Marketing Archives - Domino Connection

By Karl Staib

How to Create the Right A/B Testing Mindset to Improve Your Sales Conversion

Somedays I feel like I’m King of the world. Other days I feel like a little slug crawling on the ground trying not to get stepped on.

When I first started my business, I was mostly feeling like a slug, much more effort than success, but as I improved, my confidence grew, and I made smarter choices.

In the last email we talked about creating the right attitude when you are struggling in your business.

Today I want to talk about the mindset it takes to apply A/B testing to your sales systems. Every step of the process is like lining up dominoes. They need to be perfectly aligned to create your desired effect. A little out of place and your ideal customers stop tipping toward buying from you.

The best way to keep track of how well your sales systems are working is to measure and refine each step, from first contact to the sale and what happens after the sale.

The old saying, “What you measure you can improve.” is one that will hold true for a long time.

And A/B testing is an important part of this measurement.

I am currently working with a client to increase sales on one of her products. It’s a slow process, but one that can be very rewarding.

In the variation page, we added an extra set of “add to cart” buttons. Our thinking was that the price point shouldn’t be a barrier, and our hypothesis was that if the buttons were introduced sooner, more people would buy.

Look at the charts below and you’ll see a spike, then it levels out.

In the next graphic, you can see that the variation page with added buttons has a 93% chance of consistently outperforming the control page.

The last graphic shows that people are also more likely to complete their order on the variation page. This surprised me, but it makes sense. The easier we make it for them to checkout and get what they want, the more our conversion increases.

This was our 12th test before we figured all this out, but sometimes it takes time to understand how to create the right buying experience for a group of customers.

If we would have performed test 9 and then given up, we wouldn’t have created this big win that we can apply to other sales pages on her site.

When you A/B testing on your site, you have to cultivate the scientist mind. By creating a hypothesis, following it through and not getting too attached to the results, you can significantly improve your sales.

I’m starting the 4-part video series to help you learn the best techniques to improve your online sales. You can check out the first video here. It’s all about uncovering how to create a story that connects with your audience. I like to think of this first step to improving your sales conversion. That first domino that tips your ideal people into their friends because their experience with your company was so good they couldn’t stop themselves from talking about you. Click here to learn how to create your BIG domino story.

Do you test out different sales copywriting styles, images and layouts on your website?

By Karl Staib

Apply the “When and How” Technique to Grow Your Sales

Have you ever put off emailing or calling someone that you knew could help you grow your sales?

We all have. Whether it’s a popular blogger or a potential client that you know would be a great fit for your products and services, we all procrastinate sometimes.

Last week I was talking with a client who complained about the time crunch she was under. I understood. I’ve been there.

We talked about her mindset and what was really holding her back. Let me ask you…

“What do you know to be true?”

“I don’t have enough time to reach out to new people. I need to hire someone to do this for me.”

“Ok, I’m going to ask a tough question and I want you to be honest.”

“Ok.”

“Do you waste any time at all during the day?”

“Ahh… not really.”

“Not really?”

“Ok, so I do hop on Facebook, but it helps me relax in the morning and…”

“And?”

“I like to check out TMZ” she said as she trailed off.

Ok so you see where this is going. We all do things that hold us back from growing our sales.

I have one client who is pushing up on the 1 million revenue mark, and he doesn’t believe he has enough cash flow to hire another developer and sales rep.

We’ve had plenty of calls around this issue. The best way to solve this procrastination issue is to apply the “When and How” technique.

For example, if you know you should improve your email opt-in offer, you may want to use the Breakdown Technique, then apply the When and How technique. So let’s say you broke down your improved email opt-in project into 7 steps.

Then the next thing you need to do is ask the following…

When and how will you accomplish the first part of your project?

Go to your calendar and find a block of time, at least an hour, and block off that time and schedule it for working on improving your email opt-in offer. This is where most people don’t follow through, and they end up not finishing their sales growth idea.

Now to make sure you actually do the first step, you write down your “how” too. The more detail the better.

Envision how you will do the first step. For example, I’m writing this blog post to you. I scheduled that I would go to my local coffee and croissant shop and order a turkey croissant sandwich with a coffee and write out this post and the next in the series too.

When you can envision yourself doing the work, you are 90% more likely to actually do it. The reason for this is simple. You have already overcome the most difficult internal obstacle. You see how you will accomplish the task.

Athletes who can envision how something will occur are much more successful because they’ve honed this skill.

Just like the best athletes, you can hone your ability to make your sales vision come true.

Now, what do you want to improve in your domino connection systems? What is that first domino that you can set-up so it starts a chain reaction toward more sales?

In the next blog post, we’ll cover how to measure and refine your “When and How” technique once you have tried it out.

Also, be sure to check out the upcoming 4-part video training that will walk you through the Domino Connection Systems process to grow your sales.

