or scroll down to get the highlights

6 Strategies To Get Your Sales Back on Track in 2024

2023 has been a tough year for many ecommerce store owners. If it felt like an uphill battle, you’re in good company. While it may be tempting to throw up your hands and blame the economy, there ARE things you can do to adapt and take control of your sales goals.

I was recently joined by Sarah Williams, the founder of Launch Your Box and owner of the successful subscription box Framed, to delve into 6 strategies that are working NOW. As fellow entrepreneurs and friends, Sarah and I share a passion for uncovering the inner workings of businesses and discovering what works.

Read on to get the details, or click here to listen to the episode

Sarah had a rough year 2023. Due to some health and personal challenges, Sarah lost her focus and saw sales take a nosedive in April. By June she realized her business was in trouble, and in July she decided to take the reins and right the ship. Here’s how she did it.

1. Embrace the Basics

In times of uncertainty, it may be tempting to chase after the latest shiny new strategy. But Sarah attributes her success to simply getting back to basics. She focused on 3 things:

She doubled down on what she knew was already working, which for her was live selling, increasing her live online events from once to twice weekly. This significantly boosted her weekly sales.
She increased her email frequency, but focused on a single product in each campaign. Surprisingly, that one change boosted email revenue to 65% of her total sales.
She re-focused her energy on building her list, creating a new opt-in offer (a free phone wallpaper download) and running cold ads to it. This brought in over 6,000 new leads within a few months.

2. Social Media Refresh: Page Like Ads and Live Engagement

Sarah knew that her social media follower count had begun to stagnate, so she re-committed to growing her audience. Sarah initiated a Page Like ad (a type of engagement ad in Meta Ads Manager) to breathe new life into her Facebook and Instagram pages. Then in her live events, she took special care to engage with her new followers–personally welcoming them–which fostered a sense of connection that spilled over to her email campaigns. Since her social audience recognized and liked her, they were much more likely to open her emails.

3. Brand Video

Sarah shared the thing that her students have found is the #1 best growth strategy to use right now: video.

A 90-second “brand video,” highlighting your products and benefits, provides a cost-effective way to grab your ideal customers’ attention and quickly build a huge audience that you can re-target later. Use it in your organic posts, your ads, your e-mails, everywhere! It’s the best way to find and engage your perfect audience.

4. Lead-Gen Quizzes

Leverage all of that new traffic for even MORE list growth by adding a quiz on your site, which can generate and convert new leads at an impressive rate.  Using the App “Shop Quiz” or similar, you can create a short list of questions that lead to an opt-in form so participants can receive their results via email. You can boost your results by running ads straight to the quiz–bringing in $.30-$.50 high-quality leads who are pre-qualified and ready to buy.

5. Amp Up The Email Automation

Sarah emphasizes the importance of personalized experiences through email automations (targeted email flows that are triggered by user actions, such as quiz completions.) So for example, if you learned from your quiz that a customer is interested in skincare, you can send them an email flow featuring your skincare products. Likewise, you can create automations for customers who have bought a product that might be complementary to another. Send them an automation about the benefits of that next purchase, as those customers are likely to make a repeat purchase sooner than later. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box with your automations, use what you know about your customers and create automations to better serve them.

6. Consistency is Key

Regardless of the strategies you choose, Sarah reminds us that consistency is vital. Don’t try something once and give up when it doesn’t change the game–keep going. Your audience responds best when they know what to expect from you, so make a plan and stick to it. If it’s going live, do it on a regular basis. If it’s weekly campaigns, keep it up for several months before you measure your results.

If 2024 is your year to get your business back on track, remember–follow the data. Don’t go chasing after the new, shiny thing until you’ve looked at your numbers and identified what did and did not work. The FIRST step should be doubling down on what was successful, and THEN you can consider innovating based on those insights.

Related Links:

Check out Sarah’s Launch Your Box Podcast: https://www.launchyourboxwithsarah.com/blog/welcome-to-the-launch-your-box-podcast

Build A Massive Audience With A Brand Video: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/build-a-massive-audience-with-a-brand-video-episode-162/

The Biggest Opportunity To Get More Sales: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/the-biggest-opportunity-to-get-more-sales-episode-136/

The One Thing Even Smart Business Owners Continue To Get Wrong: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/the-one-thing-even-smart-business-owners-continue-to-get-wrong-episode-174/

New FREE Course coming September 22nd

GROW YOUR SALES

(without breaking the bank)

Conversion School is a step by step process to grow your sales, without spending a fortune on risky ad strategies, or discounting your products.

