Complete guide to creating your first sales page

Without an effective online sales page, your chances of standing out among your competition are slim. Whether you want to sell an online course or a physical product, a compelling page with the right information is the only way to attract new customers.

Never created a sales page before? No problem.

We’re going to teach you how to create a sales page for free and include examples of great pages you can use as inspiration.

Here’s what we’ll go through:

• Step 1: Learn what a sales page is and what makes it different from other pages
• Step 2: Decide if you need a long-form sales page or a short-form page
• Step 3: Harness the power of copy
• Step 4: Understand the impact of design
• Step 5: Put the pieces together

What is a sales page?

Let’s start with the most fundamental question: What is a sales page?‍

A sales page is a place on your website where visitors can buy your product or service. But it’s not one-size-fits-all.

Sales pages come in all shapes and sizes, and different products require different pages with unique strategies. So, while the basic definition unifies everything from a long-form sales page to a quick Amazon sales page, there’s more to what makes them work.

Sales pages should serve no other purpose than to sell. A blog page, for example, isn’t a sales page because it serves a separate goal — to inform and engage. It may eventually lead to a sale, but because it has different goals, it doesn’t fall under the umbrella of the pages we’re talking about today.

In practice, there are two popular types of sales pages: short-form and long-form. There are no hard-and-fast rules for how long a sales page has to be before it becomes long-form, but anything in with a couple thousand words or more can be considered long-form.

‍Short-form sales pages 

Short-form sales pages aim to convert customers quickly. These are the pages that present the necessary information in an easy-to-digest format. The target audience doesn't need much convincing to make their purchase, so there is no need to over-explain the value.

Watch our video on what to include in a short-form sales page:

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Short-form sales pages work well with physical items and simple digital products. For example, if you sell handmade products, then a short-form sales page probably makes the most sense for you.

Most ecommerce pages (like you’ll see on Amazon, Etsy, and similar sites) are short-form sales pages:

Long-form sales pages

Long-form sales pages, on the other hand, provide an in-depth look at a product or service. The potential customers that land on a long-form sales page usually need more information to ensure that whatever they’re buying is exactly what they’re looking for.

Beyond that, long-form sales pages can help you accomplish several goals:  

• Provide readers with detailed information about use and value
• Give them multiple opportunities to buy
• Address questions and overcome objections to your product or service

Here’s an excerpt of a long-form sales page that you might recognize:

Apple is famous for using long-form sales pages with plenty of media to highlight their products’ capabilities, new features, and the kind of customers who typically buy their products. There’s a good reason why they tell this detailed story on their sales pages––it’s effective.

If your product is expensive or if you’re offering something really big (like a value-packed training course), then a long-form page will be useful.

To ensure you earn the most revenue on your sales page, the first step is to decide which option is right for your product or service. Then, it’s time to tell the right story.

How to make a sales page that converts

The best way to learn how to write a sales page is to first understand how they work. Here are the best practices for creating a sales page that converts.

Use copy that speaks to your audience

Copy is at the heart of every effective sales page. You can’t expect results or enthusiastic customers without the right copy.

High-quality sales copy evokes strong feelings from the audience. It appeals to the reader’s sense of self, their aspirations and their current needs. But great copy doesn’t give everything away. You want your audience to fill in the specific details with their own experiences.

You can think of it as a two-way relationship. You’re not just writing to the reader; you’re inviting them to imagine what it will be like to have the product in their life. And this is crucial for sales pages. You want to make sure you’re engaging readers without overwhelming them.

For reference, here’s some of our sales copy:

Technically speaking, copy is simply the words on a page. But, it’s so much more than that.. It’s the way you communicate your offer and the kind of life your customers can expect after they make their purchase.

Writing effective copy requires an understanding of your customers, their emotions, and the psychological reasons that people make purchases. To do this, start by researching what drives your target audience. Use demographic information from previous customers to inform the copy you write.

Remember, even the best products in the world will be ignored if the value isn’t described correctly to the people who need it most. The strategy you do up front will pay huge returns once your sales page is live.

