Your product or service is ready for launching. Now, all you have to do is begin promoting it.
You’ve already devoted months creating it, and it’s time to discover the right way to show your unique value proposition (UVP) to your target market.
However, you’re already busy with tons of stuff.
You’re running your own business, spending time with family and friends, and yet striving to find some time for yourself. It might seem like you don’t have much time to market your amazing product/service.
One of the best ways to do that is to craft a sales page that will sell the product/service instead of you.
What Is a Sales Page / Sales Letter
A sales page, also known as a sales letter, is a page on a website where you sell one thing.
For you, that’ll be your core offer. The aim of the page is to persuade the reader to purchase your product, join your coaching program, or book your service.
[su_highlight background=”#C3EF66″]It’s a place, which turns indifferent visitors into caring buyers.[/su_highlight]
You should arrange everything in a way that convinces the reader to take action towards your goal. In fact, your offer’s success often relies on your sales page.
NOTE: Sales pages/sales letters can refer to:
- Text sales letter or a TSL.
- Video sales letter or a VSL.
The first one is a page on a website, which you can read and take action from.
The second one is a video on a website, which you can watch and take action from.
Now that’s out of the way, let’s move to something else that’s crucial:
[su_highlight background=”#C3EF66″]3 questions to answer before you sit down to write a high-converting sales page[/su_highlight]
To know how to write a sales page that converts, you must answer three important questions.
This prep-work determines the success of your product/service. Spend as much time as needed to provide the best answer to them. Here they are:
1. Who Is Your Target Market?
To answer this question, you should perform extensive research, thoroughly identifying your audience.
[su_highlight background=”#C3EF66″]High-converting sales pages have a specific target market.[/su_highlight]
Put differently, these are the people who’ll be interested in and will eventually buy your product/service.
Identify their fears, struggles, and what hasn’t been helpful for them in the past.
Then, provide a solution to all their problems and challenges by painting a dream picture in their head. This picture should speak directly to your target market’s most sincere needs and desires.
2. What’s the Aim of Your Product/Service?
Here, you have to seriously think about what fundamental problem your product/service/course solves for your market? What will be Jeremy Smith’s outcome after purchasing your product / implementing your advice?
3. What Transformation Does Your Product/Service Bring to Your Audience?
Your target audience is looking for a transformation. Your product or service helps them achieve that transformation. Use the benefits of your offer but focus on the final picture:
- Will your core offer help them secure better jobs?
- Will it help them improve their lifestyle?
- Will it give them more freedom or ease out everyday stress?
- Will it save them time, so they can concentrate on the things they actually love doing?
The more benefits you come up with, the better. It’s essential to mention the benefits of your core offer, not its features.
Readers don’t care about you. They don’t care about your service. They don’t care how awesome your product is.
[su_highlight background=”#C3EF66″]ALL they care about is the transformation they’ll get when they buy your offer.[/su_highlight]
Now, take some time to draft all the benefits of your product/service. This will greatly help you when you actually sit down to craft your high-converting sales page.
By answering these three questions, you’ll have a sales page that is not only direct but also highly targeted.
How to Write A Sales Page That Converts
Once you’ve identified your goal, target audience, and the benefits of your product/service, it’s time to start crafting your sales page.
I know this can be a nerve-wracking process, especially if you haven’t done it before.
Writing sales copy is entirely different from academic writing. I learned this the hard way.
And since I want you to avoid that, here are several tips on how to write a sales page that converts:
1. Be Clear and Concise
Your sales page’s visitors are not there to read a book. With very short attention spans, they’ll most probably skim through the text to find bits that grab them. To effectively capture their attention:
- Use proper formatting (bold, italics, underline).
- Write in short, concise sentences.
- Craft catchy headlines.
- Use bullet points.
2. Don’t Be Afraid of Selling, and Use Urgency
Your sales page is called “a sales page” for a reason. It’s there to sell your product/service, and sounding a tad salesy is okay. To seal the deal, infuse your copy with urgency and scarcity.