Works for Ecommerce stores at all stages.

Start getting consistent sales, and see significant sales growth every month.

or scroll down to get the highlights

Mastering Your E-commerce Apps: A Guide to Auditing, Updating, and Profiting

In this post we’re diving into the world of Shopify and e-commerce apps, and I’ve brought in our resident expert, Claudia Howard. She’s a Klaviyo pro and the best email strategist I know.

Apps can be a double-edged sword. We all love finding that shiny new tool, especially if it’s free. But before you know it, your store becomes a playground for apps, and you might not even be using half of them.

Read on to get the details, or click to listen to the episode

Why Auditing is Crucial

• Cuts Unnecessary Costs
  You may be paying for apps you aren’t even using, and not even know it.
• Improves Site Speed
  Leftover code from unused apps can slow down your site load time, driving away potential customers before they even have a chance to see what you sell.
• Relevance Check
  Sometimes you have an app installed that’s no longer necessary. Since Shopify and other platforms are constantly being updated and improved, often the apps you needed a few months ago are now included in the price of your site.
• Return on Investment (ROI) Evaluation
  Evaluating the cost vs. benefit is just good business. Taking the time to honestly assess how much (and what type of) value your apps are adding can give you clarity on what you really need and what you could do without.

5 Steps to App Audit

So, you’re sold on the idea of auditing your apps. But how do you actually go about it? Claudia breaks it down into five simple steps.

Step 1: Quick Review and Cleanup

• Head to your Shopify admin and check the list of installed apps.
• Ask yourself: Are these all active, and am I using them?
• Uninstall any unused apps.
• Email the developer to ensure all code is removed. App developers are required by law to remove old code upon request, so don’t be shy about messaging them to ask for a clean-up on the back end.

Step 2: Update Check

• Review installed apps for available updates (some apps may notify you within their dashboard, but others you’ll need to check).
• Keep the app code updated for bug fixes and added features.

Step 3: Feature Duplication Check

• Assess if features you bought an app for are now available elsewhere (e.g., through Shopify or other services).
• Look for duplications and streamline your toolkit.

Step 4: Revenue and Time Analysis

• Conduct a cost-benefit analysis.
• Consider if the app saves you time, enhances customer experience, or generates revenue.
• Create a chart weighing the benefits against the app’s cost.

Step 5: Decision Time

• Decide if the app is truly worth it for your store.
• Factor in time saved, customer experience, and revenue generated.
• Conduct a cost-benefit analysis using a simple spreadsheet.

Q&A: Addressing Common Concerns

Q: If an app is free and unused, why bother deleting it?
Some code can slow down your site, even if it’s free. Deleting it now and reinstalling later may get you an updated version.

Q: How do I know if new features are available if I ignore most of my emails?
App dashboards usually announce new features, so you can just visit the provider’s page to check for any new additions. Additionally, community forums (like our Inner Circle) are great for staying informed.

Your App Audit Journey

So there you have it—a practical guide to auditing, updating, and profiting from your e-commerce apps. Don’t let those apps run wild in your store; take control with a once to twice yearly audit.

Remember, it’s not about having the most apps; it’s about having the right ones that contribute to your success.

BONUS: The 5 Must-Have Apps for Profitable Stores

We often get asked about the best apps for e-commerce. Claudia and I compiled a list, but we didn’t stop there. We’ve created a free course that not only gives you the list but shows you how to make the most out of these apps.

In this course, you’ll get:

• Training on each app.
• Practical usage examples from successful Inner Circle members.
• Step-by-step guidance on maximizing these apps for profit.

Tap HERE to grab your free guide today.

New FREE Course coming September 22nd

GROW YOUR SALES

(without breaking the bank)

Conversion School is a step by step process to grow your sales, without spending a fortune on risky ad strategies, or discounting your products.

Works for Ecommerce stores at all stages.

Start getting consistent sales, and see significant sales growth every month.

or scroll down to get the highlights

The Secret to Unlocking Growth for High AOV Stores

If you sell a higher price-point product, you may feel like you’re on a never-ending quest to boost your conversion rates. We talk about this a lot in the Inner Circle. So many of our members who sell higher priced items struggle to get their conversion rates to what they think should be “normal.” So if this is you–this episode might be your A-HA moment.

Meet Ana Bolanos, a thriving e-commerce entrepreneur just like you. She runs Limbo Imports, a haven for high-quality (and high-ticket) hammocks. Ana started selling her artisan-made cotton hammocks on Etsy and her own website at the same time. But even after reaching 6 figures on Etsy, she could not seem to move the needle on her own site.

