Sales page critique needed?

by Beats4Legends

Posted: 14 years ago 27 replies

COPY WRITING

My site gets pretty good traffic, and a 15% conversion rate for the squeeze page (15/100 visitors join mailing list)....

My sales are only at 00.3%, or roughly 1/3% of total visitors.

Getting 80-100 visitors a day to my site... Alexa 350,000.. Good Google rankings, plenty of #1 ranks... Small market though sheesh.

What can I do to increase my profits dramatically here?

Thanks
Kyle

P.S. I'm about to have the site redesigned very soon here because I know it generally looks a little harsh. I'm not a total noob, I make around $5,000 a month online right now through 3 websites (8 total but only 3 are making money)...

#critique #needed #page #sales

Beats4Legends 14 years ago

In case that was unclear, I meant 1/3 of 1%... So .3% which is pretty bad
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Paul Myers 14 years ago

Link, please. These folks are good, but they ain't mindreaders.
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Beats4Legends 14 years ago

Haha my bad

Site:
SellBeatsNow.com

Alexa: 350,000

Google:
#1 sell beats
#2 sell beats online
#1 how to sell beats
#1 selling beats
#1 how to sell beats online
#2 selling beats online
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- videolover7 14 years ago
  
  Since you're giving away such a great bait piece, you certainly can't expect anyone to buy anything from your landing page.
  
  Therefore, either 1) your email follow-up series sucks or 2) your product sucks. Or both.
  
  VL
  
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Beats4Legends 14 years ago

My products don't suck we have a very, very low refund rate... Almost nil. I agree that I could make my auto responder more powerful, though. I'm working on that. I'm going to pay a copy writer to have my front page changed so it can convert around 40%... Right now its only at 15%... Then hopefully I can bring sales up using auto responder
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- Steve The Copywriter 14 years ago
  
  Yes, your copywriter should make your landing page more compelling and easier to read.
  
  Your headline should be more powerful - is there any need to mention a record label? (I know nothing about "beats" so it might be important).
  
  And then concentrate on your auto responder sequence.
  
  That's where your money is.
  
  Steve
  
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Beats4Legends 14 years ago

Yes the reason a record label is mentioned- My conversions actually TRIPLED upon adding the simple line "Without a Record Label". Apparently my market not only wants to sell beats, but the thought of not doing it with record labels may be appealing to them I suppose.

I'm just going off testing, of course..

And yes my auto responder must be made better! I am going to completely destroy it and start from scratch.

I was promoting 3 affiliate products by the same company usnig my auto responder... And they all went out of business this month. Haha.

So I might as well remake my entire auto responder series!!!!
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Ken Hoffman 14 years ago

You are correct about that. Musicians don't want the record label, because they know they will usually get screwed over by them. The thought of being independent is extremely apprealing to them. And most musicians realize that record labels are unneccessary today anyway, unless you are very well known and need someone to handle the infrastructure.
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Beats4Legends 14 years ago

It's true man. People THINK the music industry is dying, but why cuz major labels are seeing less sales? Please.

In 2010, 50% of the total sales were independents.. Now its even more. So I mean, while majors are fallin' off, independents are comin' UP!!!
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- Steve The Copywriter 14 years ago
  
  In that case still power up the headline - but leave the record label bit in.
  
  Steve
  
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Beats4Legends 14 years ago

For sure my first instinct is to get a copy writer to recreate my entire homepage's sales page. Ever since I came out with my new sales page conversions for mailing list went from 5% to 15% and as high as 19%. I am going to hire to get somebody to do a page which will convert at 40%+ hopefully.

From there I want to completely redesign my auto responder series.

Any tips on how to make my auto responder sell my products better?
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- Steve The Copywriter 14 years ago
  
  Well - follow your logic.
  
  Get conversions at 40% plus.
  
  When the copy is that good.
  
  Get the same writer to do your auto responders.
  
  Steve
  
  P.S. It's just a friendly thought but when you ask for more help - it always pays to thank the people who have already given you their time.
  
