Impressions - Build Your Business 2024 - 16

Being sure to include these four image
styles will create a retail-like presentation
of your products similar to that off ered by
the various other popular brands out there.
Th ough manufacturers and services off er decent
options for blank product images and
mockup tools, shooting the necessary images
yourself or adding the decoration-focused
images from real embroidered samples can
make your listings more interesting and your
company more trustworthy in the eyes of
potential clients.
Beyond that your images, taken in total,
should be: functional, showing product features,
revealing product qualities and addressing any
questions your customers might have before
they even had a chance to arise; brand-building,
in the sense that they reinforce the style
and message of the shop, store and clients
it serves; and aspirational, i.e., tell the story
or make clear the desirable outcome for any
customer purchasing the product.
In Consideration
of Copy
As tempting as it may be to simply duplicate
the catalog descriptions as written by
suppliers, your store copy can and should do
more than simply go with the basic vendor
content created by manufacturers.
Th e goal is to present a case for your products
and preemptively answer any critical questions
your customers might have as they navigate
the purchasing process. In addition to outlining
each product's material and construction
specifi cations, you want your product
descriptions to paint a picture of what the
experience of wearing or owning the product
is going to be like. Describe what life is going
to be like for the customer after they've
purchased the product, stating how it's going
to address their needs and pain points. Copy
inspires imagination and answers questions.
Descriptions present possibilities. Product
specs drive and clarify decisions.
In writing copy for your products, answer
the following questions on behalf of your target
customer: Why would I need this? Where
and when would I use it? How does it feel?
What is it made of? How does the fi t run?
Evaluating the
Decision-Making Phase
Determining if your site provides adequate
support for the decision-making process, means
Do everything you can to build trust and make your site as easy
to use as possible. Photo by Gorodenkoff - stock.adobe.com
16
making sure it provides concrete details and
options to help your customer make their fi nal
selection, or selections. It also requires you
to clearly explain their part in making sure
an order proceeds smoothly. Make sure all
the necessary information concerning your
product is clear and that all subsequent steps
in the process once their apparel and decoration
decisions have been made are obvious.
At this stage, off ering potential alternate
products and actions for the customer to take
should they not be ready to purchase a given
product should also be evident. Always give
your customers a clear path forward.
Critical information you need be sure and
make clear includes things like a sizing chart,
a color chart, materials, features, pricing and
care Instructions. Direction and redirection
can/should include calls to action, related
products, feature comparisons, terms and
conditions, and other FAQs.
Walk a faux order through your purchasing
process. At each step ask yourself what
question or questions a prospective customer
might have that could potentially keep them
from pushing the " buy " button? Deal with
or answer any and all concerns with an eye
toward making the tipping point to purchasing
as secure as possible.
Note that while customers like to feel they
are buying logically, every buying decision
includes an emotional component as well.
Continually assuring your customers that their
purchase is going to have the desired result
and that any possible problems will be appropriately
addressed to reduce any remaining
barriers there may be to their buying.
In short, throughout the decision-making
phase of the buying process do everything
you can to provide any and all requisite information,
eliminate surprises, explain terms
clearly, and make a point of emphasizing the
fact you stand by your product and policies.
If you do this at every point in this critical
stage, it will go a long way to providing the
customer with the confi dence they need to
act-and for you to make the sale!
Evaluating Purchasing
and Fulfi llment
Th ese days pretty much every professionally
produced payment system will be secure.
Th erefore, most important thing at this stage
is to make sure you don't get in your own way
by requiring your customers to have to 1) engage
in an excessive amount of data entry or 2)
have to deal with all kinds of confusing forms.
You also want to be sure an provide the
necessary post-purchase feedback. Make sure
your post-order landing page not only confi rms
payment but restates the terms of purchase
and fulfi llment. Never make it hard for customers
to give you money. Never make them
question where their money has gone. Always
clarify what they can expect and stand by it.
Th ough the question of e-commerce often
centers around online platforms and technological
tools, the core of doing business online
and off stays largely the same. Th ose who
provide unique value and take their customers'
needs and pain points into consideration
when crafting their approach will prevail. E
valuate your work often, take away as much
complexity as you can, and don't be afraid to
experiment and express your shop's culture
or support your customers' culture in the end
product. Every interaction you have with your
customer, no matter the channel, is part of your
brand. Your perception, particularly when it
must be gleaned from an online experience,
relies on the trust you build and the feelings
your customer has about working with you
and living in your products. Make each of
those interactions count and do what you wish
someone would do for you when you're the
consumer. 
Erich Campbell is an award-winning digitizer,
embroidery columnist and educator, with more
than 20 years' experience both in production and
the management of ecommerce properties. He is
the program manager for the commercial division
of BriTon Leap. To reach Erich directly, go to his
web site at erichcampbell.com.
http://www.erichcampbell.com http://stock.adobe.com
Impressions - Build Your Business 2024

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