Something Ana had to make peace with was that her conversion rate might never increase to that of a lower price point store, but that didn’t mean she had no options for growth. Here’s what she learned about succeeding with a luxury-priced item.

It’s All About the Audience

Let’s face it–high AOV stores aren’t your typical e-commerce ventures. You need those special customers willing to invest in your premium products. Ana, too, struggled at first. Her aha moment? Targeting *the right* audience. By refining her ad audience and emphasizing income levels, she attracted the folks who could genuinely appreciate her artisanal hammocks. 

Ana says the real game-changer for her paid efforts were Google Performance Max ads, which allowed her to really refine her audience targeting and ensure that her ads were shown to an income level that could afford her products.

From looking at her sales data, she made an educated guess that many of her customers were purchasing gifts. So she made it easy for gift-shoppers to find that perfect thing by putting a Best-Sellers Collection right at the top of her site. It gives customers the confidence to choose something the giftee will love, without overthinking it.

Persistence Pays Off

Have you ever seen an ad for a couch on social media, clicked it, and purchased it right away? Neither do most people. Ana knew that her hammocks were a bit like furniture–they required some time and consideration before customers were ready to pull out their credit cards. She realized that if she wanted to convert customers, she would need to show up for them consistently, over a longer period of time. Engaging through email marketing, social media, and retargeting ads, she kept her brand in front of potential customers so that when they were finally ready to make a decision, her store was top of mind (and top of inbox.)

Start with the Right Margins

The foundation of Ana’s success was setting her prices right from the get-go. You need those margins to support your marketing efforts, especially the extended retargeting campaigns that keep your brand top of customers’ minds.

Quality Over Quantity
When selling luxury items, it’s essential to assure potential buyers of your product’s quality. Ana did this through impeccable product descriptions, well-placed FAQ sections, and stunning images that showed multiple angles and detail shots of the product. The goal? Make sure her customers knew they were getting a top-tier product. She also tweaked the language in her ads to emphasize that her products were designer, handmade, and 100% cotton.
Ana noticed that she was getting the same questions from customers over and over again, so she added an FAQ section to her product pages. This did double duty–she was able to bust potential objections with timely information, while boosting customer confidence by reassuring them that she would stand by her products.

Upsells For The Win
Ana’s secret weapon? An upsell app. She was able to squeeze out an extra $20 from many of her customers. That boost to her Average Order Value, when applied to each and every order, added up to a major bump in overall revenue.

Adding a Little Extra
Ana also ventured into the world of licensed university hammocks, opening up new avenues for growth. By expanding your product line smartly, you can tap into different markets and multiply your success.

Putting It All Together

Let’s talk next steps…maybe it’s time to reassess your pricing, optimize your ad strategy, or add some FAQs to your website. Ana’s journey showcases that with persistence, the right audience, and a bit of creativity, you can overcome the challenges of high AOV e-commerce and achieve remarkable success.

Remember, it’s not always about the quantity of sales; it’s about the quality of your strategy. Keep these valuable lessons in your e-commerce toolkit as you embark on your journey to higher conversion rates and increased profitability.

Ready to discover even more strategies for your high AOV e-commerce store? Connect with Ana at www.limboimports.com for inspiration and insights.

Your e-commerce success story starts here.

Find Ana here: https://limboimports.com/

Related Links:
3 Genius Strategies to Increase AOV: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/3-genius-strategies-to-increase-your-aov-episode-72/

Pricing to Maximize Profit: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/pricing-to-maximize-profit-episode-167/

Forget Everything You Think You Know About Pricing, And Be Profitable: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/forget-everything-you-think-you-know-about-pricing-and-be-profitable-episode-43/

3 Reasons Why You Can’t Ignore Google’s Super Smart PMax Ads: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/3-reasons-why-you-cant-ignore-googles-super-smart-pmax-ads-episode-181

New FREE Course coming September 22nd

GROW YOUR SALES

(without breaking the bank)

Conversion School is a step by step process to grow your sales, without spending a fortune on risky ad strategies, or discounting your products.

Works for Ecommerce stores at all stages.

Start getting consistent sales, and see significant sales growth every month.

or scroll down to get the highlights

Why do some people make big progress fast while the rest of us take longer to find our path to success?

When Chontelle Fossey joined the Inner Circle, I kept my eye on her.

Chontelle owns The Lily Pot, a fast growing business in New Zealand where she sells and ships live house plants right from her home… that’s right, live!

