How to Sell Online Like You’re In-Person

Your company depends on a steady flow of quality leads to be profitable.

Not a dribble; a flow – that’s why you've invested all that energy and moola to create a captivating website with great content, anchor text, and just the right amount of keywords. All that work ensures that your organic rankings are strong, which, in turn, allows consumers to quickly find your website when searching Google and Bing for the products or services you offer. Perhaps your website is even in responsive design, which is one of the best moves you can make for your lead generation efforts going forward.

So what more can you do? How can you make your website even better?

Right now you’re sitting pretty with a site that’s, essentially, selling for you. But more and more business owners are beginning to personalize the browsing experience by communicating with their prospects via Live Chat.

You may have already come across it: a small, rectangular box that pops up in the corner of your screen. The words “Talk to us” or “We’re here to help” might be displayed in the header. It’s a Live Chat option and lately, it’s been helping a lot of businesses convert raw leads into revenue.

Here are several reasons why:

Convenience + Instant Gratification = Happiness

How do people get answers to questions in 2013? We ask Twitter. We ask Facebook. We ask Quora.

We Google it.

Traditional mediums of customer service, such as phone and email, have taken a backseat to the aforementioned methods. Search engines and social media eliminate the hassle and waiting associated with picking up the phone or sculpting an email. By implementing Live Chat on your website, you can emulate the convenience and instant gratification people have come to expect – two powerful elements that could ultimately spell the difference between a lost opportunity and a repeat customer.

Proactive Salespeople Sell More

When I’m ready to make a purchase at Best Buy, nothing is more welcoming than the warm, friendly advances of a knowledgeable salesperson. On-point customer service and support: one of the only advantages to shopping retail rather than online. And while Live Chat will never be quite the same as talking to a human face-to-face, it can (and usually will) fill the personal void felt by most online shoppers – especially those who need help.

Live Chat will act as a security blanket for your prospects and as a safety net for you. It’s a win-win.

More Productive, Less Overwhelmed Employees

Visitors to your site will typically use Live Chat to make small inquiries. This will leave other customer service channels, such as phone and email, open for more important issues.

Minimizing the amount of phone calls and emails your staff answers on a daily basis will increase productivity, as one employee will be able to assist multiple customers at once.

In Conclusion:

Live Chat is an effective tool.

WindowWorks, a respected Chicagoland home repair company and long-time Spectrum client, saw a 45% increase in online lead volume and a 59% increase in online conversions within 31 days of implementing Live Chat on their website.

Of course, as with any new initiative, you have to plan accordingly. Spectrum suggests analyzing your website activity to determine the hours your Live Chat will be available to customers and prospects. Also keep in mind that your Live Chat service is only as amazing as the staff that operates it. Therefore, be sure to set appropriate response time expectations, outline a communication process and train your Live Chat employees on customer service best practices and techniques.

At the end of the day, your due diligence will pay off in spades.