SAF CEO Kate Penn sat down with Dan McManus to talk more about what he will cover during his session, “Converting Browsers to Buyers.”
Most online shoppers don’t make a purchase. So how can retail florists, who have increasingly relied on their websites during the pandemic, capture more sales? Dan McManus, founder of the marketing company TeamFloral and a featured speaker at SAF Orlando 2021, talked with SAF CEO Kate Penn about the factors that influence online performance.
“If you haven’t realized it yet, your website is far more important than your storefront,” says McManus. “You should spend more time merchandising your website. The vast majority who buy from you find you through your website. If you watched nine out of 10 people walk out of your shop without buying anything, you would be horrified.”
His strategies to increase conversion rates, and in turns, sales, hinge on a few factors. One is the range of price points on the website. Half of products should be priced above the average order, and half below the average order, McManus says. He urges florists to overcome the preconceived notion that customers will be scared off when they see expensive items.
“If someone is used to spending $80 or $90 and they come on your website and everything is $40 or $50, they’ll think, ‘This is a florist who isn’t ready to handle my $80 order,’” McManus says.
“Nothing could be further from the truth, but your homepage needs to advertise your capabilities.”
Another factor is making your website “sticky” by using discounts that entice shoppers to spend more. For instance, the website header could offer a discount of $10 off orders of $100 or more. McManus says the “discount” isn’t a loss for the shop because often shoppers will spend more to take advantage of the promotion.
“They’ll spend more than they were planning and will stay on your website longer,” McManus says. “We all like to feel like we’ve found a deal.”
In his presentation, “Converting Browsers to Buyers,” McManus will talk more about how to increase conversion rates, including when and where to offer discount codes for the highest return, and how to use add-ons, up-sells, tip jars and more to capture sales.
For more information and to register for SAF Orlando 2021 visit https://staging.safnow.org/events-education/annual-convention/.
Amanda Jedlinsky is managing editor of SAF Now.
