8 Tips For Creating Landing Pages That Sell

by Keith Smiley

Unfortunately, most marketers don’t put enough effort into creating effective landing pages.  Often it’s the least considered element of an ad campaign.  Marketers spend so much time and money putting together direct mail, e-mail marketing, and print advertising, that the landing page is often something that is flung together without much thought or planning. 

This is a huge mistake.

The landing page has to close the sale.  It’s the final destination after your prospect has read your sales letter, your e-mail, or clicked on your banner ad. Once they go to your landing page your goal is to keep them there until they make a decision to purchase your product or download your free white paper. 

Landing pages must be easy to follow, restate the offer that was described in the sales letter or e-mail, summarize the main benefits, and describe exactly what the prospect is getting or buying.   

Here are 8 tips for creating effective landing pages. 

1.  Remind them why they clicked.  When your prospect clicks on your landing page, the original e-mail message tends to go out of view, along with the benefits you’ve written.  So you must repeat those benefits on the landing page.  You can do this by doing this within a text box, so your prospect will be reminded right away why they clicked. 

2.  Use A Conversational Copy Style.  Because it’s targeted, your landing page needs to speak on a more personal level.  It has to be written like it’s a letter from one person to another.   

3.  Finish The Story.     You may not be able to complete the selling job in the e-mail because of space restrictions.  The landing page can finish the sales message for you.  You can also add more information and elaborate on your products features and benefits on your landing page. 

4.  Capture the E-Mail address of non-buyers.  Some prospects may like what you have to sell, but they are not yet ready to buy.  Put up a window with copy offering a free report in exchange for submitting their e-mail address. That way you can stay in touch with them.   

5.  Use lots of bullets.  Build lots of selling points about your product onto the landing page.  Give your prospect as many great benefits about your product as possible.     

6.  Never leave them guessing.  You have to guide your prospects through the selling process.  Just because there’s an order form on the landing page doesn’t mean people will automatically know what to do.  You have to tell them.  Make sure you give clear instructions.  

7.  If you’re offering something for free, then say so.  If you’re offering a free download of a white paper or case study state it clearly.  Don’t assume that the prospect knows what you’re offering is free.  Your copy should say something like, “Click here to download my FREE White Paper.”   

8.  Reinforce the guarantee.  Remind the prospect that they have nothing to lose by responding to your offer.    

Your landing page should tell the complete story of your product.  The idea is to present the complete selling argument so that your prospect will have enough information to make a purchase decision or to download your free case study or white paper.