Want to know how to write sales copy that creates trust, builds authority, and converts like crazy?
Today I'm sharing 10 conversion triggers
that I look for when critiquing or writing sales copy.
Keep watching to get my proven Hot Offer Checklist.
(upbeat music)
Hey guys, it's Alex, and as promised,
here is a video that many of you have been waiting for.
Today I am sharing my own top secret checklist
for critiquing and optimizing a sales page.
Now I created this Hot Offer Checklist to use
as a proven reference and guide
for whenever I'm critiquing copy
for my private clients, students, partners,
and Flight Club Mastermind members.
In this tutorial, you're getting a super quick sneak peek
into the full 10-point offer training
that I teach inside my private coaching program,
The Copy Posse Launch Pad.
Now this quick checklist includes 10 conversion triggers
that I always look for when reviewing copy
to build trust, boost authority, and ignite sales.
And you can grab your copy at the link below.
Just print it off, keep it on your desk,
and use it any time you're doing research
or critiquing copy for your favorite brands.
It's great for practice or you can use it
as a last step checklist to finalize a sales page
you're writing for a client.
Copy critiques are an amazing service
to offer as a copywriter,
especially as a starting place for new clients.
They can also be great free and highly valuable resources
that you offer to brands and businesses
that you're dying to work with.
And if you want more tutorials and guides
on how to write engaging and compelling copy
that gets you paid, you know what to do
Go ahead and join the global Posse
by subscribing to my channel below
and hit that little bell icon to be notified
when my next video goes live.
You'll get access to a library full of techniques,
tips, and tools that are working today.
All right, now let's get down to business.
Here are 10 conversion triggers that I specifically look for
to critique, optimize, and improve sales copy,
starting with the most important, of course, the headline.
While the headline may be the shortest part of a sales page,
for a copywriter, it definitely takes the longest to nail.
I usually write my headlines last,
but because it is the very first thing a prospect sees
when they land on a sales page,
it's the first conversion trigger that I'll review.
So what I'm looking for here is pretty clear.
I wanna see if the headline,
which is often a series of headlines,
a pre-headline, a main headline, and a sub-headline,
are strategically written to hook my attention,
introduce the core pain point, benefit, or USP of the offer,
and open a loop that entices me to read further
and scroll below the fold.
The headline copy needs to speak
directly to the target audience,
so during a copy critique, I need to be able
to immediately grasp who that person generally is
and what their level of awareness is.
If you're unsure of the concept of customer awareness,
make sure to watch to the end of this video
where I'll link to another video that you must watch next.
Okay, moving on to number two, indoctrination.
The next thing I look at when I'm doing a copy critique
is the indoctrination.
Essentially, this is what comes
immediately after the headline.
It is the lead-in to your sales page.
This section of your copy should provoke an emotion
and help the reader identify with you.
This is where they self select and decide
whether or not you're actually talking to them.
That's what makes this the single most important component
of any sales page.
It's the hardest part to write, but when done well,
it can make a massive impact on your conversion rate.
I often call this the S hook because it can be done
in one of three ways, story, science, or supposition.
Whichever type of lead-in you use though,
the most important thing is that you speak
to your prospect's, needs, pains, and fears,
which takes us to number three, problem and solution.
As human beings, we're unfortunately
wired to avoid pain above gaining pleasure.
This means that in our most natural state,
we respond to problems more urgently
than we do to solutions.
Because of this, the sales page
needs to address the prospect's pain early on
and validate whatever concerns they have.
Instead of making them feel alienated, misunderstood,
or attacked, the copy instead needs to make them
feel supported, understood, and heard.
So when reviewing sales pages,
I always look to see if there is one core problem
effectively and accurately communicated.
The copy should address this pain with empathy
and lead into a promising solution.
Now, this is really important,
the solution is not the product, yet.
It's a specialized method or approach or discovery
or tool that can actually help them solve this pain.
Once a believable solution is presented,
I then look for the pivot to number four, the offer.
So this is where you introduce the product as an easy,
simple, fast, quick, or better way to attain the solution.
So in this section, I look for a clear and concise USP,
a value breakdown, and all that left brain information
that make up your product, like what it is,
how it works, where to get it, when to expect it,
and of course, how much it costs.
Now, the most important thing to remember in this section
is that the value of your offer
is always greater than the price.
So the greater the gap between value and price,
the more irresistible your offer becomes.
This is why you often see campaigns that use bonuses
or price juxtaposition, or discounts
to increase the offer appeal
and therefore increase conversion rate.
Next up number five, juicy benefits.
Ultimately what I'm looking for here on a sales page
are reasons why the prospect should buy your product.
It is not enough to simply show them what they're getting.
It changes the game altogether
when a prospect believes they have to have it.
There is a reason why as toddlers, we go through that phase
of questioning everything around us.
It's not because we wanted to annoy our parents,
it's just that we're genuinely curious creatures
who are always wondering why, what's in it for me.
You answer this question in your sales copy
by presenting the specific and relatable benefits
that your product can provide.
And remember, features are not benefits.
