The Main Ingredients That Every Successful Sales Page Is Made Of

As a general rule of thumb, it’s not easy finding a sales page formula you can trust. The concept of a sales page formula itself takes attention away from what matters most (focusing on relating to your core audience) and assumes that a generic template will generate conversions.

Successful copywriting is more about communication and persuasion, not about manipulation and formatting.

With that being said, there are important reasons that particular ingredients are consistently found in any “sales page formula” and these elements are important.

Strong Headlines

A killer sales page is useless without this first line… which serves to grab attention and make a promise that pre-qualifies visitors. No need to waste the time of anyone who is not interested… so captivate the attention of your best customers and then keep them interested. Do not disappoint on any promises made in the headline.

Strong First Paragraphs

They say you should never judge a book by its’ cover… but it is okay to judge a book by the first page or paragraph. Everyone has their own personal rules for what it is okay to judge reading material by, and for most it is that first impression. It either pulls you in, or loses you.

For the record, a strong first paragraph is a “teaser”. It pulls you in and leaves you wanting more so you have no choice but to continue reading.

Strong Stories

When it comes to sales copy, story-telling is the one and only place where it is acceptable to have a personal perspective. A compelling backstory is crucial for captivating readers’ attentions, appealing to the right emotions, and building a relationship based on trust.

Strong Subheaders

These bold, brief lines aren’t for SEO purposes. Strong subheaders should make it easy for scrollers to stop and read.

Of course sales copy should be broken up into short, easy-to-read lines that reduce intimidation and minimize scrolling. This is why short copy can be more effective than a long form sales letter.

Safe, Comfortable Environment

Visually, it’s easy to spot a sales page. In direct mail or on a landing page, sales letters are a predictable cliché that loses all value if certain terms aren’t met. People like to be treated like people, not consumers or account numbers. A cliché sales letter is as much a turn off as the annoyingly pushy salesman. Don’t be that guy. Instead, create a comfortable environment where readers have the choice to take action and buy. Those “Are you sure” pop up boxes when you go to leave a sales page turn out to be more of a deal breaker than a trust builder. Don’t beg. Just provide the opportunity.

Strong Offer

There is a big difference between “cheap” and “great deal”. With effective build up and evidence of the value, matched by a price-you-can’t-refuse, it should be a no-brainer.

Strong Call to Action

Don’t leave visitors guessing. They’ve made it this far, they should already be looking for “what do I do now”. It should be easy and effortless to complete the desired action.