Strategies to turn first-time visitors into customers

After awareness and consideration, the final step in the customer journey is conversion. This is where your top-of-funnel efforts translate into real revenue. For UK sports nutrition brands, turning first-time visitors into buyers requires a combination of nurture, optimisation and smart incentives.

With the average eCommerce conversion rate in the UK hovering around 3.7%, even small improvements at this stage can make a significant impact on sales performance.

Purchase: Converting first-time buyers through nurture & optimisation

The purchase stage is where all your top-of-funnel efforts pay off – turning that warm lead into an actual customer. Here, effective tactics include welcome email journeys to nurture the lead, conversion rate optimisation (CRO) best practices on your site, and smart incentives like limited-time offers, bundles, or trials to push an indecisive shopper over the finish line. The average eCommerce conversion rate in the UK is about 3%–4%​, so even small improvements can mean significant revenue. Strategies to boost that first sale include:

Welcome email journeys

The welcome email series is your first real opportunity to speak directly to a new subscriber. It is where brand storytelling, product discovery and exclusive offers come together.

Effective sequences typically consist of 2 to 4 emails:

1. Welcome and offer – Thank the user for signing up and present a discount or incentive.
2. Educate – Share helpful content, such as how to choose the right supplements or success stories from real customers.
3. Showcase bestsellers – Highlight your most popular products or bundles.
4. Last-chance reminder – Reinforce the offer's value before it expires.

More Nutrition used this method to revamp its welcome emails, creating a four-part series that resulted in a 302% increase in orders from the welcome flow. These journeys work because they create momentum and reassure hesitant buyers.

CRO and A/B testing

Make the purchase process as smooth and persuasive as possible. Sports nutrition shoppers are often detail-oriented – they compare ingredients, flavours, serving sizes, and much more. Ensure your product pages build trust and answer questions. 

Little tweaks can have big impacts. For instance, Visualsoft helped The LD Mountain Centre achieve a 35% increase in conversion rates after a targeted CRO campaign​ – improvements like better navigation and simplified checkout lifted sales substantially.

Social proof and trust badges can also be critical: Notice how MyProtein proclaims itself 'World's #1 Online Sports Nutrition Brand' and prominently displays Trustpilot ratings and quality accreditations on their site​. This immediately boosts credibility.

Likewise, Grenade features testimonials and reviews for its products to reassure new customers. This can be through SSL badges, payment logos at checkout or by highlighting any guarantees' 30-day money-back guarantee' to reduce purchase anxiety.

First purchase incentives

To nudge that first purchase, strategic incentives are often the final push. We've mentioned welcome discounts and free shipping, but also consider bundling and trial offers tailored for first-timers. 

Many sports nutrition DTC brands curate starter bundles, for example, a protein powder + shaker + sample of pre-workout at a value price to increase the perceived value and give newbies a taste of multiple products.

Grenade often promotes bundle deals (two for £50 protein bar packs) to encourage larger initial baskets​. Another effective tactic is offering trial-size portions, as not everyone will immediately commit £30-£40 to sports nutrition. Discount Supplements does this by selling single-serving sachets for under £1 as a trial option​ – a great way for a curious visitor to become a paying customer with minimal risk.

Finally, nurture new customers with a solid post-purchase experience. A thank-you email, helpful tips for using the product, and perhaps an invite to follow your social community or refer a friend (to feed back into awareness) will set the stage for loyalty.

Key Takeaway

The purchase stage is where all your prior efforts pay off. Welcome series, CRO, and smart incentives work in harmony to make buying easy and appealing. Think of it as rolling out the red carpet for your prospect: you've educated and personalised their journey, now remove any friction and sweeten the deal so they confidently purchase. 

With a smooth checkout experience and a bit of encouragement (like that limited-time offer or starter bundle), you'll turn more first-time visitors into delighted customers.

Funnel metrics snapshot (UK market)

To put the funnel in perspective, here are some benchmark stats for UK eCommerce (Higher is better for most metrics, except abandonment).

Conversion is where your strategy meets its return. By nurturing new subscribers, optimising your site and lowering purchase barriers, you set the stage for sustained growth.

Remember: trust, clarity and value are the building blocks of first-time conversions. And once someone has purchased, your next challenge (and opportunity) is to keep them coming back.

The complete organic funnel strategy (from visibility to trust to sale) offers UK sports nutrition brands a powerful and sustainable way to grow. 

For a tailored plan to accelerate your performance, book a consultation with our fitness and nutrition expert, Mike Gartland.