What is a sales page?
Sales pages are standalone assets created for the specific purpose of encouraging sales conversions. The products or services sold on this business asset differ by niche and industry, but the goal is the same for each one. It is to get a visitor to become a customer.
A sales page comes in many forms. Some are short and to the point, while others might offer more than 5,000 words of text. Alongside both options, you will also find a mix of other engaging content assets, like; videos, infographics, product images, and portfolio examples to encourage a click or a transaction.
Without a high-performance sales page, a brand and business cannot maximize its profits online in today’s market.
What is the difference between a landing page and a sales page
A landing page specifically targets actions that do not result in a sale. These lead generations could be an email sign up, booking a call, or asking for a free estimate. By contrast, a sales page is looking for a monetary transaction as its sole focus.
What is a good sales page conversion rate?
Because there are different types of sales pages and of course industries employing them, I’m going to focus on e-commerce conversion rates for sales pages in 2021 and split them by country.
E-commerce sales conversion rates by country in 2021
Data from Ecommerce Europe.
If we were to look that the UK market specifically and segment by industry in 2021, we would find the following data, as stated by IPR Commerce.
E-commerce sales conversion rates in the UK, by industry in 2021
Companies like Amazon boast a much higher conversion rate. In the case of Amazon, it is something like 13%. This comes with vigorous daily testing over months and months of project work. In fact, I dare say that Amazon test daily as part of an ongoing project into raising conversions.
How to plan a sales page
Planning your sales page content before you step into the design process is key, as it allows you to be clear with your offer and KPIs so that you can draft the best first copy as you go into A/B testing. Here is how to do that:
1. Design your offer
Decide which product or service you want to sell and create a single sales page for that offer.
2. Set your annual KPI
Decide how many you need to sell this year and create a data file that will allow you to track your efforts with this individual sales page. Most websites will have some form of tracking to help you. You can of course use Google Analytics and set up tagging too.
3. Design your headline
Grab your clients' attention with a showstopping headline. Anything that makes your ideal client stop and read on, is a great way to increase your opportunity to convert. A/B testing here is crucial for conversion rate improvements over time.
4. Craft your copy and assets
Answer your client's needs succinctly and share imagery that helps sell your offer. Being as clear as possible what you are selling and how it helps your client solve a problem is imperative if you want to make the sale. This is where you need to decide if your sales page is short-form content or long-form content. Shortform, being a simple one screen ad and a long-form content page will require scrolling and segmenting various informational pieces. You tend to find longer forms of content for offers that are either more complicated or require a bigger investment, for example; year-long learning courses, over a one-off appointment booking.
5. Set One clear call to action
Set one clear call to action button that urges the sale.
Once you are set up make sure to test your page before publishing so that all elements work and the cart system is easy to use.
How to Create a Better Sales Page in 5 Steps
The best sales pages do more than pitch products and services. They deliver something valuable to the consumer that provides a positive experience, even if a purchase doesn’t happen.
The ideas listed can help create a sales page that converts well by hitting the value markers that people want to see today.
1. Create a meaningful value proposition.
A value proposition should communicate why your products or services are better than a competitor's similar offer. It doesn't need to be a complicated piece of text to get the point across. All you need to do is identify a problem the consumer wants to be solved and show them why you can provide the resource better than anyone else.
Don’t forget to include a call to action with specific instructions for someone to follow so that they know how to acquire what you’re offering.
2. Find the correct price point.
Businesses use A/B testing to discover how different approaches impact lead generation. A similar approach can help you find the right price to pitch with a sales page.
Cost is the primary sticking point for many buyers. If you can offer more than one price option and label each tier with descriptive names, it’ll work to create more interest in what you’re offering.
3. Review the title and subheadings.
Newspapers create sales by delivering an exciting headline that promises more information in the text body that a customer wants to see. Your sales page must take the same approach with the title and subheadings to deliver on its promises.
If you use simple and straightforward language that clearly states what someone can expect, you’re more likely to get someone to invest in your services.
4. Offer an authentic description.
A sales page should deliver enough details about a product or service that everyone can understand the point you’re making. Descriptions of each feature should be part of the equation, but you’ve got to be careful about repeating yourself.
No one wants to read the same content three or more times on the same sales page. You'll be seen as long-winded and inefficient, creating an adverse reaction that could increase your bounce rate.
5. Focus on the benefits.
A good sales page points out the specific features a product or service offers. The great ones show people the benefits they can expect when investing their hard-earned money in your business. Once you’ve mentioned that fact, take it to the next step. What’s the advantage someone earns after they’ve achieved a desirable outcome?
Don't forget to offer upsells and downsells as part of your sales page structure, especially on long-form content. Giving visitors multiple meaningful options with a clear value promise makes it much easier to convert them to paying customers.
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