I wrote last week that I’ve been busy with a high-paying freelance writing project, so busy I only had 30 minutes a day to work on my new product. With that 30 minutes I’ve been outlining the ebook portion and…writing the sales page?
I say you should write the sales page first, before you create your product.
Why?
1. You’ll Know What Your Most Important Material Is
You make promises in your sales page about what your product can do. And what you say on your sales page about your product is what you think potential buyers most want. So write that sales page — and then deliver in spades with your product content.
2. You’ll Have the Damned Thing Done
Writing sales copy isn’t easy, especially when you’ve completed the product but still need to do that damned sales page.
Get it done early and you can rest easy.
3. You Can Improve It Over Time
As you create your product, you’ll think of new and better ways to say certain things in your sales page. And you’ll come back to it later with fresh eyes, eyes that will see clumsy sentences and phrases — and what you need to change to make your sales page as effective as possible.
4. It Makes the Whole Process More Real
You’ll see the page and it will inspire you to get that product done, get it done quickly, and get it done well.
Your thoughts? When do you write your sales pages?
{ 42 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey John,
I like this concept, and use it with “better than” average regularity. I sometimes get so tuned into making the product, that I lose track of what I originally wanted. But, I really do try get the sales page cranked out first.
I think you brought out great points.
Brandon
TheInfoPreneur´s last blog ..A Million Dollar Business – What does it look Like?
I’m glad you liked the post Brandon.
Even though I’m a professional writer, I can still get a bit hung up writing the sales page, especially when I try to do it at the end right before I launch the e-book. That’s why I’ve changed my ways.
This is something I’d never thought of before. I haven’t created any products as of yet, and I would have simply planned to create the sales page after the product creation. Creating the sales page first is a great idea to get clear on the purpose/mission of the product and to keep the focus on delivering what’s promised.
Jean Sarauer´s last blog ..7 Signs That Granny Hijacked Your Blog
Thanks for visiting Jean. I’m glad you like the idea and that you’ll put it to use when you create your first information product. I’m watching and waiting!
Hi john. The title is what caught my attention really. After reading it I just realize that I do exactly the same thing, although not for a product, but when I am about to write a blog post. I write the title first, outline what is important and not, and off I go to write the post itself. maybe this will work well when I finally decide to write my own ebook. Who knows, maybe one of these days.
DiTesco´s last blog ..Top SEO Plugins For Wordpress
DiTesco, I do the same thing with blog posts. I write the title first and then I usually revise it several times as I actually write the post. Good blog posts titles are important: mine got you here!
This is great idea, John. Guess I’ll have to try that on my next product. I have been told also to write a blog post first and the title last. Guess what this comes down to when it comes to blogging do very thing backwards. lol
Thanks again John,
Debbie
Debbie @ Happy Maker´s last blog ..Speaking Nicely – the Secret to Happiness
I’m glad you found this useful Debbie. Like I said in an earlier reply, I write my blog title first and then rewrite it as I write the blog post.
John, I think this is sound advice. With my current launch, I wrote the sales page a week before the product launch, before I’d actually completed the ebook. I think you’re right, it sets the boundaries about what your product will and won’t do and of course, keeps it alive.
Matthew Needham´s last blog ..Wednesday Wisdom
It looks like you found that process useful. It’s no fun trying to write a good sales page with a major launch deadline looming.
Hey John,
that’s a great idea that you have to write the sales page first. I might try that.
What I typically find is that I continually change my sales pages over time. What I think would work at first I usually find doesn’t and then I get closer and closer to my ideal page over time. It always seems to happen this way for me – not sure why.
Wynne, that’s a great way to do it, assuming you haven’t gone live first.
I have definitely reworked the sales pages for my two e-books in the sidebar, although I’m quite happy with both now. It’s good to revisit sales pages every month or so. Fresh eyes can really make a difference.
Hi John,
As you know, I have a pre-launch under way and NO …. I have not written my “Sales Page”. I’ve seen some timely posts in my day, but this one takes the cake.