Chontelle the perfect example of what’s possible when you focus on your goals, show up and actually ‘do the work’ to make them happen.

I first noticed Chontelle in our $15 Ads Made Easy week. Even though she worked in the opposite time zone, she was showing up and doing the work. I was intrigued, because she was getting good results from her ad tests even though she was selling live plants to a tiny audience.

When she joined the Inner Circle, I was watching.

In her first 5 months of being a member of the Inner Circle, Chontelle had a total transformation of her business and has even been able to pay herself  for 7 weeks in a row.

Chontelle’s generosity and passion for helping our other members to grow was infectious as she shared her progress in our Inner Circle Members group.

Not wanting others to struggle with the overwhelm, she regularly shares her wins and explains the methods behind how she achieves them. 

I was so impressed with Chontelle, I asked her to record a podcast with me so she could share the steps she took to reach her goals quickly. We recorded our episode a year ago. Since then, Chontelle has continued to make huge progress. She’s left her job to work full time on her business.
I know many of you are hoping to do the same. It’s possible for all of us.

You can listen to my episode with Chontelle here or read on to learn the 6 steps that brought her results faster.

“I’m quite a methodical person and that’s probably why I really connected with the inner Circle because everything was set out in short modules. I just worked through that, but I found it was through 6 clear steps that I took which made the biggest difference.”

Chontelle’s 3 steps to making big progress in your business:

1. Switch your email provider to Klaviyo and set up automations

Chontelle switched from a free version of Mailchimp to a paid Klaviyo plan to send her customer emails.
This can be scary for many business owners as they transition from a free plan to paid, but for Chontelle the choice was easy.
“I’m very much a person who likes to try it, analyze it, see if it works, and if it doesn’t, be done with it. My favorite quote is “if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”
After making the switch, Chontelle began automating her business by setting up a welcome series flow and creating a popup for her website.
Right off the bat Chontelle saw an increase in sales from her welcome series and was able to create more “set and forget” automations that created more sales, and saved her time.
“I’d seen pop ups and things on websites, but didn’t really understand the long game that they played and so understanding that and setting that up for my business really grew my email list.”

2. Know how to get consistent traffic to your website

Did you know that for every 100 people that visit your website, only 1-2 people will actually buy? And that’s only if you’re attracting the right audience!
This was a huge light bulb moment for Chontelle.
“My traffic wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t matching the sales that I wanted.”
She knew that in order to increase her sales, she needed to spend her time doing the work to drive consistent traffic to her website.
Chontelle took control.
She immersed herself in our Traffic Bootcamp modules and implemented the strategies.
She watched and analyzed her traffic, making sure that every action she took was to drive more traffic to her website. She stayed focused and based her decisions on the her traffic number each week.

3. Invest in paid ads

Chontelle is a strong believer in the power of organic traffic, but she also knew that in order to grow and scale her business, she would need to implement a paid ads strategy.
And it all started with Ads made easy.
“When I first started that I naturally saw an increase in sales. But what I loved about it was actually understanding how to.”
Because Chontelle understood how to make the ads work for her, she spent the time analyzing the data, then tweaking and modifying her ads to further drive traffic to her website.
“It was about spending the least amount I possibly could to get the most traffic from my ads to my site. Because if you’re going to spend money, you may as well have something that works for you.”
When she was ready to learn more, Chontelle took a step further by booking a call with an ecommerce coach from our Inner Circle program who specializes in the Facebook ads platform.

Here’s what she learned:

• Don’t reinvent the wheel.
  See what your competitors or big brands are doing with their ads by utilizing the Meta Ads Library. A resource that allows you to search all ads that are currently running across Meta platforms. Take inspiration that you can apply to your own ad copy or images.

   

   

• Stop people from scrolling.
  Test images in your ads to see what stops people from scrolling and gets them to click through to your website. After you find the best scroll-stopping images, test copy that will grab their attention, and get them clicking.

   

   

• Setup controlled tests.
  “Test a couple of different ads to see what really connects and what you can get your biggest bang for buck.”
  Learn how to set up, test your ads, and read the results, so that you can truly know which ad will perform best for your customer and get you the best value for money.

