What we've been leading up to in this series of action guides is arguably the most important part of the list-building funnel…

Your squeeze page - aka opt-in page, lead generation page, call it what you will - is basically a little landing page with one big job to do: persuade your visitor to take up your offer and subscribe to your mailing list. This then, is where your hard fought-for (or bought-for) visitors quickly decide, if your offer is up their street and worth their time or to hit the back button and go (and never return again).

No pressure then.

There are 3 foundational steps on the way to a squeeze page that works more than it hurts…

Step 1 is to put it front of a specifically targeted audience.

Which - if you’ve been following this series of foundational steps for list builders, you’ll know - is where the Customer Avatar Process comes in.

Step 2 is to offer something for free, strategically aligned with what that audience’s needs.

Which is where the Lead Magnet Process comes in.

On completion of the first two steps you’ll not only be on your way to a higher converting squeeze page, you’ll also be two steps closer to enjoying the fruits of a more engaged mailing list as well.

But Step 3, while being an established conversion copywriting best practice, is also a key foundational step that most amateurs miss. 

And that’s a problem because…

Even if you have completed the first two foundational steps above - well done you - targeted visitors and a relevant opt-in offer can still fail to deliver the conversion rate you deserve. Unless that is, you also ensure your squeeze page can quickly connect and clearly communicate, in a way that persuades your hard-fought for visitor that clicking and subscribing are actions worth taking.

Which means, the messaging on your squeeze page must be relevant, salient and focussed on what your audience actually cares about (which, mostly comes down to what’s in it for them).

And so the first step towards a squeeze page that can better connect with the majority of your best-fit visitors (and convert them to best-fit subscribers) is clarity and focus. And we achieve that, by gathering the information that matters most, into one handy reference document first.

The process for that is coming up, but before we get to the how-to-do-it, I want you to understand...

Why You Should Do It.

While it may seem easy - in theory - to create an average squeeze page that can do an average job delivering an average conversion rate, creating one that can do an above average job, that can connect with a targeted audience, and can deliver an above average conversion rate and help grow a profitable mailing list (with more engaged subscribers than tyre kickers) is easier said than done.

But wait.

What does ‘higher than average’ actually mean?

Well, it’s hard to quantify generally, but let’s have a go anyway…

Firstly there’s your industry/sector/niche to consider. It makes logical sense  that a conversion rate for a SAAS company - for example - would be quite different to that of a celebrity news site. And a site peddling gossip and paparazzi shots, is also going to have a different audience, approach and results than a respected broadsheet might.

Secondly, those pages that only ask for an email address and those that request the completion of a multi-fielded form are going to get very different results as well. 

And thirdly, the quality of your visitors will make a massive difference to your conversion rate. Specifically, a warm visitor (someone already aware of you) will be a lot easier to convert than a cold visitor who know’s nothing about you.

So far, so common sense.

However, weighing in on what does or does not constitute 'average', the landing page platform Unbounce has this to say …

3.2% may initially sound depressing, but I don’t want you to panic - yet.

Because it’s fair to say, you couldn’t - with any accuracy at least - apply these numbers to your business and your squeeze page without due consideration of the previously mentioned steps 1, 2 & 3. 

Not to mention, results vary massively depending on your industry or niche.

And so - if your industry is included - this might help a little bit…

I just wouldn’t count on it.

So that aside, for the sake of argument, let’s take the glass half full approach and assume your conversion rate is in the top percentile and you are consistently averaging a 25% conversion rate.

Woopeedoo?

Not necessarily.

Unless you’ve got a steady supply of free traffic coming your way; a reliably recurring payment scheme; or have the ability to sell high ticket items - a profitable mailing list may still be out of reach...

It’s About The Maths…

Let’s say you were looking to attract potential new subscribers through facebook ads and your clicks were averaging £1 each. 

Every 100 clicks at an above average conversion rate of 25% means you’d be paying £100 for every 25 conversions.

That's £4 per subscriber or £4000 for a thousand.

To break even - just on your pay-per-click bill - you’d need 50% of those subscribers to pay you at least £8 each.

Doesn't sound like much, so fair enough?

Well yes and no, where this starts to look iffy, is when you apply a realistic email open rate.

So you’d be going great guns if you could regularly achieve a 50% email open rate, but that's not gonna happen without a highly engaged list (most lists don't do half of that).

But, as we're being optimistic, let's say that 50% of your 1000 subscribers do regularly open your emails and you do now have 500 potential customers. If each were to pay you at least £8 you'd be able to break even. 

Being optimistic is one thing, but unfortunately turning 50% of your subscribers into customer is out-of-the-park unrealistic.

What might be realistic,  is more like 10%. Which by comparison, may not sound like the greatest number, but it's far from the worst, let me assure you.

So your more realistic funnel now looks like this...

