10 Simple Steps to Build an Opt-In Page That Converts

by Emma Watt | Jul 29, 2022 | Facebook™ Ads, Sales Funnels

Beauty lies in simplicity.

There’s no arguing that, is there?

And while I definitely admire certain luxurious things, in business…???

When it comes to actually achieving something and generating results, all it needs is some focus, dedication, and smarts on ONE specific goal. Simplicity.

And that’s the very reason we’re on this entrepreneurial roller-coaster together, aren’t we?

The drive behind all your business and marketing efforts is one thing and one thing only.

Conversion.

All your work is specifically designed to get more traffic, more leads, and more customers (which ultimately helps you have more influence, make more of an impact, and of course, allow you more income).

And there’s one simple action you can take right away to build your brand’s authority and convert traffic into warm (Read: Sizzling Hot) leads:

Landing Pages.

What is a Landing Page? Sometimes called a squeeze page, an opt-in page, or a sales page, a landing page is a stand-alone page where you send visitors in order to produce a conversion behavior.

This could be:

Signing up for your email list
Buying your offer
Registering for a webinar
Opting into a freebie

Now, let me take you on a fun lil’ stroll to creating an opt-in page that converts in 10 simple steps. Because, while I don’t think creating a high-converting opt-in page is a tough row to hoe, I DO think that the right approach can make all the difference in the world (no pressure!).

Ok, here we go…

1. THE BRAND FACTOR

Whether you’re using ads to generate traffic or organically leading people to your opt-in page through a blog post, interviews, social media… Whatever… Your opt-in page should have an instant sense of recognition. And, you can create this comforting vibe by synchronizing the images and copy across the board. So, if you’re running ads, the page should match the ad. If you’re sending people to your opt-in page from a blog post, the two need to “feel” related. Keep your branding consistent.

2. COMPELLING HEADLINE

Often, an attention-grabbing headline alone is enough to reel people in and turbocharge your conversion rate. The headline should:

Capture your audience’s attention.
Connect with them immediately.
Create a desire for your offer.

And you can do all of the above by writing a benefit-driven headline (instead of highlighting features). Because no matter how great your product is, the truth of the matter is, they don’t care (I’m sorry!). Your audience wants to know what’s in it for THEM. So tell them right away!

3. LEVERAGE WHAT IS “ABOVE THE FOLD”

“Above the fold” refers to the portion of your website that you see without needing to scroll. So, forget about long narratives and warming people up. Over 50% of your page visitors won’t even scroll below the fold. So you need to leverage the power of the section that is above the fold. Write the crux of your message right after the headline.

4. CALL TO ACTION

Give me a clear call and I’ll take the right action to reach you. That’s a famous saying by…well, I just made it up, but you get the idea, right? Unless you tell your visitors what they need to do, they won’t do anything. Simple! Give a clear as-day Call-to-Action to make it easy for the visitor to take the next step. A few examples might be:

Sign Me Up
Get Free Access Here
Snag Your Free Guide Here
Hell Yeah, I’m In!
Notify Me
Start Your 30-Day Free Trial Today!

Test different button text and see what your prospects respond to.

5. COLOR CONTRAST

Use contrasting colors for text & body design and your call-to-action button. The idea is to break the monotony and highlight the part you want your visitor to notice (Your CTA). But remember!! Don’t make your design a technicolor vomit (please no). Keep it to a maximum of 3 colors.

6. LIMITED FORM FIELDS

Simplicity is better, always! Don’t make your visitor think twice before they opt-in for your list or take you up on your offer. The shorter your form, the higher the conversion rate will be. Just asking for their first name and email is enough! (No need to ask tricky questions or be too clever).

7. ZERO NAVIGATION

The path to success isn’t straight, but the path to converting a visitor into a subscriber is. Don’t distract your reader by tempting them with links, navigation bars, and extra clutter. Your job is to keep them focused on your copy with supporting visuals.

8. VISUAL CUES

If done right, visual cues can be very effective when it comes to generating one particular action. The use of arrows and pointers leads the eye where you want it to go, encouraging the final action.

