Ecover Software : If I told you eCovers/Graphics increase sales

By Richard Dean
Posted Friday, December 31, 2004

To a large degree, the desire to touch, hear and see is an almost instinctive reflex. We all fear making bad decisions. When we're about to make a purchase for instance, we need to collect as much information as possible prior to making that buying decision.

According to Dr. Ronald Marks, a University of Missouri marketing professor, studies claim that people learn up to 200% faster, pay 26% more attention and retain 38% more information with marketing messages and sales presentations that engage all the senses.

The more senses are engaged during the evaluation stage, the more information is sent to the brain. And the level of confidence one gains in making a buying decision is proportionate to the amount of information collected. That's why, when we're about to make a purchase, our normal inclination is to grab, touch and feel the object we want to buy before we buy. It's simply human nature.

So, it makes perfect sense to give prospects as much information as possible -- the ability to see, touch and inspect our offering will increase the likelihood of getting them to do what we want them to do. But today, we're confronted with a major dilemma ...

... The Internet!

The lack of tangibility on the web impedes sales. And according to Forrester Research, "Many consumers are still hesitant to buy online because they want to see and 'touch' a product before they buy it." That's why online buying, while slowly on the rise, is still limited by people's inability to touch and feel a product.

"Accurate, photo-realistic 3D models help (because they) tell the whole story," adds Forrester. Intel Corporation recently revealed that, "3D graphics enhance a consumer's visual enjoyment of your website (since) they help convey information in a more compelling format, and they increase your website's so-called 'stickiness' by making your visitors want to return again and again."

The lesson is this: as an Internet business owner or marketer, you need to cater to people's natural buying behaviors. And in order to do so, you must mimic your visitors' offline shopping experience as much as possible. Fortunately, a solution exists.

The web, being a visual medium, offers you the ability to show pictures of your offerings as to give your customers something they can appreciate. Look at eBay, for example. Products that sell the most are usually those accompanied by pictures of the offerings in question. In short, texts tell but pictures SELL!

If you can add a picture of your product (or one that represents your service or virtual product, even if it is never delivered in physical form), it helps to tantalize and compel your customers to act, respond or buy. With my businesses, for example, three- dimensional pictures have increased customer actions by 317%.

If your site sells an intangible product (including software or subscriptions) or a tangible one that people can't inspect, you can maximize your downloads, sales or signups by merely adding a three-dimensional graphic, such as a cover, case, box or card.

Statistics show that, when companies incorporate 3D to show off their products online, they see a 300% increase in page views, a 200% increase in sales and a 50% increase in time spent at the site. Moreover, websites who use 3D seem to experience a lower return rate than companies who used 2D (or nothing at all).

If you sell anything online, including intangible products, you can use 3D to help maximize your clickthroughs, downloads and sales. Three-dimensional pictures are quite effective for:

- Electronic books,
- Software programs,
- Streaming audio or video,
- Email newsletters (or "ezines"),
- CD-ROMs or music CDs,
- Booklet or special reports,
- Video- or audio-casettes,
- Access to private sites or content,
- Subscription services,
- Web-based services and applications,
- Or information products.

With scams and snake oils infesting the web, people are naturally skeptical when making "blind" purchases online. If they can't see your product, or if the image you project is unprofessional, they will assume there's something wrong with it or that your product is just as unprofessional. People do judge books by their covers.

A recent BCG Consumer Survey found that people are still leery of making purchases online, noting that, "70% of respondents worry about making purchases via the web." But by giving your prospects something can at least visually appreciate, however, you not only increase your chances but also create instant credibility.

Simply stated, a multidimensional shopping experience gives the visitor more information and makes the customer more confident. By bringing your product to "life," if you will, you give them something they can feel better about.

As the adage goes, "You never get a second chance to make a good first impression." What impression are you conveying? If people judge books by their covers, make sure yours is worth judging.

About the Author
Leading Graphics Designer gives up cutting edge secret to cut his work load down. Giving you the chance to cash in on one of the most profitable business on the internet. Richard Dean - Graphics Artist (http://www.ecover-software.com)