Whether you’re offering a course directly on your website or delivering it via email, a compelling sales page is key to turning visitors into students. But where to start is often a stumbling block for new course creators — do you build the course or the sales page first? Instead of a “chicken or the egg” dilemma, consider a blended approach to course and sales page development.
This lesson walks you through creating a high-converting sales page alongside the creation of your course.
Course and sales page co-development
Drawing inspiration from the Blueprint lesson, you can begin crafting a preliminary outline for your sales page. This outline will be shaped by the key concepts and content you plan to feature in your course. As you progress further into course creation and its content starts solidifying, revisit and refine your sales page. This iterative approach ensures that your sales page remains a true reflection of your course’s final content.
Now, let’s go through some critical elements that can make your sales page not just good, but great. We’ll cover how to identify your audience’s main concerns, how to showcase the best features of your course, and the must-haves for a sales page that converts visitors into students. Let’s dive in!
Identifying your audience’s pain points is crucial for creating a sales page that truly connects. Then, you show them how your course will solve these problems. Let’s break down how to do this.
Step 1: Research pain points
The first thing to do is gather information. You’ve got a few tools at your disposal:
- Surveys: Query your existing audience about their challenges related to the course topic. For example, if you’re running a cooking course, ask what they find most challenging about meal prep or cooking.
- Community forums: Browse relevant forums to discover common issues faced by your target audience. For example, if you’re offering a digital marketing course, check out marketing forums to see what questions people are asking frequently.
- Course reviews: Look at what people are saying about similar courses in your field. Are they mentioning gaps or unmet needs? That’s a sign of a pain point you can address.
Step 2: Categorize and prioritize pain points
Once you have a list of common pain points, group them into categories. For example, if your course is on personal finance, categories could include ‘Budgeting,’ ‘Investing,’ and ‘Debt Management.’ Then, prioritize them based on how often the same point came up, or on the category with the most pain points, and that you know your course can solve effectively.
Step 3: Translate features into benefits
A common mistake people make is listing out the features of their course without explaining why those features matter. Let’s distinguish the two:
- Feature: A factual statement about the course, like “30 video lectures.”
- Benefit: How that feature will improve the student’s life, such as “Gain in-depth knowledge with 30 carefully-crafted video lectures.”
Every feature of your course should be tied back to a benefit. If you offer quizzes at the end of each module, don’t just mention that; say something like, “Test your understanding and reinforce your learning through end-of-module quizzes.”
Step 4: Align benefits with pain points
This is where you tie things together. Each benefit should clearly solve one of the pain points you’ve identified. So if a major pain point for your audience is ‘difficulty in focusing,’ and your course includes interactive exercises, you could say, “Our interactive exercises are designed to keep you engaged and make focusing a breeze.”
Step 5: Use concrete examples
When possible, use concrete examples to illustrate the benefits. If your course has helped previous students improve their marketing skills and double their website traffic, say it!
By taking the time to understand your audience’s pain points, you set the stage for a sales page that truly resonates with potential students. This research informs not only what features to highlight but also how to present them as life-improving benefits. The result is a sales page that is not just informative but also emotionally compelling. It’s the difference between telling someone what you offer and showing them why it matters to them. This tailored approach makes your course stand out in a crowded market, turning casual visitors into committed students eager to enroll.
Which of the following best describes the purpose of aligning course benefits with identified student pain points?
Exactly right! Aligning benefits with pain points ensures that your course speaks directly to potential students’ needs, making the offering much more compelling.
Close, but not quite. Aligning benefits with pain points is all about demonstrating how your course specifically addresses and alleviates the challenges or problems potential students face. Revisit the section on “Aligning benefits with pain points” for a clearer understanding.
Next, let’s explore how to strategically use the above information to craft a sales page that hits the mark.
The trick is to now weave this information into your sales page using a few essential background players to drive conversions. Namely:
- Headlines and subheadings
- Course descriptions
- Testimonials
- CTAs (call-to-actions)
Step 1: Crafting impactful headings and subheadings
Your headings and subheadings are the first thing people will read, so they need to grab attention while delivering key information.
The secret lies in combining your audience’s pain points with the benefits your course offers. For instance, if your audience struggles with ‘Lack of Motivation’ and your course is designed to boost career skills, an impactful headline could be:
“Feeling Stuck? Boost Your Career and Stay Motivated with Our Proven Plan!”
