Are You Converting Trial Customers into Paying Customers?

Michele Warg
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Many companies that provide subscription services offer a free trial to encourage customers to give the service a try. However, not all trial customers convert to paying customers. The following tips could help you to convince trial members to convert after taking advantage of your company's free offer.

The first tip for increasing conversions is to work hard during the trial period to show your customers the benefits of your subscription services. If you simply provide users access to your software or platform, they might not discover all the benefits that it has to offer. Increase the value they get during the free trial period by providing tutorials to help customers use your product more effectively. Create a library of support materials, such as FAQs, or provide examples of customers who successfully used your product or service to enhance some aspect of their business or personal life.

Make it easy for trial users to get in touch with representatives from your company. Have professionals available to answer questions and offer technical support to trial members so they aren't turned off due to a lack of understanding of how your product or service works. The more channels of communication you can open, the better, so consider going beyond a standard helpline to offer live chat support online or support via social media.

Toward the end of the free trial, send emails or messages to trial users asking them to convert. You could even offer a discount on your standard price to ensure trial members get the best deal possible.

It's always a good idea to make conversion as quick and easy as possible. This means providing a variety of payment options so users can choose the one that suits them best. One option is to require users to enter their payment details before they sign up for the free trial, which speeds up the conversion process. However, this requirement can deter some users from signing up for the free trial, so carefully consider whether this strategy is right for your business.

Finally, work on making your free trial users part of a community. Give them access to customer forums, so they can learn from veteran users and hear about all the benefits of becoming a subscriber. When trial customers feel that they are part of a community, they feel a sense of loss when the trial period ends, which could make them much more likely to convert to paying customers.

By following these tips, you can increase the number of trial customers who subscribe to your services. In combination with a strong overall marketing strategy, offering a free trial can be a great way to make more people aware of the benefits your service provides.


Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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