It’s the last leg of the race.
You’ve been giving it everything you’ve got.
But you’re tired, worn out, muscles are sore, heart is beating fast, palms are sweaty,
knees weak, arms are heavy.
I’m not talking about the 400 meter dash or a rap battle, I’m talking about finishing
your course and making an amazing sales page.
You thought I was going somewhere else, didn't you?
In this video I’m going to help you sprint across that finish line and build a sales
page that will get students flooding through your doors.
Virtually speaking.
Let’s get into it.
Hello creators, I’m Ben Toalson from Podia where we empower creators like you to make
a living doing what you love.
An amazing sales page can make all the difference when it comes to getting potential students
to make their final decision to buy your course.
I’m going to take you through some basic principles for building an effective sales
page, and the elements you need to make it great.
If we’re going to make a sales page, we want to have at least a basic understanding
of something called the sales funnel.
You can’t spell funnel without fun!
A sales funnel is the path most customers take in the buying process, and usually consists
of 4 parts.
Awareness, interest, decision, and action.
I’m going to go over these four stages as they relate to your course and list some of
the elements that address each stage.
Later in the video we’ll go a little deeper on each of the elements.
Awareness This stage happens outside of your sales page
through advertising or marketing.
This is how people become aware of your course and get to your sales page.
Because awareness happens before people are on your sales page, there aren’t any specific
page elements that will directly influence the buyer, but you do want to make sure the
content on your page is SEO friendly.
Let me know in the comments if you’d like a more in-depth video on making an SEO friendly
sales page.
Interest In this stage people are aware of your course
as a possible solution and might be checking out your page.
In this stage we’ll look for ways to instill trust and build a relationship.
Elements that address interest include main titles & subtitles, images and videos, selling
sections, instructor bio, email lists, free trials and previews, and testimonials.
Decision Once a potential customer has investigated
and feels they can trust you, they’ll get serious about weighing their options.
This is where you answer some of the more specific questions they may have and provide
more details.
Elements that address this stage include a breakdown of the course content, testimonials
and in-depth case studies, and a frequently asked questions section.
Action Once a potential customer has made up their
mind, taking action should be as easy as possible.
You want to make it obvious where and how the customer should opt in, and make the process
of doing so hassle free.
Elements that address this stage include purchase and enrollment buttons, and a call to action
section
Now that we understand how the various stages of the sales funnel relate to your slaes page,
let’s talk about the elements on the page and how you can make the most of each one.
Near the top of the page, you’re going to want to have a main section that includes
the course title, a sub-title, a compelling image or video, and a purchase button.
Your course title should speak to the end result you’re creating and for whom.
The more specific you can be about the result and who it’s for, the more compelling it
will be for the person who fits those criteria.
For example: “90 Days To Traveling The World For Free As A Travel Blogger” is a lot more
specific and compelling than “Travel Blogging 101”
The subtitle should get more detailed about your solution.
How many people has it helped?
What results has it produced?
Do you have a special approach or unique framework?
These are all great things to include because they tell potential students what sets your
course apart from the others.
If you use an image, you want to make sure it’s related to the course content, features
something inside your course, or depicts a successful story.
You can also use a picture of yourself, though you may want to save this for the instructor
bio.
If you can, make a video for this section.
Video is much more engaging, allows you to convey additional information, and gives people
a chance to get to know you which can build your know, like, trust factor and increase
the chances of someone buying your course.
The purchase button in this section should be easy to spot and should make it clear what
you want your customer to do: buy your course.
You want to give people a chance to buy right away.
If they’re ready, don’t make them scroll through the rest of the page.
Now I’m going to take you through some other elements.
These don’t have to happen in any specific order, but I’m going to take you through
them in the order in which most successful sales pages use them.
Selling sections Selling sections usually include a title,
some body text, an image or video, and an enrollment or purchase button.
The title should touch on a specific pain point.
The best way to do this is to spend enough time listening to your customers so you can
express their pain in their words.
In order to listen, you have to foster communication through tools like an email list or social
media comments.
If you don’t have many customers you can go to places where your potential customers
might hang out, like forums or online communities, or the comments sections of other influencers
who address similar problems, and observe how they talk about their struggles.
Once you’ve articulated the customer’s pain , you’ll use the body text to talk
about the specific ways your course can solve their problem.
The images or video will be used in a similar way to how they are used at the top of the
page, but should speak to the specific content in that section.
In each of these selling sections, you want to include an opportunity to enroll.
You might feel like you’re overdoing it, but enrolling in your course is the reason
they’re on your page, and if they’re ready you want to make it easy for them to get started.
Instructor Bio Your instructor bio is a great opportunity
to build your know, like, trust factor.
When I talk about the know, like, trust factor what I mean is, people are generally more
likely to buy from someone they know, like, and trust.
Another word we could use is affinity.
In your instructor bio there are a few ways you can build affinity:
Talk about who you are and why you’re qualified to help solve their problem.
Share a personal story that tells why you decided to make the course.
Include some personal information that might help your potential customer feel more connected
to you.
Breakdown of course content In this section you want to show your potential
student what they get if they take your course.
Lay out the course structure, titles, mediums, and lesson lengths.
The more informed your student feels about what’s in the course, the easier their decision
will be to make a purchase.
Also, in this section you’ll want to include yet another opportunity to enroll.
Again, if they’re ready you want to make it easy for them to begin.
Testimonials and case studies Testimonials are great to sprinkle throughout
your sales page.
They provide social proof and allow potential students to hear about the results your course
produces through another person’s experience.
A case study is like a testimonial, but goes deeper into the story of a student who has
experienced results.
This can be especially powerful because your potential student will see themselves in another
person's story and can imagine that result for themselves.
Email list, preview content, or free trials People who come to your page but ultimately
don’t buy can have dozens of reasons for not doing so.
You want to give people an opportunity to stay connected with you and a reason to continue
considering your course.
An email list, preview content, or free trials are great tools for keeping someone who is
on the fence from disappearing once they leave your sales page, and also gives you an opportunity
to continue developing a relationships with them.
Frequently asked questions A frequently asked questions section is great
for those potential customers who need that final nudge over the edge.
This is a great opportunity to overcome any final sales objections and address some specific
questions your prospect may need answered before they commit.
You might answer questions like is there a refund policy, how long the course will take
to complete, or will completing this course fulfill my wildest dreams?
And just below this section at the very bottom of the page we have the final call to action
If your prospect has gotten this far, it’s time to make a strong final appeal.
This section will usually stand out on the page with a colorful background, bold title,
and big button.
If you’re running a promotion or a limited offer, you can make a big deal about it in
this section.
Go big or go home.
Don’t use that in your title though.
Using these elements, combined with a sincere effort to understand and articulate your customers’
struggles, will give you an awesome sales page that will bring students who are eager
to get started on your course.
If after watching this video you've gone and made a sales page for your online course or
if you already have one, link it in the comments.
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Thank you for watching and I’ll see you next time.