Most of those who somehow address the topic of conversion rate at work don't really control it. Be it website-specific, or offline. It's a common temptation, especially in areas like A/B testing or UX improvements, to promise an increase in conversion rate from X to Y.
But we need to pause here. The conversion rate reflects absolutely everything about the business: market dynamics, customer experience, competition, branding, pricing, promotions, inventory, operations, and more. Can you truly claim responsibility for all that unless you're the CEO?
Activities like conversion rate optimization can incrementally boost conversion rates, but what about other factors potentially dragging it down? There's a widespread misconception that sees conversion rate as synonymous with the website itself, leading to misguided efforts like full website redesigns to boost conversion rates. Although usually the website's impact on this metric is minimal, especially in non-ecommerce businesses.
Now, regarding the crucial point about conversion rate: I've encountered countless situations where someone asks, "How much can we improve our conversion rate?" Earlier, I felt pressured to fabricate impressive numbers, which is clearly not ethical. Later on, I adopted a more cautious approach, stating that while improvements are likely, guarantees are impossible.
However, I've since learned a better way to address this common question. Refusing to provide a specific percentage or magic number doesn't evade accountability. Think of conversion rate as a complex puzzle with numerous pieces – market dynamics, competition, branding, pricing, deals, etc. Conversion optimization certainly plays a role, but it's not a cure-all solution.