  Don't worry about me - I know nothing about the "beat" niche.
  
  But click the "thanks" button for the others - you'll be amazed what can happen.
  
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Beats4Legends 14 years ago

Cool man I am new to this forum. I went ahead and "Thanked" a lot of comments real quick sorry if I missed anybody!
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Beats4Legends 14 years ago

Wow special thanks to everybody on Warrior Forum I can't believe the power of this forum!
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- SMSWriter 14 years ago
  
  Hello Beats,
  
  My ex was a DJ, so that's all I heard about. Your program would have been perfect for him!
  
  I have to agree with videolover7 on this one. It sounds like you're giving away the farm!! What incentive is there to pay you for the free info you just gave 'em?!
  
  And if you're giving away the farm, you need to have a wicked sick back end to keep them in the funnel.
  
  As it stands...
  
  YOU ARE LEAVING MAD MONEY ON THE TABLE!
  
  YOUR CAMPAIGN IS HEMORRHAGING CASH!
  
  Sorry. I'm a bit dramatic.
  
  But with 90 average visitors per day, a 40% conversion goal (how did you arrive at this?), and a 0.3% conversion rate, if your average product price is $56.79 (sum of all product prices divided by number of products offered), then you are blowing $2,029.10 each and every day.
  
  Copy is a great start, but you need to go back to the drawing board on your whole marketing strategy.
  
  1) You need web design services and yet you are offering this and SEO services to your visitors? Oh boy... Let's rethink that one.
  
  And I'm not being sarcastic. Offering web design and SEO dilutes your message and your marketing efforts. Now if you were to offer that to your customers ALONG WITH YOUR COACHING in order to help them set up their own beats business (kind of like a "business in a box", if you will), that would be a SERIOUS value add.
  
  I would suggest featuring that on it's own page or website altogether. Positioned correctly, you could get nasty rich off of that alone. (You're welcome. I'll send my invoice.)
  
  1b) Is the main focus of your home page to function as a squeeze page? Then why not just build a squeeze page? The home page needs a clear focus.
  
  2) Seems like the blueprint for 'getting rich with beats' should be a signature product offering, yet you appear to be giving it away. Why buy the fricken cow? Give away a lesser product, not the 'secret sauce'.
  
  3) Instead of lining the pockets of some now defunct online biz, why don't you tie YOUR OWN products to the back end so they KEEP BUYING FROM YOU. You've already given them value and built the relationship. Why not bank all the dough? Instead you want to give away your hard-earned traffic and hot customers for a slice of the pie?
  
  (Can we switch places? I'd take that biz and bust a mil' in time for Christmas. You playin'.)
  
  However, all joking aside, you do appear to be very knowledgeable and passionate about your subject and it shows, but better packaging and presentation will go along way to helping you reach your goal of higher conversions.
  
  P.S. And my math might be off...but I think I made my point.
  
  Shanen
  
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  Beats4Legends 14 years ago
  
  Well my main goal is to have visitors join the mailing list, then mailing list promotes other products & videos teaching how to sell beats.
  
  Truthfully I've seen higher "auto sales" than ever using these methods. And the website design service is a good deal for clients, it actually sells quite well.
  
  Also they get graphics made by a professional within the deal, as well as sales optimization and SEO services.. Its a package deal.
  
  I understand your points, just making mine clear.
  
  The info product given to them for joining the list is a small 7 page eBook, not exactly giving away too much?
  
  Just to be clear all my efforts have been tracked, I'm looking for a way to get higher opt ins (hoping for 40% since right now I'm only at 15%), and from there promote products within the auto responder.
  
  Does this seem unrealistic?
  
  Ive done lots of product launches with my list and banked a good chunk of change through those, and since then I'd decided to focus on mailing list building
  
  I'm looking for ways to build my monies using my auto responder
  
  I was hoping a 40% conversion ratee for squeeze (roughly 3x my current squeeze page) would increase my profits dramatically
  
  If i were to go back to the drawing board, how would you do it?
  
