I know what some of you are thinking.
You’re asking:
“Do I really need a sales page anymore? Can’t I sell using social media/webinars/live events/blog posts/podcast episodes?”
I don’t know the details of your exact situation, but I will say this:
If you need to spell out the benefits of your product or service in order to make more sales (which you do), a sales page will drive more positive results for your business.
Unfortunately, writing sales pages has gotten a bit of a bad rap. Some people get wildly anxious when they sit down to write one. Or worse, they fill their sales pages with rambling copy that doesn’t persuade anyone to buy.
These days, I’ve developed a specialty as a sales page copywriter — so I wanted to give you three quick tips for improving your own sales pages.
But first, I want to tell you how I fell in love with writing them.
Why I love writing sales pages — and how you can learn to love them, too
About a year ago, I took Derek Halpern’s Sales Page That Converts course, which was a game-changer for me. I studied the course closely, and used that advice to craft sales pages for my next six clients.
As it turns out, I’ve got a knack for it. One page I wrote for a client resulted in a $70,000 launch. That one felt good, I gotta admit.
I’ve learned to love writing sales pages by doing it … a lot. I understand what my goals are and what I need to accomplish in each section. I know what questions to ask my clients. And I understand the writing process.
These days, sales pages are like giant puzzles that I get to put together.
You can learn to love writing sales pages, too — you just need practice.
I understand the struggles of facing a blank screen when you’re writing, so here are my three best pieces of advice to jump-start the process for you.
Tip #1: Thoroughly explain your offer
The most important thing any persuasive copy needs to do is give your prospects the information they need to make a decision.
That means you’ve got to clearly explain the features and benefits of a product or service, and why your product or service is different from your competition.
For example, if you’re selling hot air balloon rides, you’ll need to describe the features by explaining how long the ride will last, whether it’s appropriate for kids, the safety measures you employ, and what riders can expect on the big day.
Then you could show one of the benefits of your service by describing it as a potential gift for a loved one. If your prospect gave the ride as a once-in-a-lifetime gift to a spouse, you could describe the joy and gratitude on her face as they lift off into the air on a crisp autumn morning.
Or you could talk about how excited the prospect’s kids would be if they got to go for a balloon ride and how his kids would think he is the world’s greatest dad. You could mention that one of your balloons would be a wonderfully memorable place for a proposal!
You’ve also got to explain why your balloon rides are better (or different) from your competitor’s. Do you cater to people who have a fear of heights? Do you do Disney-themed rides that are perfect for kids? Do you provide longer balloon rides than anyone else in your area?
Whatever your product or service, don’t be afraid to spill all the beans and share all the juicy details of what the prospect gets, why it’s awesome, and why you’re the right choice.
Tip #2: Answer all of your prospects’ questions
One of the most important parts of a sales page is the “Frequently Asked Questions” section. This is the place where you get to address all of the nagging little questions on your prospects’ minds.
When many prospects ask questions about your product, what they really want to know is:
“Is this going to work for me?”
For example, let’s say you’re selling an online program that teaches people how to start their own online hot air balloon ride company.
When your prospect lands on your sales page, she’s going to have some concerns. Almost all potential customers do.
- If she’s a newbie entrepreneur, she’s worried she doesn’t have enough experience, and she’ll be completely lost in your program.
- If she has lots of experience with ballooning, she’s concerned there won’t be enough useful material in the program for her.
- If she’s from some far-flung corner of the world, she’s worried that the information in your program won’t apply to her, because the ballooning regulations may be different in her neck of the woods.
Your job is to address all of these concerns in your “Frequently Asked Questions” section.
Brainstorm every question you’ve ever been asked about your product or service, and then narrow down your list to the 10 most common questions. Next, write down your (honest) answers to those queries in your sales page’s FAQ.
You’re particularly looking for questions that stop people from buying. The better you are at addressing your prospect’s concerns, doubts, and objections, the more sales you’ll bring in.
Tip #3: Don’t be afraid of writing a long page
If you do everything I described in tips #1 and #2, you’ll need to use more than a couple of lines of copy. It’s just a fact.
Don’t fear the long-form sales page! If you need eight pages of copy to give your prospects everything they need to make a decision, so be it.
I promise — you’re not going to content marketing hell for writing a long sales page. (Actually, Copyblogger has always advised that you make your copy as long as it needs to be.)
That doesn’t mean you’ll fill your sales page with pointless fluff just to meet some imaginary word count requirement. Every word needs to count, and every phrase needs to pull your prospect closer to your desired action.
Longer copy sells because it provides all of the right information.
Your sales page can be one of your best business assets
When you write a high-conversion sales page, you create an “online salesperson” that can bring in sales for your business — month after month and year after year.
As you keep practicing, you’ll notice that one day, writing sales pages won’t be scary. Pretty soon, you might actually be crazy enough to enjoy writing them.
Writers: Ready to position yourself for greater success?
Beth Hayden is one of Copyblogger’s Certified Content Marketers. Our Certification training is a powerful tool that helps you learn new writing strategies and position your business for greater success. We’ll be re-opening the program shortly — add your email address below to learn when we reopen to new students.
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