How to Write Great FAQ’s
An often overlooked aspect of managing your online store is the FAQ section. Tailoring this section to fit the needs & style of your brand cohesively can truly separate you from other stores. Having robust questions and answers not only saves you time in customer interaction over having to field answers through email, it drives business by improving their shopping experience, and builds trust between your business and the customer. In engaging your audience, every opportunity to improve the customer experience as well as expressing the human side of your business should be taken, and creating good FAQs are a central part of that.
In figuring out what questions to use, you should hone in on these fundamental functions of your store: shipping, store policies, payment & if applicable, information on your brand’s story & production process. Types of questions to address should include:
- Where does your store ships from & where does it ship to?
- How long it will for you to ship the order, and when should they expect to receive it?
- Policies on returns, exchanges, damaged goods, etc…
You should also tailor these questions and answers around the unique aspects of your business. For example, if you specialize in handmade items that have longer production timelines, convey this as accurately as possible, and give reasons for why some products may take longer, or may be delayed.
Take the time to outline some information on where the materials for your products come from (if relevant). how orders will be packaged, and any other disclaimers to protect you by making things as clear as possible. These things may seem obvious, but often sellers forget to cover all possible scenarios that could happen when dealing with a customer, leading to confusion and possibly a shopper’s confidence in making a purchase. This is especially important when your store deals in pre-orders, where the estimated time of arrival on receiving a package can extend beyond the payment protection periods of the payment system you are using.
Another opportunity that the FAQ section provides is showing your personality as a brand and store owner. Writing clean & concise text that is informative and easy to understand is the first step in this, however, writing with your own original voice is equally important in creating a connection with your potential customer. A good way of understanding how to do this effectively is to imagine yourself speaking to the customer in your own hypothetical brick & mortar store. Be quirky, show your sense of humor, be honest & transparent, and be YOU!
Once you’ve written an effective and unique FAQ section tailored to your store, one that covers all aspects and is personalized to express your brand effectively, take the time to proofread it. You don’t want to give any reason for your customer to doubt your diligence and attention to detail in dealing with their order, so go back and fix those improper punctuations, those “their/they’re/there” mistakes, and so forth.
In summation, your FAQ section can truly become a business winning aspect of your store. It may not be what gets you the sale at the end of the day, as your products are the main attraction of any storefront. However they are an essential cherry on top that can truly push your customer over the finish line and get them to the checkout quicker without any doubts or looming questions. Take the time to make this section great and you will see a positive change in your customer’s overall experience. At the end of the day, this is a fundamental part of what keeps those first time customers coming back!
