“Traffic” is the number of views/hits that an Internet site receives.

Everyone knows about the impact that having a “#1 spot in Google” can bring – it does so because of the traffic it brings to the business.

Thus, when you’re looking at “Shopify” stores in 2018, the primary concern – beyond having a quality store, products and experience – is how you’re actually going to get people to look at it.

This tutorial looks to discuss the overall process of cultivating an audience who loves what you’re doing…

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Not All Traffic Was Created Equally

The key point with this is that “traffic” is not the only metric that matters in online business.

Whilst it’s important, it’s really just an indicator as to what’s going on with your store.

For example, people who have bought before, and are looking to make a repurchase, are going to be far more valuable (to the business) than “window shoppers” with little-to-no prior experience with the business.

Thus, when considering what I’m about to write, you have to appreciate the quality of people looking at your stuff.

Getting big numbers is nice, but if it doesn’t convert into actual business growth, you’re not really making progress.

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1. Focus On Creating a “Brand” (Not Just a Store)

The most prolific way to (presently) attract visitors today is through social media.

Obviously, having a popular Instagram / Twitter / YouTube page is certainly going to give you access to an audience… but the key lies not in its breadth, but depth.

The depth of the audience determines who listens to what you say, and whilst people obsess over having 50,000+ subscribers/followers, they generally disregard the simple truth that if you don’t have a deep connection with those people, they’re not going to trust you enough to buy things.

The most important thing is to consider building a “brand” – rather than just a “store”.

What might be a simple analogy, most people simply try and build a website and get people to buy from it; the best work beyond the store – actually digging deep with the various people who contact them through all channels.

To this end, when considering setting up a store, you need to be extremely personable as to why someone would consider you over one of the massive names:

Perhaps instead of being a “natural cosmetics store”, you use your own name: “Claire’s Natural Cosmetics Boutique”
Focus on an underlying reason why people would (or should) consider your store: “The ONLY store to stock Bourjois in the US”
Work around “problems” / “solutions” rather than products: “The ULTIMATE Acne Clearing Products for Girls”
NEVER “sell” anything – provide helpful information and recommend products… but never “sell”
The point is that you should not be trying to set up a store to get quick sales – give it a reason to exist and focus on providing a quality service through its provision.
The “social media” stuff will take care of itself if you put your effort into effective work.

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2. Most People Want Solutions Before Products

The biggest mistake people make with any sort of venture is focusing on the product.

The product is important, but it’s only a small part of the overall offer. People really want to buy solutions.

Solutions come in all shapes and sizes – the most important thing is to absolutely understand where your solution fits in.

For example, most people don’t care where products are from, or even why you’re stocking them… they care about what they’re able to do with them.

Thus, when considering the store you wish to build – you really need to focus on the way through which you’re creating actual results.

For example:

3lbs Per Day Supplements Store – Get Rid Of Weight With Exercise & Supplements
Business Computer Repair Store – Keep Your Business Running At PEAK Performance With Ultimate Products
Suits 4 SALES – Complete SALES Orientated Suit Design & Tailoring For The Modern Man
The bottom line is that one of the more pertinent things I discovered several years back is that people don’t buy the product, but what the product actually *does*.
This means that if you’re looking at creating a “store”, you need to be able to give it an underlying “reason” for people even consider looking at it.

This process takes time, and obviously requires a significant amount of experience. The benefit is that if people like what you’ve created, they’ll generally stick around.

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3. Don’t Be Afraid Of Cold Traffic… But Learn To Embrace The WARMTH

It used to be called “word of mouth” – the idea that someone would refer others to you (simply by virtue of the quality of your work).

People want to spend money. The fallacy that they’ll not be willing to spend money in your store is basically a lie that you’ve made up — people enjoy the exotic + interesting, and will definitely embrace whatever you’ve created IF you’re sincere.

I used to have a massive hangup years back; never really connecting with people because I was always about trying to “make sales”.

Whilst this is important, you need to realize that people talk – and there’ll be a group of them who genuinely want you to succeed.