• Track your key metrics… and not just your sales
  It’s common in our business to focus on one number and one number only… sales.
  Chontelle approaches things a little differently.
  Instead of dwelling on the number of sales on a low sales week, Chontelle makes sure she checks all of her key metrics to find the wins, and also identifies where she could “double down” and take action.
  “You have a strategy to go to these numbers and solve the problem. You have to look at it from a long term perspective and sales is only one measure. If your other steps are tracking in the right direction, the sales will eventually follow, and may be better by spending the time getting things right before those sales come.”
  Here are the key metrics Chontelle tracks every week:

   

  • Email signups
  • Email signup rate
  • Facebook followers
  • Website traffic
  • Average order value
  • Website conversion rate

• Prioritize sending weekly emails
  Before joining the Inner Circle, Chontelle’s email marketing strategy was almost non-existent.
  She would send an email one week, then forget for the following two weeks.
  It wasn’t a priority.
  “Now I consistently send two to three a week and it is like a cash machine. I send an email and the sales follow”
  Chontelle also attributes her success to using a mix of two different types of emails:

   

  • Nurture Emails
    Nurture emails give back to your customer by providing them with value.
    If you continually send out “salesy” emails and your customer is not looking to buy at that time, they will stop opening your emails. This can hurt your email open rates and you might find your emails going straight into your customers’ spam folder.
    Chontelle send emails that link to her blog posts emails with plant care tips that provide value to her customers. For example: “It’s Winter, where do you now place your plants in your house?”
  • Sales Emails
    Each week Chontelle focuses on a specific product, collection or offer and follows this Reliable Revenue sending strategy.

     

    • Send one email to your full list.
    • The second email will be retargeting those who didn’t open. Focus on a different time of day to try to capture those who didn’t see it the first time.
    • The third email will be retargeting anyone who either opened or clicked on the first email but who didn’t buy. This is where the sales happen.

• Show up live on Facebook
  In this busy world that we live in, it’s common for posts to go unseen and get lost in the feed.
  Chontelle decided that it wasn’t enough for her to just post photos of plants and memes. When analyzing her content, she realized that the photos that got the highest engagement were always the photos that she was in.
  She needed to show up and put a face to her business in order to connect with her customers.
  And so she began to go live on Facebook.
  “I did 2 lives last week and sold $700 in products from those lives and I literally sat there, did a live for 5 minutes, looked at my app to see how many people were going to my website and it was like a cash machine.”

  Chontelle’s tips for going live on Facebook:

  • Choose a set day and time each week to go live.
    By showing up consistently your audience is more likely to join.
    Use your analytics to find out when your audience is the most active and go live at that time. Chontelle found that 8pm on a Thursday worked best for her.
  • Show off your product.
    Customers love to see your products up close and personal. Often website images make it hard to see the size or color of a product, so lives can be a great way to give your audience a better look and more of a reason to buy.
  • Give them a reason to buy
    Share a sale or special offer with your live audience to create scarcity, urgency or exclusivity. Don’t forget to ask for the sale.

Chontelle came into 2022 with a fire in her belly and a desire to grow her business.

While working at her full time job, with limited time to spare, Chontelle was able to show up and focus on these few tasks that would truly move the needle in her business.

I hope that you can onboard some of these strategies in your own business to help you fast track your business growth.

To check out the amazing business Chontelle has created and for all your plant tips and tricks, be sure to follow The Lily Pot or visit https://thelilypot.co.nz/

New FREE Course coming September 22nd

GROW YOUR SALES

(without breaking the bank)

Conversion School is a step by step process to grow your sales, without spending a fortune on risky ad strategies, or discounting your products.

Works for Ecommerce stores at all stages.

Start getting consistent sales, and see significant sales growth every month.

or scroll down to get the highlights

As we head into the 4th quarter, you might be feeling underwhelmed by your results.

It’s normal. Progress comes in baby steps.

Sometimes we get stuck in our feelings as business owners. It’s easy to feel like we’re not doing enough- not enough sales, for too much time and money. You’re not alone – I have felt the same way. But as someone who’s successfully grown and sold 3 businesses, here’s what I know.

The answer is in your numbers.

Take a look- what’s really growing your sales? Do more of what’s working, and give yourself permission to let go of the things that aren’t moving you forward. This will make you feel better- and even in control!

It might help you to see how I was feeling, and what was happening at my project store Sock Doggo, as I was entering my first Q4.

Here’s a look back:
You might be surprised to hear that 60%+ of Sock Doggo’s sales come down to just 2 strategies. Listen in as I share what’s working (and how you can find what’s working in your business!) – or read below.

What’s working – here are the actual numbers

Total sales: $12,600 of sales at Sock Doggo 

22% of sales came from a collaboration
These were wholesale sales working with American Doxie. This is a profitable relationship! This is a huge clue about what’s working in my business.