By Karl Staib

Where are you getting stuck in your business connection systems?

There are times in every business person’s life that make you throw up your hands. You just can’t believe the results.

Last week you made 112 sales on your website and at the end of this week you made 32 sales.

Last month 7 people contacted you about your services and this month only one person.

What is going on!

Why the significant drop?

This is when we need to take a deep breath and remind ourselves how lucky we are to still be in business instead of how much money we spent this month and how we need to catch up.

Your sales will fluctuate due to fluctuations in traffic, time of year, improvements to your website, the outreach effort you put in over the past 6 months, and many other factors. Sometimes we hit snags and there is nothing we can do but smile and keep plugging along.

That’s the hardest part of being a business owner. We feel like the little boy who put his thumb in a crack to stop the leaking dam, then another pops up and another. Before we know it we have 25 small cracks that can’t be plugged unless we get more helping thumbs.

Then someone comes along with a bag of quick drying cement to help solve the problem instead of all the townspeople putting their thumbs in the dam with us.

That’s why I’m working on a video course to help you. So I want to learn about what are your greatest struggles in bringing in more leads and closing sales?

In other words, where are you getting stuck?

Please let me know by filling out this quick survey or reply back to this email (leave a comment below).

For example, I had a client who was selling nutritional coaching services. She was tired of her business’s monthly fluctuations and felt like quitting. She would have 12 clients one month then 3 the next, so she would freak out and go into hyper outreach mode, driving traffic to her site and connecting with people who could use her services. Then she might have 15 clients, but be back down to 4 the next.

The grind was wearing her down.

We talked about how to create a more consistent income, and what that would mean for her business and her sanity. We created a survey to find out how she could bring more value to past and future clients.

We found out that they would like to be able to have the flexibility to schedule a call 3-4 times a year with her and also be able to ask her questions via email.

So we created a yearly program that allowed people to have access to her at a reduced cost, but also reduced the number of hours of access to her per person.

The program was a hit. She had multiple people sign ups for the year, and now knows she will generate $2,500 each month from it. This being her baseline, she doesn’t feel as stressed to generate income when she has a down month.

Again, I’m curious about what struggles you may be having from difficulties in selling your product to growing your email list. If you want your struggles to be private, just fill out this survey to let me know.

By Karl Staib

5 Steps to Getting the Ideal Sale

Think back to the last significant purchase you made. Can you recall how it made you feel?

Excited
Anxious
Happy

You can probably recall this pretty easily because it stuck with you.

There is a part of the memory process that is called consolidation. It’s this process that helps us remember the stuff that matters to us, and it’s stronger when there is a feeling or emotion tied to it

“If you can attach a name to a face and link those with an emotion, it’s more likely you’ll remember that name,” Dr. Michael Rosenbloom.

I recently bought a Mac computer from Apple. I’ve used Microsoft Windows my whole life. 20+ years, but I got fed up with trying to figure out which version of Windows I should get with a new laptop, so I switched to Apple.

I knew that the new Windows operating system wouldn’t work with my current software, and that I needed some of the software that comes with a Mac.I felt like I was going to have to start all over with the new Windows operating system, so I may as well go to a computer that lasts longer and is more reliable.

That’s why I decided on an Apple product.

When I decided to just go with a Mac, there was this freeing feeling.. I felt light, relaxed and excited.

The rest of the buying process was easy. I just went to the store, plunked down my credit card, and went for it.

This emotional response is common in many of our decisions. We think something through, then something just clicks and we’ve made up our minds. The quickness of our decision depends on the emotional connection we make to the purchase.

Ideal Sale

Getting the sale is important, but getting the ideal sale is most important.

A customer is a customer is so very wrong. Not every customer was created equal. Any business person can attest. I like calling the ideal customer, the super customer. The customer that is emotionally connected to your business. They trust you because you’ve earned it. They fly through walls to help you succeed and grow.

Too many companies try to go after everyone when they should be focusing on selling to people that are so happy with their purchase they tell their friends. Your ideal buyer.

The buyer that loves your product so much that they would have paid more, but because they didn’t, they can’t help but share with their friends why your product is the most amazing thing since the first iPhone. This connection is priceless.

The Real Reason for a Buying Decision

The real reason you buy is you get emotionally attached to having this thing that you want. You see yourself using it, happy and content.

Our decisions are based on emotion.

Once a business owner figures out how to create this kind of emotional connection with potential customers, the buying process becomes much easier.

That’s what I want to help you with.

There is an old copywriting concept, A.I.D.A., that has been around for ages. The domino effect of how people build up to the buy is explained through this process.

I added a fifth element. I felt like there missing ingredient was trust. Trust plays a huge role in what company we choose to buy from, so now the acronym is A.I.D.T.A.

A.I.D.T.A.