  Regardless if I changed the homepage to a product page instead of a squeeze page, wouldn't I still need copy written?
  
  Appreciate the criticism
  
  Thanks
  Kyle
  
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  Steve The Copywriter 14 years ago
  
  Hi Kyle,
  
  If it were me - I would rewrite the landing page.
  
  And... (this is a bit radical)-
  
  Sell the main product straight from the page.
  
  If you've got a "hungry crowd" in a hot niche market.
  
  Use the old sales principle.
  
  Just sell the damn thing.
  
  Your prospects want it so you may as well make sure they get it.
  
  As in quickly - whilst they are in a buying frame of mind.
  
  Why wait?
  
  Steve
  
  P.S. You'll have their emails and as long as they are delighted with the product - you can still use your auto responder to keep them happy and sell them more.
  
  If it's what they need and want they should be thrilled.
  
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  SMSWriter 14 years ago
  
  Hi Beats,
  
  Yes. Regardless of the direction you take, it's undeniable that you NEED copy written. None of us dispute that.
  
  IMHO, the size of the ebook doesn't matter if you're giving them a no-cost, no-obligation way to earn money. I'll need to subscribe and review the product in its entirety.
  
  I misunderstood your 'conversion rate'. My bad. You wanted a 40% opt in, not a 40% sales conversion. Point made.
  
  As to autoresponder messages and affiliate sales, there's no doubt you can absolutely make great money doing it, I just wonder if it wouldn't be better to promote your own products along with it.
  
  Since your main focus is email opt-ins. You need to have a squeeze page written and stick to that. Find a way to repackage the rest.
  
  I think it would be a cool idea to build a membership site around the rest of the content you offer. I know you want opt-ins, but I just see so many profitable ideas here. (Why didn't I think of this???) Anyway.
  
  When it comes to boosting opt-in conversions...
  
  Right now, the way it stands, when I visit your website - I have too many options.
  
  So here's what happens to me...
  
  As a visitor, my instinct is to go for the free info product through the mailing list.
  
  Once I'm on the mailing list, one of two things is taking place.
  
  1) Either my needs are fully satisfied and I don't feel like I need to buy anything else from you.
  
  2) Or you've disappointed the crap out of me and I don't feel like I want to buy anything else from you.
  
  Whatever it is, something is going very wrong to end up with a 0.3% sales conversion rate. It goes much deeper than just the copy.
  
  A higher opt-in rate will not automatically translate into higher sales if there is something turning them off. Don't you agree?
  
  At this point, it looks like you've already decided to hire a copywriter (maybe a marketing strategist, too?). Go ahead and do it.
  
  Free advice can only take you so far because you really need someone to take the time to sit down with you, thoroughly review your campaign and products, write awesome squeeze page copy, and create the copy for your autoresponder back end.
  
  So here's your action list...
  
  1) Find out the fundamental reason why you're subscribers aren't buying. Are you filling them up or letting them down?
  
  2) Come up with a plan to fix said problem. Give them less powerful information while maintaining value or give them a more valuable product altogether, depending on your findings.
  
  3) Go ahead and hire a copywriter to write your new squeeze page and autoresponder series. There is absolutely no reason why you can't sell your own products and the affiliate offers through the funnel as long as there is perceived value there.
  
  Ok, there you have it! Hope this helps!
  
  Now just do it! The longer you wait, the more money you lose.
  
  Shanen
  
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  Steve The Copywriter 14 years ago
  
  Shanen is doing rather well isn't she?
  
  It was only a few days ago when she risked her own life and soul by posting her copy pitch and asked for a critique.
  
  She listened carefully and took all the flack with great humor. She knew she had faith in herself.
  
  Now look at her, she's giving beautifully written top notch critiques.
  
  Steve
  
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  SMSWriter 14 years ago
  
  Thanks, Steve.
  