You couldn’t have hit my problem any better then if you had aimed right for it!
Jeffrey Morgan´s last blog ..Bloggers Market Famous 1 Hr WordPress Install
Jeffrey, it sounds like this post was just what you needed. I’m glad it caught you at just the right time. Serendipity is beautiful.
I’ve sort of done it both ways. What I’ve found is that the sales page rolls when I know exactly what I want to say, and to whom.
I’ll try that next product. I’ve got a few backlogged right now that I want to get cleared out first.
Dave Doolin´s last blog ..How To Fly To The Moon In Two Easy Steps (and blogging stuff)
Dave, I’ve also done it both ways. The advantage of doing it after is that you know exactly what’s in the product. The disadvantage is that if you think of something great that should be in the product, you’re already done and don’t want to go back and add new stuff.
Good one John.
I was told this a couple of years ago by my mentor at the time when I created my second product. It was weird and new to me…but it worked.
By writing the sales page you can really use your imagination on what would be the prefect product (after doing all the research, of course!).
Then just make sure the product matches the sales page.
Andrew
Andrew @ Blogging Guide´s last blog ..What is the SILO Website Structure?
Andrew, you’ve got it and you do it. Great summary of why it’s important too.
I’d love to read any posts you have about mentors.
John,
That’s a subject I’ve not really blogged about. Something to add to my ideas list – thanks!
Andrew
Andrew @ Blogging Guide´s last blog ..Blogging Guide: More FeedBack On Our Free Guide
I like this idea a lot John. It’s like working backwords or reverse psychology. Wish I would’ve known this before I started writing my eBook but haven’t finished it yet so will go and write the sales page first thanks to your tip.
Amazing how a simple idea can lead to great results!
Anna
Anna Haller´s last blog ..Are you alone?
Glad this helped Anna. And good luck finishing that ebook. I think it’ll be easier once you’ve written your sales page.
As I sit here and write my ebook I find your site an awesome place for inspiration and advice, so thank you for that John.
OK now that’s out of the way
I like your idea of writing the sales page first as it gives you a framework so to speak. I created the actual ebook image (free ebook so sales page not as crucial) and I did this for the same reason you mention, so that I would have something physical to see. Granted it is not a framework, but the index will come next and provide that, but for now the image of the ebook is motivating me to finish!
ALex´s last blog ..The Internet Marketing Jigsaw Puzzle. Why do I have too many edge pieces??
Alex, I really appreciate you as a visitor and commenter, and I also learn a lot from you on your site.
Creating the ebook cover early is also a really good idea. It would make the final product more real, and it would make me feel like I better get all the writing and editing done so that beautiful cover can get out into the world.
Hi John !
that’s a great idea that you have to write the sales page first. I might try that
Eseotips@Best Seo Tips´s last blog ..Top 10 ways to promote your site
Do try it. I think you’ll like the results.
Hey John,
This is a good idea. It goes against a lot of conventional wisdom but that is usually how it goes with good ideas. I think this is a great way to help you focus as you build a product. Good post!
Peace,
Darren L Carter
Darren L Carter´s last blog ..The Problem With Mentors: YOU
Glad you found it useful Darren. There’s always the option of rewriting the sales page when you’re all done, or even writing a new one if you feel it would be an improvement.
Personally I’ve never written a sales page before but I can see why you would want to write it first. It sounds like it’d definitely make everything go much smoother.
Thanks for the tip!
Eric´s last blog ..Get To Know Me Better: Ask Me Any 2 Questions You Want
Hi John, I haven’t written many sales pages yet but the four reasons you give are convincing enough to get me to write them up front. It is a bit like determining your most wanted response from a blog post and then writing the post around that.
I did write a sales page for a PLR product a while back but it wasn’t convincing enough and I wouldn’t have even bought the product based on what I was trying to sell. I ended up making major changes to the product so that I was happy to own and use it. Now it is time to do a major update of the sales sales page. I guess your advice is best suited to a product that is of our own making.
