Getting the Most Bang For Your Buck: Your Sales Page "How To"
The sales page is one of the most important, and most difficult, pieces of copy to write. For a business, it is the make or break area for converting leads into sales.
First, let's take a moment to explain the sales page. This page has only one goal: to get the sale. You're no longer prospecting leads when you get to this page. Its only function is to convince people to buy your product or service. And this is where it gets tricky. You have to find a delicate balance between being too pushy and too soft in your delivery. Too hard of a sales pitch and you drive your customers away. Too soft will undersell and you'll lose the sale anyway. Old fashioned salesmanship is king here, and no amount of digital-age "magic" can replace it. So how do you go about getting the best response from your copy?
There are as many steps and formulas to use as there are actual sales pages. But they all hit the same basic elements that are key to creating a winning message. If you want to improve your chances of converting leads to profits on your sales page, you NEED to do these things:
1. KNOW YOUR PERFECT CUSTOMER
You need to write your sales page as if you were only looking to sell to one specific person. Who exactly IS that person? Male, female, age...where do they live? What do they do for a living? What are their hobbies? What keeps them up at night? Get very specific here. Do your research. Then start working on a message. Once you know exactly who you are targeting, the details of your sales pitch become easier to write.
2. DEFINE YOUR GOAL
Even if you sell 100 different products or a bunch of different services, you need to pick ONE for your sales page. When you throw out too many offerings, you can't hone your message and target your customer office. It ends up being generic, confusing, and your messaging sounds weak. When you stick to one goal you can better figure out who to target and create a stronger message.
3. YOUR HEADLINE SHOULD BE IRRESISTiBLE
You've got about 3 seconds to capture a customer's attention. How are you going to catch it and keep it? Your headline might be the most important part of your actual written copy. Without a dynamic headline, customers won't stick around to see what you're offering. Your headline should be less than 11 words long, but still make an impact. You can make that happen by using How Tos, asking a question, or highlighting a free offer. Short, simple, direct, and emotionally compelling. That's the key to a great headline.
4. GET FOCUSED
Your product or service might solve lots of problems, but you only should focus on one thing. Think about your ideal customer. Remember that one thing that keeps them up at night? THAT'S the problem your product or service should be solving. You're selling high speed internet? Focus on how your customer could lose a top client if their Zoom call cuts out because of weak signal. Identify that one pain point, then focus on it. Drive it home. Make it emotional. People buy because of feelings. If you can tap into those feelings, you tap into sales.
5. SIMPLIFY
Nothing will turn a customer off faster than a never-ending sea of words. Words that are nothing but filler. Paragraphs full of jargon and "big, impressive" words. If you're trying to impress your target with fancy language, you'll find yourself alone. Data suggests that the best copy is written at a 7th grade level or below. Keep your copy short, simple, and direct. Once you've written your copy, go back and edit it. Can you write each sentence with fewer words? Do it. Then take what you've got left and break it up visually. Use bullet points, changes in font, images and graphics. Those changes in text will keep customer attention and get them to keep reading your offer.
6. TELL A STORY
It doesn't have to even be a true story, it can be an anecdote. It only has to center around the focus problem you are solving for your customer. Here's an example of a proper anecdote. You sell portable generators. A snowstorm has blown in and knocked out power for days. Customers manage to cook, have lights, and not lose the contents of your refrigerator. Why? Because of the power of your generator and its ease of use. That is a proper anecdote. It isn't a true story, but it paints a scenario where your product's true features are highlighted.
Now, there is a difference between telling a fictional story and LYING. Anecdotes are great, but making up testimonials or product benefits is WRONG. Stick to true statements about your product and services. Don't "create" testimonials. Real testimonials are compelling. Fake testimonials are as unethical as lying about your product or service.
7. KNOW OBJECTIONS, THEN SHOW THEM TO THE DOOR
Customer objections are normal and to be expected. But a great sales page will address those objections and stop them dead in their tracks. When you talk about the objections (price, need, ease of use, etc), it shows customers you have nothing to hide. You show them you understand their concern, and then you put that concern to rest. Price is the biggest objection you will receive. You can address it, then show the extra value they'll receive or the amount they will save by buying it.
8. HIGHLIGHT THE BENEFITS
So many businesses mess up here. They focus on the company, or the attributes of the product or service. They think that's what highlighting the benefits is all about. But that's wrong. Instead, you want to paint the picture of a world where the customer pain is gone. Where they are enjoying life without that problem we identified earlier.
And they are enjoying this all because of your product or service.
No one buys ANYTHING because of the features of a product. They buy because of what it will do for them. How it will make them feel. THAT'S what you need to be highlighting. They need to know how your product will make their life better. They need a tangible description of what they are getting. Paint that picture in their mind. You've got a miracle facial firming cream? Let them imagine being the youngest looking person at their high school reunion. All because they bought your product.
9. GIVE YOUR CALL TO ACTION SOME MUSCLE
You've finally got them to the end of your sales page using the tips above. Now it's time to close the sale. Time to finish strong with your call to action. Don't lose the sale now by "suggesting" they make the sale. TELL THEM. Give your customer a specific instruction. "Click now." "Don't wait." "Get yours today." "Call for your free consultation." Those are all direct calls to action. If possible, add more of the compelling language reinforcing your highlighted benefits. Let's use the firming cream for example. "Click now to start looking younger today." That call to action tells the customer exactly what to do and what benefit they will receive when they do it.
It also focuses on a single call to action...click now. Often times a business will focus on too many directions, giving a number to call, an email, or a button to click. Stick with one or you risk customers not knowing which is best. When they have to take time to decide what to do, they have time to decide NOT to do it. Don't give them the options. Tell them exactly what to do right then and now.
*Bonus tip: If you think your sales page looks great the first time you write it, go back and rewrite it. Chances are it won't give you the response you're looking for with your target audience. Winning sales pages need the same care and maintenance as a Ferrari. Keep fine tuning it. Practice, practice, practice! Over time, your sales pages will improve and so will your profits. Follow the steps above and you will be well on your way to winning!