1. Attention
2. Interest
3. Desire
4. Trust
5. Action

You need to use all five emotional triggers to help people understand how valuable your product or service will be to them.

The key is to get into your buyer’s mindset so you understand what they see or don’t see and how you can answer all their fears so they get excited and can’t wait to purchase.

Let’s go through the five components.

1. Attention

You’ve probably heard that 80% of people read your headline, but only 20% of people actually start reading the article.

That’s why a good copywriter focuses most on the headline to get it just right, otherwise you won’t even keep reading.

Your marketing needs to grab people’s attention quickly. Once you have it, then you can begin the next phase.

2. Interest

To generate interest, now you need to start tugging on people’s emotions. You have to find a hook that will keep them interested in reading or finding out more.

I’m currently working with a ticket broker in San Antonio. He of course wants to sell more tickets to the live events going on in the city and the surrounding area.

His customer service is amazing, but he needs an emotional hook to draw people into the story of how a great event can create lasting memories. So we’re developing a theme that taking a loved one to see their favorite performer is so much more powerful than giving them a gift like jewelry because an event creates a memory that ties people together.

For example, your loved one might freak out as the first few notes of their favorite song are being played and give you a spontaneous hug. This is something that both of you will remember for a very long time.

It’s this interest that my client has to talk about at every step of the buying process. It’s this emotional connection that people want to create with their loved ones.

And it’s a connection that my client is creating with his customers.

Think about what about your product’s most interesting benefit is for your potential customer. This is what you will need to accentuate the most. It’s this benefit that will help you with the next step.

3. Desire

As you create a deeper connection with your potential customers, you’ll be attracting people who are excited about your offer. It’s when people get a feeling of excitement that the sale becomes easier.

Remember when I asked you about your last significant purchase? I wanted you to think of this because it best demonstrates desire.

You saw something that you believed could make you more money or healthier, etc. Basically you thought you would be happier. The question is, were you happier after you bought your last significant purchase?

Most likely you were. You were excited for the potential this purchase had to help you with your life. You believed the benefit of owning this thing was more important than holding on to your money.

You need to pique the interest and desire of your potential customers by focusing on the benefits of what you are offering. How are you going to make them happier?

Look at any commercial that piques your desire. Odds are they are focusing on how you will feel as you use their product. Apple advertisers are geniuses at this. They show you how easy and fun their products are, and how much better your life will be with their gadget in your hand.

Once you have people’s attention, interest, and desire, the next step is where you need to make sure they are feeling good about you and your product or service before you do the final step and ask them to take action.

4. Trust

One of the most subtle emotional trigger points in the buying process is trust. We forget about this because it usually happens gradually. We don’t get blasted with a sudden feeling of trust. It builds slowly until we stop doubting and just buy when we are ready.

Amazon knows this very well. I’ll go to Amazon for 80% of my online purchases, especially the smaller priced items. I’ve compared prices with other vendors and Amazon’s prices are always just as good or better, so I trust that Amazon won’t gouge me on price. I can also rely on getting the product quickly and without it being damaged.

You have to look at how you can earn people’s trust as you are developing your own domino effect. Are you able to touch on all these concepts of providing good value and reliability as people browse through your landing page and website?

If so, then the final step is doing what many small business owners struggle with – the ask.

5. Action

This is actually the hardest step of the whole process. Getting someone to take action is hard enough, getting them to take action while handing over their hard-earned money is a whole different matter.

Your offer has to hit them at the right time when they feel you are the answer to their pain. Sometimes people come prepared to buy because they desperately need help. This is called sell to the spark, which my friend Angelique Rewers of the Corporate Agent used in our interview together. Other times you have to do a little more work to convince them that your answer is what they need by answering all their objections, so they trust your product is the right one. Then you have the people who will buy, but most likely aren’t worth your time because they resist at every step and are looking for any reason not to spend their money.

The last step in the sales process has usually been decided by the time people get to your offer. If they take action on your offer, it’s because you’ve found a way to paint a picture in their heads. They can see a better life after buying your product or service. The hard part is creating a compelling offer when they are ready to buy. This can be measured and refined on your website with A/B or split testing. The words you choose and images you use truly do matter. This all comes back to understanding your customers’ pain points and showing them that you can help.

Putting It All Together

The key to getting people to actually buy from you is to understand how to put all these steps together.

You need to be able to answer 5 questions about your product (or service):

1. How can I gain my potential buyer’s attention and interest?
2. Why does my product matter i.e. how will it make people’s lives better?
3. What is interesting or special or unique about my product?
4. How am I earning their trust?
5. What are the benefits for people who use my product?

When you can answer all five of these questions, then you can craft a sales system that uses the AIDTA method.

Ideal Sale

The Real Reason for a Buying Decision

A.I.D.T.A.

1. Attention

2. Interest

3. Desire

4. Trust

5. Action

Putting It All Together

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