Landing Pages and Calls to Action
The most important part of any online campaign is the call to action. A call to action is a simple request for your audience to take the next step. The easiest thing to do is use a “Buy Now” button, but you’re probably losing out on a lot of conversions if all you’re doing is asking people to buy. Other calls to action are:
• Subscribe to Newsletter
• Download our Free E-Book
• Download our Free Videos
• Order a Catalogue
• Request a Proposal
Build it (Easy) and they Will Come
The easier it is for your audience to take the next step, the more likely they are to act. We’re often taught as marketers to collect as much information as we can, but do you really need more than an email address and a name to continue the conversation? Your audience is much less likely to act if you’re looking for a phone number, address, or other personal information. And ask yourself; am I really going to do anything with all that extra info?
The Fewer the Words, the More They Matter
If you’re anything like me, you probably skipped ½ the words in this article. You probably read the bullet points and the bold-texted headline and subheads. That’s because we’re all accustomed to skimming content online. Because we treat your landing page content like a magazine or a newspaper, here are a couple simple things you can do to make sure people take the next action:
• Write Short Sentences – The shorter the better.
• Write Short Paragraphs – Don’t forget that many of your readers may be non-native English speakers, keep it short.
• Use Bullet Points – Perfect for scanning.
• Highlight Important Points in Bold – Don’t make them think.
• Use as many Subheads as Possible – Break topics into small paragraphs and tell your audience exactly what to expect.
• Use as Few Words as Possible – Practice writing and re-writing sentences for brevity.
• Use Graphics – A picture is worth 1000 words.
• Don’t Make Your Prospects Scroll Down – If I have to scroll on a landing page, you’ve lost me.
Tell Your Story with Great Design
Look at your design without any words and ask yourself: “Would I still buy this?” Great design can tell the story all alone. Here are a few design tips:
• Get Rid of Distraction
• Use Fewer Links
• Keep the Navigation Ultra Simple
• Avoid Multiple Calls to Action
Yes Your Way to More Sales
Once you’ve gotten your audience to take the first action, they’re much more likely to commit to a follow up action. If they’ve downloaded (and watched) your free videos, they’re much more likely to sign up for a free trial. If they’ve read your e-book, they’re much more likely to want to purchase your full-length e-book. We all have a psychological tendency to say “yes” again and again after the first “yes.” Get them saying “yes” and you’re on your way to a sale.