9. CLARITY AND BREVITY

Clear trumps clever. Every freakin’ time. You can be as creative with the copy as you want but don’t forget, it’s business… NOT your creative writing class. Your copy should be clear and concise. No fluff. No BS. No drama. That’s exactly what makes your offer compelling.

10. VISIBLE LEGAL TERMS

THIS! This step is highly unsexy but damn important. Your opt-in page must have legal Terms & Conditions and/or a Privacy Policy section at the bottom. Don’t hide it or make it difficult to find. Instead, make it very clear as it can save you lots of headaches in the future. And, just a little FYI – Facebook™ asks that these links be visible before advertising on their platform.

In a nutshell, you don’t need a special sauce to create a high-converting opt-in page. The magic is in this super simple (PROVEN) format. It all boils down to creating one simple page that flows in terms of design and messaging. And PS, there’s no end-all-be-all in opt-in pages. You gotta test and tweak to see what works for YOUR BRAND but this will give you some guidelines.

Now it’s your turn.

Have you ever created an opt-in page that did super well? Or, one that was a dud? Do you see any of these 10 points that you’re forgetting? Tell me in the comments below. I’m waiting! 🙂

0 Comments

5 Things I Do To Wrap Up My Year as an Entrepreneur

by kavogan | Dec 15, 2021 | Sales Funnels

Being an entrepreneur also means being in a constant state of growth, huh? From goal-setting to income to hiring, it’s like there’s always something new to try and to embrace.

It’s the best.

But, it’s also why I love the end of the year as an entrepreneur so much. At the end of each year, it’s the perfect time to reflect, to put things in order, and to slow down — and we allll need it.

(Especially after this year, am I right?!)

In fact, I try to be really intentional about how I spend the last bit of the year in my business. It’s how I force myself to look back and slow down, and it’s also the best method I have to start the *next* year off on the best foot possible.

Here’s why…
Purposeful, intentional moves are the very best method that any of us have in the entrepreneurial space. I know firsthand how hard it is to slow down and take a few breaths — but I also know firsthand that forcing myself to take that time is exactly how I’ve been able to really move my business forward.

So, here’s my challenge to you: before this year is up, promise yourself that you’re going to give yourself some time to wrap up loose ends and set the stage for the best next quarter possible.

You deserve it. 🙂

5 Things I Do to Wrap Up My Year as an Entrepreneur

There are 5 main things I focus on at the end of the year, and they’re in 3 main buckets: finance, goals, and rest. Plus, when you really think about it, those are really the 3 main buckets that will push your business forward more than anything else.

Here’s how I fill all 3 of them before the end of the year:

1. Gather all of your financial goodies for your bookkeeper and accountant.

There are 5 main things I focus on at the end of the year, and they’re in 3 main buckets: finance, goals, and rest. Plus, when you really think about it, those are really the 3 main buckets that will push your business forward more than anything else.

Here’s how I fill all 3 of them before the end of the year:

Make sure all of my subcontractors have a current W9 on file (and make sure I have their updated contact information, too!)
Gather all of my deductions paperwork (student loan interest, childcare, etc.)
Download my profit statements for the year
Make sure my accountant has access to Quickbooks

And, to make it even easier, I always create a folder on my computer desktop called Taxes [Year]. Then I can just drag and drop things as needed into the folder, and it’s easy for me to find when it’s time!

2. Review your revenue generated against goals.

The end of the year also means that it’s the end of your fiscal year, too — which means it’s the perfect time to review your revenue, your profit, your loss, AND your goals.

So, ask yourself:What are the hard numbers? How do these line up against the goals you set at the beginning of the year?

This isn’t necessarily the most *fun* thing to do (unless you love numbers 🤓), but it’s pretty dang important. Plus, reviewing profit and loss is a huge eye-opener — and it’s the perfect time to start setting goals for your next go-round.

3. Make any business purchases that would qualify for tax deductions.

Business purchases = business expenses… and business expenses = tax deductions.

(And we loooooove a tax deduction, huh?!)

