
There are many varying ways in which to generate traffic, some free, some cost money, and some methods work quickly, while others take time. The point here is a consistent flow of customers is the foundation to any successful internet business.
Converting Visitors to Buyers
Once the traffic starts to flow to your site the next step is to convince them to make a purchase. Having folks browse your site is wonderful but if they don't purchase anything then your time and effort have been wasted.
Now obviously not every visitor will buy your product but you need to work on both attaining and then maintaining an acceptable conversion rate.
The use of free bonuses, effective copy writing, or word of mouth advertising from satisfied customers all come into play here. On your sales site you will need to focus on a way to stand out from your competition in order to persuade visitors to make a purchase. You don't want to waste all the hard work and effort that went in to attracting these visitors by having them leave your site without making a purchase or at least leaving their contact information. This is usually accomplished by offering a free giveaway that will benefit the site visitor.
Generating Customer Loyalty
This third and last area of focus within the marketing funnel of your business would be earning the loyalty of buying customers. After a customer has made a purchase any entrepreneur worth their salt will immediately focus on what went right (and not so right) during the transaction. Ask customers how you could improve upon their buying experience. By doing so you're letting them know their opinions are important to you while allowing yourself valuable business building tips from their feedback.
Now you've also positioned yourself to gain repeat business from this person while also increasing the chances of them referring others to your business.
In the end look at what you've gained from following up with just one customer, some business building tips, free traffic (from referrals, hopefully), and additional sales! Smart move!
In a nutshell online business success will require attracting visitors who you can convert into buyers who become loyal repeat customers. Remember, in addition to a good product that meets a need or demand, by simply focusing on these 3 core components within your business, online success will be yours!