Squeeze Page Marketers...Time To Put Up Or SHUT Up!

55 replies
Sending traffic directly to squeeze page...THEN sale pages...conversion rate?

VS

Sending traffic directly to sales page...conversion rate?


Some may see this as a stupid question. After all, everyone knows that using a squeeze page is where the money is... right?

BUT who has actually tested it?

I ask this because I see seasoned marketers that are HIGHLY focused on their conversion rates (some which own #1 selling products in clickbank...Im talking about the TOP guys)...NOT using a squeeze page.

Then I come here and see others who SWEAR by it!

It seems very conflicting!

But I have yet to see someone who says

"Ive TESTED Both...And here is what has converted best".

Now, I have ran a few tests myself in the past.

I sent half my traffic directly to my sales page, and the other half through a squeeze page then my sales page.

The results where 60% HIGHER conversions for the traffic I sent directly to my sales page (0ver 3k hits and over 40 sales - hence statistical significance.).

Now, I still dont want to entirely rule out squeeze pages because these results could be because of several factors.

#1 I didnt test these results over a long period of time following up with them by emails. These results were based on sending them through the squeeze page VS directly to my sales page. The results of the test did NOT calculate any emails sent out as a result of the opt in.

#2 The squeeze page wasn't high converting like many marketers brag about. In fact the conversion rate of the squeeze page was only 20% but keep in mind this was COLD traffic.

Perhaps If I ran this test again after increasing my opt in rate and using a strong follow up system I would get different results?
#actualy #tested
  • Profile picture of the author tsgeric
    is there any way you can capture the contact information for the people that went straight to your sales page (assuming it was for an affiliate product?)

    long-term value is in the list, and all that ....
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  • Profile picture of the author MilesT
    I would never NOT use a squeezepage. Lifetime value is too important to give up.
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  • bump.......
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    • Profile picture of the author Matthew Olson
      Direct linking = Substantially more immediate sales. For fast sales this is your best bet.

      Squeeze page = Substantially more long-term sales (less immediate sales but you're building a customer list that can last many years). Long term this is a better idea.
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      • Profile picture of the author tpw
        Originally Posted by Matthew Olson View Post

        Direct linking = Substantially more immediate sales. For fast sales this is your best bet.

        Squeeze page = Substantially more long-term sales (less immediate sales but you're building a customer list that can last many years). Long term this is a better idea.

        Yes in theory this is what is said...

        Have you done the testing on it?? I believe that was the original question...
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      • Originally Posted by Matthew Olson View Post

        Direct linking = Substantially more immediate sales. For fast sales this is your best bet.

        Squeeze page = Substantially more long-term sales (less immediate sales but you're building a customer list that can last many years). Long term this is a better idea.

        I'm sorry but I dont care how SOUND something sounds or how much sense it makes.

        I am never 100% comfortable with ANY idea unless I test it.

        I have tested plenty of things that most people would say WHAT!? You mean that increased or decreased your conversions by doing x or y??

        I mean CRAZY things. For example...I once removed a testimonial and it INCREASED conversions.

        Another time, I removed a bonus (a big one too) and it INCREASED conversions. Those are just a few of the wacky things (there are several more).

        So when it comes to selling online I never leave it up to common sense or an idea without testing it.

        And just because something is popular doesn't mean it works in every market.

        Seen it way to many times.

        The status quo isn't always the right path.

        I understand that locking your clients in a box and sending them emails in the future for other products is profitable but...

        I often wonder if 90% of the buyers that you email over and over again are the SAME ones that bought your FIRST product in the first place! And if THAT is the case...

        Wouldnt you have been better off, NOT taking that CUT (LOSS) in the beginning with the squeeze page and sending your traffic directly to the sales page?

        THEN, after they BUY from you, lock THOSE clients in a box (the buyers) and sell to THEM over and over.

        At least you would have a smaller list that you could manage and a QUALITY one at that!

        Id love to see the a/b test results on that!
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        • Profile picture of the author oneplusone
          I've tested this also, squeeze page then sales page v straight to sales page

          In EVERY market I've tested it in so far, I have had a much higher conversion rate sending people straight to the sales page.

          My theory is with one you are asking people to take TWO forms of action.

          With the other you are asking people to take ONE form of action.

          So it makes logical sense, that the one with less hoops to jump through would convert better.

          Not saying it would be the same in every market, but in all the markets I've tested it in so far the results have been conclusive.

          Which is why I usually send people straight to my sales page.
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        • Profile picture of the author MilesT
          Originally Posted by TheSalesTechnician View Post


          I am never 100% comfortable with ANY idea unless I test it.

          I have tested plenty of things that most people would say WHAT!? You mean that increased or decreased your conversions by doing x or y??

          I mean CRAZY things. For example...I once removed a testimonial and it INCREASED conversions.
          Thanks for saying this. It's SO true. I was writing sales pages for one of the big pet gurus and we used to test the smallest, dumbest things! Decrease the font by a point, add one pixel indent, make a dark green check mark into a lighter green check mark. It was nuts, but WOW how it affected conversions! I learned a ton about proper testing and you're just 100% right - Never be comfortable until its tested.
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  • Profile picture of the author davemiz
    LOL WHAT?

    interesting test.... how long did you run it for?

    keep in mind, your autoresponder will get you sales for a long time... vs the 1 shot deal. assuming you have an AR sequence in place. but it will take some time.

    miles t.....

    "I would never NOT use a squeezepage. Lifetime value is too important to give up."

    LOL... what are you talking about?

    lifetime value of what?

    this is cold traffic.

    they come to your site and they either buy or not.

    if not, you just lost all that traffic.
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    • Profile picture of the author MilesT
      Originally Posted by davemiz View Post

      LOL WHAT?

      interesting test.... how long did you run it for?

      keep in mind, your autoresponder will get you sales for a long time... vs the 1 shot deal. assuming you have an AR sequence in place. but it will take some time.

      miles t.....

      "I would never NOT use a squeezepage. Lifetime value is too important to give up."

      LOL... what are you talking about?

      lifetime value of what?

      this is cold traffic.

      they come to your site and they either buy or not.

      if not, you just lost all that traffic.
      Lifetime value of the customer. Yeah if you shove them onto a sales page, that's it, they are done.

