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By Rob Friedman
Increase Sales and Revenue – Companies can increase conversions for both online and offline sales by targeting promotions based on customer location. For example, for a family-owned hardware supply company with locations in both the Northeast and Southeast, IP Intelligence can help promote relevant seasonal merchandise on the Web, regardless of a user’s location. In March, for Northeast visitors, information on winter-related items such as snow removal equipment would automatically be presented. In the Southeast, online customers would automatically see content for newly arriving spring plants, such as annuals or summer planting bulbs. In addition, an in-store coupon can be offered for a 25 percent discount, helping to drive offline business as well as online.
Reduce Rates for Abandoned Transactions: According to Forrester Research, Web users are four times more likely to purchase from a site that communicates in the customer’s language. Presenting a visitor with content and products in their native language (based on geography) establishes an instant connection with existing and potential customers. They are more likely to stay and shop and less likely to abandon their transactions. For example, a visitor from Italy visits the Web site of a small retailer specializing in custom ski gear. The entire site appears in Italian, and the merchandise highlighted on the homepage features the hottest selling styles for the Italian ski slopes. The visitor never had to “choose a location” – it was performed automatically.
Simplify Global Transactions: IP Intelligence can simplify online global transactions and eliminate currency miscalculations. By having Website catalogs and checkout pages offer currency and weights based on a visitor’s geographic location, companies can eliminate the dependence on customers to make the right selection themselves. Companies can reduce the payment and shipping errors associated with conducting business internationally.
Localization has spread from the streets to the desktop; it’s more than just knowing what shop is on what corner these days. True online content localization involves a concentrated effort to create and deliver information that engages visitors in a comfortable and recognizable manner.
In order to be successful online, small businesses need to realize there’s more to just collecting the number of page views and counting the abandoned shopping carts. IP Intelligence can help small businesses grow by providing tools to help them understand and communicate more effectively with customers.
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