Use the six principles of persuasion

The six principles of persuasion were popularized by Robert Cialdini in his book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion.

These persuasion principles can be utilized in sales copy for some massively effective results. Here’s how you can think about each principle as it applies to writing your sales page. 

1. Reciprocity: People are more likely to purchase from businesses who offer something valuable in return. Think about the sales pages you’ve seen that offer a 10% discount if you checkout in the next 10 minutes. This is providing value before they even make a purchase. 
2. Commitment and consistency: When people know what to expect, they are more likely to return as customers. For example, retail stores often have semi-annual sales that loyal customers know to schedule their purchases around. 
3. Social proof: People want to know other people trust your products before they make their decision. Want proof? Check out all the reviews on any Amazon sales page. 
4. Likeability and familiarity: People want to support businesses run by people they like and trust. For example, many companies will hire famous influencers or celebrities to sell their product if they want to attract more customers. 
5. Authority: Proven success and knowledge is an exceptional sales tactic. When toothpaste brands mention that 4 out of 5 dentists recommend their product, they’re proving they have trust and authority. 
6. Scarcity: We all want something exclusive. A great example of this principle is the clothing brands that release limited edition pieces. The scarcity of the piece drives them to sell out in minutes. 

Once you know what the six principles of persuasion are, you can see them everywhere, from an email promotion to a flyer from your local grocer. And they’re critical to use in your sales page copy.

Use trigger words‍

Trigger words are words that compel people to take action, which is why they’re absolutely necessary for a great sales page. Words like “free,” “new,” and “today” are all trigger words that entice readers. But there are loads more:

• Now
• Hurry
• Quick
• Limited
• Exclusive
• Running Out
• Fast
• Just Arrived
• Deadline
• Last Chance
• Final
• Never again
• Expires
• Members Only
• Just for you
• Get an Invitation
• Insiders only
• Be the first
• Only available to a small group
• Limited
• Almost full
• Login required
• Guarantee
• Authentic
• Certified
• Proven
• Backed
  
• Endorsed

Each trigger word encourages people to make a decision and complete their purchase. With strategically placed trigger words that speak to the most valuable aspects of your product or service, your sales page will drive higher revenue and customer growth.

Headings and CTAs are especially good places to use trigger words, as the reader’s attention will be drawn to the larger text. Check out how this sales page smartly uses the trigger word “now” for the big CTA:

Pro tip: Be careful to not overuse trigger words. Overusing them tends to dilute their power and can also make your copy come off as too salesy.

Design a professional looking page

Design is the other essential part of any high-converting sales page. Bad or confusing design not only prevents sales, but it also discourages customers from returning to your site in the future. The truth is, exceptional copy doesn’t mean much if you have bad design.

Need proof? Check out this sales page that looks like it’s straight out of 2009:

The copy itself isn’t horrible, but the design and layout makes the page look like a scam site. In contrast, here’s a much more well-designed sales page:

This design is cleaner and more organized. That alone can instill a ton of trust in a customer. Not only can they trust that you put time and effort into the work that you do, but they can understand your product much easier.

You don’t need to be a professional designer to create an amazing sales page. You can learn how to create a sales page for free through the various design resources online.

Kajabi offers a landing page creator that has a plethora of pre-built templates that can be customized for your business. You don’t need any prior experience with website builders to launch a professional looking, well-designed sales page.

Once you’ve selected a template, modify your page to your heart’s content.

Our pages are made up of simple Sections and Blocks. For example, the Offer section of this page template includes an Offer Block and a Text Block:

Curious to see what a final sales page from Kajabi Pages looks like? Here’s part of a sales page that Kajabi Hero Todd Mac made for his business TMAC Fitness using Kajabi Pages:

Pretty slick, right?

Pro tip: Keep it simple

When you’re building your first sales page (or even your fifteenth), it’s a good idea to start out simple and build as needed.

If you add a lot to your page, you run the risk of cluttering it up and confusing readers.

If you want to use media, use it sparingly. This page uses just one video to supplement the content of the page:

The design isn’t too cluttered or messy, and the video serves a distinct purpose by showing the user what the service is all about.