      If you have their email - you have many more chances of multiple sales to one person.

      THAT lifetime value.
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  • Profile picture of the author ArticlePrince
    Honestly even if converts better, I'd rather have the squeeze page (I tweak mine up to 40% for targeted traffic though) so that I have a moer long term model. Thanks for finally testing it though :-)
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    • Originally Posted by ArticlePrince View Post

      Honestly even if converts better, I'd rather have the squeeze page (I tweak mine up to 40% for targeted traffic though) so that I have a moer long term model. Thanks for finally testing it though :-)

      wow ok. No problem
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  • Profile picture of the author davemiz
    #1 I didnt test these results over a long period of time following up with them by emails. These results were based on sending them through the squeeze page VS directly to my sales page. The results of the test did NOT calculate any emails sent out as a result of the opt in.

    LOL.... Thats the whole point of having a squeeze. Obviously you're not going to get good, ACCURATE data doing it your way.

    #2 The squeeze page wasn't high converting like many marketers brag about. In fact the conversion rate of the squeeze page was only 20% but keep in mind this was COLD traffic.

    20% on cold traffic isn't that bad. it depends on the cost per click etc.
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    • Originally Posted by davemiz View Post

      #1 I didnt test these results over a long period of time following up with them by emails. These results were based on sending them through the squeeze page VS directly to my sales page. The results of the test did NOT calculate any emails sent out as a result of the opt in.

      LOL.... Thats the whole point of having a squeeze. Obviously you're not going to get good, ACCURATE data doing it your way.
      Well I would say the data I got was accurate. The tests I was running was a simple test to see if sending traffic to the optin page BEFORE the salespage would convert better (which it did not).

      But you are absolutely right that I do NOT have any LONG-TERM Data to analyze what would have happened over the period of several emails. Although, I suspect I could have increased the CR at least another 50%.

      This would make up for the LOSE I took by doing the optin BEFORE the sales page.

      Having said that...I also dont have any data that disproves my other theory which is... around 90% of my buyers for future products are probably just the same people that bought my first product in the FIRST place. Keeping in mind this is completely theoretical ( I would love to see the test results).

      But If it was true... it would defeat the entire purpose of a squeeze page all together. I would simply just do a force optin AFTER they bought from me and skip all the trouble.

      Even if future sales came from 20% NEW buyers (from the optin) Im not sure it would be worth it. By the time I set up all those emails and test the squeeze page, I could have created another product to sell.

      On the other hand, if your product was for 500.00 or 2k (in a very rare case) then I would say that extra 20% would be well worth the work.



      Originally Posted by davemiz View Post

      20% on cold traffic isn't that bad. it depends on the cost per click etc.
      Thats refreshing! All these talks about 40-70% optin rates must very targeted traffic.
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  • Profile picture of the author Zeus66
    Always build the list, no matter which model you prefer. Get a list of buyers. You're being very short-sighted if you don't. So if you send visitors straight to a sales page, in the sales process opt them in to your buyers list. Proven buyers are like gold.

    The people who are downplaying the power of the squeeze page >> sales page model are probably not doing it right. They're probably failing at the all-important trust building stage of list marketing. It doesn't surprise me that just squeezing then immediately presenting the sales page doesn't convert as well. In that case, it really is just an extra hoop and probably irks some visitors. The prospect still knows nothing more about you, so his/her impetus to buy from you is, if anything, reduced by the extra hoop.

    The real way to go is squeeze page >> build trust >> sales page. No other model I've ever tried even came close in terms of conversion rates.

    John
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    • Originally Posted by Zeus66 View Post


      The real way to go is squeeze page >> build trust >> sales page. No other model I've ever tried even came close in terms of conversion rates.

      John
      John, I am glad you brought this up. This is something else Ive been wanting to test.

      So you are saying sqeeze page...build TRUST... THEN sale?

      Well here is a dilemma...

      Building trust takes time.

      When you say "build trust" Im a assuming you mean..send them free stuff, (not asking them for the sale) over a period of time then AFTER you have earned their trust THEN hit them up with the sale (like a week later)? I supose you could leave a link to your product in the ps with each FREE content you give out being very subtle.

      You could even ask them to check their email to subscribe before they EVER seee your sales page (risky but Ive seen it done).

      Have you tested this?

      Youd have to wait quit a while to get the test results back form something like this and if it didnt work youd be taking a pretty big lose.

      It makes sense but I am assuming no one here has taken the time to test this. There may be a lot of folks that swear by it (because they DO it) but I doubt very seriously anyone has tested this VS the other.

      Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.
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      • Profile picture of the author tpw
        Originally Posted by TheSalesTechnician View Post

        John, I am glad you brought this up. This is something else Ive been wanting to test.

        So you are saying sqeeze page...build TRUST... THEN sale?

        Well here is a dilemma...

        Building trust takes time.

        When you say "build trust" Im a assuming you mean..send them free stuff, (not asking them for the sale) over a period of time then AFTER you have earned their trust THEN hit them up with the sale (like a week later)?

        Have you tested this?

        Youd have to wait quit a while to get the test results back form something like this and if it didnt work youd be taking a pretty big lose.

        It makes sense but I am assuming no one here has taken the time to test this.

        I am sure that if John says this, then it has been tested thoroughly, but I am interested in his answer, because I always want to get him to talk more about the testing he has done...

        And those little nuances you are seeking...
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      • Profile picture of the author MilesT
        Originally Posted by TheSalesTechnician View Post

        Well here is a dilemma...

        Building trust takes time.
        Time - is a variable.

        Content + execution + "intangibles" = trust.

        So trust can happen as soon as that formula is complete.

        So time may not really be that much of an obstacle.

        Unless I'm completely wrong.
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      • Profile picture of the author MichaelHiles
        Originally Posted by TheSalesTechnician View Post

        John, I am glad you brought this up. This is something else Ive been wanting to test.

        So you are saying sqeeze page...build TRUST... THEN sale?

        Well here is a dilemma...

        Building trust takes time.

        When you say "build trust" Im a assuming you mean..send them free stuff, (not asking them for the sale) over a period of time then AFTER you have earned their trust THEN hit them up with the sale (like a week later)? I supose you could leave a link to your product in the ps with each FREE content you give out being very subtle.