42% of sales came from email
My Klaviyo dashboard shows that email is working well to convert leads into buyers.

64% of sales came from those 2 activities
This is great news because I can clearly see what’s working.

Why does it matter?

The time spent to learn and maintain other “shiny objects” is a distraction. As ecommerce store owners, we only have finite time to build our businesses. Don’t burn yourself out chasing the latest trends. The fastest way to grow your business is to do more of what’s working. The data for Sock Doggo is clear. If I spend more time on wholesale collaborations or email marketing, that’s going to grow my sales. I don’t have to guess- which is a great feeling.

What else do I need to do to grow my sales at this stage?

Traffic – If you don’t know how to reliably drive 3000+ web visitors a month to your store, you won’t have consistent sales. If you aren’t there yet- that is the first step! If you aren’t sure how to get there, check out our Traffic Bootcamp course here. 

At Sock Doggo, we’ve got 3000+ web visitors a month, so our next step is conversion.

Why does conversion matter, and how do we improve our conversion rate?

Sock Doggo’s conversion rate is 0.78%. This rate is pretty low, but it’s common for new stores as you find your way to your perfect audience. 

How can I increase my conversion rate? The data tells us that, too. Returning visitors convert better (usually double or more), so we’ll focus on them. 

My next steps? Increasing our conversion rate. I’d like Sock Doggo to be at least 1% – so 1 out of every 100 visitors makes a purchase. The fastest way to reach my goal is to get more people back for repeat visits, so going forward, I’m going to commit to emailing my list every week. When I send more email, I’ll get more returning visitors, and my conversion rate should increase.

Key Takeaways

Here’s what I need to do next to get more sales in less time. I know if I focus on these 3 things, I’ll be moving forward in my business- and I’ll feel in control while doing it.

#1- Collaborations
Our wholesale collaboration was a huge success- profitable and over 20% of our revenue so far. I can take this success and reach out to more partners with confidence. Wanna know how we did it? Read more about our collaboration with American Doxie (and how you can set up something similar for your brand) here. 

#2– Email Marketing
I know I could be more consistent with email, and if I am, it’ll pay off. Over 40% of my sales are from email. That means I’ve found the right people to send to my store. If I focus on growing my list larger and emailing them more, I know I’ll see more sales. What’s better is that traffic from email marketing is returning traffic. And, we know those customers convert at more than double the rate of new visitors. Which leads me to my 3rd takeaway…

#3- Increase the number of returning visitors
I know that I need to get more people back to my website a 2nd, 3rd, 4th time. Many new visitors aren’t ready to buy yet. By getting them on our email list, we’re more likely to get them to return. Returning visitors convert at more than double the rate of new visitors, so it’s worth focusing on them. This is the best way to increase our conversion rate. Need ideas? Learn more about how to get returning visitors here

Success comes from consistency – focus on the small steps now that will lead to big wins later!

Next steps for your ecommerce business

Every ecommerce store is different. The best way to learn what you should focus on in your ecommerce store is to find your data!

Here’s where I found my store’s data (and how to find yours)

Wholesale sales: This is from my Shopify dashboard. You can refer to your dashboard or Google Analytics

Email marketing sales: Klaviyo’s dashboard calculates this for me. With UTM parameters set up, you can also find this number in Google Analytics

Returning visitors and conversion rates: This metric is in Google Analytics’ New vs Returning Visitors report. 

You’ll want to make sure your Google Analytics account is set up for ecommerce.

Important Update: Google Analytics and GA4:
*As of July 2023, Google Analytics is being replaced with GA4.* 

If you’re still able to access Universal Google Analytics, refer to this guide for help understanding your data. Use this guide if you’re ready to focus on conversion.

If you’re not on GA4 yet, you need to be! This is how Google will track your metrics moving forward. We’re still learning about everything GA4 has to offer. Learn more about GA4 here on the podcast.

Inner Circle members, your GA4 training is here.

Inner Circle members get access to our Google ecommerce coach Leona. Leona keeps members updated on everything Google. Join the waitlist for the Inner Circle here, so you can get the latest information as soon as we have it: I want in!

