Print-on-demand (POD) businesses have access to a lot of data – sometimes, the sheer volume makes it hard to filter that data effectively. So the key to success for any POD store is learning to make decisions based on the right metrics. Copying someone else’s templates is unlikely to yield impressive sales if you don’t have a purpose-driven strategy. So, to make your efforts count and improve conversion rates, you need a framework to guide your leads through the sales funnel.
This article aims to pinpoint exactly what drives conversions. Rather than offering quick fixes and gimmicks that will likely boost sales only in the short term, we’ll tackle fundamental principles. We want to get you better primed to avoid common pitfalls, find the root cause of low conversion rates, and drive more sales at your store.
Tip: If you’re only getting started with print-on-demand, you may find the following article helpful: how to find your print-on-demand niche.
Key takeaways
To increase conversion rates on your homepage…
- Start by defining your WHY
- State what your company does in the header
- Craft a value proposition that highlights what’s in it for the customer
- Include a clear step-by-step action plan
- Build authority by adding testimonials
Conversion: What is it, and why does it matter?
In a nutshell, conversion is the successful take-up of an action you want your lead to take. The classic example is a visitor to your web store becoming a buyer; the conversion rate in this context would be how likely your visitors are to make a purchase.
So why is it so important to know your conversion rates? Besides telling you what percentage of your visitors are generating revenue, conversion data is essential in testing new features. Let’s say you change the design of your website. Keeping track of conversion metrics will reveal if the changes work in your favor. In such a scenario, you’ll know you’ve made the right move if the data confirms that the updated design converts more visitors into buyers.
How to calculate conversion rates
To calculate your conversion rate, you can divide the number of converted leads by the total number of visitors.
Let’s say that 100 people visited your POD online store, and five made a purchase. If we crunch the numbers, we get the following result: (5/100) * 100 = 5%
So would 5% be a good or bad conversion rate? That depends on the benchmark you’re using, but the statistics currently show an industry-wide average conversion rate of 2.87% for e-commerce – so all else being equal, 5% would place you well ahead of the pack.
Note: You can calculate your conversion rates using different metrics: unique visitors, number of sessions, interactions, or total leads. It ultimately depends on what exactly you want to measure.
How to optimize conversion rates on your homepage
The architecture of your homepage plays a fundamental role in any customer journey – and, therefore, influences the user’s ultimate purchase decision. Too much clutter, insufficient information, or a disrupted logical “flow” can be fatal here. So refining your homepage to provide the smoothest journey possible will help you turn it into a dependable conversion-making tool.
Your homepage should provide clear answers to your prospective customers’ key questions: what the company is offering to do for them and how your support team will make sure this happens.
The building blocks of a homepage that converts
A good homepage will position your business as a solution with value for your target market. This can be done through four “building blocks,” each with a different role: header, value proposition, plan, and authority.
- An effective header will immediately and precisely state what you offer as a company: quality print-on-demand products, original custom prints worldwide, or unique designs on premium merchandise.
Other core benefits can expand the scope of your header. Some examples are guaranteed quality, fast production, and free shipping. - Further down the page, your visitor must see a customer-centric value proposition. This will lay out what you can do for the buyer and what direct benefit they could derive from your business.
An airtight value proposition lets prospective customers know what they’ll get from doing business with you. Why should your customers buy from you, not from an equally qualified competitor? What sets you apart? - The next stage in the logical flow of the page is a plan or a set of steps your potential customer has to take to obtain the product.
A clear plan consists of three or four specific steps walking potential buyers through a typical purchase. Simply put, how does the customer buy from you? - Finally, testimonials and other signs of the credibility of your business should be included as authority. The idea is to promote “social proof” – that is, people’s actions being guided by their impressions of wider group behavior. As well as customer reviews, you can include the logos of your business partners.
A well-guided customer journey can be achieved if these four blocks follow an on-page chronology replicating people’s thinking. Anticipating and answering your leads’ questions at the right time should increase conversion. Think of your homepage in terms of a conversation. If you had a lead in front of you, what question would they ask you first? What further questions would follow?
Start with WHY, increase conversion
Simon Sinek, famous for the Golden Circle theory, stated, “People don’t buy WHAT you do; they buy WHY you do it.” In other words, WHY should precede HOW and WHAT in creating a business identity and crafting a meaningful value proposition. Bluntly stating WHAT your company does is a weak argument for conversion. Explaining HOW will add value, but only after one understands WHY. Why does your organization exist in the first place? Why do you do what you do? What do you believe in? A well-defined mission attracts people to identify with it, motivating loyal behavior and winning customers for life.
Why do you want to do print-on-demand? Do you have a strong belief, passion, or vision you want to share? Whatever your motivation is, this should be the central focus of how your business operates and communicates. Represent your WHY through the products you sell and their descriptions – emphasize it on social media, during interviews, and in your campaigns. Your WHY will keep your message consistent.
Think of the biggest companies you know. The chances are that most of them have a memorable, clearly stated mission. Having one yourself will inspire others and attract followers.
Set one specific objective for your homepage
Think of your homepage as the bearer of your core message to a potential buyer. The more information you include on your page, the more you risk adding stuff that’s not relevant to your prospect. So what can you do to distill your message without oversimplifying? You need to put the customer first and answer three questions:
- What do you help your prospect achieve?
Note: This is very different from “What does your company do?” as it shifts the focus from you to the client, thus taking a customer-centric approach.
Example: “We help you get the unique prints you want on your product of choice in record time…” - How will you do that?
By what precise means will you help your prospective client achieve their goal?
Example: “…by handling printing, packing, and delivery.” - What do you want in exchange?
For most POD businesses, the answer is “For you to sign up for our service.” So, if you want your prospect to give you their business, include an identified button that lets them do so. Providing too many options to choose from is confusing, so keep things simple.
Read your homepage as if you were a visitor to check if it meets your objective. Is your offering straightforward? Can a lead easily tell whether they’ll benefit from your proposition? Can they see what they need to do next? If the answer to these questions is “no,” it’s time to make some revisions.
Map out a customer journey that converts
Designing your homepage demands a good understanding of your prospective client profile. You need to go through the journey from the visitor’s perspective, understanding how they think and what they need to know each step of the way. Take the role of a guide and accompany your visitors through the homepage.
Every single page element should be carefully designed for clarity and simplicity. You need to structure your message to follow a logical flow facilitating conversion. Each building block (header, value proposition, plan, and authority) should fit organically into your homepage, and each one should lead your prospects further through the sales funnel. A well-thought-out customer journey is a great way to increase conversion.
Summing up
Converting visitors into buyers is a complex process, and mastering it requires an in-depth understanding of the various factors in play. But this article should give you a sound basis to build on.
It’s important to provide strategic building blocks of information to guide visitors through your homepage. Ensure each element answers your lead’s questions and helps them progress through the funnel. Meanwhile, aligning all the building blocks with your corporate WHY will enable your homepage to convert to its full potential. In essence: effective conversion relies on purpose and structure.