        You could even ask them to check their email to subscribe before they EVER seee your sales page (risky but Ive seen it done).

        Have you tested this?

        Youd have to wait quit a while to get the test results back form something like this and if it didnt work youd be taking a pretty big lose.

        It makes sense but I am assuming no one here has taken the time to test this. There may be a lot of folks that swear by it (because they DO it) but I doubt very seriously anyone has tested this VS the other.

        Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

        Actually, a extremely large percentage of my consulting practice is built around structuring marketing and sales processes for clients who used to just "SELL SELL SELL BABY" and now that their sales are faltering have discovered a marketing and sales process. So not only do we have tests, we have real world case studies and examples of how "building trust" works.

        Here's the reality: people buy things based via a structured, internal decision-making process.

        Think about your own buying. You go through a thought process to make any purchase.

        Now that process can be accelerated, manipulated, and even short-circuited. But the process is there.

        Seller-centric marketing attempts to override a customer's own decision process with their own agenda. This is the "old school" approach to selling... high pressure tactics... one call closes via telemarketing... even sales letters rich with psychological machinations. Yes, it works. Much of the internet marketing world is proof of this.

        But buyers are starting to become more savvy. Information availability is overwhelming, and people are starting to research more and more before making a decision to buy anything. That's why article marketers try to game search engines to get high placement... people are researching a problem - which depending on which school of theory you follow, is roughly stage two or three of the buying process.

        Recognize Problem > Research Problem > Evaluate Alternatives > Pilot/Justify > Implement Solution > Validate/Add-On

        Refunds and dissatisfied customers increase when a seller manipilates the process and overrides the buyer's decisionmaking through some artificial means. A hasty or emotionally-charged decision may not ultimately meet the buyer's needs, or fall short of delivering on the promised solution - so satisfaction drops and the seller's business suffers.

        In an era when information moved a lot slower, it could take years or decades for a company's reputation to falter (or improve) as a result of their selling practices and quality perceptions. But in the internet era, customers can instantly voice dissatisfaction, and a business can be gone in weeks or months.

        The point of this discussion is this... by tapping into the already existing decision-making process the customer is already going through in their own mind, and then establishing yourself as a valued, trusted resource throughout that process, you're developing loyalty before the customer even buys from you.

        By providing the right kind of information at the right time in a buyer's process, you're creating value for the buyer.

        This is why developing a database is so essential to any business that's in the game for the long haul... lead nurturing. You paid to generate the lead, right? You spent time on your marketing to create traffic. You paid for PPC, etc... whatever. That visitor to your website cost you money.

        If your only offer is to buy or not buy right that second, you never, ever have the opportunity to reduce your cost of customer acquisition because you never capture that lead information. Maybe the person isn't ready to buy right this second, but would after they get their paycheck at the beginning of the month. But by then, they might forget and move on... or go to look again and find a competitor. Lost money.

        That's just an example, but suffice it to say... yes, you need to be capturing your lead data and nurturing your sales opportunities that aren't ready to buy this instant, but will probably buy from someone at some point.
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    • Profile picture of the author oneplusone
      Originally Posted by Zeus66 View Post

      Always build the list, no matter which model you prefer. Get a list of buyers. You're being very short-sighted if you don't. So if you send visitors straight to a sales page, in the sales process opt them in to your buyers list. Proven buyers are like gold.

      The people who are downplaying the power of the squeeze page >> sales page model are probably not doing it right. They're probably failing at the all-important trust building stage of list marketing. It doesn't surprise me that just squeezing then immediately presenting the sales page doesn't convert as well. In that case, it really is just an extra hoop and probably irks some visitors. The prospect still knows nothing more about you, so his/her impetus to buy from you is, if anything, reduced by the extra hoop.

      The real way to go is squeeze page >> build trust >> sales page. No other model I've ever tried even came close in terms of conversion rates.

      John
      I agree with what you say and I always get buyers to opt in, I wasn't downplaying the squeeze page model.

      It is a classic, proven model.

      What I didn't mention in my post is that by sending to a squeeze page first, the sales do eventually overtake the direct route because of all the extra sales from the opt in list created.

      I just personally prefer to get more money upfront, and make a greater number of sales straight away.

      I do sometimes use the squeeze page first, because the opt in list doesn't just create extra sales, it also creates sales from other promotions even if they don't like the original offer.

      If you're going to make double or triple the amount of money overall, then it doesn't make sense to go with the direct route.

      But in markets where there is little or no backend and it is just a one shot sale, I prefer to take the maximum amount of money upfront.

      Obviously there are other factors which come in play also, google adwords has pretty much banned squeeze pages (it calls them data collection sites) so sometimes there is no choice - you have to go direct.

      Also some affiliates hate it, even if you have them cookied for the first product, they know you will sell other stuff to the opt in later on and they won't get credit for it.

      Fascinating topic though all in all, a lot to think about.
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  • Profile picture of the author Zeus66
    I have tested sending traffic from the same source to each variation: straight to sales page; squeeze then sales page immediately; squeeze, then trust, then sales page. If you can live with the delayed gratification, the best option (at least in the IM/MMO niche) is squeeze, then trust, then sales page. Hands down.

    Keep in mind, however, that I write my own sales pages and I confess to being far from a pro at copywriting. I have not tested this after employing the services of a trained copywriting professional. I'm sure I will at some point. So this might be good info for DIY marketers out there, but I would not want anyone to take this to the bank under any other circumstances (different niches & using a pro copywriter).

    John
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  • John , this is great info (thanks a lot). I really do appreciate it and I will heed your warning about testing it myself in other niches.

    Now, when you say "squeeze, then trust, then sales page" at what POINT to you hit them up with the sale?

    And, Im assuming the very first priority (on the thank you page after the squeeze) is to get them to check their email and opt in?
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    • Profile picture of the author Zeus66
      Originally Posted by TheSalesTechnician View Post

      John , this is great info (thanks a lot). I really do appreciate it and I will heed your warning about testing it myself in other niches.

      Now, when you say "squeeze, then trust, then sales page" at what POINT to you hit them up with the sale?

