20 Ways to Increase Sales Without Spending More on Adverts
Before you raise your ad budget, fix the leaks. Twenty ways to sell more from the customers and enquiries you already have, grouped by where the money is lost.
When sales slow down, most business owners spend more on adverts. Often the better move is to fix what happens after someone sees the advert. If you're losing half your enquiries in the chat, doubling your ad budget doubles the waste.
Here are twenty ways to sell more without spending another cedi on adverts, grouped by where the money leaks.
In the conversation
1. Reply in minutes, not hours
The first business to reply usually gets the sale. Aim for under five minutes during working hours. See speed to lead.
2. Never send just a price
"GH₵ 450" ends the conversation. "GH₵ 450, free delivery in Accra, full leather so it won't peel. Want to see it in brown?" continues it. See how to reply to "how much?".
3. Ask a question back
"Is this for you or a gift?" "Which area are you in?" Questions keep people talking and help you recommend the right thing.
4. Follow up three times
Most buyers need more than one message. Follow up after a day, three days and a week, each time with a new reason. See WhatsApp follow-up messages.
5. Handle the objection, don't argue with it
When someone says "it's too expensive", explain the value, offer a smaller option or a payment plan. See handling price objections.
6. Give your team a script
If three people answer chats, three different sales processes are running. Write down what works and train everyone. See a sales script for your team.
At the point of payment
7. Remove steps
Count the steps between "I want it" and "paid". Each one loses buyers. A single checkout link beats "send MoMo to this number, then send a screenshot".
8. Offer pay on delivery
For many Ghanaian buyers, paying when the parcel arrives removes the biggest fear. See cash on delivery in Ghana.
9. Remind people who leave checkout
Many buyers start paying and get distracted. Automatic reminders by email and SMS bring a share of them back. See abandoned cart recovery.
10. Confirm payment automatically
Checking MoMo screenshots by hand is slow and risky. See fake MoMo screenshots.
In every order
11. Add an order bump
A small, related add-on offered at checkout: a care kit with shoes, a case with a phone. One tick and the order is bigger. See order bumps and upsells.
12. Offer an upsell after payment
Right after they pay, offer one more thing at a special price. Buyers who just said yes are most likely to say yes again.
13. Create bundles
Group products that go together and price them slightly below buying separately.
14. Set a free delivery threshold
"Free delivery on orders over GH₵ 500" nudges people to add one more item.
After the sale
15. Ask for a review
A review helps your next sale. Ask the day after delivery, with a direct link. See Google reviews.
16. Ask for a referral
Happy customers know people like them. Give both a reason to buy. See referral programmes.
17. Bring customers back
Past customers buy faster and spend more. Send them new stock, restocks and loyal-customer offers. See how to get repeat customers.
On your pages
18. Show the price
Pages and posts with clear prices or ranges usually bring better enquiries than "DM for price".
19. Add proof near the button
Reviews, delivery photos and guarantees right next to where people decide.
20. Answer the top five questions on the page
Price, delivery, payment, returns, authenticity. Every answered question is one less reason to leave. See product pages that sell.
Where to start
Track three numbers for a week:
| Number | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Enquiries that became sales | Whether the conversation is the leak |
| Checkouts started vs finished | Whether payment is the leak |
| Customers who bought again | Whether retention is the leak |
Fix the worst one first. Then, and only then, think about spending more on adverts.
Want help finding the leak?
Our free strategy call and written audit look at everything between the advert and the payment, so you fix what actually costs you money. See what a marketing audit should include.