In a slow economy, small businesses face numerous challenges. One of the most significant hurdles is the issue of abandoned carts. This is a common occurrence that can significantly impact your business’s bottom line.
Consider this: 70.19% of online shopping carts are abandoned, according to the Baymard Institute. That’s a staggering number. For every 100 customers who visit your website, 70 will leave without making a purchase. This represents a significant potential loss of revenue.
But thankfully, there are strategies you can use to minimise your abandoned carts and increase your sales.
The 5 “S” of slashing your abandoned carts
Reducing your abandoned carts is crucial for boosting your sales. Remember the 5 “S”: Send, Short, Snappy, Sensational and Social Proof. These strategies have proven to be effective in enticing customers to complete their purchase.
One way of encouraging customers to recover their abandoned carts is to send them a reminder email.
Other strategies can also be used to encourage customers to stay on the sales page and not to click away from it.
1. Send
Sending a reminder email is essential to reminding customers about their abandoned carts. Send the email immediately, preferably within 5 hours of abandoning the cart. Of course, this would only work if you had already collected their email at the point of sale before they abandoned their cart.
Personalise your emails by using customer data to show relevant products or recommendations to entice your customers to come back for more. Adding added incentives such as discounts or free shipping can be even better.
2. Short
Use the urgency of a short timeframe to motivate customers to take action and incentivise them to return and complete the purchase. Examples are limited-time discounts or time-sensitive offers, such as a discount or free gift. Use language and visuals, such as a countdown timer, to reinforce your message.
3. Snappy
Make it “snappy” or easy for your customers by simplifying and streamlining the checkout process. If the process is too complicated or takes too many clicks to complete, your customer will simply bounce and go elsewhere – and there are plenty of competitors online who will compete for your customer’s money!
4. Sensational
Provide sensational customer service by offering support via phone, email, or live chat to help customers with any concerns or questions they may have. Ensure your Contact Us section is clearly visible so customers know how to contact you.
Another option is to display FAQs on the sales page (or a link to it) to save your customer the hassle of contacting you.
5. Social proof
Include a few positive reviews from past customers to create immediate trust from would-be customers. Social proof reduces potential customers’ perceived risks about your product or service and builds your credibility.
Need help with your abandoned cart emails? Contact me, and let’s see how we can slash those abandoned carts and boost your sales.
