How to get more qualified leads
Dedicated Landing Pages are a great way to turn new visitors into newsletter subscribers, webinar attendees or trial customers. However having a large list of new opt-ins doesn't necessarily mean that those users are heavily engaged or interested in the product or service you offer.
Is there a way to tell whether a new user is more likely to buy your product later down the road?
What techniques can be used to get your user more involved and invested in the value you offer?
In this blog post we'll discover a simple, yet oftentimes overlooked method to build and foster a closer relationship with your new users.
From promise to persuasion to opt-in
Let's start by taking a quick look at the typical journey every new Landing Page visitor walks through.
The very first thing you have to nail to get users on your Landing Page is your promise. It needs to be persuasive and catch the individuals attention such that she clicks on your link and visits your page. Most of the time the promise is the copy of your advertisement ("30% off on all electronics during cyber monday") or the title of the Landing Page itself ("Buy electronics with free same-day delivery").
Once the user visits the Landing Page you need to ensure you deliver on your promise. The Landing Page copywriting must continue in telling the story which was introduced prior to the click. Do you offer a discount? Make it immediately visible and explain how this discount can be redeemed (coupon code, automatic subtraction during checkout, ...). Not doing so will break the continuum, forcing your visitors to leave in disillusionment.
Generally speaking you only have a few seconds to convince your visitor to stay on your Landing Page and further explore your offering. Your copywriting should therefore be focused on your users problem, its solution and why she can trust in your abilities to deliver on your promise.
Following the main "Landing Page Blueprint", your start by describing the current pain your user is experiencing while painting the picture of the "dream situation" which she can find herself in after using your product. The solutions key benefits (i.e. features) are used to further support the existence of this "ideal world". Testimonials are then used as a social proof to show that this "dream situation" isn't just a dream but something others are already experiencing.
By now you should have your visitors attention and can ask for the call-to-action which can be anything ranging from scheduling a demo call to a free trial sign up.
Finalizing the necessary steps to perform the call-to-action (e.g. entering the E-Mail address) is followed by a "Thank You" page with a subsequent "Welcome Onboard" E-Mail which hits your visitors inbox.
It's time to pat yourself on your back as you were able to get permission from a complete stranger to contact her with updates on your company and its services. Providing more value via useful blog posts further nurtures this relationship and can turn your follower into a potential customer later down the road.
But we're getting ahead of ourselves. In fact it isn't the time to celebrate just yet as we've missed out on a huge opportunity to further solidify our relationship with our new prospect.
Asking for a second action
By following the user journey we just outlined above it should now be clear that in order for a user to follow through and perform the desired call-to-action you have to persuade her that your company is trustworthy and your product solves her problem in a reasonable way. Turning a complete stranger into an interested subscriber means that the visitor in question is aligned with your vision and very likely excited about the future you're striving for. A future in which the current pain points she is experiencing are alleviated.
Given such excitement, why don't you ask for another, second action she can perform. If the user signed up for your blog newsletter why don't you ask if she wants to follow you on Twitter and Facebook to get some behind the scenes footage? If the user signed up for a webinar, why don't you politely ask if subscribing to your blog newsletter might be of interest as well?
You might be wondering how and where you should ask for this favor. Simply add a small paragraph and a button or link to your second call-to-action on your "Thank You" page (the one which is displayed after the first call-to-action was performed) or your "Welcome Onboard" E-Mail (the one you send out after the user was added to your E-Mail list).
There are only two very important thing you should keep in mind when asking for a second action.
The very first thing you want to ensure is to genuinely thank your visitor for the trust you just earned. After that you can pitch the second action. Don't be too pushy. Make it 100% optional. Don't force your users to perform the second action as well to finalize the sign up process!
And the second, very important thing to ensure is to keep your funnel in mind while asking for the second action. Never ask for something "too far away" from the users current position in the funnel. Was the first action a blog newsletter subscription? Asking for a trial sign up might be too much! "Mind the gap" and only ask for a second action which is near to the users current position in your funnel!
Users who perform multiple actions are generally more engaged and invested in your vision. Offering multiple actions to perform will help you in generating more qualified leads.
Your challenge
I'd like to invite you to take a look at your current Landing Page workflow. Do you ask for a second action? If so, how far further down the funnel is this action? If not, what second action could you ask your users to perform? Where do you want to ask for the second action? On the "Thank You" page or the "Welcome Onboard" E-Mail?
Once implemented, ensure that you monitor how many visitors actually perform those actions. Also ensure to take these metrics into account when analyzing user engagement and purchasing behavior.
Conclusion
Having a solid Landing Page is the single best tool to attract a visitors attention and quickly articulate the core benefits your product has to offer. The Landing Pages main goal is to build trust and convince the user to finally perform a call-to-action in order to get more information and stay updated on the developments of your product and company.
Performing the call-to-action means that the user is aligned with your vision and excited about your offering. Why not offering another way to get even more involved by presenting a second action the user can take. If someone signs up to your webinar it's likely that they're also interested in your blog.
Politely asking your user to perform a second action can result in a closer relationship, more engagement and more qualified leads as only those users who are fully invested in your mission are likely to perform that second action.
Do you have any questions, feedback or comments? Feel free to reach out via E-Mail or connect with me on Twitter.