10 Essential Sales Page Elements to 10x Your Conversions
Most people know what a sales page should look like, but how can you put that knowledge to good use? Let’s find out.
So you’ve been struggling to convert prospects who land on your sales page into your customers? This is the problem that most agencies face, whether you’re a research, brand, or design agency — you get the point. No one buys into what you’re selling, and you think the problem lies in the offer.
Yes…somewhat true, but 80% of the time it comes to how well the offer is being presented, and how well you can get the prospect to buy into you.
All funnels start with the landing page and you must make sure it gives a good impression to the people who land there. Designlabb has looked through 100+ sales pages, some which you can find here and we pulled together the essential elements you need to increase your page conversions.
In this blog, you’ll learn exactly the 10 essential elements you need on your sales page, which will help to increase your page conversion. Let’s get into it.
1. A Hero Image or Video
The hero image or video is usually the first thing that captures the attention of the reader. They are added just below the headline, explaining the results you offer with your product or service.
For hero image, it should immediately give an idea to the visitor of your offering. It should also convey the core message and value proposition, creating an emotional connection that entices visitors to explore further. Do not choose a random image just because it looks nice on the page.
This is a good example of a hero image:
Videos, on the other hand, have the ability to stop scrolling, causing the visitor to pause and watch to get a gist of what is in it for them (the outcome) before reading the rest of the copy.
Our friends over at Unbounce put together The Benefits of Using Video on Landing Pages to get started with your hero video. Think of your video as a elevator pitch but with added value. Make sure the visitors will feel immersed and ready to click the button.
2. A Killer Headline
“On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar” — David Ogilvy, the Godfather of Advertising
In 1958, Rolls Royce was already known as a luxury car brand but decided to relaunch to stay competitive with brands like Ford. They turned to David Ogilvy for help.
David Ogilvy is legendary in advertising, especially copywriting. His methods are still taught in schools today because he really understood his audience.
To create his ads, Ogilvy did extensive research. He talked to engineers, studied technical manuals, and edited his work repeatedly. This is the masterpiece he came up with.
The headline:
“At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock.”
But this is written in a newspaper. What about a sales page hero headline?
It’s not much of a difference. The main goal of your headline is to get your first sentence read. If you want to create headlines that will pique peoples’ interests and ‘seduce’ them to read even further, consider using one of the U’s.
Useful: Double Your Reading Speed in a Week
- This headline promises a clear benefit, appealing to anyone looking to improve their reading efficiency, which makes it useful
Urgent: Last Chance: 50% Off All Courses Today Only!
- The urgency is created by a time limit, which compels read to act quickly to take advantage of the offer
Unique: Lose Weight by Eating More with our Diet Plan
- This introduces a counterintuitive benefit, which stands out by promising weight loss without eating less — a unique angle in the diet industry
Ultra-specific: Boost Website Traffic by 200% in 3 Months
- This headline is ultra-specific by quantifying the benefit and setting a precise timeline, making the promised result clear and focused
This is one example that I like, from Typefully.com. From the headline, you immediately know what the tool can help you to do (“Write better content” and “Grow your audience faster”)
Another example from Intercom. This is called comparative advertising. Without reading below the fold, I immediately know what Intercom is claiming and what sort of product they are selling (if you’re familiar with Zendesk).
But besides that, “deliver a better customer experience” tells me their core service surrounding their product — optimising customer experience. This makes me interested to find out how they’re going to do it and why they’re a better choice than Zendesk.
In general, don’t scorn tried-and-tested words like amazing, introducing, now, suddenly. Instead, use words that are more actionable, result-driven, and focused. That way the reader knows what they can expect from what you’re selling.
3. What Problems You’re Solving
Whether in the headline or the body copy, visitors need to quickly understand how you can make their lives better or remove their biggest pain points.
We find that including it in the headline works the best, since it’s what most people read before they decide to bounce or stay on the page. Don’t make them connect the dots themselves — spell it out clearly.
One page that nailed this is Basecamp. Their opening headline says “Refreshingly simple project management.” Immediately, you understand what they’re solving — to eliminate the chaos and disorganisation of project management.
The key is using simple, benefit-driven language that your target audience instantly relates their current struggles or desired outcomes to. Don’t bury the lead — put their biggest problem front and center, then follow it up with how your solution resolves it. This builds confidence that you understand their reality.
4. How You’re Going to Solve It
You’ve gotten their attention by calling out those burning pains and desires, but now it’s time to bring it home. The next make-or-break element is walking them through the actual process of how your product or service will get them to your promised outcome.