This headline is a one-two punch—it directly addresses the audience’s core issue while also highlighting a compelling benefit.
- Be specific and clear: Your main heading should state exactly what the course is about. Avoid vague or generic phrases that don’t tell the reader what to expect.
- Invoke curiosity: While being clear, also try to make the reader curious about what you have to offer. Phrases that hint at solving a pain point can be very effective here.
- Subheadings as guideposts: Use your subheadings to break down different sections of your sales page. They should give enough information that if someone only read the subheadings, they would get a clear sense of what the course will cover and offer.
Step 2: Writing compelling course descriptions
Your course description should make the reader think, “This is exactly what I’ve been looking for!”
The goal is to seamlessly align your course modules or lesson descriptions with the audience’s pain points, while also highlighting the benefits. Instead of merely listing what each module covers, explain how mastering that specific topic will tangibly improve the student’s life. This way, you’re not just outlining course content; you’re mapping out a transformative journey that directly addresses their needs and aspirations.
- Address pain points: Start by empathizing with the reader’s problem or challenge that your course will solve.
- List benefits, not just features: Explain how the features of your course will benefit the reader. For example, instead of saying “5 modules,” you could say, “Master the basics through 5 detailed modules.”
- Be concise but complete: Aim to provide all the necessary information, but be as brief as possible. Every word should serve a purpose.
- Include a mini-CTA: End your course description with a mini call-to-action like, “Ready to change your life? Enroll now.”
By focusing on these elements — headings, subheadings, and course descriptions — you’ll be rounding out a sales page that not only grabs attention but also holds it, guiding your potential students toward that all-important decision to enroll.
Step 3: Gathering and using testimonials
A well-chosen testimonial can be a powerful tool in tipping the scales for a prospective student.
When selecting testimonials, look for quotes that not only speak to how your course effectively addressed the pain points of past students but also highlight the real-world benefits they’ve gained. For instance, a testimonial saying, “This course helped me finally get a handle on budgeting,” serves as a compelling, specific endorsement that can resonate with those still contemplating your course.
- Collect testimonials: Ask former students for feedback and if you can share it on your sales page.
- Choose wisely: Use testimonials that speak to the specific benefits or pain points your potential students might have.
- Placement matters: Don’t just lump all your testimonials at the end of the page. Distribute them throughout the page to help build trust as visitors scroll down.
Use visuals: If possible, include a photo of the student providing the testimonial. It helps to humanize the feedback and adds a layer of authenticity.
Don’t have any testimonials? No problem. Click here for more ideas.
If you’re just starting out and don’t have testimonials yet, there are several strategies you can use to build credibility and trust on your sales page:
Offer a pilot or beta version: One of the quickest ways to gather testimonials is to offer a free or discounted pilot version of your course to a select group. Ask for feedback and testimonials in return for the free or reduced-rate access.
Use personal credentials: If you have expertise or qualifications in the subject matter of your course, highlight those. This can be degrees, years of experience, or even personal anecdotes that display your expertise and credibility.
Social proof: Feature any relevant accomplishments, such as public speaking engagements, articles you’ve written, or any community activities that are related to your course topic. This can also include any social media following if it’s relevant to the course topic.
Quality guarantees: Offer a money-back guarantee or free trial period to lower the perceived risk of signing up for your course. This creates a safety net for potential students and can boost enrollments.
Case studies: If you’ve successfully used the methods you’re teaching in your own life or career, share your story as a case study that’s featured prominently on the sales page.
Expert endorsements: If you can get an endorsement or short quote from a recognized expert in your field, even if they haven’t taken your course, that can also add credibility.
FAQ section: Addressing common questions and concerns on your sales page can also build trust. If people see that you’re transparent about what’s involved in the course, it can alleviate some of their worries.
User-generated content: As students progress through your course and share their achievements or experiences on social media, you can request their permission to add these to your sales page.
Be honest: If you’re just starting, there’s nothing wrong with saying so, but assure potential students about the quality and value they will get from your course. Authenticity can also build trust.
By incorporating some of these elements, you can build a credible and persuasive sales page even without testimonials. As soon as you’ve collected some strong testimonials, make sure to add them to enhance your sales page further.