      And, Im assuming the very first priority (on the thank you page after the squeeze) is to get them to check their email and opt in?
      In this niche (IM) I don't present a paid product offer until about the 4th email. That's not set in stone, of course, but it seems to be the "sweet spot." If you send every 2-3 days, that's only a bit more than a week or 10 days before you start monetizing your list. Those first few emails are crucial. Give a ton of value, ask for nothing in return, and - very important! - keep it all very closely related to what you're eventually going to offer them as a paid product.

      Segue matters too. You want to use those first few emails to sort of nudge your subscribers in the direction of the product you're going to offer them. Give good info and maybe some links to other free info, but do it with a plan in mind to put the thought in their minds that the best solution is whatever constitutes your paid product's material. Don't do this cynically, of course! Be genuine. But lay the groundwork so that your paid offer seems a very logical conclusion to what you've been leading up to. It takes some practice and creativity, but anyone can learn to do it.

      And yes, you want to use your Thank You page to give them a strong call to action to confirm the opt-in. Once they do opt-in, that first "Welcome" email is a good time to throw out a nice unannounced bonus. Make sure it's closely related to whatever you used to get them to subscribe, but surprise them with it. If it's something that they're likely to look at and say "WOW!" - you're already more than halfway home in terms of winning their trust.

      John
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      • Originally Posted by Zeus66 View Post

        In this niche (IM) I don't present a paid product offer until about the 4th email. That's not set in stone, of course, but it seems to be the "sweet spot." If you send every 2-3 days, that's only a bit more than a week or 10 days before you start monetizing your list. Those first few emails are crucial. Give a ton of value, ask for nothing in return, and - very important! - keep it all very closely related to what you're eventually going to offer them as a paid product.

        Segue matters too. You want to use those first few emails to sort of nudge your subscribers in the direction of the product you're going to offer them. Give good info and maybe some links to other free info, but do it with a plan in mind to put the thought in their minds that the best solution is whatever constitutes your paid product's material. Don't do this cynically, of course! Be genuine. But lay the groundwork so that your paid offer seems a very logical conclusion to what you've been leading up to. It takes some practice and creativity, but anyone can learn to do it.

        And yes, you want to use your Thank You page to give them a strong call to action to confirm the opt-in. Once they do opt-in, that first "Welcome" email is a good time to throw out a nice unannounced bonus. Make sure it's closely related to whatever you used to get them to subscribe, but surprise them with it. If it's something that they're likely to look at and say "WOW!" - you're already more than halfway home in terms of winning their trust.

        John
        More great info! Thanks again John!

        Here is a question for you ( I almost feel guilty for asking


        Have you tested putting the link in the ps for all this free content? I guess doing this would defeat the purpose of your system of seduction...BUT

        In the end...I'm sure your approach is effective but I find it a little awkward.

        Day 1...free info
        Day 2 more free info (not quite what you need but leading up to what Im about to sell you...are you thirsty yet?)
        day 3..more free info..
        day 4 Here is what youve been needing all along! now buy this!

        As a client I would say "well why the hell didnt you give it to me it the first place??! lol
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        I can't give out exact numbers, as they aren't mine to give, but tests I have seen are very much in line with what you saw, TST...

        Comparing one-shot results, direct to sales page vs. squeeze followed by redirect to sales page, the immediate conversions were indeed higher. And that's to be expected. It would be like adding another page between your order button and your order form, and requiring the visitors to complete some action first.

        Over time, though, building both trust and value through follow-up emails yielded the highest value overall. It also generated more and better testimonials and more referrals. This was not a B2B, IM or MMO market.
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        • Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

          Over time, though, building both trust and value through follow-up emails yielded the highest value overall.

          Thanks for the great info John.

          When you say "highest value overall" are you referring to selling the original product (increasing the CR Of THAT Product) or other products to this list COMBINED?

          Im assuming this tactic increased the conversion rate of the original product...right?

          Thanks again
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  • Profile picture of the author Rob Howard
    Another short sighted factor you are not considering...

    No matter how awesome your content is - how awesome your sales pages are - how awesome you are - some people just won't buy from you. Period.

    If you have these people on a list, the good backend strategy is then begin promoting other people's products. This increases the chances that they will buy from that person, thus giving you the commission.

    You can't factor that into your test - in fact, there is no quick way to split test this without months of testing, tracking, and tweaking.

    This is just one of many factors to consider.

    Also, 40% + conversion on squeeze pages are easily achievable - especially after tweaking and testing them.

    And if you can presell them before they ever get to your site, you will have increased chances of a sale after the squeeze page.

    Finally, if you do the campaign correctly, your list will convert higher.

    The key is patience - list building is a long term strategy, but one that has much higher payouts in the end.

    Rob
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    • Profile picture of the author petelta
      Originally Posted by ccmusicman View Post

      Another short sighted factor you are not considering...

      No matter how awesome your content is - how awesome your sales pages are - how awesome you are - some people just won't buy from you. Period.

      If you have these people on a list, the good backend strategy is then begin promoting other people's products. This increases the chances that they will buy from that person, thus giving you the commission.

      You can't factor that into your test - in fact, there is no quick way to split test this without months of testing, tracking, and tweaking.

      This is just one of many factors to consider.

      Also, 40% + conversion on squeeze pages are easily achievable - especially after tweaking and testing them.

      And if you can presell them before they ever get to your site, you will have increased chances of a sale after the squeeze page.

      Finally, if you do the campaign correctly, your list will convert higher.

      The key is patience - list building is a long term strategy, but one that has much higher payouts in the end.

      Rob
      Also not considering the factor of the added power that 1 subscriber has other than buying from you. Subscribers are a currency too. Start ad swapping those non buyers and all of a sudden you have free traffic joining and buying from you.

      I'm with John with this though...squeeze, trust, sales. I do usually throw a quick one time offer right after they confirm their subscription. The OTO is always about 25% off the original price of the product I will promote in a couple weeks and always builds onto the free give away. And it's a true one time offer...they don't see 25% off ever again unless I have a special or something down the road.

      This will cause your unsubscribes to jump a bit, but it also gets people to your buyer's list much quicker.

      Like everything though test your audience. Some of my niches I don't offer a OTO because sales are more in the long run, but for saturated markets like IM, I've found I make more money by offering the OTO. Saturated markets are saturated for a reason...people buy in them.

