Here are some of the common elements that can jeopardize signups on your landing page:
It’s not ‘mobile ready’ – Considering that most people spend ample time on their smartphones, if your landing page isn’t loading up on their smartphone screen as you hoped it would it can cost you precious clicks.
Multiple link syndrome – if there’s more than one call to action on your landing page you’ll confuse the viewer. Don’t put a link to your website, your client’s website, or the link to Business Insider if you’ve been published by them. The only button that your viewer should be clicking on is one that enables him/her to enter their email address.
Requesting personal information – Are you asking for their name, email, phone number and jacket size? OKay maybe you’re not asking for their jacket size. But I know if I’m asked to enter my phone number (if it’s for a free webinar), I’ll be clicking ‘X’ on my browser, never to return! Just name and email address will suffice on landing page copy.
Although these mistakes cost you conversions….
They’re relatively easy to fix or can be delegated to a team member without causing you sleepless nights.
But when it comes to the meat of your landing page – the bullet point copy, it calls for intense focus and possibly hours of writing and rewriting.
You might argue that the headline is the most challenging piece of copy to write, because after all that’s what the traffic sees first.
I used to think that way too and would spend hours coming up with 25 to 30 headline variations for landing pages – until I realized that I was focusing my attention on the wrong task.
By putting in more time to write ridiculously compelling body copy a.k.a the bullet points – the traffic would get off the decision-making fence quickly and do what they were told to do on the landing page.
On a side note, bullets CAN be turned into headlines, email subject lines, Facebook ad hooks and possibly so much more!
Sometimes even ONE bullet point amidst a group of ‘em can tip the scales in your favor.
It’s clear they pack a punch. In fact they are so potent that copywriting great Parris Lampropoulas writes at least 300 bullets for a project that needs only 70.
But if you’re not a ‘trained’ or a professional copywriter, writing compelling bullets is akin to climbing a steep hill without ever walking a mile in sneakers. An exhausting, sweat-inducing, muscle aching endeavor.
My intention with this blog post today is to help you write ‘fascinating’ bullets to increase conversions on your landing pages.
Let’s get right into it!
But first, what does it mean to write fascinating bullets?
Fascinating bullets are those that tease readers just enough to stir up interest in the topic or main offer, without giving away the offer specifics.
Curiosity is a powerful emotion. We can’t help it. We want what we want.
Copywriters and digital marketers use this emotion to the hilt. They lace their bullets with compelling benefits so that it entices their prospects to take action.
Here’s how you write fascinating bullets
Step 1: Write a sentence about a feature of your product or service. Another option (if you don’t have a feature) is to write a fact related to your offer.
“Doing 50 squats daily will tone your glute muscles 10% faster so that you get a tighter butt.”
Step 2: You delete the feature name if you’re leading with your product/offer features. Or delete the fact. What this does is create curiosity without giving the solution or answer.
“Tone your glute muscles 10% faster so that you get a tighter butt.”
Step 3: Pump it Up With Fascinations
Examples:
⇒ “The secret to Kim Kardashian’s toned butt and how you can have one too (hint: you can do this ANYWHERE)”
⇒ “Why you don’t need a lower body workout to get rock hard glutes and what you should be doing instead.”
⇒ “The ONE leg routine you need to workout daily if you want a toned butt in 30 days (Kim Kardashian’s personal trainer reveals ALL!).”
See what I did in step 3?
I used fascinations. Transformed the bullets into mouth watering morsels that hungry prospects crave.
Here’s 7 Types of Fascinations (with examples) You Can Use to Write Compelling Bullets
1. Use numbers or percentages
Original: “You’ll learn the biggest mistakes talented, compassionate, spiritual women make that keep them under-earning and under-appreciated – along with ways to stop that immediately.”
After: “How to finally stop making these 5 mistakes that are keeping you underpaid and underappreciated.”
Or: “5 Mistakes that keep you underpaid and underappreciated (no number of professional certifications or over-delivering will help if you continue to do this…)”
One more: “3 Lesser Known Marketing Hacks New Coaches Use to Attract Premium Clients Consistently – Hacks Unknown Even to 6-figure Coaches…”
2. The one/The only/The secret
Examples:
⇒ “The ONE word to say on a sales call that is responsible for 90% conversions.”
⇒ “The only drug you can mix with your alcohol and not worry about side effects.”
3. Counter objections
As a marketer, your primary job is to anticipate your prospects objections and tackle them head on.
Objections can be enclosed in parentheses or you could use words such as “without” or “even if” to make your argument.
Example:
⇒ How to pick your niche as a freelance copywriter (hint: it’s got nothing to do with your experience or credentials).
⇒ Why your Facebook Ads don’t perform like the influencers ads (and why ‘throwing more money’ at the problem doesn’t help)
⇒ How to get toned arms and legs in your third trimester even if you’ve never done ANY resistance training before.
⇒ How we made $50k in net profits every month without crazy ad spend, Frankenstein Funnels and online courses.
4. What/Why/Who/When/Where/How
Most of my bullets start with these words. Simple and effective!
Examples:
⇒ What I do to stay productive and double my efficiency without working weekends and caving into ‘deadline pressure’.
⇒ How this third tier college graduate lined up interviews with Fortune 500 companies (with an average GPA of 2.8)
⇒ When should you ask for a raise (any earlier than this and you’ll risk flat out rejection).
⇒ Why prospects aren’t signing up to work with you after you’ve received a “Wow, your sales presentation rocks!”, feedback.
⇒ Who should you hire as your Facebook Ad strategist and why (hint: not the agency that manages million dollar worth Facebook Ad accounts).
5. Ask a question
Examples: Are you? Do you? Have you? Does your?
Thought provoking questions beg to be answered and can persuade stubborn fence sitters to take action.
⇒ Are you highly qualified, have 20 years worth of marketing experience and can’t get a 6-figure salary?
6. ‘Talk’ to your audience
This is the time to get laser specific on who is best suited for your offer. No wishy washy, generic and leaving it open to interpretation works here.
If your service is for digital marketers, call ‘em out.
If your service is for dentists in the Tri-State area, call ‘em out!
⇒ This sales tactic is an essential skill for B2B sales executives if they want to exceed their goals every quarter.
7. Use parentheses
My favorite technique to pump up any bullet is to add a comment in parentheses.
In the examples above, I’ve added parentheses at the end of the opening sentence to create intrigue, counter objections and drop hints.
But you can do so much more with them. Such as:
- You can offer an ‘easy fix’ for a problem you’ve hinted at in the opening bullet. For instance: (easy fix, yet ignoring this advice may jeopardize your career)
- Heighten emotion. For instance: (saying this ONE word will create intimacy in your marriage and save you dollars in relationship therapy).
Conclusion:
Writing compelling bullet copy takes practice.
Bullets can make great headlines, crossheads, subheadlines and email subject lines.
Most marketers violate the cardinal rule of bullet copywriting by omitting curiosity, emotions, and not making them benefit oriented so that the reader takes action.
The easiest way to do that is:
Step 1: Write a sentence about a feature of your product or service. Another option (if you don’t have a feature) is to write a fact related to your offer.
Step 2: Delete the feature name or fact to stir curiosity.
Step 3: Pump it Up With Fascinations
Bonus tip: You can combine a couple of fascinations to write one bullet point!
