Here are a few practical tips to getting Black customers to buy more from your Web site.
Step 1: Make a personal connection... put a face on it.
Adding photos of realistic-looking people to your Web site will increase your sales. Photos jump out from a page, so even if someone just skims over the words, the photo will create a lasting impression. If you don't have photos of your actual employees or customers, use stock photography.
Here are a few of my favorite sources for photos:
Royalty-free
images start at around $19-35 per image and are much less expensive
than rights-managed images. If you have a bigger budget, you can
purchase CDs with entire collections of African American stock
photographs and illustrations.
Step 2: Establish trust.
When you walk into an establishment, you usually can tell right
away if you feel comfortable doing business there. You can see if the
place is clean and well maintained, brightly lit, and whether someone
friendly is available to greet and help you. On the Internet, your Web
site has to do all the talking and all the handholding. If this is a
potential customer's first visit to your Web site, they may be
uncertain if you're a legitimate business and if they can trust you.
There are a number of ways to alleviate these fears and give your
customers peace of mind. First, provide full contact information —
including a telephone number — on your Web site. Second, show a picture
of your location and employees, if applicable. Third, if you are a
member of any professional organizations, such as the Better Business
Bureau and/or professional trade organizations, this is a great time to
display your membership logos. Most importantly, display quotes and
testimonials for your current happy customers to show how what great
quality products and service your company provides.