The reader has to know why they should buy NOW, not later. Use compelling Call-to-Action (CTA) buttons to persuade them.
3. Position Your Product/Service as THE Solution to Their Problems
When you sit down to craft your sales letter, there’s one thing that should be present so it converts – ensuring it’s clear your offer will make your audience’s life better. For that reason, concentrate your efforts on the benefits of your product/service, not its features.
For example, if you’re selling a course that teaches them how to start a real estate business, don’t just say, “You’ll learn how to do that”. Instead, mention what approximate results they’re going to get in the real estate niche when they implement your advice, and how that is going to change their life.
High converting sales pages use conversational language. The rule here is:
[su_highlight background=”#C3EF66″]Write a text you’d want to read.[/su_highlight]
After all, the people who’ll buy your offer will be those who identify with you as an inventor, advisor, and mostly – a person.
The simplest yet most effective advice I can give you: Be yourself and show your strengths and weaknesses, so they can relate to you as a human.
[su_highlight background=”#C3EF66″]People buy from people.[/su_highlight]
The Structure of a High-Converting Sales Page
We’ve finally come to the most important part of your sales page – its structure.
To structure sales pages that convert, you need to arrange the different elements in a way that convinces the reader to open his/her wallet, take out their credit card, and buy your offer.
Make sure it’s incredibly easy for them to learn about all the benefits, the transformation they’re getting, and why they should invest in your product/service.
Whatever you’re selling, ensure it relates to your personal brand. If your audience notices your brand elements on the sales page from an article or something else they’ve read from you, this boosts their trust. And trust is crucial when selling.
Consider the following things, too:
- Reading the page should be an exciting journey for the reader: Think about how to start it in the best way. What will glue the reader to the screen the moment they start reading? Don’t tell them about you and your product’s price before you’ve thoroughly explained all the advantages of your offer. A good idea is to ask yourself the following question, “What’s the most important thing to share with my audience next?”
- Appropriate spacing and paragraphs make reading a breeze: Long sentences are hard to read. So are long paragraphs. Digital sales pages are not books, so don’t use more than 2-3 sentences per paragraph. Use headlines, bullet points, emojis (if they’re in line with your brand), icons, and appropriate formatting to keep their eye engaged. And ensure the spacing is consistent.
- The buying process should be hassle-free: Despite it sounds obvious, there are thousands of sales pages whose sign-up process is needlessly complicated. Use convincing CTA buttons, ensure they’re the same everywhere on the page, and craft the shortest possible sign-up form. One of the major reasons people don’t buy is a long and confusing payment process.
Elements of High-Converting Sales Pages
Now that you have a good idea of how the outline of your sales page looks like, it’s time to stitch everything together.
High-converting sales pages usually have all of the following elements:
AN ATTENTION-GRABBING HEADLINE
Consider this: Whenever you decide to click on a blog article, social media post, or a sales page, it’s the headline that has grabbed your attention first, right?
Your headline should summarize what’s inside the sales page in a way that makes the reader want to read the rest of it.
Here’s how to do this:
- Talk directly to your audience: Is your sales page for business coaches or stay-at-home moms? Creative beauty bloggers? Digital marketers? Millennials? Regardless of who they’re, talk to them and their needs directly.
- Be clear and targeted: Addressing everyone is addressing no one. If you’d like your sales page to convert, you have to speak directly to a very specific audience who’ll already have an interest in your core offer.
- Emphasize your offer’s benefits and the transformation it’ll bring: Paint a real picture in your audience’s heads. A picture that tells them what their life will look like after they’ve bought your product/service or implemented the advice you give in your course. Don’t limit yourself to just telling them what your offer includes. Share with them the transformation they’re going to get.
- Write 25 or more headlines and pick the best one. Your virtual pen might be able to nail the most compelling headline in a few attempts, but usually, this process takes time. Don’t fear enlisting every single idea your copywriter mind comes up with. Regurgitate everything on the paper/screen, and then carefully choose the best one.
