Getting started on Shopify is so easy. You can literally get started in a few hours. However, setting up your store isn’t the only thing. And this is something you realize when you’re done with the setup and expect people to flock in and check it out. But all you get is ’crickets’.
You know the feeling, right. Here are some Shopify hacks, tips, and tricks that will attract people to your site and drive your sales up, for good.
Most of these Shopify hacks involve using Shopify Apps, which is one reason why Shopify has become so popular in eCommerce.
If you compare Shopify to other Shopify alternatives, you’ll see a huge difference in the number of apps available. The large number of apps on Shopify allow you to do so much more than just setting up a store.
So, without further ado, let’s begin with our list of 9 Shopify hacks, tips, and tricks to go from ‘crickets’ to ‘awesomesauce’.
Tip 1: Create an Email List with an Opt-In Form
As soon as your Shopify development store goes live, your focus should be to create an email list. An email list is the most valuable asset for any business and more so, in eCommerce.
To get customers to leave their emails, you need an opt-in form on your site.
With an opt-in form, you can offer your customers lucrative discounts, offers, and deal in exchange for their email.
Opt-in forms are commonly used as pop-ups that pop up as soon as the customer enters your website. These pop-ups have a conversion rate of around 3%.
However, make sure you don’t overdo them. Consider the intent of the visitor before placing a pop-up on any of your store’s pages.
You don’t need them on your entire site. For example, you don’t need a pop-up on the cart page because the customer that has landed there probably has the intention to buy already. And so, placing a pop up on that page can do more harm than good.
Tip 2: Run Email Marketing Campaigns
Email is a very cost-effective marketing technique with one of the highest open rates. If you’re not using email to attract customers to your store, you’re leaving money on the table.
If you ask me when and how often should you email your customers, I would say ‘as often as you can’.
You just need an excuse to email them – the more the better. Here are some examples of email campaigns you can run:
- Welcome emails
- Cart Abandonment Emails
- Post purchase with Upsells and Cross-sells
- Important updates, offers and deals
- Newsletters
Tip 3: Send Push Notifications To Nudge People and Bring Them Back
Do you have people visit your store and even add a few items to their cart and then leave without checking out?
Abandoned carts are frustrating to deal with. While there are many ways to get customers to buy what they left in the cart, one of those is sending them a push notification.
These push notifications will nudge and remind them to come back and check out the items they have left. Trust me, sometimes all they need is a little reminder.
Tip 4: Start a Referral Program
Word of mouth is the most effective marketing technique. Set up a lucrative referral program on your store that encourages your customers to make referrals.
People are 4 times more likely to buy a product when it’s referred by a friend.
With a good referral app for Shopify, you can set up a program that rewards both the referrer and the referee on a successful referral. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.
Tip 5: Set up a Loyalty Program
With a loyalty program in place, you can get your customers to continue buying from you and choose you over your competitor by offering them compelling rewards for doing so.
Since customer acquisition costs are five times more than retaining existing customers, a loyalty program can bring your business big returns in the long term.
Tip 6: Upsell/Cross-sell to Increase Sales
Sometimes, a customer may not even know that you carry a product unless you show it to them in the form of a product recommendation.
In fact, studies have shown that eCommerce stores drive around 40% of their revenue through product recommendations.
Look for a Shopify app that allows you to upsell and cross-sell on cart and checkout pages. And make sure you do it realistically to make it most effective. Like trying to sell a $100 product on a $50 purchase isn’t likely to work.
Tip 7: Add a Wishlist Feature
Sometimes customers aren’t ready to buy yet. This is more so when someone is browsing on their phone.
A lot of customers these days are using mobile for browsing and desktop for checkout. A Wishlist feature allows your customers to bookmark their favorite items so they can later check out when they are on the desktop.
It also allows customers to keep tabs on their favorite products and any upcoming offers.
Tip 8: Create FOMO on your Product Page
FOMO is real and it works in sales and marketing. Many people would rather buy on impulse than regret later.
Add components like a countdown timer, custom urgency-creating messages, social proof, etc. to increase your conversions and get customers to hit the Buy button.
Tip 9: Display Social Proof
People feel reassured when they see others doing the same stuff. By displaying social proof like reviews and testimonials, you can help your customers make a decision and feel confident about it.
Your product page is one place to include social proof on but it isn’t the only one. You should include social proof on all major pages where you want the customer to take an action like Contact Us page.
Wrapping it up…
Creating a Shopify store is only half the work. Getting traffic to your store and converting those visitors into customers is what you need to focus on.
Luckily, Shopify has a big collection of sales and marketing apps that help you drive sales up so you can enjoy a good payday.