If your business is centered around you then you could add a photo of yourself to help create a personal connection. This is common for knowledge commerce entrepreneurs.

Your sales page doesn’t need to be ultra-colorful with all the bells and whistles. In most cases, that’s actually more detrimental than it is beneficial.

It’s why Kajabi provides professionally designed sales page templates that are all clean and straightforward even on mobile devices.

You might find yourself adding quite a bit of detail as you build your page, and that’s totally okay. Just make sure that your page isn’t confusing or messy.

Of course, the only real way to know what works is by monitoring analytics and regularly testing different elements.

Breaking down a sales page

To properly understand what makes a sales page work, let’s take a look at one and break it down. Here’s the page we’re going to look at today:

This example comes from one of our Kajabi Heroes: Kayla Davis, owner of KDAVIS Fitness and creator of the Kōch app. She put together a winning sales page using Kajabi. Let’s take a closer look and unpack exactly why it works:

• Overall design - The first thing you probably noticed is how well-designed the page is. It’s simple and clean, providing all the information you need without being cluttered or overwhelming.
• Image use - Another thing that instantly catches the eye is the strategically placed image in the top left. This tells you the essence of what you’re getting: access to the Kōch app.
• Headline - The large header then adds a bit of detail so you know even more about the offer. It also brings the audience’s attention to the main reason for the sales page right away.
• Subheadline - This section is right at the top and tells you all of the essential information. You know that you’re getting a pro membership for this fitness app that has over 50 workout programs and challenges.
• Details - The rest of the text provides additional detail about the app’s features. This is a lot of detail, but it’s not too much. Since it’s written in bullet point lists, this section is a breeze to skim. The lists are well-written and clearly tell the audience what they’ll be getting when they purchase the membership. Even better, you get those bolded and italicized headings that sort the different lists into clear categories.
• Call to Action (CTA) - Finally, there’s the checkout section on the right side of the page. This covers all the necessary bases, and the user doesn’t have to leave the sales page to check out. This helps to reduce friction and make it easier for people to buy.

With this layout, you can easily learn all of the details about the offer and then make a purchase right on the page. Nothing is distracting you from taking the exact action the company wants you to take.

At its core, a good sales page never distacts users from the main goal: purchase.

Track and test your sales page

We’ve discussed the two most important parts of a sales page: the copy and the design. By understanding and implementing these concepts, you’ll be able to craft a strong landing page that draws people in.

But there’s one more thing you’ll need to do: test your sales page.‍

Your first sales page probably won’t be an overnight success. You’ll probably have to make several different versions until you figure out what works, especially if you’re selling to different kinds of audiences for each of your products or services. The key here is to make strategic improvements over time.

The only real way to do that is to track important metrics and use data to inform your decisions. Your sales page’s metrics provide valuable information on how it’s performing so you can make tweaks to improve its effectiveness.

Let’s say you launch a sales page and find out that people aren’t spending a lot of time on the page. To fix this, you might try to improve the copy or add an engaging element like a video.

Or maybe you find that one of your sales pages is performing way better than the rest. By comparing data, you can pinpoint why this is happening and then replicate the successful page’s results.

A tool like Kajabi Analytics, you can easily view your metrics and quickly learn whether it’s succeeding. Here are some important analytics to look for: 

• Conversions: Purchases that come through the sales page. This metric gives you an understanding of how effective the page is. 
• Views and sources: How many people are coming to your sales page? Where are they coming from? This provides insight into what channels you may want to ramp up or down. 
• Bounce rate: The number of visitors that leave your website without visiting another page. If this is high, your page may need tweaking.

Write better sales pages

Now that you have the foundations of an exceptional sales page, there is more to learn. Get more from your sales page by using our 13 step guide. We’ll walk you through exactly what you need to do, plus give you the necessary resources to make it perform.

If you’re ready to jump right in and create your first sales page, consider using Kajabi. You don’t need to be a technological expert to create a beautiful site that converts. Our all-in-one platform takes care of the heavy lifting so you can focus on creating and selling your digital products.

Try it for free today.

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