Thus, if you’re looking at “warm” traffic (people from your social account etc), don’t be afraid to embrace it. The more you embrace people’s desires, the more open they’ll be with you.

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4. NEVER “Sell” Your Store / Products – Always Provide Value

If you really want to promote your store properly, there are a number of important things you need to do.

The first is to ensure that you never sell the “store” itself.

People have this fascination with the idea that just because they made a store, everybody else will instantly be interested.

In a world of Amazon, social media + millions of others trying to “get rich”, this is one of the worst things you can do.

A much better thing is to focus in on one thing that your store is there to do (see #2), and use that as the underlying promotional message.

Further to this, you need to ensure that conversing with buyers – not telling them about what you have.

This means that if you’re buying advertising, rather than promoting your store/products, address their underlying problem and provide a solution.

You don’t really need to mention the store at all – only the fact that you are able to provide the solution for a particular price (and free shipping?).

For example…

Get a killer pout with ULTRA lipstick – available from $9.99 and free shipping (nxt 24 hrs only)
I lost 5lbs 7 days ago – killer ab workouts that burn fat FAST $19.99
Getting the right website MULTIPLIED my sales overnight – $450 seals the deal
Notice how people aren’t buying you or your store? They’re buying the result that you’re promising.
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5. Don’t Be Afraid To Test/Experiment

Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment.

Experimentation is the process of life, and it’s no different in the world of enterprise.

EVERYTHING has value. Obviously, some value is higher priced than others… the point is that even if you created a “really bad” store, someone will still want to buy from it.

The biggest enemy people has is themselves; uneager to risk their name/reputation (ego) on making progress – they stick to what they “know” and refuse to try new things.

This reluctance pushes them toward obscurity.

Part of the challenge to optimize sales conversion rate involves attracting qualified leads. The more qualified they are, the more likely you can boost your sales conversion.

A bigger challenge to optimize sales conversion rate is first learning as much as possible about each opt-in lead. That’s so you can personalize the content you provide along their journey. This can lead to higher sales conversion rates.

Here are three digital marketing secrets to help you turn opt-in leads into customers. By optimizing sales conversion rate, you can see your revenues increase.

Digital Marketing Secret #1: Get Qualified Leads by Focusing on Your Target Audience
Knowing your target audience is perhaps the top priority in marketing. That’s because these are the people and organizations most likely to buy your products and services.

The best way to determine your target audience is through surveys and focus groups. This is where you should spend your first marketing dollars. The more you can determine the variables that impact your target audience, the more cost-effective your digital marketing campaigns. Plus, higher response rates.

A quality survey does not just focus on demographics. It’s more important to focus on psychographics, buying behavior and awareness of the problem your product or service solves.

A key to a quality market research campaign is to target people who best meet your target audience criteria. Then you can refine the parameters of your target audience based on the results of your research. You can get preliminary results in as little as one day.

Surprisingly, this strategy is too often overlooked by many companies. But if you invest in this strategy it can help you save money in the long run. Plus, increase your ROI.

Outsourcing this project can help you speed up the process. Plus provide an outside perspective to help you better understand your audience.

Digital Marketing Secret #2: Communicate With Your Audience Via Mobile
Your target audience is a moving target. They may not all be in the same place at the same time. So it may appear challenging on how best to capture them.

The best way to approach this is to first determine where a high percent of your target audience are at any given time. Then find a way to reach them there.

For example, if your target audience spends much time on social media, then you must first determine which type(s) of social media they spend time on. Then to focus your advertising and promotion on that location.

Another example is if your target audience spend much of their time in travel or out of the office, then communicating with them via mobile will more likely give you better opt-in lead results.

The thing is, most people will readily look at the mobile phone for incoming SMS text messages much sooner than their email. Adding a link to your SMS text message to take your audience to a landing page promoting your products and services can help lead to optimizing your sales conversion rates.

Faster response equals faster sales conversion.

