Know where you stand

The first thing you need to know is how your current online sales model is working. Do a baseline analysis of what sales are already coming in through the site.

I recommend: Future Now and Panalysis have sales conversion calculators, analytical tools and other rules of thumb to measure activity. Internet Search Engine Database tells you what to do with the numbers once you've collected them.

Make the path to conversion easier

Visitors may leave your site because site navigation is too difficult, there are limited payment options or, worse, there is no compelling reason to buy whatever is being sold. The easier your site is to use and the more it appeals to visitors, the higher your conversion rate will be.

I recommend: Interactive Marketing has some do-it-yourself tips for optimizing your site, reaching target customers, and improving the way pages are set up. If you need help, Website Optimization provides site evaluation, content redesign and copywriting services. Get ongoing advice on conversion strategy from two newsletters; GrokDotCom and Wilson Internet Services.

Keep traffic coming in

The more people that come your site, the more chances you'll have to win a sale. Customers looking for a specific product will usually punch a keyword into a major Internet search engine and browse the sites that most appropriately meet their needs. Make sure your company's name pops up as one of the top potential sites.

I recommend: DevStart's PromotionWorld has ideas on improving your search engine optimization techniques, which then should cause a domino effect of increased traffic and sales.