Client Magnets Official Blog

What is the purpose of a sales page?

Too often, we misunderstand the purpose of the sales page itself, and consider it to be a simple finish line.  We concentrate on getting prospects to the sales page, but forget about the importance of getting them through the sales page.

The fact is, that about fifty percent of sales are lost at the ordering stage.  If prospects still have misgivings or unanswered questions after reading through your opt-in page, they’re likely to bail out.  Or, if your sales page is too complicated, they’re not likely to invest the energy into deciphering it.

Consider what improving your sales page can mean for your business plan – you can increase your conversion rate by fifty percent without sinking more money into marketing, and without working to drive more traffic to your site.

People could be turning away from your sales page right now.  That means that your best course of action would be to improve your sales-in page immediately – before you adjust marketing, revamp a homepage scroll, or optimize your site for the search engines.  Really…stop the presses and analyze your sale page.

Here are the major points you’ll need to get started:

• Make it possible for people to purchase your product any time of the day, any day of the year. Don’t complicate the system with preliminary phone calls or e-mails.  Make it easy for prospects to pay with PayPal or their credit cards, without the need for making contact with you.  Making purchasing possible while a prospect’s motivation is high is important for strengthening your sales page conversion rate.  You can give your visitors the option of placing an order by phone (some people still feel uneasy about using credit cards online), but don’t make that their primary option.

• Keep it super-simple. You can’t take anything for granted – including your prospects’ levels of literacy.  Maybe English is their second language, or maybe extensive vocabulary and complex sentences scare them away.  Ask a ten-year-old child to read and comprehend your sales page.  If the child can’t grasp it, then simplify it.

• A testimonial will go a long way toward that final click. Including the words (and maybe a photo) of someone who experienced great success or satisfaction with your product or service can help to seal other deals.

• Title your order form/page in a non-threatening way. Acceptance Form, Registration Form, and No Risk Acceptance Form are some good examples of headlines that reassure.

• The text on your order page should be written in your prospect’s voice. For example, “Yes, Dr. White, I’m ready to start enjoying the benefits of XYZ Fiber today.”

• When you involve your prospect in the ordering process, they take ownership, they feel responsible and in control, and they’re less likely to jump overboard.  Utilize things like check boxes and drop-down menus to make them feel that they have invested in the process, and you’ll contribute to higher conversion.

• If you’re offering any kind of a guarantee or return policy, the order form is the perfect place to reinstate that offer. It’s a good idea to write this part in the prospect’s words also.  For example, “I understand that if I am not completely satisfied, I can return…”

• Set up an autoresponder to send out an e-mail immediately following a customer’s order. In the e-mail, reinforce the wonderful decision that they’ve made.  Include an additional testimonial, and convey the confidence that you feel in their ability to experience the same success and/or satisfaction.

When designing your sales page and order form, put yourself in your prospects’ shoes.  Try to understand that money-spending is a fragile decision for a major portion of the population, and that it’s your job to instill buying confidence, erase misgivings, and answer questions.  You can’t be there…but you can take the action that gets the transaction…with a first-rate sales page!

Bernadette Doyle is a marketing specialist who helps entrepreneurs become client magnets and attract a steady stream of their ideal clients. If you’d like to receive invaluable tips and advice on how to attract clients with ease, register at http://www.clientmagnets.com

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