Digital Marketing Secret #3: Persuade Your Audience With Relevant Content
Content marketing is a big part of digital marketing campaigns. Educating your audience through relevant content is a vital part of establishing credibility and trust.

But to sell, you must persuade. That’s the third digital marketing secret. Persuasive content is a big key to optimizing sales conversion rates. It’s why you should invest in hiring the best copywriters to help you create persuasive content.

This includes persuasive email letters and landing pages that contain sales letters and videos.

The key to optimizing sales conversion rates is to find a persuasive copywriter to provide you with persuasive content. In fact, investing in persuasive content is the single-most important thing you can do to generate sales. Everything else is just window dressing.

How to Maximize Sales Conversion Rate Results In Your Next Digital Marketing Campaign
Once you know the parameters of your target audience, you can develop a viable digital marketing campaign strategy. The key to optimizing sales conversion is to create persuasive content and deliver it to your target audience wherever they are. This includes reaching them on their mobile device. Investing is persuasive content starts with finding the best persuasive copywriter.

Marketing services by Jeff Traister can help you increase your sales conversion through automation and persuasive copywriting. He is a certified Internet marketing automation consultant and direct response copywriter.

Even more startling: 10% of advice was found to leave investors in an even worse financial position.

Through a “vertically integrated business model”, Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank, Westpac, ANZ and AMP offer ‘in house’ financial advice, and collectively, control more than half of Australia’s financial planners.

It’s no surprise ASIC’s review found advisers at these banks favoured financial products that connected to their parent company, with 68% of client’s funds invested in ‘in house’ products as oppose to external products that may have been on the firms list.

Why the banks integrated financial advice model is flawed

It’s hard to believe the banks can keep a straight face and say they can abide by the duty for advisers to act absolutely in the best interests of a client.

Under the integrated financial advice model, there are layers of different fees including adviser fees, platform fees and investment management fees adding up to 2.5-3.5%

The typical breakdown of fees is usually as follows: an adviser charge of 0.8% to 1.1%, a platform fee of between 0.4% and 0.8%, and a managed fund fee of between 0.7% and 2.1%. These fees are not only opaque, but are sufficiently high to limit the ability of the client to quickly earn real rates of return.

Layers of fees placed into the business model used by the banks means there is not necessarily an incentive for the financial advice arm to make a profit, because the profits can be made in the upstream parts of the supply chain through the banks promoting their own products.

This business model, however, is flawed, and cannot survive in a world where people are demanding greater accountability for their investments, increased transparency in relation to fees and increased control over their investments.

It is noteworthy that the truly independent financial advisory firms in Australia that offer separately managed accounts have done everything in their power to avoid using managed funds and keep fee’s competitive.

The banks have refused to admit their integrated approach to advice is fatally flawed. When the Australian Financial Review approached the Financial Services Council (FSC), a peak body that represents the ‘for-profit’ wealth managers, for a defence if the layered fee arrangements, a spokesman said no generalisations could be made.

There are fundamental flaws in the advice model, and it will be interesting to see what the upcoming royal commission into banking will do to change some of the contentious issues surround integrated financial advice.

Many financial commentators are calling for a separation of financial advice attached to banks, with obvious bias and failure to meet the best interests of clients becoming more apparent.

Chris Brycki, CEO of Stockspot, says “investors should receive fair and unbiased financial advice from experts who will act in the best interests of their client. What Australians currently get is product pushing from salespeople who are paid by the banks.”

Brycki is calling for structural reform to fix the problems caused by the dominant market power of the banks to ensure that consumers are protected, advisers are better educated and incentives are aligned.

1. Cost of Living: Some factors, determining, the Cost of Living, include: wages (and wage growth); prices, etc, and how wages, are, or, aren’t able, to keep – up, with the increase in costs, etc! Most realize, we have, in the past – few months, experienced, a huge, jump, in pricing, most – apparent, in the food stores, restaurants, and, nearly, everything, related – to, day – to – day, existence, etc!