  Thanks
  
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Beats4Legends 14 years ago

I so so so appreciate all the advice. My thing is... I almost feel like this whole niche isn't going to get me a 3%-4% conversion rate as it is... Maybe they just don't buy that often because they're stingy? Haha I don't want to believe this way, though, but no matter what I've done I've never gone past 10-15 sales a month from that site, from 2,227 visitors

So I guess my conversion rate is a little bit higher than I previously stated. Still pretty pathetic, though.

I see more sales than ANYTHING on my beginners product, at $36.95. Last night I went ahead and changed up the price of many of my products to $36.95-$39.95... Maybe the price is what's holding people back from buying?

In my testing, $36.95 converts higher than anything else.

My $50+ products only sell 2 copies a month or so... So I decided to further my testing by dropping the price low.

I like the idea of a squeeze page though just because I enjoy a good product launch, I really hope I can make my auto responder work so I don't have to put a sales copy as my homepage!

I will keep all these ideas in mind.

First step I'm going to probably try to hire somebody to write amazing copy on my homepage for higher squeeze rate.

Then I'm rebuilding my auto responder myself this week.. .Straight up deleted most of it last night... Seriously.

I'm going to try giving away free spoilers from each product in the auto responder, as well as information saying "This is what Google's all about" and then linking back to my GOogle based products before showing more information.

You think this could increase conversions?

Coupled with lower prices for a low paying niche?

Hmmm

Thanks
Kyle
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Beats4Legends

14 years ago

Just 1 little side-mention, I'm going to be remaking my site soon with graphics, everything... to make it more clean.

Here's another one of my sites... This one I recently redesigned:
Beats4Legends.com

It actually converts better than SellBeatsNow.com... and the products are right there on the homepage... Less traffic but equal sales right now lol...

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Steve The Copywriter

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Beats4Legends

Just 1 little side-mention, I'm going to be remaking my site soon with graphics, everything... to make it more clean.

Here's another one of my sites... This one I recently redesigned:
Beats4Legends.com

It actually converts better than SellBeatsNow.com... and the products are right there on the homepage... Less traffic but equal sales right now lol...

I did suggest selling the stuff straight of the page - see thread 18.

Kyle, could it be that your audience hasn't got time to wade through stacks of emails?

Maybe a DJ or anyone in your target audience plays a fast moving game - gotta keep up with the beat - and they buy quickly, possibly on impulse (yea, I could use these "beats" tonite... start making money today... etc)

And as you've proven with Beats4Legends - if they are going to buy...

They want to do it on the hurry up (UK translation - now).

Steve

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Beats4Legends 14 years ago

Still got plenty of work to do on both sites.. Smh...
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apim 14 years ago

don't want to say it, but your squeeze page conversion is low, you're only taking very limited details and you're using a lot of real estate to get it.

As an example, I'm getting a 40% conversion on one of my squeezes in the Guitar niche where we are getting them to answer 5 questions plus email and first name details.

From here we take the details to customize the marketing to them using the Forer Effect. This is a very powerful strategy in a market where you are able to define clearly who you're targetting.

I would be suggesting changes to your follow up sequence and maybe inputting the forer effect in
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- Beats4Legends 14 years ago
  
  Cool thanks for all the good comments! I'm definitely seeing now that 15% is not enough of a conversion rate to even call my site a squeeze page hehe.
  
  I'm strongly suggesting making my homepage into a sales letter for one of my products, and just using a pop-over along with sidebar for getting people on the mailing list
  
  Thanks
  
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  Beats4Legends 14 years ago
  
  NOTICE TO ALL: I went ahead and changed out my old squeeze page with my best selling product page... Going to see if sales go up...
  
  Just using the pop-over lightbox and sidebar for email gathering.. Took out all other pages for now and keeping it ultra simple.
  
  I hope this works! Thanks for all the comments, I wouldn't have made such a ballsy move without you guys!
  
  Hope it works haha
  
  Thanks
  
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