93% abandon in the first 30 seconds - Help

[mrmatt]

Hello All,

I am selling an ebook and just checked my stats. 93% are leaving in the first 30 seconds.

Traffic is very targeted - I use [ ] for my keywords in adwords
Click through rate is about 4.5%
Headline is exactly what they searched for.

The sales page is very basic. Looks like a letter. No graphical headers or footers. A few pictures through out. It is not a squeeze page.

The ebook is a "How To" in a hobby niche.

I think that I am a pretty good copywriter.

I just added a video below the headline last night.

Anyone have any suggestions, thoughts or ideas?

[dvduval]

Well, let me start by saying the glass is 7% full.
I don't know if you have any stats to compare to other sites in this niche, but in some cases 7% can be good. Are you doing any split testing?

[mrmatt]

I just added the video last night. I read on here someone saying their conversions were awful. Then they added a video and started converting at 7%. So this is my first test.

I am a glass is always half full guy. Love the 7% full.

I will set up the split test of video on top vs. video on bottom tonight.

Then start playing with split testing headlines.

Any other suggestions on major things to start testing?

[InternetMarketingIQ]

That's why so many people use exit pop ups. Are you? Then give them a chapter for free if you get the email. Then you can try again.

While I can't remember the exact number or source... there is some thought that it takes 7 visits to make a sell. People research and shop, then buy. Looks like you are catching the researchers and shoppers and not the buyers. So you have to look at what you have and figure out why they are leaving so soon.

[Loren Woirhaye]

Yes - since you are not specific here I will tell you it is probably
a problem with your positioning.

Why should they buy your ebook when they can get the same
information from a printed book?

Where is the desperate need to buy right now?

This is a problem issue with hobby niches. Maybe not golf where
self-esteem and social-standing are at stake, but for many hobbies
it's just a matter of "how to" - and the issue you must solve is
how to make your offer be perceived as must-have information.

[mrmatt]

Loren you are absolutely right. There really is no desperate need. There is no pain to solve. This is something they would like to know how to do but is not a big enough deal to make them want to buy.

Is there a way to use pop ups on adwords?

[Droopy Dawg]

This should be the standard for all ebook products... offer the free chapter for their email address... build the list. Even if they don't buy you OWN them (until they opt-out )

Originally Posted by internetmarketingiq

That's why so many people use exit pop ups. Are you? Then give them a chapter for free if you get the email. Then you can try again.

[bminor]

Originally Posted by mrmatt

Loren you are absolutely right. There really is no desperate need. There is no pain to solve. This is something they would like to know how to do but is not a big enough deal to make them want to buy.

Is this something inherent in the product or niche or could you change that with a little fantasy? I mean a lot of "how to" info products in hobby niches sell very well when people outside of that niche would consider this information as totally uninteresting. The point is that the copy writer managed to let it appear as something very worthwhile. But from your own words one migh think you don't consider your product very worthwhile yourself.

Just dream up some situations where the information you provide DOES solve some (urgent) problem and would make a definite difference. Then include this in your salesletter right below the headline.

After all the visitors on your site did click on your AdWords ad. So they are interested in what you have to offer. If 93% lose their interest so fast there is something wrong.

[Loren Woirhaye]

Actually people buy not because of what the product is or
does, but because of the new identity it will allow them to
have or aspire to.

This is a little deep - let me simplify. A guy buys a garage-full
of woodworking machines because he watched Norm Abrams
on TV and there is something there he wishes he could have -
an old-world self-sufficiency perhaps.

A kid buys a guitar course because he wants to play guitar -
maybe. Learning to be a good guitar player is a long process
requiring a lot of dedication. That's hard to sell - what is
easier to sell is the new self-identity, social confidence,
something to interest girls with, and so forth.

This is perfectly illustrated by John Caples's old ad:
"The Laughed When I Sat Down At The Piano - But When
I Started To Play..."

It's the glamor of being able to play well that the ad sells.
The actual product was a correspondence course which,
if one wanted to play the pieces described in the ad would
take quite a lot of practice.

[Steven Fullman]

Loren,

I've been trying to write a pleasing, intellectual reply.

I couldn't.

I like reading your ****.