A THOROUGH SUBTITLE/SUBHEADING
Subtitles and Subheadings can be longer than your main headline. They help your reader to learn more about your product/service. That’s the place for your solid promise to the audience.
Subtitles have three obligatory characteristics. They need to be 1) clear and 2) concise yet 3) descriptive.
- Who is your offer for?
- What are its benefits for the audience?
- What is the return on the buyer’s investment?
NOTE: If you’re writing a VSL, headlines and subheads are essential but non-mandatory elements of the video sales letter.
AN INTRODUCTORY STORY
The very best way to hook the reader in is to tell you about the problem they’re facing by using a compelling story. Our brains are hard-wired for stories.
[su_highlight background=”#C3EF66″]That fact makes storytelling the most powerful instrument to sell something.[/su_highlight]
When you tell a story, your readers immediately identify with it and relate to you.
When you tell a good story, you build trust. And trust is a key factor in selling.
Your introductory story is to show the audience that you know their pain points well. For example, numerous online coaches share their stories given that they fit their coaching program.
Consider this: When a friend of yours shares their experience about a product/service that has helped them solve a certain problem in their life, they always do it in a storytelling way.
John or Maria tell you how Product M or Service N have helped them overcome their struggles. You start to believe if they have changed for good, so can you. The same logic applies to your audience.
[su_highlight background=”#C3EF66″]NOTE: Don’t forget to focus on the transformation your offer will bring to your prospect’s life.[/su_highlight]
Often, that’s the decisive factor when people choose to buy. Use your introductory story as a means to paint a picture in your reader’s minds, so they can visualize the transformation.
Mention the pains and struggles, talk about what will happen if your reader doesn’t solve them, and then share how your product/service WILL help them overcome the problems.
SOCIAL PROOF
When you plan a visit to a new place, you open your favorite travel blogger’s website to seek options. You want to know if they’ve enjoyed the city BEFORE you book a flight.
Your reader will be looking for social proof on your sales page for the exact same reasons. Testimonials are one of the crucial elements for building authority and converting indifferent visitors into ferocious buyers.
To gather some social proof, ask the people who’ve already enrolled in your online course / used your service / bought your product to write a review about the transformation your offer has brought in their lives.
Social proof can be a written testimonial or a video testimonial. If possible, try to have a mix of both.
If you haven’t launched your offer yet, consider a pre-sale or having some beta testers. Be explicit that you’ll need a testimonial about their experience.
Social proof could also be:
- Trust seals.
- The number of people who have joined your course.
- The ROI of the people who have hired you as a coach / have used your product.
ABOUT SECTION
Rushing to tell who you are from the outset is not a good idea. Neither is leaving yourself out completely.
[su_highlight background=”#C3EF66″]People buy from people.[/su_highlight]
When you’ve built enough authority by telling a story, addressing the reader’s pain points, and describing a dream picture… it’s time to reveal why they should trust YOU exactly.
That’s usually a bit after the middle of your sales page. Sharing more things about you and your journey aids the reader in understanding that your specific set of skills, expertise, and practical experience WILL help them reach the so-craved transformation.
This is the place to blow your own horn, enlisting all your previous client results, (relevant) past achievements, and any awards/accolades you have.
DESCRIPTION OF YOUR OFFER
Another important element of a sales page that converts is the description of your offer.
Use the space to describe your product/service, focusing on its benefits (not features).
If you’re selling a digital course, include a roadmap, the different modules, and any bonuses (if applicable).
Be careful with the bonus part. You don’t want to overdo it. Ideally, your readers should want to buy your offer because of the offer itself, not the bonuses.
[su_highlight background=”#C3EF66″]NOTE: I know some copywriters focus mostly on the bonuses. And while that’s not necessarily bad, it kind of deviates a bit from the core offer.[/su_highlight]
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
An FAQ section is not mandatory for a sales page, but it’s proven to boost conversions further.
Why? Because answering several frequently asked questions can only be beneficial.