2. Federal Reserve: In recent times, the near – historic – low, extended period, of interest rates, has, in addition, to the intended measures (helping businesses, and the economy, in trying – times), has caused a Real Estate, Sellers Market, and, a huge rise, in home prices, in most parts of this country! In addition, it created a surge, in consumer use of credit, because, borrowing, appeared, cheaper! However, most economists forecast, many of these supports, and maintaining, such low rates, will, gradually, be reduced (or minimized), probably, beginning, next year. What impact will that have, and will we see, the historic reaction, which has been, when rates rise, it helps reduce inflation, etc?

3. National economy/ conditions: Largely, because of a world – wide, supply – chain, set of obstacles/ challenged, many industries, have experienced, challenges, in terms of, getting sufficient amounts of needed materials, etc! Go into, nearly, any store, and you will see, more – sparse, shelves, than we have seen, in recent memory! In addition, building supplies, products, food, toys, cars and car parts, etc, are under – stress, because of this!

4. Worldwide economies/ economic conditions: Nearly, every nation, is experiencing, economic issues and challenges! The United Kingdom, because of worldwide, as well as specific national trends/ causes/ conditions, has been largely, impacted! Since, we live, largely, in a global economy, when there is any disruption, in the supply – chain, it affects, everyone!

5. Stock and Bond Markets: Because of several reasons/ factors, the United States Stock Market, has benefited, significantly, and experienced, significant increases, in the price of stocks. In addition to the obvious ones, because, interest rates, have been, so low, many investors, believed, stocks, were, nearly, the only game – in – town! When, if, interest rates, rise, bond rates, will rise, and existing, bond prices, will adjust, and drop!

6. Immediate, intermediate, longer – term ramifications/ impacts: The immediate impact of inflation, is, usually, rising prices, and, wages, which, usually, rise, at a far – lower rate! In the intermediate – period, we begin to see, weakening economic trends, and in the longer – term, depending on how long, it ensues, there are often, several, undesirable ramifications, and impacts!

Don’t take inflation, and its risks, for – granted! The more you know, and understand, the better prepared, you will be!

1. Bond prices and interest rates: The price of a bond, generally, is inversely – related to interest rates! When these rates go down, prices, rise, and when they go up, the inverse occurs! Bonds have, what is known, as, a par – value, which is the price, paid, at the end of the term. Markets usually set these at 100, which represents $1,000 per bond, at maturity. However, during the period, the pricing can rise or fall, which impacts, liquidity – related issues!

2. Mortgage rates: For the last few years, we have been witnessing and experiencing, record – low, mortgage interest rates, which have helped the overall, real estate/ housing market, especially, in terms of, pricing increases! In most areas of this country, we are seeing, home prices, at their highest levels, ever, by a significant, dramatic amount! When this rate, is low, a home buyer is able to buy, more – house – for – his – bucks, because, his monthly payments, are so low! Consider, however, what might be the potential ramifications, and impacts, when these rates, will, inevitably, rise?

3. Consumer credit: Low costs of borrowing, help the automobile industry, in terms of consumer financing, etc! Although, not as much as other vehicles, rates on credit card debt, are lower, and there are often, shorter – term, promotions, offering deals! However, since, most of these are variable, and based, on some index, etc, what happens, when there is an increase, in this?

4. Business borrowing: Another area affected, is business cost of borrowing! Presently, they have had access, to relatively, cheap – money, which helps in reducing the costs of borrowing, overall operations, purchasing inventory, etc. But, what happens, when this, ticks – up?

5. Impacts on stock market prices: For some time, because bonds have paid so little, in terms of dividends, etc, many have considered, the stock market, the only game, in – town! In addition, many corporations, have seemed, better – off, than they probably are, and we have witnessed, a higher, ratio of prices to profits, than in the past! How long will this last? How high can it go?

Many factors impact these issues, especially: actual and/ or, perceived inflation; consumer confidence; politics/ government actions/ the Federal Reserve, etc. The more you know, and understand, hopefully, the better – prepared, you will be!