• Clicks: 4000
• Subscribers: 1000
• Opens: 500
• Sales: 50

And now to break even on your initial £4000 investment, each of your 50 sales needs to add up to £400 instead.

Which means either…

• Selling at least one £400 product to each customer
• Selling an average of 4 x £100 products to each customer
• Selling a £33 per month subscription service to each customer for a year

Maths is fun right?

Quite.

Unfortunately though, while this is just an example, regardless of the business or the products, this downward trajectory of numbers is how sales funnels work (the clue's in the name). On the upside though, every business is different. The value of one subscriber (potential customer) to business A will never be the same as for business B (unless they’re selling a very similar product at a very similar price, obvioulsy). It comes down to what you have to sell (and your ability to sell it). 

And so, while it’s not my intention to put you off the idea of building a list via ads completely - that wouldn’t be very smart for my business - it is my intention to help you understand whether the maths make it a viable model for you or not. 

And so here's the good news bit...

After spending a whole lot of time dissecting more landing pages than I care to count, one thing I can confidently conclude is, in the main, squeeze pages for smaller independent niche businesses are nowhere near as effective as they could be.

Which for you, can spell: opp-or-tune-it-ay.

As long as, you...

show your squeeze page some love

If you’re building a list, it’s obvious you won’t make much progress without a system in place to help you collect those precious emails. And if those contacts, leads, subscribers are what fuels this system, then the opt-in, squeeze, lead generation page is the fuel tank that feeds the engine of that business opportunity.

So they're quite important then?

Yes. Squeeze pages are quite important then, but still rarely, seem to get the attention they deserve. 

But why? 

Is it because they’re small, compact and light on content and so have the appearance of being easy?

It's true that even if your copy is weak, it can be overcome if your offer is timely, relevant and strong. On the other hand, strong, relevant and timely copy won’t count for half as much, if it’s trying to sell an offer that doesn't click with your target audience (or you’re targeting too wide an audience). 

Point being to build yourself a squeeze page with an ‘above average’ conversion rate, it’s essential that you first…

• Get clear about who your audience is and what they need, so you can attract your best-fit visitors (which is where the Awesome Avatar Process comes in)
• Develop an opt-in offer with good audience-problem-solution fit, so you can provide an incentive to subscribe that fulfils a real need (which is where the Strategic Lead Magnet Process comes in). 
• Simply, quickly and clearly communicate the difference your offer can make, while also motivating an action you want them to take (click, download, subscribe) - without any distractions, clutter or confusion getting in the way (which is where the Squeeze Page Process - coming up - comes in).

While there are many considerations that feed into a visitors first impression and their ultimate decision making, the words you use and the way you use them is where the power lies. 

Because it’s the words that pull people in. It’s the words that can persuade people to give you their time. And it's the words that can get them moving in the direction you want them to go.

As long you don’t frighten them off with your layout and design…

Everyone Writes

But if it’s all about the words, you could logically conclude it shouldn’t be too big of a problem, because…

Everyone can write, right?

Er, right.

But can everyone write copy for a squeeze page... right?

As entrepreneurial freelancers and creators, we have it drummed into us that to build any kind of ‘authority’ you should share what you know. And if content is king, then the written word is usually the most obvious place to begin. And so we write blog posts. I do it. You do it. Even educated bees - or something - do it.

Unfortunately, writing blog posts is one thing, but even a highly competent bee, may need to swot up on conversion copywriting principles if they want a squeeze page with higher than average conversion clout. There may be much less to write on a squeeze page it’s true, but for that very reason, every word counts (literally). Which means some thought and foresight is needed - if you wanna do it right.

Bottom line, if you’ve invested the time and effort to generate traffic, you only get one chance to make a positive first impression. And if what you say and the way you say it doesn’t immediately resonate and connect, then 75 out of every 100 paid-for-visitors not converting is the least you can expect. And if you have done the groundwork, and you have targeted your audience, and you do have a good fit offer for them, that could be a painful - some might say unfair - place to be.

So what went wrong?

You took the time to understand your target audience?

You took the time to create a relevant and appealing offer for that audience. 

You took the time to communicate your offer to that audience in way that would resonate, connect and they might actually care about?

Ch…

Wait, what?

The truth is, the way you write doesn’t need to impress your audience much (and I should know - boom, boom). But what you write, can have a positive domino effect, if you hit the nail on the head, and communicate in a way that has meaning for them. But without that meaning, it won’t resonate, you won’t connect and so an above average conversion rate is not something you will easily get.

It may not be because you didn’t understand your audience.

It may not be because your offer wasn’t relevant to them.

It may simply be - as well intentioned and as well written as the words on your squeeze page may have been - you didn’t prioritise what matters most and failed to stay focussed on what they really care about.

Which is easy done believe me.