There.

Steve

[mrmatt]

I know it's all about the hook.

My assumption is that it's got to be the headline.

The hook has got to be there. I'll do a little research. Review the book again. And test test test.

Thanks to everyone for all your help and insight. I greatly appreciate it.
Thanks
Matt

[askloz]

try adding some video, make the page longer, saying the same things over and over but in different ways to capture those different minds out there...

and offer something free if they opt-in, and mention the value to entice them to enter their email address.

if you provided a link... you might get more help

[Tyrus Antas]

Originally Posted by Steven Fullman

Loren,

I've been trying to write a pleasing, intellectual reply.

I couldn't.

I like reading your ****.

There.

Steve

Loren Woirhaye is awesome. +++ for the hairstyle.

Tyrus

[Steven Fullman]

Originally Posted by Tyrus Antas

Loren Woirhaye is awesome. +++ for the hairstyle.

Tyrus

Agreed, Tyrus.

It's Morrissey-esque (at least, it looks that way in his avatar)



Steve

[Ron569]

Kind of reminds me of that little known guy, Adam Lambert. Fantastic tips to boot.

[Nick Brighton]

First of all, we need to see your site.

Secondly, forget testimonials, videos, scripts, widgets etc.

I can achieve a 5% conversion ratio on some letters I write without any of the above (no, not even testimonials) for 3 reasons:

1. I have a great offer
2. I test the offer first, before messing around with the copy (I highly recommend you do the same, as would the late Gary Halbert).
3. I do my research to check that I'm hitting the right triggers, price point, offer and solution

The rest is minor upgrades, I'll place money on it from experience.

Also,

Originally Posted by Loren Woirhaye

Yes - since you are not specific here I will tell you it is probably
a problem with your positioning.

Why should they buy your ebook when they can get the same
information from a printed book?

Totally agree. You need an angle that makes you unique..do you have one?

Originally Posted by Loren Woirhaye

This is a problem issue with hobby niches. Maybe not golf where
self-esteem and social-standing are at stake, but for many hobbies
it's just a matter of "how to" - and the issue you must solve is
how to make your offer be perceived as must-have information.

Although you make excellent points Loren, I have to disagree here.

Hobbyists are some of the most passionate and dedicated people around. They'll spend thousand to better their skills/enhance their enjoyment of their hobby.

And although sometimes not with urgency, what's important to remember is that hobbyists have hobbies BECAUSE it taps into their core emotions, and end benefits (such as pride, accomplishment, social advancement, financial freedom, attraction, pleasure, comfort...etc, etc)

[webgeek154]

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[HiddenSwingers]

Hi

One of the main problems when users search for 'how to' on hobbies is that they'll look at your e-book site, then wonder off to see other sites and try and find the information for free.

So, maybe it's a good idea to give away a chapter or two for free (if they sign up to your newsletter or something) and elaborate that your information is better than the free information they may find elsewhere.

Don't forget to a newbie, it's hard for them to understand the difference in information. Make sure they know you're info is better than everyone else.

Give them a taster- leave them wanting more.

[RandyNorton99]

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[Loren Woirhaye]

Originally Posted by Nick Brighton

Although you make excellent points Loren, I have to disagree here.

Hobbyists are some of the most passionate and dedicated people around. They'll spend thousand to better their skills/enhance their enjoyment of their hobby.

And although sometimes not with urgency, what's important to remember is that hobbyists have hobbies BECAUSE it taps into their core emotions, and end benefits (such as pride, accomplishment, social advancement, financial freedom, attraction, pleasure, comfort...etc, etc)

Hobbiests CAN be passionate to be sure - especially when they
are beyond the beginner stage and are truly committed. I have
the insider track on this mentality because I own 60+ books about
woodworking and have the kind of tool collection many pros would
gape at. What I won't buy is some ebook on the subject.

You need an angle - timeliness in particular - a new method or
technology or opportunity within the area of interest. Recycling
old content is not enough because hobbiests, as has been noted,
are information-junkies and will read and digest everything easily
available on the topic for free before they buy. For this reason
many information-product niches are virtually unworkable with
an ebook product because all the other hobbiests have so freely
published just about everything there is to know via the internet
over the last 15 years - in many hobby areas the net has become
one giant public library.

