Investing in an online engagement solution – lead generation and ROI

When it comes to making retail purchases, especially larger ones, consumers like to know exactly what they are getting. The success of any business is heavily affected by customer experience. The way people like to shop is a direct precursor to what makes people buy. Understanding the consumer and helping them buy is key to successful selling. With the world becoming more and more dependent on technology to make and maintain connections, enhancing the customer experience is more critical than ever.

More customers value the ability to explore product choices with regard to shape and size, how it will fit and look inside their home, over the typical information available online, such as reviews and recommendations. This is where brick and mortar showrooms historically retained an edge over online shopping platforms.

In a recent article from RetailCustomerExperience.com, statistics showed a clear picture of the needs of consumers to experience shopping firsthand juxtaposed with the drop in brick and mortar visits due to COVID-19:

[…] Survey respondents confirmed that the top inhibitors to buying online remain the same as ever: the inability to touch and try items outranked even shipping costs as a purchase hurdle.

Close to 6 in 10 respondents (59%) said they hesitate to buy online because they don't know whether items will fit, while 58% miss not being able to touch or feel products. More than half, 56%, say they don't know whether the item that's delivered will look the same as advertised online.

This clearly shows a unique opportunity for businesses to take advantage of a superior online experience to meet the modern consumers shopping needs. The ability to provide a hands-on experience online is possible with engaging, interactive technology. Businesses taking advantage of this, coupled with an advanced online strategy, will be far ahead of the competition in securing stronger footholds in their markets.

An online engagement solution allows customers to enjoy an immersive buying journey from the comfort and safety of their own home. The ability to customize and create visualizations of their spaces engages the user for far longer than scrolling through product images.

With online space planning, consumers can not only choose their options, but build their dream spaces with real specifications and realize their vision for their completed space – all on your website.

Getting the process started as early as possible, solidifying the customers path towards the point of sale, is the key to online success. An online engagement solution captures consumer attention very early, and a platform is provided to continue their buying journey with you. The hands-on approach also brings the do-it-yourself aspect which so many modern homeowners find appealing. This professional, guided experience gives them the best of both worlds.

Online engagement solutions allow businesses to receive important information about consumers and the buying process. Sales teams can now easily track the path of engagement and make lead qualification decisions with confidence. The knowledge gained from accurate data on the customer buying journey provides organizations with valuable insight allowing for continual improvement to secure more qualified leads and sales.

The many advantages to an effective online strategy are high-impact and pervasive. almost limitless. Validate which products are more appealing to customers and tailor your marketing efforts to always put your best foot forward. Track successes, enable better decision making in the sales and marketing departments, know just what to manufacture, what to sell, where to push it, with your fingers on the pulse of what attracts the modern consumer.