Before January 1st rolls around, consider making any business purchases you may need (or want). This can be as big as a new work computer or as small as a restock on printer paper — just make sure you purchase it by the end of the year so that you can write it off on your taxes. Woohoo!

4. Make a plan for the first few weeks of January.

So, there’s nothing better than taking some time off to celebrate the New Year… but there’s also nothing worse than feeling post-New Year anxiety, either. Your job? Make a plan for the first few weeks of January, if not the first quarter. This will help you feel like you have a plan to hit the ground running, and it’s a big anxiety reliever, too.

Here are a few things to plan out:

What are your Q1 goals?
What will your first month of the year look like?
Do you have any standing or planned meetings? Go ahead and record them in your calendar.
What do you want to do differently in the New Year?

Take as much time as possible off around the holidays.

Your next job? Stop. Working. Do some planning, get your life together, and then close that computer of yours. Rest, relax, and recharge. Spend some time with your family and friends, go get yourself a massage — heck, go on a trip! Just intentionally plan to take the stress off your shoulders and start the New Year on a clean slate.

5. Take as much time as possible off around the holidays.

Your next job? Stop. Working. Do some planning, get your life together, and then close that computer of yours. Rest, relax, and recharge. Spend some time with your family and friends, go get yourself a massage — heck, go on a trip! Just intentionally plan to take the stress off your shoulders and start the New Year on a clean slate.

—

There you have it! The 5 things I always do — and that you should, too — to wrap up a busy year and start a new one! When you focus on these things, you’ll be ahead… and that makes such a huge difference. Really, there’s nothing better than closing a chapter and feeling prepped to open up the next one, and this is how you do it.

What you’ll find behind the curtain of my Facebook™ Ads business, is someone who loves systems, strategy, family, fishing, flipping houses, interior design, everything Southern, animals, a hefty dose of sarcasm, Instagram stories and some of the most amazing clients on the planet.

Search

Entrepreneurship

Facebook Ads

How To

Launching

Sales Funnels

Strategy

0 Comments

The Quickest Way to Identify Sales Funnel Problems

by Emma Watt | Nov 1, 2021 | How To, Sales Funnels

So, your sales funnel isn’t converting. You think your offer is pretty bomb-dot-com. You’re pretty sure each piece of your funnel is strategic and important. What gives? I see this all the time, friend. And the thing is, your funnel probably is pretty great and well thought out. But it’s important to do a run-through from top to bottom in order to identify sales funnel problems that might be leading to stalled conversions.

By running through this checklist, you should be able to uncover the missing link or shoddy piece of the funnel—and then fix it—so you can start reaching more people in your target audience and making conversions. Yes, please!

HOW TO IDENTIFY SALES FUNNEL PROBLEMS

I recommend starting at the beginning or top of the funnel and working your way through each step and seeing how effective it is.

SO, START FIRST WITH THE ADS.

First look at: Are people clicking and engaging with your ads? If not, you might have either a targeting problem or an ad problem. (I.e., the ad isn’t appealing in its language, images, or overall content.)

Try adjusting your targeting, image, and/or the copy. Play with a few versions to see what works best. You can do long-form copy, short-form, story-based, results-based, or objection-based. Try different images with faces and objects (like flat lays). Different messaging and imagery appeal to different audiences, so test a few things to see what your audience prefers.

ONCE YOU’VE GOT PEOPLE CLICKING THE AD, THEN WHAT IS HAPPENING?

If it’s an opt-in page, are they choosing to opt-in? If not, you might have a landing page problem. Landing pages should have a high conversion rate because you’ve likely honed your ad to target a specific audience, and those who click through to land there are people who should have a significant interest.

If your page doesn’t have a high conversion rate, adjust your messaging first. The best landing pages address the problems your target audience is facing head on, and then point to how your offer is the solution.

Also take a look at the functionality of the page. Is it clear how to take the next step? Are there links to click away? Ideally there is only ONE thing to do on a landing page: opt in or buy.

ONCE PEOPLE ARE OPTING IN, THEN WHAT IS HAPPENING?