Some readers just skim the text and focus on the FAQ and the P.S. section, and you’d want to convert those, too.
If you haven’t done your best job persuading the reader with your sales page, the FAQ section can help you disperse their last doubts or objections.
The FAQ section usually consists of the TOP 5 or TOP 10 most common questions, including pricing (see below), money-back or other guarantees, a timeline of the course/program (if any), etc.
[su_highlight background=”#C3EF66″]NOTE: Be short and to the point.[/su_highlight]
PRICING
We all feel odd when we have to talk about money. Let’s face it, though – you have crafted your product/service not only to help your audience but also to make some cash.
While the FAQ section of your sales page is optional, the Pricing section is mandatory.
[su_highlight background=”#C3EF66″]NOTE: If you have a team who’ll be doing the sales over the phone after your visitors book a call (the main CTA), then, you might skip the pricing. But most of the time, it’s a must.[/su_highlight]
Ensure your pricing section is as clear and as straightforward as is humanly possible. A smart way to do that is to separate all the parts of your offer (if any), and have a price tag after each of them.
After that, you have two options – package everything 1) as a bundle offer; or 2) as standalone services/products.
Mention your pricing tiers if you have different ones. And make sure your CTA is consistent everywhere.
MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE
Writing a sales page that converts necessitates another mandatory element. Often, it’s this component that’s the decisive factor for your prospects to buy.
This is a guarantee in some form. The guarantee has one aim – to take away ALL the risk and showcase your confidence that the product/service you’re selling WILL help your audience.
Most often, it’s a 100% money-back promise within the first 30 days of buying. However, you can change the period or conditions in accordance with your own preferences and your potential customers.
If you’re extremely confident your product/service works, besides the 100% money-back guarantee, you can add another element.
For instance, when I write email copy for clients, I promise to reimburse all the money they gave me in advance AND pay them an extra set amount of money ($500-$3,000) if my emails don’t bring them the desired results.
That’s like paying for their lost time.
[su_highlight background=”#C3EF66″]Be careful with this and ensure you have extra conditions for such a bold guarantee.[/su_highlight]
A P.S. SECTION
In 2021, readers have shorter attention spans than in 2000. That’s not to say they won’t read your page. They will as long as you made it interesting.
But many will most probably skim through your letter, focusing only on the beginning, some elements you highlighted, and the end.
For that reason, it’s advisable to always have a short P.S. section.
[su_highlight background=”#C3EF66″]NOTE: It doesn’t have to be worded as a “P.S. section”.[/su_highlight]
Here, you can recap what you’re offering in a few paragraphs or via a list with bullets, giving them yet another reason to buy.
Again, make sure the CTA you’re using is clear and consistent, and add elements of scarcity and urgency.
Create Your Own Sales Page
Knowing the elements of a high-converting sales page and including them all will dramatically increase your conversion rates.
Here’s a template, which you can use over and over again:
- A Convincing Headline.
- Thorough Subtitles and Subheadings.
- An Introductory Story that describes your experience, the struggles you’ve been through, and how you dealt with them.
- Explicit Benefits of buying your product / signing up for your service / joining your program.
- Social Proof – video or written testimonials and/or reviews of happy clients/customers.
- First CTA button.
- Information about you, along with a cool photo. The best way to present this section – in a storytelling way.
- Pricing details of your offer with a breakdown of the elements (if any). Make sure to use minimizing words (tiny, paltry, measly, etc. – for the tiny amount of XXX; for the paltry $45 per month; for the measly €197).
- Another CTA button.
- Guarantee – Satisfaction, Money-back, etc.
- A section with Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – optional.
- A P.S. or concluding section, recapping your offer.
- One more CTA button.
As long as you’re driving traffic, a persuasive sales page will sell your product/service on auto-pilot. But it takes time.
[su_highlight background=”#C3EF66″]Remember that the most important thing is to test your sales page. Nothing can beat a good test.[/su_highlight]
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Now, if you’d like to hire me to write your high-converting sales page for you, get in touch via the button below.
