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They Clicked, They Left (04/30/2004)
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Why aren't your Web site visitors buying?
If you're like most companies, you focus on driving traffic to
your Web site via advertising. If too few visitors buy something
once they're there, you blame your marketing program. You may say
the media costs were too high or the clicks were junk traffic.
True, some marketing campaigns will perform better than others.
But in many cases, you can improve your visitor-to-buyer conversion
rate just by modifying your Web site, not your marketing.
In his e-book, How to Develop a Landing Page That Closes the Sale,
Dr. Ralph F. Wilson urges business owners to evaluate their landing
pages, also known as entry pages. The landing page is the page
shoppers see once they click an online ad, a search engine listing
or a banner ad, for example. The goal of a landing page is to
persuade visitors to complete a transaction.
Is your home page a landing page? You shouldn't consider it one.
Your ad entices people to click for more information, while your
landing page closes the sale. It shouldn't invite people to surf
your Web site. It's a stand-alone page that hides your main Web
site navigation. It offers few or no options other than taking
the intended action. And the copy should expand upon the message
revealed in the advertisement visitors clicked on. Keep in mind
that different ads require different landing pages; each landing
page should be customized for a particular audience.
There's more than explanatory copy at work on entry pages. According
to Wilson, an effective landing page uses the psychological factors
of enhancing desire, creating a rationale, making the offer
compelling, and building trust to sell a product or service.
"Never underestimate the power of emotional selling," says Wilson.
"A no-nonsense description of an offer may work for nationally
branded companies. Most companies don't have that luxury. Today's
shoppers are pressed for time and money. Address their emotional
needs, and your sales will at least double."
To write copy that appeals to your potential customers on an
emotional level, pretend to interview them. Start with the following
questions: What problems are you dealing with now? How do you want
these resolved, and what are your concerns? What would make you buy
this solution today? Strip out the industry jargon from your reply
for simple, results-oriented copy. This is the making of a good entry page.
What makes a good landing page better? Unfortunately, there is no
magic formula. But it's an easy question to answer: Test a variety
of pages. You can change your page design, reprioritize your
benefits, or use case studies.
The Web audience is diverse, and individuals will respond to
different marketing messages and presentation styles. It's up
to you to discover which landing pages will get your visitors
to become your customers.
-- Catherine Seda
Source: Entrepreneur.com
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