As you sit at the keyboard and let your caffeine-fuelled creativity flow, you may come up with cool ideas. You may be able to deliver more than common-or-garden prose. You may even manage to entertain or provide some food for thought along the way. 

You may. 

But without a plan, a structure and some means to stay focussed on your a-game, you may also end up confusing, distracting or just plain failing to communicate anything, anyone other than you, actually gives a crap about.

Lecture over.

The good news is, your squeeze page can connect with your good-fit subscribers more effectively if you’re clear about what matters most, what they need to hear and where your focus should be. And the best way to ensure that is - you guessed it - to lay the groundwork first.

Which is where...

The Squeeze Page Brief...

Comes in.

And for bonus points, it’s really not that time consuming to do - if you have a repeatable process to hand anyway. And that process can be as simple as having a list of questions to answer before you begin. And on completion of your Q&A you can then be crystal clear on what you need to include, say and do, while also highlighting any gaps in your knowledge too.

But, lucky old you won’t even have to do that because, the questions that will get you where you need to be are coming right up (and this is all still free - for now at least).

It's process time…

This, the final foundational piece, before the squeeze page creation process really begins, may seems like more ‘homework’, but much like revising for a test, once you ace it, you’ll be glad you did it, simply because it makes the actual writing of your squeeze page so much easier to do.

Once completed and compiled, your Squeeze Page Brief becomes the perfect guide to help you through the beginning, middle and end of the writing process, as follows…

1. Before the writing

Your Squeeze Page Brief helps you figure out what you do and don't know, so you can avoid staring at a blank page for too long and can hit the ground running instead.

2. During the writing

Your Squeeze Page Brief provides a reference guide to keep you focussed on what’s most relevant and salient as you go.

3.  After the writing

Your Squeeze Page Brief enables you to check the core objectives of the page have been delivered and done.

And for big bonus points

A big benefit of creating a brief, is that you may not even have to write any copy at all. 

If you want to be ultra-efficient - and who doesn’t - the beauty of a completed brief, is you can hand it over to any competent writer safe in the knowledge they’ll have everything they need to get the job done, with a lot less time-sucking too-ing and fro-ing between.

Leaving you a lot more time to plan your world-domination instead.

Win/Win right?

Right.

So let’s get down to it, with…

The big questions

Firstly - and this is where your customer avatar comes in - you need to ensure you’re clear on who you’re talking to and what they'll respond to. And so the first set of questions are designed to provide answers that will help you more effectively connect. 

If you have checked out the avatar action guide, then the following may be familiar to you and if you’ve completed your own avatar, this should be a doddle to fill in.

1. Who. Who are you aiming to reach?  Not generally, but exactly. Briefly summarise your ideal subscriber. Which nouns (or short phrases) best describe this person, demographic, category, market or niche?

2. Problems. What are the problems and pain points that will bring your target subscriber to your squeeze page and how does this make them feel? 

3. Wants. What do they most want, need or desire? What do they most want to be, have or do?

Secondly - where your strategic lead magnet comes in - you need to clarify exactly what your lead magnet is, does and can provide. The answers to the following set of questions will help your audience ‘get’ exactly what you have to offer them. 

1. Name. What's the name of your Lead Magnet? If you don't have one finalised, no need to hold things up - a working title will do for now, but you do something to work with.

2. What. State clearly, what your lead magnet offer is and/or what it does.

3. How. How do you deliver your solution? This would be the format: an e-book, email course, webinar, template etc.

Thirdly - where both your avatar & lead magnet comes in - you need to clarify how you’re opt-in offer actually relates to your target audience. The answers to these questions will help you create copy that can better resonate.

1. Core Problem. Reviewing your list of problems and pains, which is the biggest for your target audience or the one most relevant to your opt-in offer? Which core problem will you focus on?

2. Core Solution. Very specifically; how can your lead magnet/opt-in offer address your target audience’s core problem? How can it help them feel better? How can it elevate them to a better place? 

3. Core Outcome. What is the main benefit, outcome or result your core solution can provide?

Fourthly, for more connective ammunition, it’s useful to dig into the details of your offer and the benefits it can provide…

1. Features. List the things your lead magnet does; its functions; the bells & whistles that make up the whole. Examples, might be: each lesson within an e-course; each chapter in an e-book; each section of a workbook.

2. Benefits. What beneficial results or outcomes can these features potentially deliver for your audience?

3. Tangibles. Which benefits are the most easy to visualise? How can they make a tangible, measurable difference to your prospects life? Can you describe them more specifically? Perhaps using numbers instead of superlatives, adjectives or adverbs.

And finally, for additional bonus points…

1. USP. What makes your offering different or unique? Why should your target subscriber choose this over other options? 

2. Value Add. Consider if there's any - even small - bonus, extras or some kind of special offer you could include to make your lead magnet that bit more appealing?

