Consideration stage of selling

I've had several messages recently from people who say that they've had more visitors to their website but it hasn't necessarily resulted in more bookings.

Why? Is there anything you can do? 

Quick answer: yes!

First of all, it's worth establishing that people aren't just coming to your website for five seconds and then 'bouncing out' because they don't at all like what they see. Google Analytics will help you with this.

Let's assume there's nothing fundamentally wrong with your website, and focus on other reasons why you're getting 'lookers', not 'bookers'.

Decision-making stages: 1. unaware 2. aware 3. thinking about it 4. conviction 5. ACTION - visits and bookings
 
Everyone goes through several phases before they buy or book anything. Right in the middle of this process is the 'consideration' stage: the time when people are interested and 'thinking about it' before they move on to a purchase. If your website was a clothes shop, this is the point when customers gather a few items to try on. They're open to buying something but need to be convinced it's right for them. They may try on a few things and send a photo to a friend before they buy. 

During the consideration stage potential visitors go through a lot of research and thinking: 

• what does this business offer? 
• is it right for me? 
• what are the reviews like? 
• what might be the downsides? 
• what are the alternatives?
• I want to book/visit - just need a little reassurance I'm doing the right thing. 

Some businesses are good at moving potential visitors quickly from 'maybe' to 'yes'.

Some take a while longer.

If you're getting a lot of lookers, and few bookers, it might be down to external factors (weather forecasts, government announcements) but chances are, you've just not quite made potential visitors ready to hit the 'book now' button. 

Perhaps you've given some really good rational reasons why someone should visit you, but nothing really stands out?

Perhaps your lookers need more of an emotional appeal to show them the difference between your business and others?

Perhaps you need something to just push them over the edge towards a booking? 

Or maybe you've offered a strong emotional appeal but not enough rational information - both are necessary.

You might need to look again at how you offer the right kind of reassurance to potential visitors?

Perhaps your lookers aren't ready to book yet for external reasons, but they are interested? If this is the case, you need to make sure they don't just forget. So if you have a lot of lurking lookers, get them to take some action, even if it isn't a full booking - suggest they follow you on social media and sign up for your mailings so you have other chances to push them into action. 

If you've noticed an increase in lookers on your website, you're doing something right. Don't give up now - keep going and you'll eventually turn them into bookers. It's often the last few tweaks of your website, a few small changes to your social media messaging, a final mailing that makes the difference...