Why click through rates are often more important than open rates…(and why you must continue to test, test, and test again all online promotions)

 
Interesting results from a landing page I created show open rates are not necessarily the most important factor for profitability of an online promotion.

Case in point. I wrote a subject line…an email “ad”…and a landing page for a nutritional product.

The Open Rate was X... the Click Through Rate was about Y...and Conversion rate was Z.

Then, a second email was send to non-openers of the first promotion, with a different subject line and email ad.

The Open Rate was about half of X, as to be expected since this was re-sent to non-openers.

But the Click Through Rate was almost 2Y compared to the first promotion—nearly DOUBLE the clicks.

Just as important, the conversion rate was nearly 2Z, too—nearly DOUBLE the number of orders.

The result? 26 percent more revenue!

Just tweaking the subject line and the email ad made a big difference in the dollars generated for this product.

How can you give your customers even better service and increase profitability? (Take a hint from the Japanese, who have perfected the “hospitality culture.”)

I recently returned from a wonderful 10-day trip to Japan visiting my youngest daughter, Amie, who is teaching English in Kashiwa—the sister city of my hometown, Torrance.

         

This was my third trip to Japan, and one again I was reminded that the Japanese have mastered a “comprehensive service culture.”

         

As a guest, whether it be at a hotel, a restaurant, a store or on a train, you are treated with the utmost courtesy and consideration.

         

Eat at most any restaurant, and you will be amazed at the service—with a smile—and with no tipping!  That’s right.  There is no tipping in Japan. 

        

Simply put, the service culture in Japan seems to almost always “over-deliver.”  Sadly, that’s not the case for many services provided in the U.S.

         

The executive director and general manager the Palace Hotel Tokyo says it’s hospitality that’s “extended with the utmost sincerity, grace and respect.”

         

The question is, what lessons can we learn in servicing our own customers (or my case, my own clients)?

         

How can we better serve them and even over-deliver what we promise?  How can we train our staffs to treat every call, email or contact with a customer with the highest degree of sincerity, service and respect?  How can you make your customers feel valued and appreciated?

         Here are a few ideas: 

1)   Give your best customers an automatic credit in their account for future purchases.  I just got one of these, and it felt great to be appreciated.  I used the credit to make another purchase.

2)   Email them a valuable special report at no cost. 

3)   Offer a choice of additional premiums or gifts when they order. 

4)   Take care of any problem quickly, and offer something of value to make up for any ill will. 

5)   Invite them to a special event or “webinar” because of their continued patronage. 

6)   Get input from them on what new products or services they want or need—and reward them for their participation.

7)   Remember: service, service and service—with a smile.

For more on the incredible service and hospitality in Japan, read: http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303456104579489824193262260

What’s Better: “Credit in Your Account” or “Special Savings”?

Last week I got an email from iHerb.com.  I buy some of my supplements from them.

This email caught my attention because subject line was: $5.00 Loyalty Credit in Your Account.

The email went on to say they had “upgraded” my account to include their new Loyalty Credit Program.

This new program entitles me to automatically earn a 10% credit on every iHerb order, regardless of size.  The 10% credit can be applied toward my next order, placed within 60 days, once my current order is shipped.

They mentioned, to give me a jumpstart, they’ve deposited a credit of $5.00 in my iHerb account, a 10% minimum of the average order value, based on the orders I placed over the past year.

            This was a very effective mail for three reasons…

1)    The idea that I have a “credit” in my account was very appealing.  Better than the standard, BOGO Free or Special Savings.

2)    Being “upgraded” made me feel valued and appreciated.

3)   Getting on-going credit sounded very appealing—I like building up credit so I can get something at a big discount or nearly free.

Guess what?  I used the $5.00 credit for my next order.

This is a good lesson in how to get the attention of your customers…make them feel valued…and get another order.

Sometimes all it takes is a fresh look at old sales tactics.  Works like magic!

The Fear of Loss is Often More Powerful Than the Desire For Gain

In my seminar, Why People Buy or Don’t Buy, the eight most powerful buying motives are revealed.

Two motives that often trigger the most buying are the Desire for Gain and the Fear of Loss.

The Desire for Gain is when you have something good and you want more, whether it be money, health or any other prized object.

The Fear of Loss is often tied to financial loss, but likewise could be the fear of poor health or losing freedom and independence.

If you can tie one of these buying motives to an urgent problem, you can get the attention of prospects.

For example, a landing page I wrote for a unique prostate formula uses this headline:

                                  Prostate Rip-Off Leaves      
                                Millions of Men in Misery

Countless men are suffering with urinary frequency and urgency, even feeling helpless in the bedroom, because of FAILED prostate supplements.
                 

                                             Learn how a new breakthrough delivers      
                                    15 times more powerful prostate and urinary relief.

 

The landing page goes on to reveal why a special type of saw palmetto is being effectively used by men in Europe to alleviate their prostate, urinary and performance problems, yet most Americans are not taking it.

It also exposes five Saw Palmetto Rip-Offs that are leaving many U.S. men in misery. 

The solution?  A superior Saw Palmetto comparable to that used in Europe that’s 15 times more powerful that typical saw palmetto.

What’s more, it’s been clinically proven to increase maximum urinary flow by 51.4 percent…reduce frequency of nighttime urination by 73 percent…decrease prostate size…and improve sex!

The Fear of Loss has powerfully motivated men to order this unique prostate supplement—and the promotion is currently running very successfully.