A sales page is a page you create purely with the intention of selling a product or service. There are hundreds of formulas out there you can use as a guide and they’ll all do a reasonable job of leading you through the process.
No matter what formula you follow, the true key to creating a sale page that converts lies in understanding your customers. Never forget that.
Long or short form?
You might be thinking about how much you hate those long sales pages. They can be bad, can’t they? Lots of text which seems to repeat itself over and over again, and all the critical information stuck at the end of the page. Even worse are the ones which don’t include a price. If it doesn’t resonate with you, the page could be badly written, poorly laid out or maybe you’re just not their target customer.
Long pages have a place and are generally your best choice if your product is expensive or complicated. They are great for capturing people who are still weighing up the pros and cons of buying the product. That’s where your copy needs to be clear and convincing.
Short form pages work well for purchases which are inexpensive, and where the buyer isn’t taking a big risk when buying. Of course, nothing is ever set in concrete and it very much depends on your audience. You need to understand the preferences of your ideal customer.
My advice is to use as many or as few words as you need.
Let’s look at the key ingredients of a sales page that converts. While we’re going through them, you might like to look at this page from Digital Marketer which uses many of these elements. (Although I’m not a fan of the image at the top which has content I can’t read.)
What do you need on your sales page?
Headline.
This is the most important part of the page because readers will immediately decide whether they’ll bother reading the rest of it. The good news is that if they do, they reveal themselves as clear prospects. The headline doesn’t have to be long, but it must be powerful. Make it dynamic and exciting by using action words or highlighting the benefits up front. You need to show that you understand your customers problem and that you can solve it. In the Digital Marketer example, they’ve used “profitable customer-getting” to hook us in.
Pain points.
This paragraph is important because it goes deeper into your customer’s problem. Have you heard of the Problem, Agitate, Solve model? Prove that you understand their pain. Then take the main pain point and dig deep into it. Get your readers thinking about worst-case scenarios and what might happen if they don’t do something about it. But don’t leave them hanging. You need to show that there is light at the end of the tunnel and you can deliver the perfect solution.
Benefits.
Your readers will be looking to see what’s in it for them. What makes your product so much better than others and how will it solve their pain problem?
It’s easy to list features, but they don’t sell. Truthfully, when was the last time you bought a product because it had flashing lights or 3 different settings? You bought the product because it made your life better in some way. Focus how your product will stop the pain. Make it easy to read by using bullet points instead of lots of text. You want them to stand out and be read even by people who don’t read the whole page. Bullet points are great for people who are scanners and the message will easily reach them.
Your offer.
What will buyers get for their money and why is it so good? If you’re selling a course, don’t just list the modules; explain what that module will do for them. What’s the outcome it will deliver?
Testimonials.
Buying from a stranger is a risk, so good sales pages use testimonials and guarantees to reduce the fear of making a bad buy. Testimonials are great because they add credibility and build trust. They are independent social proof that your product works.
Overcome objections.
You should be aware of the objections your prospects use to avoid making a buying decision straight away, such as “It’s too expensive.” Ask them what it will cost them if they don’t buy your product – and keep tapping into the emotions. Objections are often purely emotion-based but disguised as logic
Reduce the risk.
How often have you seen ads which say, “Love it … or your money back”? That’s because a guarantee helps overcome objections and boosts sales. Don’t promise what you can’t deliver on, but understand that very few people ever ask for their money back. However, the guarantee makes them feel more comfortable about spending their hard-earned cash.
Show the price.
Reveal the price of your product and remind people of the benefits and results it delivers -pain removal! Demonstrate value for money.
Call to action.
This is where you tell people what you want them to do such as “Buy now.” Keep it simple and clear but include a big colourful button for them to click on to make the purchase. Something visible and unmissable.
Other elements.
Some pages include a bio of the seller which helps add to the connection you’re building with your reader and displays their expertise. Others add FAQs or extra testimonials. As you write your page with your ideal customer in mind, you’ll get a feel for what you need to include.
While the list I’ve included here isn’t exhaustive, it does include the key elements you need to know about. It’s the framework for persuasive copy which converts. As I said right at the beginning, the true key to creating a sale page that converts lies in understanding your customers. Knowing them, what drives them and what they’re looking for will give you the content you need for a high-performing sales page.
Need more information or help with your copywriting? Let’s chat and get your page up and running.