Conversion sliding.... advice please?

I did something like this a while back. But the issue is actually how to diagnose a control for either revival or whether a redesign is called for.

Quite a few people think they have a control -- that's it. Money is going to roll in forever and ever.

The market is a moving target. Niches reach saturation. That's why you should have been testing something before now.

You can try a variety of things. For example an advertorial format, keeping the copy essentially unchanged. You can analyze results from previous tests to see if you can dig out anything there.

More importantly, mailings to your existing customers can test and prove out where the market is heading, and what appeals may be working now. You want to try to get back in tune with your customer base. That may suggest what to change.

Until then I would not suggest a complete rewrite from scratch.

Hey David,

A few comments...

The headline:

"Do You Ever Start To Wonder
If Anything Is Going To Lower
Your Blood Pressure...
And Keep It Down?"

Most people aren't wondering that. They know if they eat right, exercise, take medication... Whatever, there's a way to keep it down. So let them know that you have a BRAND NEW approach that works without all of that stuff, and make them curious to find out what it is.

Your Lead: (Which is, in my opinion, just as important as the headline.)

"Give me just 15 minutes of your time and I'll show you how to give yourself a lifetime of lower blood pressure, lower stress - and more - in 15 simple minutes a day!"

In 15 minutes a day I could take a brisk walk, a run... Lot's of things, and people already know that. So arouse some curiosity.

Maybe "Here's a scientifically proven way to lower your blood pressure, stress levels and more... And you can do it in just minutes a day while you lay on your couch or watch TV!"

I'm not putting 100% into these suggestions because it takes time to come up with headlines and leads that work... But it's a start.

As for a 1% and dropping conversion rate, in some niches that's not bad... But you have a truly unique product here. I'd think with the right copy, the right hook, you could do much better.

Good luck.

-Scott Murdaugh

David, here is some research i would do if I were selling this product:

Email or by some manner contact as many past customers as possible. Try and and find out whether MOST were already on BP medication OR were just aware they had high BP and were attempting to control it. You need to really 'fine tune' WHO your customer/prospect is.

Based on the data you get you may want to channel the copy more toward the prospect profile of those past buyers. IE: if mostly already on BP meds, agitate the disadvantages and risks of BP meds before pitching the benefits of 'breathing method'.

If mostly not BP med users, they may not really comprehend the risks of High BP. Most people don't. So I would agitate that problem alot more than you do now.

Also, this past customer communication might produce a lot more good useable testimonials. I'd also try and move testimonials further up the page anyway.

Also, your sales page is pretty low key and for this product that may be appropriate. However, if you really want to know for sure, you might try a more aggressive page. Not just 'hypey' but one that agitates the 'right' problem more and makes a bigger promise.
_____
Bruce

first off what is your main traffic source and have you made changes to the price or offer lately test tweak test and tweak some more...

I disagree with John. This needs to be re-written. There are so many missed opportunities: Headline... lead... building and keeping momentum... etc.

Only a re-write or significant edit will help improve the flow. I would not go Bruce's route for a more aggressive page. That tends to turn people off and make them more skeptical.

There is a way to be low key... yet still make the connection and keep the momentum. Bruce's idea of interviewing to find out more about what your prospect is going through is spot on. The key to improving conversions is not through aggressive sales tactics and hype. It's through making a genuine emotional connection by understanding and tapping into your prospect's core desires.

That said... my immediate impression was that the headline and subhead needed to be switched around. But you can do a lot more to build intrigue and interest in the headline block to attract your visitor's attention.

I felt the copy meandered all over the place at the beginning. You cannot afford to let your copy do that. It must IMMEDIATELY hook the reader and continue to build momentum. Your copy must naturally flow, like a greased slide.

For example, the article quote near the beginning is unneeded detour at that point. Finally, you get to what "feels" like the real beginning of your letter...

"Now for the first time, there is an easy and practical way to..."

(Except you end it in a fizzle instead of a bang by being too vague. Vague never builds curiosity... only boredom.)

In the very next paragraph you say, "Let's return briefly..."

Oops. Just lost the momentum again!

I feel the momentum and flow keeps stopping and starting and people just can't get into it.

Get them reading... KEEP them reading... then naturally lead to the close.

There is a LOT more I can say... but that's what jumped out right away.

Aaron

Some of us fail to look over our backs. It is possible that there is a competitor website which has been set up. Remember a lot of products are created when it is seen that other products are drawing "footfalls". Alexa, Compete and other tools provide you data about traffic and then a person can create a product.
You think that there is something wrong with your salespage but it may be something else altogether. You also need an Analytics person to check out the source of your visitors.

I assume the demo has also remained unchanged?

I was a bit impatient with the demo. Seemed like the guy did a lot of talking (stuff about breathing rates and other relaxation tapes being boring) and to be honest, by the time the music started I had kind of tuned out and didn't even really get what clues I was supposed to be following in terms of altering my breathing.

I'm just wondering if everyone isn't growing more and more impatient. I've heard that the length of the most popular videos on YouTube is shorter now than 1 - 2 years ago. While the testimonials are great, if a product has a demo, then the demo should in fact convince you.

I'd consider at least trying a different version of the demo... a shorter introduction section. If you have one. I don't know if that's an option.