More Resources:

On the podcast
How to collaborate- 7 ideas to get you started: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/how-to-use-collaborations-to-get-traffic-and-sales-episode-18/

How to get wholesale orders: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/3-things-im-doing-to-grow-wholesale-sales-episode-102/

How to get more leads: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/whats-working-in-2022-part-3-episode-105/

How to make a simple marketing plan: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/how-you-can-make-a-simple-marketing-plan/

12 email ideas to get you started with email marketing: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/twelve-email-ideas-you-can-implement-and-recycle-episode-12/

On the blog
Learn more about our event with American Doxie here: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/heres-what-our-partnered-event-cost-and-what-we-got-in-return/

Not sure how to get started with wholesale? Learn how here: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/want-to-have-your-products-made-offshore-dont-miss-this/

See another example of how to focus on what matters in your business: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/unsure-where-you-should-focus-figure-it-out-in-just-4-steps/

Learn more about collaboration: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/im-collaborating-to-grow-my-sales-heres-how-im-doing-it/

Get another collaboration example here: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/my-conversion-rate-is-up-92-heres-what-happened/

More influencer marketing ideas from Sock Doggo: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/how-im-using-influencer-marketing-for-sock-doggo/

Free resources on my website: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/resource-library/

Learn how to use your Google Analytics data: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/7-clicks-to-google-analytics

Google Analytics report for those ready to focus on conversion: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/secret-to-conversion-cheat-sheet/

Email marketing cheat sheet to get started now: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/email-marketing-cheat-sheet

Not sure what you should focus on next? Learn what stage you’re in and next steps here: https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/growth-plan-action-checklist

Need a little extra help? An ecommerce coach could be the best next step. We offer affordable ecommerce coaching in our Inner Circle community. Get on the waitlist for the Inner Circle here and get invited next time we’re open to take new members: Sign me up!

New FREE Course coming September 22nd

GROW YOUR SALES

(without breaking the bank)

Conversion School is a step by step process to grow your sales, without spending a fortune on risky ad strategies, or discounting your products.

Works for Ecommerce stores at all stages.

Start getting consistent sales, and see significant sales growth every month.

or scroll down to get the highlights

Want more sales? You might be missing these 3 things.

So you’ve built your products, labored over your branding and finally launched your website… but where are the SALES?!

There’s nothing more depressing. I know.

As e-commerce store owners, post-launch is often where we lose our excitement, our momentum and even worse; our confidence.

And that’s bad news…

Because the willingness to iterate and try new things is essential to growing a product based business.

So here’s a practical, no-nonsense way to get your confidence back.

We’re going to talk numbers.

If that makes you throw your hands in the air and yell “but I hate numbers!” Don’t worry.

Click here to listen, or read on….

Tracking these 3 Key Metrics will absolutely save your business, as well as your sanity.

They’re easy to find and all you have to do is track them weekly.

I promise you’ll feel a whole lot better about crafting a sales plan once you understand what you have to do before you can get reliable sales.
So stop tinkering with your brand colors, website buttons, or product designs.

None of that matters if you’re not getting enough Traffic to your site.

Yep, that’s the first metric.

But there’s 1 crucial question I need you to ask yourself before we go ahead: Do you have Proof Of Concept?

Have you sold your product in its current form to a real customer? As in… not your parents or BFFs, but actual strangers who just really love your stuff? Whether these sales took place online or in person, it doesn’t matter – they’re Real Sales. 👍

When someone who is NOT your mom buys your product… that’s proof of concept!

Don’t have proof of concept yet? Make this your number 1 goal before doing anything else.

Taking a preventative step now will save you a tonne of heartache later. So get your product on Amazon, Etsy, eBay, or Facebook marketplace. Or even set up a table at a local event. The objective is to get your products in front of eyeballs!

Alternatively, you can partner with a more established business. Just like I did with Mark Ruskin of American Doxie. He sells dachshund-inspired clothing to dog lovers. When I launched my project store, Sock Doggo, I didn’t have proof of concept. My shop was new and unknown.

I asked Mark to collaborate with me and offer a bundle of my new products to his customers. 😃 Our collaborative bundle sold well. Mark earned a healthy commission on the sales we made, I sold lots of socks, and walked away with the proof of concept I needed.

If you want to learn how to float your product in front of someone else’s audience, I break it all down for you here.

Already have proof of concept? Congratulations! Now it’s time to dive into your 3 Key Metrics…

• Traffic

• Average Order Value (AOV)

• Conversion Rate

Your metrics are here to guide you. There’s a lot of things you can do to tweak these 3 Key Metrics and get sales rolling in.

Track your Metrics  in a spreadsheet every week. You’re going to not only feel better about your business, you’ll also have a clear action plan.

Traffic
What is it?
Traffic (also known as web visitors) is simply the amount of people coming to your website. If 500 people landed on your website last month, your Traffic was 500 for that month.

Why is it important?
Not enough Traffic means not enough eyeballs on your site to get sales.