      Travis
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  • Profile picture of the author Derek S
    Tried a single opt-in squeeze page and it killed conversions. I would only use aweber now to build my buyers list, capture leads for a pre-launch or when I am bridging to an affiliate product.
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  • Profile picture of the author Terry Crim
    You say for a clickbank product you don't see the top marketers using a squeeze page.

    There are a few reasons for this which at least a few tested and reported in their blogs, product or shared publicly. Conversions is one, for an affiliate product building a list from affiliates efforts doesn't go over well especially if it is done with no way to track affiliate id's or earn on backend or upsells.

    There are a few paydotcom products I am promoting that have at least one offer that is to a squeeze page BUT it tracks all sales made including upsells from those lists.

    Have you personally tested squeeze page offers? How did you set it up?

    For most part squeeze pages are used in a sequence of marketing.

    1: Initial offer for free offer, package download... something of value that would be worth giving up email for

    2: upsell or OTO

    3: on going updates about initial offering, product offers, upsells, cross sells, affiliate products etc... sell sell sell

    4: when they purchase are added or moved to a buyers list where there is more content, sell sell sell and special offers as well as updates to purchased product(s)

    Go from free list to purchasing something to buyers list to more expensive items like seminars, home study courses etc... I know quite a few marketers that wont share any real juicy content or information to anyone that is NOT on their buyers list. The others are just designed to get them to the buying stage and then the buyers list is there to keep them buying.

    Squeeze pages are primarily, an introduction to the marketing funnel. Which unless affiliates can earn commissions on future purchases made, squeeze pages on clickbank or other affiliate products is a turn off to affiliates.

    Putting a squeeze or johnson box on a sales letter is a no no because it decreases conversion. I have tested this and either they sign up to the list, don't buy or buy and don't sign up to the list, OR don't do anything and click off. You want to make a choice between buying or buying not buying or signup to my free list.

    Squeeze pages have their place and in conjunction with other marketing but not in competition. The more ways you have to get people introduced to your funnel, your products, YOU the more money you will make. By all means use squeeze pages but think in terms of how it can be used in conjunction with your marketing systems.

    Also tests that took place a year ago may or not still be valid today, so you need to keep testing and see if changes are taking place. It is possible what didn't work yesterday will work today and vice versa, sometimes you see fads or certain times of the year certain things work or don't due to some event, holiday or launch(es) etc...

    Marketing isn't a test once and stays same forever kind of thing. You need to keep at it and tweak as you go based on what you see happening. Sure you can do the set and forget but those that just do that extra thing, that extra effort seem to consistently end up in the top %.

    Also some don't get this but each step in the marketing funnel is designed to weed out people. Tire kickers from doers, freebe seeker from buyer etc... I see a lot of complaint about losing people during the marketing campaign... You need to test and find out why, maybe there are things you can change to limit this but if done right you are not for the most part going to have as many buyers as you do signups to your list. It isn't suppose to work that way. If you have the ability to design your products and systems to do that, awesome but most people can't do that and it is not something you should feel bad about. Noone knows everything there is to know.

    If you have studied this, in what cases are the top marketers using squeeze pages and when are they not? That will give you a lot of insight there. I have not really formally studied that myself.

    - T
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  • ok guys I have two burning questions that I cant shake before I take action and start implementing these amazing tactics...(this info is fantastic by the way thanks to all of you for making this thread hot)

    #1 I really like Johns method of giving free stuff away and building trust days BEFORE you hit them up with a sale...but cant help but wonder, if I use this tactic, should I leave a link to the salespage at the end of each content I give away for free?

    The reason is...I really dont understand what my cleint is getting out of "WAITING" to see my product.

    Sure, I understand the soft sale approach and being subtle by leaving it in my ps BUT not even SHOWING it to them for 4 days? I just dont see how that benefits anyone...

    I am NOT questioning Johns tests I just want to understand! lol

    John?

    #2 If I dont show them the product for 4 freaking days what is going to be my excuse?

    Hey! I just created this product and it just so happens to = everything we have disused over the last few days!? I havnt showed it to you until now BECAUSE_____?
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    • Profile picture of the author lamberw
      This would depend on knowing all your metrics:

      1) Conversion rate of squeeze page
      2) Perceived value of offer
      3) Quality of traffic
      4) Your existing brand credibility

      If you know your metrics back to front, then the squeeze page option is likely to give you an opportunity to make more back end sales, whereas driving traffic to the sales page leaves you with a "yes" or "no" situation where you'd do well to convert 5%.

      Of course, you could always drive traffic to the sales page and try to squeeze on exit.

      Like other wise people have already said though, testing is the only way to know the real world results.
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    • Profile picture of the author Terry Crim
      Originally Posted by TheSalesTechnician View Post

      ok guys I have two burning questions that I cant shake before I take action and start implementing these amazing tactics...(this info is fantastic by the way thanks to all of you for making this thread hot)

      #1 I really like Johns method of giving free stuff away and building trust days BEFORE you hit them up with a sale...but cant help but wonder, if I use this tactic, should I leave a link to the salespage at the end of each content I give away for free?

      The reason is...I really dont understand what my cleint is getting out of "WAITING" to see my product.

      Sure, I understand the soft sale approach and being subtle by leaving it in my ps BUT not even SHOWING it to them for 4 days? I just dont see how that benefits anyone...

      I am NOT questioning Johns tests I just want to understand! lol

      John?

      #2 If I dont show them the product for 4 freaking days what is going to be my excuse?

      Hey! I just created this product and it just so happens to = everything we have disused over the last few days!? I havnt showed it to you until now BECAUSE_____?

      Your over thinking it.

      What is YOUR purpose of the initial list?
      Wait list for the product release?

      You don't need to have a reason to send offers to your list. Are you creating a email sequence with content during the first 4 days?

      I just wanted to know what content you are sending them or plan to I guess I should say.

      It's really a personal preference but building a relationship with the subscriber first before sending them offers makes subscribers think more highly of the list than just those that send offer after offer from the get go.

      If you ever listened to audio or video of, or read any of Frank Kern's or his students emails you can get an idea of one method you can use to do this.

      You can write up a short paragraph about the solution you came up with in your product after a lead in from related article and send that out. You can out a link at the bottom of your emails. You can write up a sales letter and link directly to that with just the link in an email to the list.