3. Proof. Can you prove that your lead magnet will deliver on the outcomes you claim?

Putting it all together…

To be honest, the medium of your Squeeze Page Brief doesn’t matter much. I use Airtable because I like its flexibility, ability to connect with, and reference other documents (your avatar for example) and its various display choices. But, until I figure out how best to make my brief template available for you, any spreadsheet or text document will do nicely thank you. 

What matters, is not the format, but that you do gather this information together in one document you can quickly refer to, as you need to (and save yourself a lot of head scratching, time wasting and second guessing and as you go).

Time x Effort = Your Return

It’s true that laying this groundwork may involve putting the dopamine hit that comes from actually building stuff on hold for a little bit, but honestly, in the great scheme of things there’s not that much extra to do. Especially when you consider the potential return such an investment can yield. And not when you have a simple - and free - process to help you on your merry way.

However the magic bit, the bit that makes it worth the extra mile, is once you have your Squeeze Page Brief complete, you’ll not only be better equipped to start the writing process - the process itself will much easier to do, and the end result will be a lot more satisfying (and effective too).

Too Good To Be True?

Before wrapping things up, just a warning about those shiny objects that entice with promises of quick, easy success…

While it might only be a squeeze page, it might only be a few hundred words and you might be able to quickly hack something together, you might also find  a rapid implementation such as this, is one that hurts more than it works. “Cheap, easy and fast” is an option, if all you’re bothered about is getting your list-building funnel up and running ASAP. But it’s also a choice that can mean a profitable mailing list could be a lot more expensive, hard and slow to achieve in the long run too.

And let’s say you do take the time to specifically target your audience with the aid of a customer avatar, and you do find a good audience-problem-solution fit with your lead magnet opt-in offer.  Don’t forget, an above average conversion rate may still be out of your grasp, if - your copy doesn’t quickly connect and clearly communicate what you have to offer in a way your target audience will actually care about. And if your hard-fought-for (or bought-for) best-fit traffic does more skimming and bouncing than connecting and converting, your subscriptions and sales could result in a lot more stress than success down the line. And so, whether your squeeze page is a winner or a loser can come down to the foundational route you choose to take (or not as the case may be). 

But lucky for you…

You now do have a process that can help you prepare the ground; to clarify what you need to know; to identify what you need to communicate; and to enable you to stay focussed on the outcome you set out to achieve.

Which is…

But of course, it’s up to you.

It’s not my goal to persuade anyone that a quality-over-quantity mailing list is a way to get-rich-quick. And it’s certainly not something a businesses lusting after growth-at-all-costs will gravitate towards. But that’s ok. It’s not them I’m talking to. The people I am talking to are the best fit people. The people that like the idea of a lean, well optimised mailing list that can provide the majority of their subscribers something they need.

And to them - to you?

Ultimately, your squeeze page can be effective at connecting with the majority of your best-fit subscribers as long as you get clear on what matters most, you understand what they need to hear, and the focus is where it should be. 

A Squeeze Page Brief is a simple way to do exactly that.

 And...

• Help you ‘see’ what the reader needs if they’re to take the journey from A to B and deliver the outcome you seek. 
• Help you get started, so you’re not staring at a blank page or banging your head against a keyboard all day.
• Provide a reference guide to keep you focussed on what’s most relevant and salient as you write.
• Enable you to check that you’ve delivered on the core objectives of the page once the copy is complete.
• Empower you to delegate, safe in the knowledge that any competent writer will have everything they need to get the job done.

The Next Step…

Solid foundations firmly in place, you’ll be in a better position than most to deliver a higher than average conversion rate. But of course - there’s always a but -  there’s still the no small matter of the copy, the layout, the hero-image and the actual page build to contend with.

So, you could just use a template, right?

True. You could.

Utilising one of the multitude of off-the-shelf templates that come bundled with your landing page builder of choice means getting an average squeeze page up and running is technically not that hard to do.

Having said that…

While off-the-shelf templates saving time and resources on coding and designing is no bad thing - to get it to the point where it does more converting than bouncing means that while it may be a good place to begin, there’s still some work to do.

Because, an off-the-shelf squeeze page template won’t…

• Help you create copy that quickly connects and can actually resonate with your best-fit visitors, so they’re less likely to skim, scroll, hit the back button and go.
• Show you exactly what each section of the page needs to do and say to ensure a natural seamless flow without conflicting or confusion along the way.
• Help you create a hero image that perfectly compliments your headline to draw your best-fit visitors in.
• Provide you with a best practices checklist for each section of the page to ensure you’ve included everything you need, in the right place for optimal conversion success.

But this will…

Bonus Time

If you’ve got this far, it makes sense that The SAS Mailing List - and all the free action guides and exclusive content subscribers have access to - should be a pretty good fit for you and so - for subscribers only - there’s a 50% Discount Code you can use at checkout as well..