Step 4: Crafting a strong call-to-action (CTA)
A compelling CTA serves as a roadmap, directing visitors on what to do next.
To make your call-to-action truly irresistible, combine a solution to an identified pain point with the end benefit the student will receive. For example, instead of a generic “Buy Now,” consider using a more targeted CTA like, “Sign up now to finally conquer your budgeting woes and start mastering your finances today!” This addresses both the problem and the promised outcome, making it much more appealing.
- Be clear: Use language that’s easy to understand and gets to the point. Instead of vague prompts like “click here,” say something more specific like “start learning today.”
- Stand out: Use design elements like contrasting colors or buttons to make your CTA noticeable.
- Strategic placement: Insert CTAs at points in your sales page where visitors are most likely to take action, but don’t overdo it. You want to guide, not push.
- Test and tweak: Use analytics to see how often people are clicking on your CTA and adjust as needed.
By using testimonials and CTAs effectively, you’ll not only make your sales page more trustworthy but also guide your visitors toward taking the next step: becoming students.
Creating an effective sales page is a multi-step process that starts with a deep understanding of your audience and ends with a compelling call to action. Here’s how you can put it all together:
- Research your audience
- Craft your messaging
- Highlight benefits over features
- Incorporate credibility elements like testimonials
- Fine-tune headings and subheadings
- Add a clear call to action
- Include additional trust elements like FAQs or guarantees
- Review and revise before publishing
By following these steps, you’re setting yourself up for a higher rate of student enrollment. Your sales page will not only be visually engaging but also emotionally compelling, encouraging visitors to take action.
Which of the following best describes the primary role of a CTA on a sales page?
Exactly right! A Call-to-Action’s (CTA) main goal is to clearly direct visitors on the desired action you want them to take after engaging with your sales page.
Not quite. It’s essential to understand the distinct roles of different elements on a sales page for them to each achieve maximum impact. Remember, “CTA” stands for “call-to-action”. Revisit the “Crafting a strong call-to-action (CTA)” section for a clearer perspective on the primary function of a CTA.
You’ve now got a clear vision of what to include in your sales page and how to go about putting the information together. So how do you make it look fabulous on your website too?
With blocks and patterns!
Building your sales page is the same process as building any other page in your site. You have access to a large library of blocks to create headings and subheadings, for adding media such as images, audio, and video, typography options for font appearances, columns, groups, colors and more!
To make it even easier to create beautiful layouts, consider using our pre-designed patterns that take all the work out of setting up the layout for a collection of blocks.
Click the dots on the image below for more information on how patterns work:
Click the + symbol in the top left corner to open the Block Inserter sidebar.
Click the Quotes category to find a variety of testimonial patterns to choose from.
Click on a pattern of your choice to add the blocks to your editor.
When you click a pattern the arrangement of blocks will be added to the editor and you can then edit the placeholder information included.
Click the Patterns tab to see a list of categories to choose from.
If you need more specific guidance on creating pages and adding content, our Creating pages lesson will be a big help.
To put what you’ve learned into practice, let’s create a basic draft of your course sales page. This will help solidify your understanding and give you a practical start to building an actual sales page.
Instructions:
- Identify audience pain points:
- List down at least three pain points your target audience might have that your course addresses.
- Craft headings and subheadings:
- Write a main headline for your sales page that combines a pain point with a course benefit.
- Draft three subheadings that would be used to break up sections of your sales page.
- Write a brief course description:
- In 3-4 sentences, describe what your course offers, touching on how it addresses the pain points you listed earlier.
- Gather ‘Testimonials’:
- Imagine three positive testimonials from ‘students’ that highlight the benefits of your course. This exercise will help you think about the kind of feedback you’d want to receive and how your course might help future students.
- Design a CTA:
- Draft a compelling call-to-action that motivates potential students to enroll in your course.
- Reflection:
- Look over your drafts. Do you feel compelled to take the course you’re ‘selling’? What areas feel strong, and which might need more work?
Remember, this is a draft, and it’s okay if it’s not perfect. The goal is to apply what you’ve learned and start thinking actively about how to market your course effectively. As you move forward with the rest of the course, revisit and refine this draft.
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