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The Conversion Rate Optimization Process I Wish I Had 17 Years Ago
I’ve been involved in the business of conversion optimization a long time. Maybe too long.
Been on the hunt for the conversion lever.
What I eventually discovered was that there isn’t one conversion lever.
There are three.
The Three Fronts:
- Acquisition
- On-site experience
- Post-visit experience (email)
These aren’t separate projects. They’re connected parts of one system.
Let’s break down the process.
Step 1: The Point of Entry — The Ad
The journey begins the moment someone clicks your ad.
The first question in any serious CRO framework should be:
What percentage of visitors leave in under 10 seconds ⏳?
If someone clicks your ad and bounces almost immediately, the problem is not your checkout button. It’s a message mismatch.
Your goal here is simple:
Increase the percentage of people who stay longer than 10 seconds.
This usually means:
– Improving your landing page’s opening sentence.
– Improving the hero image. Make sure it’s very different from what competitors are using.
– Making sure the landing page doesn’t look complicated. If your landing page is complicated or wordy, break it into stages so the first page is uncomplicated and inviting.
If visitors aren’t staying, nothing else matters.
Step 2: If They Stay, Do They Discover Your Core Assets?
Let’s assume they stayed more than 10 seconds.
Now the next question becomes:
Did they discover your core assets?
By “core assets,” I mean the elements that get current buyers to buy. You can learn more in this content discovery article.
If those assets aren’t seen, you’re leaving money 💵 on the table.
Step 3: If They Saw Everything and Still Didn’t Buy
Let’s say they:
– Stayed longer than 10 seconds ⏳
– Discovered your core assets
– Still didn’t convert
Now what?
At this point, your immediate objective shifts.
Did they give us their email address?
We need their email address. Without a follow-up channel, you lose the opportunity to continue the conversation.
This prospect has stayed over 10 seconds, they’ve seen your core assets … they’re interested.
If we get their email address, we can keep the conversation going.
Step 4: Diagnose the Conversion Blocker
If someone is on your mailing list but hasn’t bought, don’t send them generic messages.
Instead, use your email channel to understand why they didn’t buy.
In my experience, people don’t buy for 3 main reasons:
- Price concerns
- Uncertainty about the difference between providers
- Questions about value
Send email subscribers who haven’t made a purchase this email:
Subject: You’ve been on my mind
Hi [Name],
Quick question.
If you had to pinpoint the main reason you didn’t buy, what would it be?
No pressure, and no hard feelings. I’d rather know the real objection so I can address it:
Sincerely,
Rishi Rawat
Prepare a response for each objection:
If price is the blocker, justify the price.
If differentiation is unclear, clarify the contrast.
If the value is fuzzy, make it concrete.
Once the user clicks one of the 3 boxes, after a 24-hour delay, send an email that specifically addresses their biggest concern.
Visual That Ties It All Together
If you like this article, drop me a comment; it’ll make my day.
Comments 4
This is very helpful information.
ReplyRishi Rawat
Glad you liked it, Kevin.
ReplyDTC brands usually have a welcome flow of 5–9 emails, so I was wondering where you think this email could fit within that flow.
Also curious about your thoughts on adding a survey to the abandoned checkout flow as well, would the questions be the same as these?
ReplyRishi Rawat
This is a great question, Haseeb. I would experiment with adding this to email 3 or 4 of the welcome flow.
“Also curious about your thoughts on adding a survey to the abandoned checkout flow as well, would the questions be the same as these?” Yes! great point.
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