Few ways you can do it:
- Bring them through a process/clear roadmap of how you’re going to solve the problem
- Present them the offer and what’s the outcome of taking that offer
Let’s break them down:
Bring them through a process/clear roadmap of how you’re going to solve the problem
Give a clear, step-by-step walkthrough of exactly how your product or service will get them from their current painful reality to that desired future state you promised to deliver. Don’t just say you have the solution — show them the exact path they’ll take to get there.
- Use visuals like process diagrams, flow charts, or graphics to illustrate each major step/phase along the way. Our brains love to follow a clear map.
- If it’s more of a curriculum or program, lay out the module plan detailing what they’ll cover and in what order. This builds confidence you have a structured process, not just random tips.
- Walk them through real-use examples or case studies showcasing how your system works for actual customers. Show the transformation in action.
The more specific and tangible you can make this “problem solving roadmap” the better. You’re removing any lingering doubts about your ability to deliver real results.
Present them the offer and what’s the outcome of taking that offer
Now that they understand the proven process for solving their issues, it’s time to officially present and sell the offer itself — likely the specific product or service they’ll buy from you to get access to that process. But you can’t just say “Buy my thing!”
Instead, focus on painting that irresistible vision of what their life looks like after they become a customer. State the benefits and outcomes they’ll experience by taking you up on this offer, such as:
- Gaining new skills or achievements
- Increasing their income, status, confidence etc.
- Removing major sources of frustration, pain or overwhelm
- Finally checking off a long-held goal or bucket list desire
The more vivid and specific you can make this future reality, the more their mental cart wheels will start turning. Your goal is to have them already picturing and longing for that new life after buying from you.
Optional Read: Steps to build irresistible offers and attract people high-paying clients:
- Maximise dream outcome (solve problem worth solving)
- Maximise perceived likelihood of success (testimonials and proven case studies)
- Minimise time to success (how can we make this faster? how can we show progress?)
- Minimise effort and sacrifice (how can we make this easier? more seamless? convenient?)
So in summary — give them the step-by-step solution map to flag any doubts, then sell the transformation to amplify their desire. Powerful one-two combo.
5. A Compelling Story
Good stories surprise us. They make us think and feel. They stick in our minds and help us remember ideas and concepts in a way that a PowerPoint crammed with bar graphs never can. — Joe Lazauskas and Shane Snow, The Storytelling Edge
People connect with people through stories. Especially those that elicit emotions. So to make yourself memorable, build the “know, like, and trust” factor first by telling your story.
The story can be from your personal experience or a hypothetical situation. Here are examples of both:
- The Personal Story Approach: “Back in 2015, I was a struggling entrepreneur who had tried every marketing tactic under the sun, but nothing was moving the needle. I’d waste money on ads, burn countless hours on strategies that fizzled out. I was stuck, frustrated, and second-guessing everything. Until one day…”
- The Hypothetical Scenario: “Imagine being an overworked business owner, trying every marketing hack you read about, but dealing with diminishing returns. The ad costs are draining you, the effort vs. reward just isn’t there anymore. Amazing how quickly that excitement for your business can turn into frustration…”
These are just some simple examples. Tell your story if you’re solving your own problem with the solution so people can relate. Tell a hypothetical story if you’ve observed people facing a problem and you have the right solution that solves that. Experiment with what works best for you.
6. Showcase Your Success
One of the most reassuring things you can show on your sales page is real-life evidence that your solution actually works as promised. Social proof can be:
- Customer stories
- Case studies
- Past results
- Statistics
Trust = Conversions
Some top examples of brands prominently featuring social proof:
Intercom highlights how they’ve helped their clients increase their efficiency in customer service to provide their customers with the best customer experiences.
Kajabi’s sales page highlights course creators who have made “6 and 7 figures” using their platform. Specific income claims like these pack a punch.
The key is making your social proof as specific, visual, and outcome-focused as possible. Don’t just say you have “happy customers” — use hard data points, screenshots, videos, and names/faces to make it tangible. Visitors envision those wins as their potential reality.
7. A Guarantee
Offering a strong guarantee or promise is an essential element that can help increase conversions on your sales page. It helps overcome objections and skepticism by removing the risk for potential buyers. Here’s how I would frame this point:
When you really want to seal the deal, few things instill confidence quite like a bold, comprehensive guarantee. A promise that essentially says, “We’ve got your back, no matter what.” It’s your safety net for trying something new.
The best guarantees go beyond the basic “30-day money back” and really put some skin in the game. They make prospects feel like you truly believe in your offer’s ability to deliver results.
Some examples:
- 100% money-back
- Free migration
- Cancelled contract protection
- Cancel anytime
The bottom line: Customers want to know you’ll have their back and are just as invested in their success. A robust guarantee instantly builds trust and tips the scales in your favor.