      It's up to you. Which works better? Test it and see.
      If you are going to do the build relationship method I suggest you do it all the way around and not just in the email sequence.

      I think you have enough understanding to get started. Don't excuse yourself but when you do make mistakes admit to it. If you don't know everything there is to know about email marketing, come out and say you aren't sure about the technical stuff but I wanted to tell you.... Then tell them whatever it is you wanted to say and share how they can get whatever it is you came up with as a solution to whatever problem you found out about.

      It really isn't rocket science, but getting ready to get ready will never actually get you anywhere. Just step out and take action, right or wrong, you will come through it alright.


      - T
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      • Originally Posted by Terry Crim View Post

        Your over thinking it.

        What is YOUR purpose of the initial list?
        Wait list for the product release?

        It really isn't rocket science, but getting ready to get ready will never actually get you anywhere. Just step out and take action, right or wrong, you will come through it alright.


        - T
        Thanks Terry,

        Im trying to do two things...

        1. Increase the conversion rate for ONE product (not multiple)

        2. KEEP their email in a locked box so that I send them more product offers in the FUTURE...in the mean time I will keep them on the hook with great content in the form of a blog and do a product launch about once every few months.

        I dont plan on selling them stuff every week (maybe once a month). I want to build a very LOYAL list.

        My problem is, Id like to accomplish the above (getting the email) WITHOUT hurting my conversion rate.

        Like Ive said before...Ive tested the squeeze page method and conversions DROPPED by 60%. So somehow Ive got to make up for that 60% by increasing my CR (for the original product) through a series of emails.
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    • Profile picture of the author Fraggler
      Originally Posted by TheSalesTechnician View Post

      The reason is...I really dont understand what my cleint is getting out of "WAITING" to see my product.

      Sure, I understand the soft sale approach and being subtle by leaving it in my ps BUT not even SHOWING it to them for 4 days? I just dont see how that benefits anyone...
      The user should be getting something out of every email in the follow-up series.

      I think you'll find they aren't opting in to buy the product, they are opting in to get what is offered on the squeeze page.

      The proceeding emails then provide them even more great info - that they never asked for. They think that "this bloke is the ducks guts" and when they finally receive a message that will help them even more...but they have to buy it, they already know that the creator of the project delivers awesome content.

      Risk is dramatically lowered in the eyes of the potential buyer. If I get this great info for free, imagine how great the paid content will be?!
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  • Profile picture of the author theforexgeek
    Mix up both. Have a sales page where you offer a freebie and build a list that way. Best of both worlds.
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    • Profile picture of the author oneplusone
      Originally Posted by spennyc View Post

      I never use squeeze pages but I know I really need to start.
      You don't HAVE to use a squeeze page to make a lot of money.

      I think you'll find nearly everyone on this thread agrees, that sending direct to the sales page usually makes more money in the short term.

      But overall (over the lifetime of the lists) you'll probably make far more money by sticking a squeeze page in front, assuming you are fairly good at converting prospects into customers.

      HOWEVER, if many of the people who opted in purchased instead (because you sent them direct to the sales page) - they would be further down the marketing funnel.

      People who use a squeeze page first, would be playing catch up regarding the back end sales.

      So even though using a squeeze page is usually more profitable over the long run when the lists eventually die after a few years, you can be playing catch up revenue wise for a VERY long time if you have a decent funnel.

      It is easy to over complicate this issue, really what it comes down to is do you feel more comfortable with less sales upfront + a load of opt in's OR do you want more sales upfront + no opt in's.

      If someone is a newbie and hasn't mastered the art of converting opt in e-mails into sales, I would tell them to go the direct route.

      I'm pretty skilled at converting prospects into buyers, but I still prefer the direct route.

      I qualify people who come onto my lists, rather than them qualifying me.

      Are these people worthy of being on my list?

      This mindset requires some balls, but trust me - it works.

      As long as you're promoting good stuff, which you believe in.

      Obviously once they are on, you treat them like gold.

      My conversion rates are sky high because of this, 10%, 25%, 50% etc.

      It is an incredible feeling when you e-mail 1,000 people and you get 250 sales.
      Signature
      'If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.' Vincent Van Gogh.
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      • Profile picture of the author magicmarcus
        main issue = 2960 did not see value and left

        i like using a hybrid of free videos and a sales video.

        have several videos (or articles) that they can research and opt in... also can make it to the sales page.

        i find that people spend a lot more time on my site, trust me more, and buy more.

        and i also get the benefit of a list

        you can see this model used in product launches or how i use it here

        Simple Blog Profits Coaching Club: Video 1
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        • Profile picture of the author oneplusone
          Originally Posted by magicmarcus View Post

          main issue = 2960 did not see value and left

          i like using a hybrid of free videos and a sales video.

          have several videos (or articles) that they can research and opt in... also can make it to the sales page.

          i find that people spend a lot more time on my site, trust me more, and buy more.

          and i also get the benefit of a list

          you can see this model used in product launches or how i use it here

          Simple Blog Profits Coaching Club: Video 1
          If the traffic is weak (even targeted traffic can be weak) then sending them to a squeeze page is usually a must.

          Selling direct from a sales page works best when the traffic is targeted and high quality.
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          'If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.' Vincent Van Gogh.
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  • Profile picture of the author Barry Unruh
    Originally Posted by TheSalesTechnician View Post

    I ask this because I see seasoned marketers that are HIGHLY focused on their conversion rates (some which own #1 selling products in clickbank...Im talking about the TOP guys)...NOT using a squeeze page.
    #1 - Many of us Affiliates will not send traffic to their product if they do.

    #2 - Your question makes a basic assumption I will only sell them one offer.

    #3 - When they sell the product, those people do go into their email system to create future sales.

    #4 - They know top affiliates are going to capture the name and try to sell them more than once.

    My question back to you. Have you tested the lifetime value of an opt-in compared to not getting the opt-in and only getting 1 sale?
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Originally Posted by TheSalesTechnician View Post

      When you say "highest value overall" are you referring to selling the original product (increasing the CR Of THAT Product) or other products to this list COMBINED?
      Both, actually...
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  • Profile picture of the author Trieu
    I suppose it may depend on what you are selling. If its a physical product, using a squeeze page may be a waste of time. Though when it comes to buying digital ebooks, the buyer needs to trust you first and thats why you need a squeeze page.
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  • Profile picture of the author Matthew Iannotti
    Well if you are a top guy and have a high converting sales page, I don't think there is anything wrong with it, but upon them exiting without buying, should be a video to capture their attention and an optin box.....
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    • Profile picture of the author 4morereferrals
      In response to the OP's query about what to do with the people for 4 days to build their trust and get them ready to trust you and care about what you say enough to part with their hard earned IM $$$ ...

