Chapter II - The Conversion Loop
The Simplicity of Automation
Now that we’ve covered the fundamentals about how to think about the online economy and you understand how goods are promoted online, let’s talk about converting your visitors into customers in terms of the Conversions Loop methodology. To illustrate the conversions process, let’s take a look at conversions in terms of planning a glamorous party.
CELEBRATE
Let’s say you wanted to throw a party. The process of bringing people together for a celebration is a lot like the process of bringing traffic to your website and converting those casual visitors into customers – what we call the Conversion Loop. Whether we’re talking about a grand dinner party for a few friends or a fund-raising dinner, both involve a four-step process to bring people closer and closer to the goal you have in mind. Recently, an ophthalmologist friend of mine organized an informal gathering at his home to tell his friends about an opportunity to invest in a technology start-up for doctors. Guests were greeted at the door of his elegant waterfront home by a Spanish guitarist to set the mood. A serving staff was busy in the kitchen, rolling-out a tantalizing stream of gourmet appetizers to accompany the fine wine served to guests. Mid-party, a group of executives gave a 20-minute overview of the investment opportunity in the company, accompanied by the “call-to-action” of reviewing an investment prospectus. The process of putting together this fund-raiser party is no different than operating a Conversion Marketing campaign. A four-step formula for guiding people through a buying decision closely aligns with the process of planning a party. When it all comes together, everybody wins.
• Step 1) The first thing to do when you throw a party is decide whom you want to come. This is similar to identifying the Target audience for your marketing campaigns.
• Step 2) Once you send out your invitations, the next step is to see who is interested and get their RSVP.
• Step 3) As the date gets closer, you remind the people on your guest list how great your event will be, communicate directions and confirm that they’ll be there.
• Step 4) Finally the day arrives and so do the folks you invited. Open the door and let them in. That list of people you started out with is converted into a roomful of guests, and everyone has a great time!
Here’s how that process breaks out into The Conversion Loop.
Step 1 – Invitation
In the Conversion process, your Announcement Mechanism is like your party invitation. You have to decide on the type of people you want to attract to your website and speak to them in a way that gets their attention. You have to create interest. We live in an age of information overload, and never before have peoples’ lives been so hectic and complex. Your invitation has to reach out to the people you care about, and it has to uniquely capture their attention above the din of all the other things going on in their busy lives. This is true with your Announcement Mechanism as well. In order to let people know about your goods and bring traffic to your site, you’ve got to let people know you have what they need. You have to excite their desire for your product. Here are some of the most effective
