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Get the low-down on why your offer needs a high-converting, long-form sales page.
I don’t know about you, but as someone who has products for sale online, I’m constantly bombarded by ideas for different marketing strategies. I’m surrounded by a host of advisors telling me the best way to build a funnel, or how to nurture my audience.
Having too many choices can often lead to decision paralysis. We can find ourselves stuck, wondering where to even start.
To borrow a phrase from the great Stephen Covey, the answer is to “start with the end in mind”.
And when it comes to creating your copy, starting at the end is about the most effective strategy there is.
Here’s why:
Any salesperson worthy of the title will tell you that knowing your offer {inside and out} is essential to making that sale.
Now, you know your offer. Of course you do — you created it!
But have you got a deep understanding of what your offer means to your prospects?
Here’s the thing… sometimes we’re so close to our offer and our business, that we forget how to see it from another's perspective.
We’re so caught up in how brilliant we’ve been in creating something unique and wonderful. We forget our audience wasn’t with us to see the magic happening. They don’t know about all those weeks, months, or even years spent burning the candle at both ends. They don’t understand the jargon that’s become part of our everyday world, and they most likely don’t care to learn it either.
What they want to know, is what we all want to know as we get ready to part with our hard-earned cash:
“What’s in it for me?”
That’s why I’d like you to consider beginning to prepare your marketing plan in reverse — starting, with your Sales Page!
But first, let’s clear something up…
Sales page vs landing page — what’s the difference?
You’ve most likely heard these terms bandied around. Exactly where the line between the two sits can be unclear. So for what it’s worth, here’s my humble opinion on how to distinguish between the two. Let’s look at the landing page first:
Landing Page is the broad term for any page where you ask your reader to take final action. They’ve moved through your perfectly crafted funnel, and they have one choice, to click, or not to click. Your landing page may {or may not} feature some persuasive copy to convert those fence-sitters hanging on at the end of the funnel.
Actions you might be asking your reader to take could be:
Signing up for your newsletter
Book a call
Registering for your webinar
Subscribing to an offer
Buying a product or service
Clear so far? Great!
Now, Sales Pages are landing pages. {This is where the line gets a little blurry, so stay with me}. But a Sales Page asks your reader only one question:
“Are you ready to buy this?”
Of course, if your product costs more than a few dollars or pounds, asking that question outright will most often lead to a negative response. That’s why our sales page needs to be ready to do some heavy lifting.
Let’s look at some of the information your sales page should contain in the next section.
What information should a sales page contain?
Unless your offer is super-technical, the answer to this question is, well, everything!
By the time your prospects have made it through to your sales page, they should already be the type of client that gets you excited. That means that there’s a great chance they’ll want to buy what you have to offer — providing that you can soothe their doubts and answer their questions.
Your sales page should showcase you and your offer. It needs to speak to your prospect in a way that’s familiar and easy to understand.
As they navigate through your well-crafted page, it appeals to them. It feels comfortable. It addresses a problem they have and presents a clear solution. It discusses alternatives that show your ideal prospect what they gain from choosing your offer.
Your prospect needs to feel they are ready to make the best choice for their circumstances {whether that’s YES or NO}. And that means they need to be able to trust you.
Presenting a no-holds-barred overview of your offer helps your prospects to know exactly what they’re getting for their money {and reduces refund requests}.
And of course, finally, what every buyer wants to know…
that they are getting a good deal!
Lots to think about and I’m guessing the title of the next section may have already popped into your head.
How long does a sales page need to be?
Ah, the million-dollar question. I’ve often heard it said that your sales page should reflect the price and complexity of your offer. I can’t argue with that.
If you’re heading to Amazon to buy a new centrifugal juicer, you’ll want some information, right? You want to know what it looks like, how much space it takes up, how much fruit you can feed it before it needs cleaning. That kind of thing. And then you’ll dive into the reviews and see what folks have to say…
But if you’re signing up for a 6-month coaching program, odds on you’ll be looking for a lot more detail. You’ll want to know that the coach has the understanding and knowledge to guide you through your particular challenges. You’ll need to be certain that the program offers the amount of support you need. That it corresponds with your schedule. You’ll want to have enough information about the coach and their success record to weigh them up against other choices. And the list goes on. But with something as personal as coaching and mentorship, what your reader is really looking for is a connection — with you!
In short, it takes as long as it takes. Connections made, information given, objections addressed…
That may sound daunting, so what’s the alternative? Let’s find out in the next section…
What happens if I don’t have a sales page for my offer?
There’s a school of thought that says you don’t need a sales page. But how can you be sure that no one…
Abandoned their cart after your webinar because they had questions?
Clicked away from the link you sent in your email because they didn’t feel that connection?
Decided not to book that call because, well, just because?
You can’t.
But a Sales Page can!
It answers doubters, nurtures connections and speaks to those introverted prospects who don’t love a Zoom call. All without you having to lift a finger!
And there’s more…
What other benefits are there to having a long-form sales page?
You’ll remember at the beginning that I suggested you start at the end.
Once you have your offer clear, you’ll beta-test it to prove your concept and gather the data for analysis.
When you’re ready to market your offer to the big wide world — creating your sales page first can be a winning strategy.
It forms the cornerstone of your marketing effort.
With your long-form page ready to go you’ll have an abundance of material to help you create:
Emails
Social media posts
Live broadcasts
Signature pitches for podcast appearances
Think of it as the master document that every other piece of your marketing funnel leads back to.
To sum up…
A sales page is a landing page that asks your reader to buy from you
It’s the cornerstone of your marketing strategy
It creates connections, provides information and answers objections
It’s long enough to say everything your prospect needs to hear {without being boring or repetitive}
It’s easy for your prospect to understand and identify with
Not investing in a sales page may mean you’re leaving cash on the table
Hi, I’m Wendy, a voice of customer copywriter and copywriting workbook author based in South Derbyshire, UK. I work with copywriters, creatives, coaches, outdoor types and adventurers who are driven by a passion to change the world for the good.
Want to grab yourself a free copy of my super Sales Page checklist? Download My 19 Top Tips for Your Launch-Ready Sales Page here!
Or, to find out how to work with me on your next sales page head to https://www.wendyannjones.com/yourviplaunch
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