Are they not moving along in the funnel? If not, it’s typically one of three problems:

Not a great offer. It’s not what your audience actually needs or wants.

Your messaging isn’t working. It’s not connecting with your audience’s desires and pain points.

Your funnel doesn’t have enough steps. You’re asking them to buy too quickly, before they know and trust you.

Think through each of these possibilities and adjust your offer, messaging, or funnel as needed. Sometimes small tweaks can make a HUGE difference.

START AT THE TOP AND WORK YOUR WAY DOWN

Essentially when diagnosing funnel performance, you want to start at the top of the funnel and work your way through as if you were a prospect. When you break it down piece by piece, it will become clear where people are getting tripped up, and that’s where you can start to tweak your funnel.

0 Comments

3 Easy Ways to Retain Clients

by Tara DuBois | Oct 6, 2021 | Entrepreneurship, Sales Funnels, Strategy

When you’re in a service-based business, one of your biggest goals should be to retain clients — and that’s a huge goal and huge deal to us at System Envy. The longer you can retain clients, the stronger your relationship can grow and the deeper your roots can, too.

Plus, what’s more, exciting as a business owner than to know that people want to work — and KEEP working — with you?

I have a Business Management degree that has helped me a ton along the way, and one of the biggest takeaways I learned is that it is not difficult to keep people happy. Even when you don’t produce a desired result or mess something up (which happens! That’s life), you can still always manage and maintain a solid relationship with your clients.

Promise.

Here are our go-to methods for retaining clients within our agency.

3 Easy Ways to Retain Clients

I can assure you that retaining clients is really and truly not as hard as it might sound. While there are always things you can’t control, there ARE things that you can control — and these are 3 of your biggest.

1. Keep regular communication at the forefront of EVERYTHING.

Strong communication is the bedrock of everything you do as a service-based business, and it is the absolute best way to cultivate and keep a beautiful working relationship. By keeping your clients plugged in and letting them know what to expect, you’ll cut down on questions AND increase client trust — two very, very important things. Our rule at System Envy is to always respond to clients within 24 business hours, and to check in with our clients on Slack every 2-3 days (if not every day).

The goal? To never, ever have your clients reach out to find out where you are on a project.

I cannot tell you how many phone calls I’ve had with new clients who have told me their previous ad manager left them hanging or would take days and weeks to respond — and this blows my mind. It’s just so easy to send a quick email or Slack message, even if it says “I received this and want to give it some thought, I’ll respond soon.”

2. Set (flexible) expectations.

Everyone likes structure and knowing what to expect, which is where setting expectations comes into play. By setting expectations, having everyone crystal clear on what each person’s responsibilities are, and sharing detailed schedules and FAQ’s, it’s so much easier to stay on track and to keep your clients happy.

When it comes to setting client expectations — and team member expectations, but that’s a whole other post — let your clients know what’s included, let them know what’s not, and then go above and beyond where you can. Also, flexibility is part of life as a small business owner — so always leave room for that, too!

3. Professionalism is key.

When all else fails, professionalism should never. Ever. By creating a professional, personable, and empathetic persona and client experience, you can promise that you’ll always behave the right way and feel good about any response you’ll need to make. It’s also just a good reminder that you and your clients are HUMAN. People get moody, they go through things, and they have bad days — which is where professionalism has to continually show up.

I’ve had two clients in 11 years that went south… and fast — and it was a really important lesson for me, personally, of how important it is to stay professional. It’s not fun to feel particularly vulnerable as a business owner, and staying professional is how you can cover your arse (we don’t want nasty remarks floating around the interwebs, right?!) and know that you reacted in a way you can be proud of.

—

It’s not as hard as you might have thought to create really great working relationships, huh? If you’re intentional about how you run your business and treat your clients, you WILL keep and retain clients for a long time — and I already know you can do it!

What you’ll find behind the curtain of my Facebook™ Ads business, is someone who loves systems, strategy, family, fishing, flipping houses, interior design, everything Southern, animals, a hefty dose of sarcasm, Instagram stories and some of the most amazing clients on the planet.