It has always been important to convert buyers; that’s what makes sales, and it’s what builds up a loyal customer base. It is what, when it comes down to it, makes a business grow and thrive. Yet today it is perhaps even more important, simply because there is so much more competition than there has ever been in the past. It is easier than ever to create a business and launch it (although it is still just as hard as ever to be truly successful), and with the economy so uncertain and jobs not being easy to find, people are choosing to work for themselves more and more. Even if their new business is not their full time work, this ‘side hustle’ is providing them with additional income that is helping them through the month, and as more people realise this can be done, more people will do it.
That means more competition. That means that converting buyers becoming much more difficult because the buyer themselves has so much more choice.
There are ways to convert, however, that will help you to create a sustainable business that grows. Here are five of them to think about.
1. 360 Degree Product Views
Photography is a huge benefit to any business. It has been growing steadily for decades now; think of the first catalogues that were available – potential buyers had to read a text product description and that was it. There were no images. Once photos were added, sales went wild; finally people could see what they were buying, and it made the decision so much easier.
But those images with a little text (maybe) have been around for a long time now, and it’s no longer enough for the savvy customer. They want more. They want to see different angles, they want to be able to look at the product as though it were right there with them. As though, in other words, they were in a physical store, picking it up and examining it. In the past, this would have been impossible, but thanks to new tech now an online business can offer 360 degree views of their products, which makes converting buyers more likely.
Being able to use specialist digital photography to create 360 degree views will give the customer confidence in the product and entice them to buy. It is almost as good as holding the product in their hands, and is certainly a far cry from the 2D pictures that were once perfectly acceptable.
360 degree views also help the seller. Yes, it converts more buyers, but that’s not all. On top of that, it is much more likely that customer expectations will be met because they know so much more about what they are buying, and that means happy customers. It means good reviews. It means a successful business.
2. Virtual Tours
Virtual tours are similar to 360 degree product views as they allow a customer to see absolutely everything they need to to make a buying decision. However, a virtual tour is more often used in a location, rather than for a single product – hotels, property for sale, office space, museums, and anywhere else where people will walk through can benefit from a virtual tour.
Virtual tours are created not through videos as you might expect, but by ‘stitching’ still images together in such a way as they appear seamless. Doing this creates a virtual 3D space that people can ‘walk through’ online. This allows them to see exactly what’s on offer, preparing them in advance for everything they might see or discover in your venue. If you are offering something similar to others in terms of what you do and what your venue does, having a virtual tour for your potential customers to get a better view of things will set you apart from the competition and make your venue a much more interesting one than it was before.
One of the big benefits of virtual tours is that it effectively means your venue is open 24/7. You’ll never have to disappoint anyone again who wants to see your place when you’re closed, or even if it’s being refurbished. They can see it at any time, as many times as they want without disrupting you, your staff, or anyone else who might be working in or using the building at the time. Decisions can be made, customer service is kept intact (even improved), and sales can be converted.
3. Unboxing Videos
Surely unboxing videos are for children? They watch other children opening fun toys and collectables and trading cards, and they seem to love it? Well, that is true to a point – but unboxing could also be used to create a buzz around your own business, and just because children enjoy unboxing that doesn’t mean adults won’t either (in fact, if you look at some of the YouTube videos, adults are some of the main subscribers, particularly when it comes to retro toys and trading cards).
These types of videos really play on the idea of suspense; those who are watching just don’t know what is going to be in the box, and that’s exciting, especially if it turns out to be something they would want and can then buy from you. To really make an impact, you should create ‘mystery boxes’ that you can then sell as a package. This could be a number of smaller items that you sell all put together in one package, making it more fun to open. And if you want to boost the sales of your products and possibly your mystery boxes, then getting an ‘influencer’ to open them on video is the way to go.
However, this latter idea is not essential. If you can make a good looking video with the right editing tools so that it looks professional, and if you can make them enjoyable to watch – injecting personality and charisma into the unboxing is hugely important; it’s what will make people come back time and again – then you can certainly do it yourself. If you’re not confident in front of the camera, find someone who will do it for you because the personality on the screen is part of what will sell for you; quality products will do the rest.
Some tips to remember when making an unboxing video, whether you have created a mystery box of products or you’re unboxing one single product and showing people what they would get if they bought it, include making sure that you explain what is inside the box as you take it out, and describe what it can do and how it will help those who are watching. Carefully explaining each aspect of the product means that customers will be fully aware of what they are getting.
4. Product Tour Videos
Some products just need a little bit more explanation. You might know them back to front and inside out, but if your customers are getting confused, or they can’t quite work out what a positive difference your product is going to make in their lives, you aren’t going to sell as many as you are hoping to.
To combat this problem and convert buyers you can make product tour videos. These videos will explain every aspect of the product, letting people know exactly what they could use it for and why they would want to use it. The difference between these videos and the unboxing videos is that here there is no mystery – here you can simply explain everything in great detail. This is ideal for those customers who like to have all the information about something before they buy it. Having a video like this means they don’t have to research it all themselves; you’ve done it for them. Not only will this give the potential buyer more confidence in what they are buying, but it will make them happy to buy specifically from you as well, rather than your competition.
5. How To Videos
How to videos are a little like product tour videos in that they give potential buyers a vast amount of information about the products in question. However, rather than focusing on the product itself which is what product tours do, how to videos are more about how people like those watching would use the product in real life. It shows customers the results they could get with your product, and proves how essential it really is in their lives.
You might even be able to show them some ‘life hacks’, using your product in ways they hadn’t even thought of before.
Conclusion
These five hot trends don’t all have to be used at once – they don’t all have to be used at all. Take a look and see which one or ones are going to be the most effective for your business and your products. It’s all about capturing the attention and interest of your potential customers, and giving them all they need to make a quicker buying decision.
