Simply put, your smoky business cannot afford to ignore its website. Whether it’s been some time since the site has been updated or you’re just starting out, a well-designed and user-friendly website will be an important supplemental tool to help drive revenue. This is as true for e-commerce brands as it is for tobacco retailers.
Website views, lead generation, content subscribers and, ultimately, sales—they all begin with well-designed websites that are built with the bottom line in mind. While this can seem like a daunting process, partnering with a website designer can offer important insight into what it takes for a business’s website to really shine. Make sure you and your designer are focusing on all of these critical areas.
Lead Generation
Once customers find your website, you need to convert them into leads, and this starts with design optimization. Calls to action like “call now” or “try for free” could help convince your ideal customers to take another step in the buyer’s journey. Think about building calls to action that include the following conversion strategies:
- Schedule a free demo
- Get a consultation
- Read a real-world case study
- See customer testimonials
- Receive a product discount
- Download educational content
The above list isn’t complete, but those strategies can be the foundation on which you build other areas of your website to help grow your business.
Sales Conversions
The next step in the purchase process is turning leads into sales. This can be done in a number of ways, but the most effective is with an inbound sales strategy. The goal here isn’t to close the deal as quickly as possible. Instead, you’ll want to use content that helps touch on a potential customer’s pain points, provide solutions to challenges and meet their needs along each step of the decision-making process.
Great examples of inbound sales tools are optimized landing pages, consistent and educational blog updates, and an aesthetically pleasing design that speaks to your overall branding. For e-commerce brands, this means high-resolution images and detailed product descriptions, along with navigable category pages and products that will help shoppers locate what they’re looking for without getting frustrated.
Reputation Management
Word of mouth is still the most effective marketing strategy that businesses can leverage, even if it looks a little different in the digital world. A website designer can integrate widgets that update your website to show third-party reviews from other platforms, such as Google. A separate landing page for testimonials and case studies can be used as links in paid ads or on social media posts. Local service-based businesses, such as cigar lounges or CBD dispensaries, can show pictures of the employees that regularly interact with customers or perform services in their homes. Showing website visitors this level of transparency also builds trust, which is a cornerstone of customer loyalty and a revenue driver.