So what do I need to do?
Your goal is to track your Traffic every week. And think of ways to get at least 3000 people coming to your store every month. This is the minimum amount of Traffic you need to start getting regular sales.

How do I grow my Traffic?
Run a giveaway on Facebook, email your subscribers, write a blog post, invite your followers to a Treasure Hunt… there are many ways to drive Traffic to your store – including paying for ads.
Need to learn how to use ads on Facebook and Instagram? Learn here with this step by step, easy to implement course, Traffic Bootcamp.

Here’s a reality check.
New ecommerce stores often have under 1000 web visitors (or Traffic) a month. Not enough to get regular sales. But don’t worry, now that you’re tracking, and aware of the magic number (3000 web visitors), you can actively drive traffic to your site.

Celebrate your Traffic wins!
Success is growing your traffic each week. This is the work every ecommerce brand does quietly behind the scenes before welcoming in a regular flurry of sales.

Conversion Rate
What is it?
Your Conversion Rate is the percentage of website visitors (Traffic) that actually buys from you. Say 100 people landed on your site last month and you got 1 order. That means your conversion rate was 1% last month.

Why is it important?
The average conversion rate for an ecommerce store is 1% – 2%. If you have 3000 good quality web visitors (Traffic) every month, you should get 1-2 sales a day. If your traffic is below 3000 a month, most store owners will be able to reach their sales goals.

What do I need to do?
Your goal is to track your conversion rate each week. And think of ways to increase it to 1%. This is all you need to get the (sales) ball rolling.

Reality check.
New stores often have a conversion rate of 0.5% or less. If this is you, don’t worry – that low number is normal. 

So how do I increase my Conversion Rate?
This is the hardest metric to tweak. Just track it weekly for now. You need to get 

your Traffic to 3000 visitors a month first, then you can focus on improving your Conversion Rate.

Once your Traffic is over 3000 a month find my Top 3 Tips For Improving Your Conversion Rate.

Celebrate your Conversion wins!
Success is growing your Conversion Rate to only 1% or 2%. You can do this!

Average Order Value
What is it?
Your Average Order Value (also known as AOV) helps you figure out how much money the average customer spends. Say three people bought from your store last month. One person spends $10, another spends $20, and the third person spends $30. The average of these 3 numbers is $20. So your Average Order Value was $20 last month.

Why is it important?
Say your Average Order Value is $40. And you get 500 orders each month. If you can increase your average order value to $42, you can increase your sales by $1000 each month without having to find any new customers!

What do I need to do?
Track your Average Order Value every week and think of ways to increase it.

How do I increase my Average Order Value?
Raise your prices by $1 and this alone will plump up your AOV. You could also offer bundles or introduce premium products with higher pricing.

Want more AOV ideas? Go here.

Celebrate your Average Order Value wins!
This metric is completely under your control and it’s the easiest one to change. Success looks like tweaking your pricing (and possibly product offering) – to slowly raise your AOV week by week.   

Now that we’ve plunged into cold, hard data… let’s get your mindset right.

Please don’t skip over this. Managing your emotions can determine whether you solve your business woes, or give up on your dreams completely.

So here’s how to prime your mind for tracking numbers like a pro…

Adopt a problem solver’s mindset.
You’ve already solved lots of problems during your lifetime. Getting sales is just another problem to solve. Focus on the process and work your way through the steps. Understand that everyone starts small. 

You’re quietly building a foundation for reliable sales. Be proud of this! 😃 

It’s not you, it’s your numbers.
Stop doubting your abilities or your business chops. Just track the metrics that matter – and you’ll eventually find out what’s really going on. Let the numbers be your guide.

Flip your thinking on what success looks like.
As ecommerce owners we think success means sales. We’ve been conditioned to believe we should start our store and instantly get lots of sales. When that doesn’t happen, we get depressed. Don’t fall into this trap.

Success IS tracking your metrics.

Success IS increasing your Traffic and AOV.

Because this is what always comes before you can start making reliable sales.
Building your foundation to sales is a success in itself. This realistic approach will keep your emotions in good standing as you track your numbers. 

So start your weekly spreadsheet now. Track your 3 Key Metrics every week and I promise you’ll start to see results.

New FREE Course coming September 22nd

GROW YOUR SALES

(without breaking the bank)

Conversion School is a step by step process to grow your sales, without spending a fortune on risky ad strategies, or discounting your products.

Works for Ecommerce stores at all stages.

Start getting consistent sales, and see significant sales growth every month.