      Well there are far greater minds in this thread than mine ... but my most successful product launch to date - Ive done 6 or so... has been the most recent.

      It was a solution to a problem I was having in the SEO space, and I had read and heard others complaining about and ... where Id tried a few other tools that just didnt quite get the job done for me.

      I had just so happened to have spent a great many hrs doing extensive testing and trials of something i thought would be of great benefit to the SEO crowd ... for this said problem.

      My list hadnt had anything content wise that was real thought provoking for a while, so I set about to document my testing - the challenges I encountered, the things i thought worked best, the test results of the A/B split I did on the method [ thanks Andy Fletcher for making me do that! ] and the final results. And misc. juicy details along the way - that set this apart and made it different. The painstaking efforts et al that went into sorting out this solution.

      Whilst I was awaiting the copywriter to tweak the sales page and for the the Graphics genius [ Karl Warren ] to finish it up the most Killer Graphics ever - thanks again Karl - you rock! ... I turned this saga into a 3 part series of emails and spaced them apart 3 days each.

      Put up a squeeze - that converted pretty well to my list and some forum targeted forum traffic here and around the way. We threw some friends list at it, my lists at it - and some forum traffic at it and had a few hundred targeted peeps on the list in a few days ...

      The 3 part series was a real life story of the journey to the solution documented in such a way to provide some pretty insightful and value added info ... as well as proving up the concept with hard facts and data ... and left the reader in suspense on how to get the same solution I used to solve the problem ONTO THEIR HARD DRIVES too ...

      The segue to the solution was pretty gentle ... I literally had people emailing me PISSED i wouldnt send them the "solution" for $97 today ... [ it was only a $27 product at that time :-) ]

      Email to my lists and to this super targeted list went out on day 12 ...

      It sold rather well ... and had a gaggle of affiliates jump right on too and kicked it up a few notches.

      Best promotion id ever done ... and I will be repeating it for the next one I do. I dont have all the killer high end HD vid equipment like Frank Kern to do those super kewl videos with all the social proof - so I thought i'd try some poor mans way to build up suspense, provide value - get new folks into the process. It worked and is still going strong.

      The old me - just went to the WSO section and tossed down $20 on red and hoped for the best ...
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        Originally Posted by 4morereferrals View Post

        In response to the OP's query about what to do with the people for 4 days to build their trust and get them ready to trust you and care about what you say enough to part with their hard earned IM $$$ ...

        Well there are far greater minds in this thread than mine ... but my most successful product launch to date - Ive done 6 or so... has been the most recent.

        (snip)
        Don't sell that mind short, my friend.

        What you outlined here is a prime example of using an email sequence to build both trust and value. Well done...

        There's a lot more to building a relationship with your list than sending them a constant string of freebies and syndicated or recycled articles.

        Your way, there's no doubt that at some point your list members will be asked to buy something; you won't get the backlash some have described. The proof it works is in the people trying to speed up the process and just to the buy button already...
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      • Originally Posted by 4morereferrals View Post

        In response to the OP's query about what to do with the people for 4 days to build their trust and get them ready to trust you and care about what you say enough to part with their hard earned IM $$$ ...

        Well there are far greater minds in this thread than mine ... but my most successful product launch to date - Ive done 6 or so... has been the most recent.

        It was a solution to a problem I was having in the SEO space, and I had read and heard others complaining about and ... where Id tried a few other tools that just didnt quite get the job done for me.

        I had just so happened to have spent a great many hrs doing extensive testing and trials of something i thought would be of great benefit to the SEO crowd ... for this said problem.

        My list hadnt had anything content wise that was real thought provoking for a while, so I set about to document my testing - the challenges I encountered, the things i thought worked best, the test results of the A/B split I did on the method [ thanks Andy Fletcher for making me do that! ] and the final results. And misc. juicy details along the way - that set this apart and made it different. The painstaking efforts et al that went into sorting out this solution.

        Whilst I was awaiting the copywriter to tweak the sales page and for the the Graphics genius [ Karl Warren ] to finish it up the most Killer Graphics ever - thanks again Karl - you rock! ... I turned this saga into a 3 part series of emails and spaced them apart 3 days each.

        Put up a squeeze - that converted pretty well to my list and some forum targeted forum traffic here and around the way. We threw some friends list at it, my lists at it - and some forum traffic at it and had a few hundred targeted peeps on the list in a few days ...

        The 3 part series was a real life story of the journey to the solution documented in such a way to provide some pretty insightful and value added info ... as well as proving up the concept with hard facts and data ... and left the reader in suspense on how to get the same solution I used to solve the problem ONTO THEIR HARD DRIVES too ...

        The segue to the solution was pretty gentle ... I literally had people emailing me PISSED i wouldnt send them the "solution" for $97 today ... [ it was only a $27 product at that time :-) ]

        Email to my lists and to this super targeted list went out on day 12 ...

        It sold rather well ... and had a gaggle of affiliates jump right on too and kicked it up a few notches.

        Best promotion id ever done ... and I will be repeating it for the next one I do. I dont have all the killer high end HD vid equipment like Frank Kern to do those super kewl videos with all the social proof - so I thought i'd try some poor mans way to build up suspense, provide value - get new folks into the process. It worked and is still going strong.

        The old me - just went to the WSO section and tossed down $20 on red and hoped for the best ...
        Great story. Thanks for the inspiration. I still have one burning question.

        How can you use this on cold traffic? What excuse would you use to NOT give them the answer for 3 days?

        A fake launch to every new person that signed up to your list?
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        • Profile picture of the author 4morereferrals
          Originally Posted by TheSalesTechnician View Post

          Great story. Thanks for the inspiration. I still have one burning question.

          How can you use this on cold traffic? What excuse would you use to NOT give them the answer for 3 days?

