Unlocking Black Friday Mystery: The Top 2 Reasons Why Your Sales Were Non Existent

If you're surrounded by crickets instead of cash this holiday season, especially during Black Friday, buckle up, because I've got some truth bombs for you.

There are only two reasons your sales are playing hide and seek. So, cut the melodrama about the algorithm hating you, your inner circle snubbing your sales, or your business being in the dumps (none of that is the real deal). It's time to put on those boss-lady pants and dive into the world of data-driven decisions. Trust me, it's not just liberating; it's liberating AF to understand why you didn't hit the sales jackpot, rather than cooking up a stew of emotionally driven, misguided assumptions.

In the realm of e-commerce, your online store's destiny hinges on two juggernauts - Traffic & Conversion. Yes, darling, traffic and conversion are the VIPs of the game, the real MVPs, the only things that deserve your attention and a flying F.

Traffic: Let's get real. Your store needs traffic like a desert needs rain. This isn't just any traffic; we're talking about website visitors, the holy grail in my e-commerce universe. No traffic, no sales. Period.

Conversion: To seal the deal, your online store must convert those website visitors into paying customers. They need to hit that shop button, spill their CC details, and hit the buy button - that's the conversion dance.

Now, here's the tea - you need both of these warriors working side by side, in perfect harmony, like peanut butter and jelly or coffee and cream. One without the other? Darling, it's a recipe for disaster.

Traffic Truths:

Let's address the elephant in the room. Traffic is measurable, but guess what? Most of you have zero clues about how much traffic you're swimming in. And here's a nugget of wisdom - traffic directly equals sales. More traffic, more sales, simple math.

If you're not convinced, take a stroll through your Shopify store. There, in all its glory, you'll find your traffic numbers and conversion stats. See? I told you - liberating and as easy as a Sunday morning to figure out why your sales didn't throw a party.

Inside your Shopify dashboard, look for the golden nugget that says 'Online Sessions.' It's your traffic meter. Take a peek at a real-life example from an online store I managed from 2019-2023. Brace yourself - 314,744 website visitors, and to the left, a cool $300K in sales. Not bad for a brand that didn't splurge on ads or influencers, right?

But hold up, we're missing the secret sauce here - the conversion rate.

Now, feast your eyes on this online store's 2.1% conversion rate for the same period. Translation? For every 100 website visitors, only 2 people clicked the 'buy now' anthem.

Conversion Truths:

Let's talk averages, darling. The average online store struts with a 1-3% conversion rate. Harsh reality, but that's the gospel truth. Even if you're doing everything right, you might be chilling below 1% (hint: conversion problem) or cruising at a cool >1%-3% (average and OK). Hit above 3%, and your store's a conversion rockstar.

Now, let's do some conversion rate math:

1% conversion rate: 1 purchase for every 100 website visitors.
2% conversion rate: 2 purchases for every 100 website visitors.
3% conversion rate: 3 purchases for every 100 website visitors.

The point here, you need a LOT of website visitors to see sales.

Identify Your Bottleneck:

Now that you're fluent in traffic and conversion, let's Sherlock our way into your business.

Head to your Shopify dashboard, analytics, and plug in the key dates - Black Friday week or Cyber Week.
Check that conversion rate %. If it's playing hide and seek under 1%, bingo, you've got a conversion problem.
Glance at your online sessions number. Remember, you need traffic for sales. High or low? If your conversion rate is 1%, you need 100 visitors for a single sale. Crunch those numbers - low traffic? Hello, traffic problem.

See, we're decoding the mysteries of your business with cold, hard data, not blaming Instagram's algorithm. It's a traffic or conversion issue, darling.

What To Do Next:

Got a traffic issue? Drive more traffic to your online store. Got a conversion issue? Fix that conversion rate.

How To Drive More Traffic:

SEO (On Page SEO): Turn your website into a search engine sensation. Sprinkle keywords like a fairy godmother casting spells.
Content Marketing: Craft SEO-enriched blog posts answering your customers' burning questions. My best blog brought in 20,000 website visitors yearly. Talk about making waves.
Affiliate Marketing: Launch an affiliate program. Make it a no-brainer for influencers, bloggers, and gift guides to showcase your product. #nobrainer.
Email Marketing: The ugly sister is the powerhouse. Generate almost 40% of your clients' $300,000 sales with less than an hour per week. It's powerful AF.
PR & Gift Guide Features: Major street cred and loads of traffic. Every feature equals a traffic jackpot. The first time Buzzfeed showcased my brand, I almost spontaneously combusted. And with an affiliate program, watch those features roll in like a red carpet.
Customer Referral Programs: Pure magic. Great product + great experience + customer incentives = friends buying from you. It's a no-brainer and insanely effective.

Notice, no social media chatter here. It's a given. For those too obsessed with IG & TT, here are alternative ways to snag traffic. Paid ads? Sure, it's like the cherry on top. I'm the organic marketing maestro, but once you're swimming in sales, consider a trustworthy ads whiz.

How To Fix A Poor Conversion Rate:

When conversion is playing hard to get, 90% of the blame goes to your website. Fixing it takes time, but knowing where to start is your golden ticket.

And remember, if you don't know your ideal customer, none of this will work. Marketing is about taking a product, understanding what makes it tick for your customer, and spotlighting those features. Without knowing your target, these strategies might fall flat. Here's your roadmap to a better conversion rate:

Optimize Website Speed and Performance: Fast pages, low bounce rates. Compress images, cache browsers, minimize HTTP requests. Use Google PageSpeed Insights for a performance facelift.
Clear and Compelling Calls-to-Action (CTAs): Bossy CTAs in prime spots. Shout your value proposition loud and clear. Make it crystal: Buy now, subscribe, explore.
Simplify the Checkout Process: Friction-free checkout. Streamline the process, offer a guest checkout, and show the total cost upfront. No surprises.
Leverage Social Proof and Trust Signals: Customer reviews, ratings, testimonials - your trust arsenal. Trust badges, secure payment icons, and SSL certificates - armor against doubt.
Optimize for Mobile Users: Mobile is king. Responsive website, optimized product images, and simple navigation for touchscreens. Test that mobile checkout for a smooth ride.
Use More Lifestyle Images: Set the mood with lifestyle images. Show your products in real-life scenarios. Create an emotional connection and let customers see your products fitting into their lives.

Implement these strategies for a user-friendly, trustworthy online haven. Monitor analytics, tweak based on feedback, and watch that conversion rate sparkle like never before. May the e-commerce gods be forever in your favor!**

Ok my friends, there you have it- a full strategy that you can take today, determine where the bottleneck is in your business and what to do about it. You got this!

Sincerely

Kerrie Fitzgerald