Lights, Camera, Action: Your Sales Page

Posted on 18 January 2012 by

Creating a sales page is one of the most important parts of your sales structure. By definition, the sales page is the hub for both your existing and perspective clients to come to and see the programs that they need. The sales page, however, needs to have some very specific elements to it and while you can customize it any way you wish – there is a definite method to this madness. Here are some of the main components of what we know works:

The Headline

The sales page is about making the sale. The headline needs to grab the immediate attention of the visitor and make them want to continue reading on. This needs to be your big promise, your most compelling benefit, but without all the over-embellished hype and circumstance. Make it believable, make it something the visitor can connect with, and make the goal achievable.

The Color

Design is something that can be personal to us. We have this need to make it express who we are because we believe that the first impression is everything.
In this case, however, it’s great to go bold but it’s also great to go simple. Use large buttons, stay away from animations, and keep the colour bright and attractive. Stay away from the “camp” and choose “simplicity”.

The Message

Think about what you are typing before you start committing it down to publication. Consider what made them come to your sales page and then redefine why in their language. Keep it something that the customer can identify with, see themselves in, and then attach the fact that they know your coaching program can help them build and identify their goals.

In conclusion..

Write the program for yourself.

In past posts I have stated that you have to put yourself into the position of the consumer and this is absolutely true. What would you want in a coach or program? What about this program will clinch it for you? Write it as if you were the client describing your needs and what, authentically; you want in your program.

Success is bound to follow.

Put Yourself In Your Customers Shoes

Posted on 02 March 2011 by

Do you want to increase the conversion rate for your website, teleseminars, sales pages, etc?  By conversion rate I simply mean that the people who land on your sales page actually do what you want them to do as a result. So it might be to leave their email address or buy a product or service from you. Whatever it is – your goal is to get this number up!

It’s worth getting this bit right because a lot of people will hit your site only once and if you don’t manage to convert them that first time they’re coming to your site, then chances are you’ve lost them and they won’t be back. So how can you do it?

The best way is to put yourself in your customers’ shoes.

Think about the person who you’re writing your sales page (or other online item) for.  This means you need to know your niche really well, you’ll need to use your ideal client’s language, and know what they really want, and really, really put yourself into their shoes.

You should know as much about your target client as possible and write it down.  Their name (you can just make that up), their gender, where they live, what their problems are, what impact their problems are having on their families, what their ideal solutions would be, all those kinds of things that go along with knowing your niche really, really well. If that ideal person in your mind is called Margaret, you need to write that sales or squeeze page for Margaret.

And in the same way if you’ve got a loyal customer and you know this is going to be a very, very small percentage of your target market, for example you are selling a high-end coaching program, and you know it’s going to be your top four percent hyper-responsives, as they’re called, buyers who love what you do and they want to buy everything that you sell, you’re going to write that sales page very differently knowing that those people are going to land on the page. Rather than people who are first time visitors that don’t know you.

So that’s the first question to ask yourself; “Is this page being written for a first time visitor or is it being written for a loyal customer?”  Once you’ve determined that, this will guide you through the rest of the writing too.  You will know who you are writing to and what your target market really wants.  That comes back to the whole niche and being clear about what your target market wants. What’s their real heart’s desire? If you could wave the magic wand, what would it be that you could give them? So your job as a copywriter, is to really articulate that and then have a product or a solution that can actually deliver on it.

When you write  your next sales page, take a moment to put yourself in your customer’s shoes and see the difference it makes.

Get Sales By Reverse

Posted on 01 October 2010 by

If you’re working on a sales page for an upcoming teleseminar or the launch of your new JigsawBox online coaching program, a key element to include on your sales page is a risk reversal.

What’s that you ask?  It’s a guarantee that you will provide what your clients want and if they don’t get it, you’ll provide a full refund.  This becomes a no-brainer for people to sign-up because if they don’t get what they want to get from the product or the service you provide, they can ask for their money back. So why wouldn’t they sign up?

To really drive home this point, you can monetize your risk reversal.  For example, if the price of your program is $500, you can say that after your client makes their purchase they will make $10,000 if they implement what they learn from you.  Then, in your risk reversal, you say; “If you can’t see how you will make $10,000 after completing this program, I will provide you with a full refund.” Again, a no-brainer for your prospective clients.  Who doesn’t want to spend $500 to learn how to make $10,000 when it’s guaranteed?

If your service is less tangible and involves things like improving relationships, a risk reversal can still be used.  If your program will help someone improve their relationships, then your guarantee can be something like; “For just $500, imagine the differences you will see in your relationships, and if you don’t I will refund your investment.”

Obviously you have to be able to deliver on your promises. But if you’ve created a solution that really answers a problem that people have and you are confident that if people were to follow through the steps that you taught them then they would get the results that you’re promising, then you are in a perfect position to offer a guarantee.

Do be careful with your wording and make sure to include things like; “If you follow each and every one of the steps that I’m going to teach you and take you through, if you follow through on the action plans that we’re working on as we’re going through the program, you will get the result that you want.”

Now get out there and update those sales pages and do let me know your results, I’d love to hear how your guarantees are building your businesses.