The 10 Essential Ingredients of Successful Sales Pages
Posted by Jason Better on Sep 2, 2010 3:45 pm
Source: CopyBlogger.com | Author:
When you see dozens of copywriting formulas promising “the perfect sales page,” how do you know which ones to trust?
After all, each formula seems to have a successful direct sales superstar behind it, and each one looks like a solid plan. What do you do in the face of these wildly different sales letter styles?
The first step is to realize that copywriting is more than any one “formula” — it’s an exercise in communication and persuasion.
Just like a recipe, different formats will give you different results. The recipe you’re looking for will depend on your audience — and you’ll have to test yours to find out what they respond to best.
But whatever sales page recipe you choose to follow, the important thing is to understand the reasoning behind the “ingredients” that go into it. Let’s take a look at what every successful sales page should have — regardless of how your recipe gets stirred up.
1. Headlines that make promises and demand attention
Here at Copyblogger we’ve talked extensively about writing great headlines — and the importance that a solid lead-in has for getting your copy read.
If you don’t nail the headline (the single most important part of your sales letter), no one will stick around for the rest.
Your headline must pre-qualify the reader based on their needs and wants, as well as promise them an intriguing result if they’ll stick around and read what comes next.
Want to get good at making this happen? Practice. If you’re not cultivating a headline swipe file and honing your attention-grabbing skills with each blog post you write, then you need to get started now.
2. Opening paragraphs that promise and persuade
Presuming your headline piques your readers’ curiosity, you then need to lead readers to a psychological commitment to read every word of your copy.
You can do this by using those initial paragraphs to draw them in, establishing rapport, and expanding on the promise you made in the headline.
This is the place to get more specific about what your readers are about to learn. Most important of all, let them know how that knowledge will get them closer to their desired result.
There’s a reason opening paragraphs are often called “teasers” — they’re meant to show just enough to make the reader want to see more.
Continue to help your reader understand they’re in the right place (and that there’s juicy knowledge to be gained by scrolling down), and they’ll keep reading all the way to the very end.
3. Stories that reveal the reasons behind the offer
The old expression “Words tell, stories sell,” is still 100% true — people become more emotionally connected with copy that tells a story. You’ll do well to create a compelling (and true, of course!) backstory to why the offer you’re making came into existence, because that pulls the reader into your copy on a deeper level.
We all want to see how the story unfolds — and that’s precisely why so many effective sales pages include transformative stories about the product’s author (or the people the author has helped). The reader wants a result via your offer, and they’ll pay close attention to storylines that involve that result coming to pass.
If you’re not a natural storyteller, then revisit some sales pages you’ve seen in the past and read them again with an eye for story. You’ll be surprised how you see good writers work these seamlessly into their copy.
Views: 78
| 
Comments: 0