Success in business is heavily reliant on encouraging customers to buy products or services. If you run a company, you want to pave the way for sales rather than putting obstacles in the way. In this guide, we’ll share some top tips to boost your business by making it easier for customers to buy.

Create a fast, simple checkout process

One of the best ways to motivate customers to complete a purchase is to create a fast, simple checkout process. Whether you sell products in-store or online, it should take seconds for a customer to make a payment. Long-winded, complex checkout processes are one of the most common reasons customers abandon shopping carts. Almost 20% of US consumers have backed out for this reason. Features like one-click ordering are ideal for speeding up your checkout and making it quick and easy for customers to shop on the go.

Offer flexible payment options

A lack of payment options can make it more difficult for customers to shop or even prevent them from buying from your business, store, website or venue. Providing a range of options will help you cater to your customers’ preferences and needs and reduce the risk of losing sales.

When deciding what types of payments to accept, it’s helpful to carry out market research, look into what your competitors offer and communicate with clients. Focus on your business and your target client base. If you run an exclusive club, for example, research the benefits of contactless tipping at gentlemen’s clubs, speak to members and see what other venues do. If you sell clothing via an online store, ask your customers how they’d prefer to pay and use data to help you choose the most popular and cost-effective options for your business.

Enhance value

Customers often have a choice when it comes to what they buy and which brands or businesses they choose. Standing out in the crowd is a challenge for company owners. Innovative marketing, running promotions and cutting prices can help you generate more sales, but often, adding value is more beneficial. If you add value, it becomes easier for customers to make decisions. Consider the impact of an offer such as free personalisation or delivery on products you sell online. If the price of the product is the same on multiple websites, but you offer more, shoppers will be more likely to choose your store.

Provide useful information

Giving customers information about the products or services they’re interested in can help you accelerate and simplify the buying process. Product pages and descriptions are a brilliant example. Giving people useful information can eliminate confusion and uncertainty and speed up the process of seeing items, adding them to the cart and heading to the checkout. Make sure data is accurate and up-to-date, include high-quality images, add links to relevant resources, such as size charts, and add an FAQ section. It’s also beneficial to offer customer support via email, phone or live chat.

As a business owner, it’s crucial to encourage people to choose your company and buy your products or services. You want to make it as easy as possible to move through the sales funnel rather than putting obstacles or hurdles in your customer’s way. Key steps include creating a fast, simple checkout process, offering flexible payment options, adding value for customers and providing useful information about your products and services, delivery costs, returns and client support options.