          A fake launch to every new person that signed up to your list?
          I had a writer also convert my 3 part email series into a condensed FREE eBook ... leaving them with enough info to want more [ the product ]

          Bear in mind this was several months worth of trial error and testing and many hundreds of hrs solving this problem in new and innovative ways .... a lot of work and I was laying out there de gratis for folks - it was being appreciated. Trust was being built - that is kind of the main point.

          No - it wouldnt need to be a fake launch - you could just as easily re work the series to be high value content ... and a link at the end of the story.

          I used a couple of testimonials at the end of each mail ... to assist in getting them to open the next parts too.

          "... This is what prominent SEO Authority and Warrior Forum Member - XYZ had to say about the next email I'll be sending you ... " [ blah .... ]

          I guess what Im trying to indicate is that Ive sent a lot of folks to straight salespages and captured them to the list during the sale with RAP ... worked great too ... my best results came from the methods listed above.

          Squeeze -->> Trust / Quality / FREE / Value / Proof -->> Salespage


          Higher sales and conversions faster - more affiliates willing to promote
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  • Profile picture of the author rbeckwith
    Hi,

    IMHO this is apples and oranges. I don't track as much as I should, but here are some of my opinions and experiences.

    The squeeze page scenario will grab a lot of freebie seekers and make tick off some others that know the game being forced to give up the name/email before seeing the offer. Also, if you are trying to get JV partners, most don't like this tactic as they feel you are skimming their lists.

    The salespage is more geared towards buyers and that is what you will have on your list if they make it through the process of buying. This is how most of my sites are designed and it has worked pretty well for me.

    I will use a slide-in to try to nab the freebies to see if I can convert them later

    Rod
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    Rod Beckwith - JV, Super Affiliate & Product Expert
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  • Profile picture of the author magicmarcus
    all traffic can be converted with the right offer... weak or not

    the key is knowing your user, why they are on your site, what they really want, and how to give it to them while making commisions, sales, and other revenu.

    "all advertising works at the right price"
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  • squeeze page >> build trust >> sales page
    I have tested this and my conversion rate on sales boosted 5 times than if sending traffic straight to sales page.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tim_Carter
    It will depend n your offer. Simple as that.

    I didn't read through all the comments so apologies if it was already said.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ellen Violette
    I used to not have a sqeeze page on my main site. People just came to the site and got 9 free secret ebook tips tomaking money online and a complimentary subscription to my eBook Profit Secrets newsletter.

    But about a year ago traffic started to slow so I created a squeeze page with a free pdf "9 Deadly Mistakes To Avoid For Outrageous eBook Profits" added to the mix and doubled the conversion. But we did leave a small click through if they didn't want to opt in. I now need to test it vs. taking that option away. But I'd still say it works. But you have to be giving something people really want.
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  • Profile picture of the author gjabiz
    It depends.

    On where the traffic is coming from. AND

    They type of customer you WANT. OR...the product itself.

    On certain types of information products, I want to take them to the sales page. As often as not, depending on the product, it is a short VENDO MATIC type sales page. They want it or they don't.

    On other types of products, those which are more expensive or may have a back end element to them...I have to "educate" them somewhat. And a FREE report, thus the squeeze, is more appropriate.

    Over the years, as I've "weeded" out the customers I don't want anymore...I'd say that most of the time (with a few exceptions [how's that for weaseling?] ) they go to a sales page.

    And IF they want more info, rather than a squeeze, I ask them to send a personal email....now the "TRICK" is, I have scores of responses in my draft folder, and a simple name insertion gives the impression I took a lot of my time to answer them personally.

    It helps develop a respect and rapport which gives me a LifeTimeValue customer over a pain in the patoot guy who is going to eat my lunch over 20 bux.

    As always, the TEST, TEST TEST part, knowing what kind of a customer you want...gives you the best answer.

    gjabiz


    Originally Posted by TheSalesTechnician View Post

    Sending traffic directly to squeeze page...THEN sale pages...conversion rate?

    VS

    Sending traffic directly to sales page...conversion rate?


    Some may see this as a stupid question. After all, everyone knows that using a squeeze page is where the money is... right?

    BUT who has actually tested it?

    I ask this because I see seasoned marketers that are HIGHLY focused on their conversion rates (some which own #1 selling products in clickbank...Im talking about the TOP guys)...NOT using a squeeze page.

    Then I come here and see others who SWEAR by it!

    It seems very conflicting!

    But I have yet to see someone who says

    "Ive TESTED Both...And here is what has converted best".

    Now, I have ran a few tests myself in the past.

    I sent half my traffic directly to my sales page, and the other half through a squeeze page then my sales page.

    The results where 60% HIGHER conversions for the traffic I sent directly to my sales page (0ver 3k hits and over 40 sales - hence statistical significance.).

    Now, I still dont want to entirely rule out squeeze pages because these results could be because of several factors.

    #1 I didnt test these results over a long period of time following up with them by emails. These results were based on sending them through the squeeze page VS directly to my sales page. The results of the test did NOT calculate any emails sent out as a result of the opt in.

    #2 The squeeze page wasn't high converting like many marketers brag about. In fact the conversion rate of the squeeze page was only 20% but keep in mind this was COLD traffic.

    Perhaps If I ran this test again after increasing my opt in rate and using a strong follow up system I would get different results?
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  • Profile picture of the author sharp
    Ok, just from the buyer POV here for a minute:
    When I know what I want, I have gotten pissed and left for another site because the seller wanted me to be their FB Friend / Subscribe to their oh-so-great list. @#)&$. I want to BUY something and you're )#*ing around? Bye.

    ...Back to the marketers POV:
    Traffic source matters. That is the difference for me. Lets look at it from the easiest source to control, PPC...
    "Best place for men's Adidas?" --> Sales Page.
    "Best running gear?" --> Squeeze page.

    Your list segmentation would follow similar lines, and have proper cross links (after all, if I hate all your links I'll un-sub day one... but if I think 'crap' about one or two in any given email I won't care and stay on the list).

    So...
    Do what you can to sell to people when they are trying to buy.
    Do what you can to become a trusted source to the other folks for when they are ready to buy.

    That's what has worked for me. I would have starved to death on the squeeze only method, and this gets me both 'instant' sales, and 'on the radar' of other folks.
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