Michael Pedzotti@blogging tools´s last blog ..You alone are destined for failure
Michael, it would be a lot harder to write a sales page for a Private Label Rights product (one you purchase and didn’t create yourself) because you don’t have the intimate familiarity and affinity that comes with creating it yourself. I’m sure it’s quite possible to write a decent page though.
Great idea…. i think it would be a good way to keep reigned in/focussed on a project..
..im thinking about writing or farming out the writing of an an ebook…either how to stay in business, we are in year 30, or how to rehabb furniture….our most popular thing right now…
so, thanks…ann
Hey John,
I just got thru- listening to the Launch Coach on how to create simple sales pages. At first i thought they were very hard and thought they were sorta sleezy. But i totally think different and now that I found this blog post, I am even more convience that I need to write sales pages. I will start first with writing my page, then I will move onto completing my ebook.
Thanks for the advice, Peace & More Love, Alease Michelle
Alease Michelle´s last blog ..Mixed Media Collage Books Must Buys
I’m glad you liked Dave Navarro’s free sales page training on The Launch Coach. Good luck on the ebook — and the sales page.
Hey John,
Great idea! Working on my product now and I think having the sales page already written will be a great guide (or outline) to how I want the product to turn out. It makes perfect sense…will make sure to give this a go.
Also, I can take all the bullet points in the sales page and write articles on each point in my blog and eventually link them back to the sales page when the product is completed, so it all works together nicely.
Thanks for the great article…I look forward to reading some more informative tips.
Michele – NewBizBlogger´s last blog ..Time To Step Up The Game With Guest Blogging
Michele, I really like your idea of taking your bullet points and turning them into separate blog posts that link to the sales page. Smart thinking!
Hi John!
Great easy to read post! Fantastic idea!! It reminds me of writing papers back in college. I’d always ask myself before beginning, “OK, what’s the bottom line here? What’s the most important thing I want to convey?” And that would take some noodling, but then when it came together the rest was relatively fun putting it together because I knew where I was going.
It’s so easy to get sidetracked into thinking that any other kind of writing or even visual project is somehow different. But it’s not. The trick is figuring out where you’re going before you begin.
Thanks John!!
Lori
Lori, that’s one of the benefits of writing the sales page first. It helps you organize your product and get a clear outline of what you need to include.
I wrote a few long papers when I was getting my master’s in political science. I was not a very experienced writer, but I did develop outlines before I started writing.
Hi John
This is a interesting and innovative idea and it fits damn well in what I pretend to do. Somehow it complements my product “planning” because know I can know, not only what I g«have to do to get the product but also what the product must have in it.
Thanks a lot for this tip.
Cheers
Jorge
Jorge´s last blog ..Starting Own Business Online – The 5 Gold Rules
Well… I was wondering if you have a product in mind, isn’t market research suppose to be the first to do before even starting to write the sales page?
Look: if you doesn’t know what appeals the people want how in the world can you write a sales pitch that will trigger people to buy?
I’m not a professional freelance like you, above was just my experience I have gone through in John Carlton Simple Writing Course and also reading from Gary Halbert’s newsletter.
Here’s a quote I learn: You never know what you don’t know.
The Bad Blogger´s last blog ..How To Get As Much Traffic As Possible From Article Directories To Your Blog With This Dumb And Simple-Yet-Effective Testing -
I’m focused in this post on writing the sales page and when it should come in the process. There are many steps to researching, creating, and marketing a successful information product, and determining if there is a market for the product is crucial.
This kind of aligns in with one of Jimmy Brown’s saying to ‘fill in the blanks’. You kind of write the final product and work backwards. I haven’t tried it yet but for me, outlining or mindmapping gives me the components which I can play around with. However, if you’re in a time crunch as you’ve got only 30 minutes, the sales page idea is one heck of the way to go.
Thu Nguyen´s last blog ..100th Post and Giveaway! So How Do You Overcome Blogger’s Shyness
Thu, I find that creating a detailed outline before I write helps me immensely. And I’m starting to make greater use of mindmaps, but primarily for organizing projects.
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