Why are sales pages so long????
Last year, I was on a networking call last year where another small business participant lamented “I HATE those long sales pages…” and "why do those sales pages have to be sooooo long?"
You know, the ones that seem to scroll on forever and ever…
There are many reasons why someone would create a really long sales page, and I’ll tell you one of them:
Because everyone makes buying decisions differently.
This past year, my child was offered an amazing recreational opportunity. But it was also expensive and a big time commitment.
Some parents jumped on the opportunity right away - they didn’t need the details. They just asked “where do I sign up?”
Not me. I had a million questions.
And even when I got answers to my first few questions, I thought of NEW questions.
I needed all the details first - and then some time to mull over my decision.
I ultimately said yes… but not without a lot of “back and forth” first.
Remember that sometimes your sales page is the ONLY sales conversation you’ll have with your prospects.
It can be the ONLY opportunity you have to answer their questions, illustrate the benefits, and address their hesitations.
A long sales page CAN BE the “back and forth” that some people will need before they will buy.
Your sales page should tell them most or all of these things:
The features
The BENEFITS of those features
Who it’s for
All the nitty gritty details that someone might need to make a decision
The answers to their hesitations*
Your story and/or your credentials
Proof how your product or services has benefited other people
Now… what about those people who are ready to say “yes” right away? The ones who hate long sales pages?
THAT'S EASY. Sprinkle multiple “buy” buttons throughout the page, not just at the bottom.
That way, if they decide halfway through the page that they are ready for the next step, the buy button is right there (and they don’t have to do the endless scroll to get there).
Now you’ve served both the snap decision maker AND the person that needs the full scoop before buying.
*Notice that I didn't say "overcome objections." This marketing speak can either be benign or downright misleading. Some people interpret this as "persuade the prospect to overlook their objections" - and I find that manipulative and doesn't actually serve the customer.
What I mean is to address their hesitations.
For example: if I'm selling a 6 week class on Tuesday nights, one hesitation my prospect may have is: "What if I miss a class due to traffic or kids being sick?" This could be an internal hesitation that may be holding them back because they aren't sure if they would lose out. You must answer all of their internal narrative questions.
In this case, address their hesitation ahead of time on the sales page by telling them what happens if they are unable to attend one of the 6 sessions. Is it recorded for later viewing? Do they receive a credit for future classes? THAT is what I mean about addressing hesitations.
If YOU have a sales page for something new, let me help. I can either edit your existing sales page, or write a whole new one. Hit REPLY or book a quick call here: www.bit.ly/mcshaneconsult. Not ready yet? Hop on my email list for more copy and content tips.
In the meantime, review your sales page and make sure that it answers all of the above. The more of a time or financial commitment that your offer is, the longer your sales page may need to be. A free 30-minute webinar doesn't need much - a $10,000 product or service may require a lot more information before your customer feels comfortable that it's the right fit. Yes, sales pages can grow long, but sprinkle in multiple buy or signup buttons throughout the page so that the quick decision maker can get to the purchase page whenever they are ready.