Features are something your product has or is,
whereas benefits illustrate desired results
that solve real pain points.
And next up when doing a copy critique,
I always look for number six, social proof and authority.
A common objection in the minds of consumers
is whether a brand is the right company or person
to go to for a solution.
Trust is a huge factor that determines
the customer's decision to buy from you,
so it's really, really important that a sales page
communicate social proof and authority
through testimonials, social media stats,
press coverage, credentials, experience,
and any other credibility factors.
However, authority is not just something
that you just slap into a single section on the sales page.
I like to see it communicated
throughout the copy as much as possible.
All right, lucky number seven, scarcity.
In marketing, scarcity refers to the idea
of making products or services limited in some way,
making people more likely to act
because the offer is scarce or exclusive.
The four most common types of scarcity are price,
so a limited time discount,
quantity, a limited amount left,
premium, so exclusive bonuses and gifts added,
and finally offer, the cart is closing.
Now the most effective sales copy communicates scarcity
that compels the prospect to act
while the offer is still in fact available.
More importantly, though, the copy also needs
to clearly and effectively communicate a big reason
why the offer is limited,
without it seeming hypey, pushy, or misleading.
Is it because of a special event,
like a birthday or anniversary,
a passionate mission to touch 1,000 lives
by the end of the year, a global cause
such as World Mental Health Day?
The copy needs to convince the prospect
that the offer is authentic and not opportunistic.
So always have a reason why for the scarcity.
And this goes without saying, guys,
but always use real scarcity.
Just be cool, be cool, okay. (laughs)
And one thing to add is that not all pages
need scarcity all the time.
If you want your sales page to be 100% evergreen
for anyone to purchase at any time,
scarcity can be left off the table,
but instead use urgency and provide benefits
as to why someone would want to act right away.
All right, moving on
to number eight on the list, risk reversal.
I always like to look for risk reversal language
when reviewing copy.
In other words, how does the copy
make the purchase seem easy, safe, and risk-free?
People love to be told exactly what to do
and what is gonna happen next
so the copy needs to assure them
that they'll be taken care of every step of the way,
from the moment they add that product
to their shopping cart, to when it'll be delivered,
to how it'll be returned if it doesn't work out.
Now this is where I look for security language
and verifications, return or exchange policies,
next steps, and delivery details.
A question I ask myself is,
is there any part of the sales copy
that doesn't debunk the fear
that I'm gonna be screwed over by this company?
All right, now moving on to number nine, call to action.
Whether it's a single button
or a multi-tiered order section,
the call to action, or CTA, needs to pack a serious punch.
It must only take a second for the customer
to know exactly where to click to buy the product.
Your CTA should be clear and straight to the point
and not imply or beat around the bush.
So for example, "Complete your details below
to book your free seat", or "Click to get instant access",
or "Click here to enroll now."
All great examples of very clear CTAs.
And the most important rule of thumb
when it comes to copywriting
is to only have one clear and concise call to action.
It can appear multiple times, though.
So if I'm reviewing a longer sales page,
I like to see the call to action
added two to three times throughout the copy
after the offer is introduced.
And always, always, always, always, always make the CTA
the very last thing that someone would see on the page
if they scroll all the way to the bottom.
All right, lastly, number 10, overall feel and flow.
Now this isn't included in your Hot Offer Checklist
so consider it a bonus tip.
After I've reviewed the first nine
conversion and optimization triggers,
it's time to sit back, look at the entire picture, and ask
is the sales page copy consistent and coherent throughout?
Is the page easy to skim, with clear section titles
that guide me down the page?
Was everything easy to read or did I have to stop
and read any sentences twice?
And were there any glaring gaps or illogical links?
Make sure that the copy is simple and effective overall.
And I have said this so many times, but I will say it again,
studies have shown that the average person
reads at the 7th or 8th grade level.
So there is no need for wordiness, fancy explanations,
or long lists of adjectives in a single sentence.
I personally find that reading the entire sales page
out loud really helps me answer these questions.
And here is one more bonus tip for you guys,
make sure to read the sales page on your cell phone.
With more than half of online readers
consuming sales pages on mobile devices,
you wanna make sure your copy is easy to read and navigate
on those really small, tiny little screens. (laughs)
All right, and there you have it, my Hot Offer Checklist,
10 conversion triggers that I always look for
when I'm reviewing copy to build trust,
boost authority, and ignite sales.
So don't forget to get your copy of this checklist
at the link below and make sure to have it handy
any time you're reviewing or writing a sales page.
Now trust me, I know it can be so easy
to get lost in your own wordsmithing brain sometimes
that you wish you had a formula you could use to step back,
edit effectively, and remain objective.
Well, here it is, guys.
So I hope you found this video helpful.
Give me a thumbs up below if so, and as always,
thank you so much for watching and subscribing.
Keep your suggestions and comments coming.
I absolutely love to hear from you guys.
Now next up, make sure to check out my video
on how to write insanely better headlines
based on a customer's level of awareness.
You can watch that right here.
That's all for me today.
I will see you next week.
Until then I'm Alex, ciao for now.
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Join. (speaks gibberish)