Case in point - the "Bible" of building acoustic guitars, by Cumpiano
and Natelson, hasn't been updated in over 15 years to cover
contemporary building methods like using vacuum presses.... and
with good reasons - hobbiests have published all the information
online - and it's accessible for free... effectively demolishing
the market for mass-produced print books about how to build
guitars - and why would anybody buy an ebook about it either?

NOW - a solution - the video format. Take information which is
saturated and freely available and put it in a video format and you
capture a huge segment of the market who are either functionally
illiiterate (cannot learn from written instruction) or just prefer the
format. There are a lot of them - and their numbers are growing.

[Raydal]

That number sound quite typical to me. The stickiness of a website
is hard to judge sometimes.

Theoretically, this can be because of a weak headline, or maybe your
webpage takes too long to load ... and I could continue guessing but
wouldn't make much sense without seeing the website which you
obviously don't want to share.

And so any response will continue to be just guesses.

-Ray Edwards

[TimGross]

There's very, very little help that you can get without showing your actual site. You're describing your perception of how your website is, but your perception may easily be wrong.

It's similar to posting this in a dating forum:

"I don't know why girls won't go out with me. I'm a fairly good-looking guy, fun to be around, and easy going. Why can't I get a date???!!!!"

Can you see why it's hard to troubleshoot that question?

You think you're fun to be around. In reality you may be an annoying jackass.

You think you're easy going. Maybe others would describe you as jumpy and short-tempered.

Maybe you're unaware that you pick your nose in public and it grosses everyone out. Maybe you're fond of wearing pants that are 3 sizes too small and you think it's cool but girls think you're ridiculous.

Self-perception is often the entire problem, so describing your project through your perception eliminates the ability of others to point out problems that you weren't aware of.

PS - Stop picking your nose :-)

[Loren Woirhaye]

I've seen the sales-page - I won't reveal it but I will
tell you the product is an ebook re-publishing of a
book written many, many years ago.

I know a lot of folks want to cash-in on old books,
especially Public Domain ones - but you have to look
at WHY books go out of print; often lack of commercial
viability because times have changed.

Matt Furey famously made some big bucks with an
old PD clutch-wrestling book... but I think he made
a video course from it. He updated the information -
and traded on his existing tough-guy positioning to
sell it - so the whole story is not just in the
re-publishing but in the context of the marketing
and format of the material.

[AnneE]

Originally Posted by TimGross

There's very, very little help that you can get without showing your actual site. You're describing your perception of how your website is, but your perception may easily be wrong.

It's similar to posting this in a dating forum:

"I don't know why girls won't go out with me. I'm a fairly good-looking guy, fun to be around, and easy going. Why can't I get a date???!!!!"

Can you see why it's hard to troubleshoot that question?

You think you're fun to be around. In reality you may be an annoying jackass.

You think you're easy going. Maybe others would describe you as jumpy and short-tempered.

Maybe you're unaware that you pick your nose in public and it grosses everyone out.

...

Thanks for making me smile Oh, and your last name is Gross too. So you are an expert on these things! Sorry, couldn't resist.

[JohnMcCabe]

Originally Posted by mrmatt

Loren you are absolutely right. There really is no desperate need. There is no pain to solve. This is something they would like to know how to do but is not a big enough deal to make them want to buy.

Is there a way to use pop ups on adwords?

No. Using pop-ups, at minimum, will get your ads shut down.

One thing you haven't mentioned is what is happening with the 7/100 who stay longer than 30 seconds. Are any of them buying? Clicking through to the order page? Doing anything you ask of them?

Just because someone has your page open in a browser window doesn't mean they are actually looking at the page. When I find a link while I'm reading something else, I'll open the link in a new tab or window. There it sits until I get around to looking at it.

If I opened your page that way, you might clock me on the page for 5 or 10 minutes, when in reality I might only spend 30 seconds or less actually viewing the page.

For Adwords traffic, since you can't use pop-ups, you might want to test a headline-short squeeze + opt-in-sales letter approach to see if this super-targeted traffic will opt-in. A short video squeeze before the main letter would be another thing to try...