Your customers, one size doesn’t fit all

Your customers are not a monolithic group, who respond in the same way to your website.  Personality plays a bigger role than you think.

Good salespeople know this. They personalize their sales talk to the person they are speaking with because this increases sales. With the Targeted Persona Model, you can personalize your web experience and significantly increase conversion.

This model is based on the insights of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, Keirsey.com and the Eisenberg brothers.

According to this model, there are four personality types. Each one has a different approach to reading a webpage. You need to create content that appeals to each personality type.

• Competitive (red 15%) – These are entrepreneurs, inventors and people who want to win. They are always interested in the bottom line. They’re not afraid to make decisions on the spot.

• Spontaneous (yellow 30%) – These are the craftsmen, composers and optimists.  They want to get a taste of life.  Give then a good reason to decide now and they can make a quick decision.

• Idealist (green 15%) – These are the teachers, counselors and catalysts for change.  They are interested in ideas and concepts. They make decisions on feeling and doing what’s right.

• Methodical (blue 40%) – These are the supervisors and providers.  They like structure.  They avoid mistakes, don’t like surprises and take time to make the right decision.

How good is this model? Canicas, a Dutch online marketing agency, doubled conversion rates for many of its clients. Canicas researched personality types. They found big differences in online behavior based on these four personality types. Read about their study in Dutch or English.

Like this post?  Share it.  Written by Don Seidenberg.

Make your webshop like Schiphol Airport

Your webshop depends on traffic and lots of it.  However, traffic is very difficult to manage.  Schiphol Airport excels in helping people find their way (wayfinding) and creating a good user experience.  You can learn from their example.

Wayfinding consultants Mijksenaar designed the Schiphol wayfinding system to reduce passenger stress. Passengers receive the right information at the right moment to make the next step of their journey.  As a result, they never feel lost.

Developing a wayfinding system starts with the Expert Walkthrough.  The wayfinding designer walks every step the passenger does from the parking area until boarding the plane.  The designer makes sure all signage is clear, comprehensive and consistent. Passengers trust they will be on time for their flight.  Since they are relaxed, they are more likely to enjoy the airport’s shops and restaurants.

Like the airport, your webshop needs to create an experience where customers feel relaxed. You must present the right content at the right moment to help them in their shopping journey.  For example, good product descriptions and reviews help customers make informed decisions.  This puts people at ease and makes them feel confident with their decision.

Do your own version of the Expert Walkthrough and make the same journey as your customers – from home page until check out.  Your customers will begin and end their journeys in different ways so you need to plan for all possibilities.  If there’s something in your process that limits conversion, then you can discover what it is.

Schiphol’s focus on good customer experience has led to several awards.  Your webshop may not win any awards but if you stay focused on your customers, you will certainly be moving in the right direction.

Like this post?  Share it.  Written by Don Seidenberg.