Grab Your Prospect’s Attention Online and Motivate Them Into Action

O.K. in this post we’re going to be talking about a much under-used marketing strategy that will make a very big difference to the numbers of leads and enquiries you receive via the internet.

Whenever you are trying to get and keep the attention of one of your prospects, and motivate them to take a specific action, one of the key strategies to adopt is that of focusing the prospect’s mind, and not letting them be distracted.

So when it comes to lead generation, (or creating sales) and your prospect is online, then you must adopt the strategy of using what are termed “landing pages”.

What Is A Lead Generation Landing Page?

A landing page is a stand-alone web page that should contain the following:

•  A single objective
• A clear headline proposition
• A compelling offer
• A clear call to action
• A form to capture prospect’s details
• A re-direct for them to claim their reward

Where Should You Use Landing Pages?

Let’s assume that one of the ways you want your prospects to take action is to go online and make an enquiry or purchase. How could you do this?

Perhaps you’ve run a direct mail or sales letter campaign offering a specific brochure or case study, or a specific product for sale.

Or you’ve sent out a printed or email newsletter, and you’ve told readers to go online to download a special recording, or click on a link to register to view a short video.

Maybe you’ve sent a personal invitation or postcard promoting an upcoming open-day or you’re holding a paid-for seminar, and need attendees to book their place.

You may be running pay-per-click advertising on Google

Why Shouldn’t You Send Them To A Normal Web Page?

By default, most companies simply send prospects who are responding to their mailings or advertising or online advertisements to their company homepage. After all, they reason that if the homepage is the digital equivalent of the company front door, shouldn’t we bring prospects there as a starting point?

Well, the answer is No, and here’s why: Most company homepages cover too many subjects and have too much going on to work effectively in getting prospects to take a very specific action.

Remember, a person who lands on your web site is looking for something specific. Tossing him onto a generic homepage (with the implicit message, “Here you go, now you figure it out”) will work against your intention of converting visitors into leads.

Instead, the most effective strategy is to take responders to a tightly focused stand-alone web page – a page specifically developed and matched to the subject of their enquiry, with minimal distractions, a strong call to action, and a well-thought-out process for moving the prospect to action, (e.g. a new product or service launch, or a free guide, or audio download, or new case study, signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase or whatever).

In my next post I will expand on the essential elements that a good, effective landing page needs to contain. In the meantime here is a link to one of our own very successful landing pages

This post was written by Sally Stanton, Richard Lomax & Associates. To contact her, telephone 01692 538800 or email sally@common-sense-marketing.com .

For more examples and free advice visit www.common-sense-marketing.com  or contact sally@common-sense-marketing.com