Ecover Software : If I told you eCovers/Graphics increase sales
To a large degree, the desire to touch, hear and see is an
almost instinctive reflex. We all fear making bad decisions.
When we're about to make a purchase for instance, we need to
collect as much information as possible prior to making that
buying decision.
According to Dr. Ronald Marks, a University of Missouri
marketing professor, studies claim that people learn up to 200%
faster, pay 26% more attention and retain 38% more information
with marketing messages and sales presentations that engage all
the senses.
The more senses are engaged during the evaluation stage, the
more information is sent to the brain. And the level of
confidence one gains in making a buying decision is
proportionate to the amount of information collected. That's
why, when we're about to make a purchase, our normal inclination
is to grab, touch and feel the object we want to buy before we
buy. It's simply human nature.
So, it makes perfect sense to give prospects as much information
as possible -- the ability to see, touch and inspect our
offering will increase the likelihood of getting them to do what
we want them to do. But today, we're confronted with a major
dilemma ...
... The Internet!
The lack of tangibility on the web impedes sales. And according
to Forrester Research, "Many consumers are still hesitant to buy
online because they want to see and 'touch' a product before
they buy it." That's why online buying, while slowly on the
rise, is still limited by people's inability to touch and feel a
product.
"Accurate, photo-realistic 3D models help (because they) tell
the whole story," adds Forrester. Intel Corporation recently
revealed that, "3D graphics enhance a consumer's visual
enjoyment of your website (since) they help convey information
in a more compelling format, and they increase your website's
so-called 'stickiness' by making your visitors want to return
again and again."
The lesson is this: as an Internet business owner or marketer,
you need to cater to people's natural buying behaviors. And in
order to do so, you must mimic your visitors' offline shopping
experience as much as possible. Fortunately, a solution exists.
The web, being a visual medium, offers you the ability to show
pictures of your offerings as to give your customers something
they can appreciate. Look at eBay, for example. Products that
sell the most are usually those accompanied by pictures of the
offerings in question. In short, texts tell but pictures SELL!
If you can add a picture of your product (or one that represents
your service or virtual product, even if it is never delivered
in physical form), it helps to tantalize and compel your
customers to act, respond or buy. With my businesses, for
example, three- dimensional pictures have increased customer
actions by 317%.
If your site sells an intangible product (including software or
subscriptions) or a tangible one that people can't inspect, you
can maximize your downloads, sales or signups by merely adding a
three-dimensional graphic, such as a cover, case, box or card.
Statistics show that, when companies incorporate 3D to show off
their products online, they see a 300% increase in page views, a
200% increase in sales and a 50% increase in time spent at the
site. Moreover, websites who use 3D seem to experience a lower
return rate than companies who used 2D (or nothing at all).
If you sell anything online, including intangible products, you
can use 3D to help maximize your clickthroughs, downloads and
sales. Three-dimensional pictures are quite effective for:
- Electronic books, - Software programs, - Streaming audio or
video, - Email newsletters (or "ezines"), - CD-ROMs or music
CDs, - Booklet or special reports, - Video- or audio-casettes, -
Access to private sites or content, - Subscription services, -
Web-based services and applications, - Or information products.
With scams and snake oils infesting the web, people are
naturally skeptical when making "blind" purchases online. If
they can't see your product, or if the image you project is
unprofessional, they will assume there's something wrong with it
or that your product is just as unprofessional. People do judge
books by their covers.
A recent BCG Consumer Survey found that people are still leery
of making purchases online, noting that, "70% of respondents
worry about making purchases via the web." But by giving your
prospects something can at least visually appreciate, however,
you not only increase your chances but also create instant
credibility.
Simply stated, a multidimensional shopping experience gives the
visitor more information and makes the customer more confident.
By bringing your product to "life," if you will, you give them
something they can feel better about.
As the adage goes, "You never get a second chance to make a good
first impression." What impression are you conveying? If people
judge books by their covers, make sure yours is worth judging.