Editor
A visitor arrives at your site. They are greeted by your landing page. Enticed by your new trending product, or by your generous offer of a free bonus if they sign up for your email list, they cheerfully enter all of the necessary information and submit. Then what?
The Often Forgotten Detail…
A savvy marketer knows that this is only the beginning. Sure, a purchase or an offer or bonus is great, but an ever more effective strategy takes every opportunity to establish a relationship with visitors, and to build an audience through trust and the human touch.
One area that many marketers overlook when working to establish this relationship is the “Thank You” page. Let’s examine what a Thank You page is, and how you can use this as a critical moment to engage an even greater positive response from your visitors.
What Is a Thank You Page?
Historically, a “Thank You” page has been thought of as a bit of a courtesy, rather than a necessity. As in the example above, a thank you page is what appears on the screen once a visitor has completed a conversion action and submitted a form.
This could be a purchase, an email-for-offer type scenario, specifically signing up for an email list, completing a survey, or claiming a freebie, such as an ebook or free analysis.
In many cases, you’ll receive a small pop up that very literally starts with the words “Thank You”, and then includes any additional instructions, such as “order completed”, “check your email for your promo code”, or “your ebook will be delivered as a PDF in the next minutes”.
While the courtesy is very nice, you can actually use this as a point to move the relationship even further. You want your audience to think of you as a trusted authority, and you want your audience to grow. A thank you page is a fantastic place to keep this ball rolling.
How to Build an Effective Thank You Page
A “Thank You” page doesn’t have to be the end of a transaction: in fact, it can be a stepping off point for many different types of interactions.
Element #1: The Human Touch
First, it’s important to communicate your gratitude for what the visitor has done so far. Thanking your visitor for participating in the CTA not only reminds them that you are human, but also makes them feel good for the action they have taken.
For many people, typing in your email address is a very small task, especially when the reward is great: such as a freebie or discount. Your content and language used on your “Thank You” page will boost their impression that they are appreciated, and that they did the “right” thing by submitting your form.
From here, you have many choices, some or all of which may be relevant to your goals. Remember, you don’t have to do everything at once. A/B testing is a great way to decide which options you should pursue. Furthermore, marketing is an ever-evolving process, so you may find cause to use all of these and more over the course of your business’s lifespan.
Element #2: Your Marketing Skills
In addition to demonstrating gratitude, you may simply wish to take the opportunity here to reiterate your message and goals, or proposing new products that may interest them. This will provide a further massaging of your visitor’s confidence by assuring them that they are on the right track towards finding a solution for the problem that brought them to your site in the first place.
Let’s say, for example, that you provide heating and ventilation resources for livestock facilities. Visitors to your landing page complete a short survey, and they receive an email with a free analysis of products that would best suit their needs.
The content of your “Thank You” page could include details such as:
- an upsell or a cross-sell
- one or more free bonuses
- your product’s warranty or guarantee
- scientific details or credentials that demonstrate why you are a trusted authority on the topic
- endorsements or reviews from other resources or VIP clients
- pictures, infographics, or short videos that demonstrate your claims
All of these factors can help your audience feel more confident in your product and claims, but don’t over-do it. Your visitors have limited time on your site before they go somewhere else, so keep it very simple. “Backed by our 10 year guarantee!” is much more effective here than “People who purchase our XYZ System will rest easy knowing our products are backed by a ten year warranty on all mechanical parts”.
Save those details for the pitch.
Increase your Visiblity
Another key element to “Thank You” pages is allowing your visitors to share. This can be in the form of a button that allows them to “Like Us on Facebook!” to “Click here to share this offer with a friend!”.
You can choose to incentivize these referrals, too. “Share this offer with a friend for the chance to win (Product)!” .
Lastly, an effective thank you page takes the opportunity to gently guide the visitor to the next stop on their visit. No two visitors will be at the exact same stage of the sales funnel, so offer them some choices.
“This way to our amazing inventory!” might be one way to encourage people who are ready to buy today, while, “Click to read how our product can solve your problems” would be more ideal for those who are just starting to trickle into the “Interest” stage of the sales funnel.
Commitment and consistency is one of the key tenets of marketing, but don’t ask too much. You have their attention, so allow them to easily commit to something that doesn’t require as much brain power, such as your best content, your social media pages, or a video.
Regardless of which options you choose for each of your “Thank You” pages, make sure the content is simple, and the user experience is straightforward. Clearly labeled links and buttons, minimal text, bright, obvious graphics, and a simple set up are best for ensuring people actually take the time to read this page.
Increase Conversions: Some Hot Tips…
With so many options and possibilities, there’s a lot more to be said about creating the best Thank You page than can be captured in one article.
If you want to learn some more tips, please feel free to join us for a free webinar, you can join by clicking the button in the box below.
FREE WEBINAR
Learn How to Create Thank You Page Offers That Convert Like Crazy.
This webinar features a very special guest, Ruth Soukup. Ms. Soukup is a New York Times best-selling author, podcaster, and founder of such stellar online resources as “Elite Blog Academy” and “Living Well Spending Less”.
Along with Bob Sparkins, Ms. Soukup will share simple tweaks and tips for any small business owner to turn their “Thank You” page into a way to dramatically accelerate the growth of their business.
A Few More Words About This Topic…
A “Thank You” page isn’t just an opportunity to express gratitude: it’s the chance to start a new relationship with your visitors. From taking those first steps of gaining status as a trusted authority in your niche, to guiding visitors through the sales funnel, this page can be one of the most important items in your marketing toolbox.
