To Squeeze or not to Squeeze?

[perryny]

Hi.

I'm just about finished up with my first membership website. I think I've got plenty of valuable content and I believe my niche will find it valuable too. I also have a good squeeze page and sales letter.

My current strategy is to have visitors hit the squeeze page, I give them some free content and the sales letter, and then follow up with an AWeber email campaign.

I'm working on SEO right now and through my keyword searching, I believe I'll be able to drive a lot of traffic to the site.

My question is... do I force visitors to the squeeze page/sales letter, or do I just let them access the site and let them look around? If an unregistered user clicks a link that leads to paid content, they get the sales letter anyway.

Because I feel that the content is solid, I'm wondering if I'll have better conversions if I allow direct access to the site rather than force users to register on the squeeze page first.

Thanks,
-Rob

[perryny]

Dumb question?

[pharris1]

Hey Rob - if I were a paid member I would expect access directly to the site and shouldn't have to go through the salespage. As you stated if an unpaid member hits a link to the paid content then they're directed to the salespage anyway so it seems like you are covered. Let the paid members go right to the site. You've already sold them!

Peter

[perryny]

My current way around this is sending the paid or registered user a link in their "thank you" email sending them directly to the site (which is simply www.sitename.com/home). I also thought about putting a link on the squeeze page for users that already registered, but I haven't seen this done elsewhere, so I quickly dismissed the idea.

There's several ways I can use both the squeeze page AND let other users just access the site, but I'm just wondering if I should be using the squeeze page at all.

[chrisgarrett]

The way I have done it is to have the homepage be a squeeze page, but it has a login button on there right in the global navigation (I know some people think a squeeze page should have no navigation, whatever, heh).

[actionplanbiz]

squeeze it in 1st

[perryny]

Well, that's part of my conundrum. I've been told by many not to put any navigation on the squeeze page, so if I'm going to use one, I'll play by the rules.

But will a squeeze page get me more interested customers than if they were to just visit the site and see what's available to them there?

I think this is a pretty valid question, but apparently not a very interesting one to my fellow warriors. I know the merits of having a squeeze page has been answered in many threads, but I haven't found an answer to my particular question.

If I was just selling an ebook and was looking to build a list, I'd have no question.

But I've got a lot to offer on my site. Lot's of videos, downloadable content and information. I'm wondering if hiding that from potential new customers might just lose them forever.

[chrisgarrett]

It depends on how much they get to see, if all they see when they arrive is just enough to rank but not enough to make them want to see more then you HAVE to go the squeeze route. If on the other hand there is sufficient free content that they are confidently sold then instead of a squeeze page have an opt-in box for the waverers but not a full squeeze. Make sense? Either way, you don't want to be trying to convert all your first time visitors so an email list is a must, it's just how strong you go with the squeeze versus "value first"

[perryny]

Makes sense. And everything you're saying is exactly what I'm questioning.

They'll get 7 free videos (out of 40 total) if they register for free. They will also see all of the downloadable content they'll have access to once they purchase. I'm thinking this provides more motivation for them to give me their email address than just offering them the promise of one video (and little detail of what else awaits them) if they give me their email on the squeeze page.

My problem is that this makes sense to me from my rational thinking, but from the standpoint of how squeeze pages work, I don't know what the "proven" route is.

[Lance K]

Can you put together a free report that presents your membership site as the solution to a problem faced by your market? If so, give it away on your squeeze page. Then once your report directs them to your membership site, let your teaser content and sales letter take it from there.

[perryny]

That's the current idea. I'm giving away a free video, which will then link to the sales letter. Not the site.

Then in the follow-up AWeber email campaign, I give them access to six more free videos on the site itself.

So they either buy from me the first time I hit them with the sales letter, or three days later they'll get an opportunity to see the site for the first time and access more content if they open the follow-up email.

Here's the site: Home |

Would people be more likely to opt-in on the site itself, being that they can already see what they'll have access to?

[DogScout]

Originally Posted by perryny

That's the current idea. I'm giving away a free video, which will then link to the sales letter. Not the site.

Then in the follow-up AWeber email campaign, I give them access to six more free videos on the site itself.

So they either buy from me the first time I hit them with the sales letter, or three days later they'll get an opportunity to see the site for the first time and access more content if they open the follow-up email.

Here's the site: Home |

Would people be more likely to opt-in on the site itself, being that they can already see what they'll have access to?

Personally, I don't like the standard squeeze page. Not enough that I wouldn't buy off one though. I like the ones that are well thought out and give some options Like this one: Buyer Keywords Generator BuyerKeywordsGenerator Reviews at www.BuyerKeywordsGenerator.com