8. Social Proof and Testimonials
“People don’t believe what you tell them. People rarely believe what you show them. They often believe what their friends tell them. They always believe what they tell themselves.” — Seth Goldin
The Godfather of Advertising, David Ogilvy has this famous saying, “The customer is not a moron. She’s your wife.” You should not patronise (treat your customer condescendingly) or doubt their intelligence. They are capable and savvy enough to spot hype or distrust typical marketing spiel.
No matter how good you think your offer is, always include the voices of satisfied clients or customers and add a tinge of liveliness to your landing page. You want their conscious mind to convince their unconscious mind that going for your product or service is the best way to solve the pain point they have. You can consider:
- Expert’s stamp of approval (typically when an industry thought leader or influencer approves of your product or service — could take in form of blogging, posting on social media, or being photographed as a product user.)
- Words of customers (include their headshot, name, title, company, and quote)
- These should answer questions like: “Is this the right offer for me? Will this be a worthy investment Is this too time-consuming? Whatever it is, research, analyse and understand what customers are worried about and make sure these quotes would ease their fears.”
- Video testimonial (i.e. customers stating their pain points and how your offer helps to solve them)
- Including logos (i.e. logos that people tend to have good association with)
Deadline Funnel founder, Jack Born, says, “We are hardwired from birth to pay attention to people’s faces.” When you include clients or customers headshots, people automatically pause and analyse their faces, which makes them more likely to read the testimonial.
9. Call-to-Action (CTA)
Your CTA button must be prominently displayed and unmissable. A common CTA is “buy now” or “start your free trial”. At the minimum, have the same CTA buttons at the hero section and at the end. These helps the prospect to minimise their touchpoints and make it easier for them to engage in your service.
Don’t distract them with too many options. A good CTA is:
- Simple
- Clear and focused
- Attention-grabbing
- Aligned with a specific goal
To make your CTA pop, consider adding the following next to it:
- A countdown timer
- A money-back, risk-free guarantee
- Any monthly payment offers
- The main value proposition one more time
- Any bonuses
A confused customer doesn’t buy. So make sure you don’t confuse them.
10. Scarcity
People want more of the things they can have less of.
“When British Airways announced in 2003 that they would no longer be operating the twice daily London — New York Concorde flight because it had become uneconomical to run, sales the very next day took off.
Notice that nothing had changed about the Concorde itself. It certainly didn’t fly any faster, the service didn’t suddenly get better, and the airfare didn’t drop. It had simply become a scarce resource. And as a result, people wanted it more.
So when it comes to effectively persuading others using the Scarcity Principle, the science is clear. It’s not enough simply to tell people about the benefits they’ll gain if they choose your products and services. You’ll also need to point out what is unique about your proposition and what they stand to lose if they fail to consider your proposal.”
You’ve conveyed the value of an irresistible offer, but it’s not complete without a deadline: the latest time by which something should be completed. If they don’t take action now within the time limit, they will have to take the original offer, which is much pricier and generally less enticing than the advertised one.
Done right, scarcity cues trigger a feeling of exclusivity and more urgency around claiming whatever it is you’re selling before it’s gone.
Some examples using scarcity plays to amp up those conversion rates:
- AppSumo frequently promotes “48 Hour Deals” counting down to when their steep discounts expire.
- Productize Yourself creates FOMO for their discounted price by showing “Last day: Save $50 with code…at checkout..”
You can get as blatant or subtle with your scarcity as you like. Tried-and-true methods include limited-time offers, capped number of seats/slots available, or marketing the exclusivity of your offer as a perk itself.
Even injecting simple phrases like “While Supplies Last” or “This Price Won’t Last” helps instill that nagging feeling of impending loss should they procrastinate and miss out.
Bonus Tip: Make Sure Your Landing Page Has A Skimmable Design
Sales pages that are skimmable convert well. Remember, it is not an essay nor a thesis paper. You don’t have to give your visitors every information about your offering — but just enough that they get interested to know more.
Psychologically, humans read in F-patterns. Most people don’t read but scan. They look for visibly bigger paragraphs, bold, italicised, or highlighted text, and visuals that catch their eye. A good tip is to optimise your crossheads so that your page will be written in a way that answers questions from the prior header. See our page to understand what I mean.
“Do not address your audience as though they were gathered together in a stadium. When people read your copy, they are alone. Pretend you are writing each of them a letter on behalf of your client. One human being to another, second person singular.”– David Ogilvy, the Godfather of Advertising
I’ve just given you the top 10 essential elements you need on your sales page drawn from our experiences working with our clients.
While there’s no silver bullet to crafting the perfect sales page, these are definitely some tips and strategies that you can use in your sales page. Do A/B test your way with different copy hacks and traffic generation strategies, and see what works best for you!
Did I miss anything out? Leave us a comment below or shoot me an email at alvis@designlabb.cc.