Take a look at this pen. How would you sell it?
If you watched Wolf Of Wall Street like me, you'd say, "I'll just take the pen from you and ask you to write something. When you don't have it, I'll sell it back to you!"
And you're right. That can work... in 1987.
You see, it may be as easy as "supply and demand" to sell something back then. But with eCommerce business, it's a lot more complicated than that.
How complicated?
There's virtually endless supply in eCommerce businesses. Plus have the job of motivating website visitors to purchase from you.
Enter Robert Cialdini's six principles of persuasion. With these psychological principles, convincing prospective customers won't be as complicated anymore.
But I'm not just talking about using these principles for your marketing campaigns. All aspects of your online store are a part of your customer journey... Especially your landing pages.
You can use Cialdini's psychological principles to create high converting landing pages that take your conversion rates to the next level.
Before we start, I know you are wondering...
Why Should You Listen To Robert Cialdini?
Here are some things you need to know about Robert Cialdini.
He's a Regent's Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing for Arizona State University. He's also a New York Times Bestseller for his book Influence.
In this book, his years of studying the psychological factors of persuasion added up to six principles:
You'll be using these things to create high-converting landing pages. After all, a landing page's effectiveness is determined by its persuasion power.
For you to boost conversions, you first have to persuade potential customers to act.
So let's go over the six tactics. And how you can use it to boost your landing page conversions!
Here is your guide to...
Six Principles of Persuasion To Building High Converting Landing Pages
1. Reciprocity
Do you remember a time when someone helped you?
Perhaps your car broke down in the middle of nowhere. Luckily, a good Samaritan pulled over and helped you fix your car.
Like an instinct, you feel the need to "repay" your hero. You feel indebted to them!
Cialdini said that humans have an instinct to give back to people who gave us something. It doesn't matter how small the favor is. They will still want to pay it back.
So, how can you use the same principle in your landing pages?
✅ How To Use Reciprocity On Your Landing Pages
For prospective customers to give you something, you must first give them something.
You can start with offering something for free and without obligation.
For instance, your customers can download guides from your landing page. Include a subscription form at the bottom of the landing page and rely on your customers to sign up.
You can also generate leads! Offer eBooks or a free version of your product or service in exchange for subscribing to your newsletter.
Need more options?
Add free products for customers who just purchased.
Give free samples and gifts as a way to say thank you... and also a way to ask them for a favor. Ask them to do your desired action. For example, you can ask them to subscribe to your newsletter or leave a review.
And as long as you offer them something valuable, they will feel the "instinct" to say yes.
Keep your web visitors saying yes and have your landing pages show...
2. Consistency In Commitment
Are you true to your words? I bet you are!
A lot of people are, too. They want to honor their agreements and look consistent. Even if the initial incentive is not present anymore.
Cialdini believes that getting people to commit is an effective persuasive technique. Especially small commitments. Through these small commitments, you can drive them to larger commitments.
Effective landing pages get your target audience to commit... Here's how:
✅ How To Get Commitment From Your Landing Pages
It's pretty simple... Ask your web visitors for micro-commitments!
Checkboxes are your friend. For example, they can subscribe to your newsletter by checking off the box. Include the checkbox on landing pages where your newsletter appears.
Your sales funnel needs some adjustments, too. Keep your page design short and simple. Here's a great example...
Suppose you are asking for donations. Instead of asking for their name on the first step, ask them how much they would like to donate. When they choose the amount, they already made a commitment and would fill out sign-ups.
Here's the point... Small commitments will keep your customer's interest throughout your sales funnel. Avoid long-form landing pages for you to gain more conversions.
Maybe you have heard of the next psychological principle we'll be talking about. A great landing uses...
3. Social Proof
Not sure what to order in a new café? Just get the bestseller!
That is social proof at work. People usually follow suit with what others are doing.
Cialdini studied an experiment that shows social proof. It says that people were likelier to make donations when the list of donators was longer.
Also, consider this: 90% of consumers say that online reviews influence their purchasing decisions. Do you see how it greatly affects consumer behavior? So go ahead and use social proof for your existing landing pages!
To make the perfect landing page here is...
✅ How To Use Social Proof On Your Landing Pages
When you see star ratings on a product... doesn't it reassure your decision to buy?
You can leverage social proof by displaying reviews, star ratings, and testimonials on your landing pages. Particularly your product pages.
You can also highlight best sellers for your target audience on your product pages. It makes them feel a sense of belonging when they purchase something popular.
Another way to make them not feel left out is to use statistics.
For example, your target audience sees on your landing page that there are over 10,000 people that purchased from you. Over 10,000 people perhaps means that you provide a positive user experience.
Check out Debutify's numbers on its landing page. Over 410,000 (and counting) trust Debutify for their Shopify store theme. Now isn't that a killer headline?
Keep going on creating high-converting landing pages with...
4. Authority
"9 out of 10 dentists recommend this brand!"
"Dr. X approves of this product!"
When buying your groceries, you most likely see phrases like that on products.
And it works! Why?
It's because we value an authority's opinion on something.
They have a massive influence on consumer behavior.
That includes celebrities telling their fans how to lose weight.
Or athletes recommending exercise equipment to people.
And you can use this to boost your landing page's performance on your own site.
Create landing pages that increase your conversion rate and learn...
✅ How To Leverage Authority On Your Website Pages
The first step you need to do is become an authority figure yourself.
You can do that through a lot of things on your landing pages. Let's start with content marketing.
Dedicate an entire landing page for content marketing. Begin with a blog post that talks about your personal brand. When you build on your content marketing through value proposition, you build authority around your industry.
Next, you can use industry leaders or celebrity endorsements on your call to action copy. Wheaties really incorporates this on their call to action and page design.
Take a look:
The call to action says, "Learn More About Michael Jordan". They invite visitors to learn more about their endorser's life. Isn't that an effective landing page and call to action?
After focusing on your call to action, you can put your attention on endorsements. You can ask influencers to post something about your brand and repost it. Then, create a high-converting landing page with it!
Keep making high-converting landing pages and utilize...
5. Liking/Sympathy
Would you buy from someone you don't like? Of course not!
You see, people are more likely to buy from you when they like you. And you know what makes people like you?
It's not just about being nice. It's about being attractive and friendly, as well. You have to show sympathy on every single page.
Here's how you can make a high-converting landing page with sympathy...
✅ How To Use Liking On Your Landing Pages
All the elements on your landing pages need to be likable. Let's begin with your landing page's copy.
Do you talk to your customers in a friendly tone? Try to use a conversational style that is easy to understand. Make sure that the texts on your landing pages are engaging.
Next to your copy, use pictures of friendly-looking people. Show a real person smiling! That makes your brand more relatable and welcoming.
IZZE features smiling people on their main landing pages. Notice how they also put in a call to action on the center.
Do you know what makes a good landing page?
When you show value proposition through interesting ways. So, use video to introduce your brand. Tell your narrative and how you'll go about helping people.
Lastly, you can also include a photo of yourself on your landing page. It shows your brand is open and relatable.
The last principle of persuasion you can use to make a high-converting landing page is...
6. Scarcity
During the pandemic, have you ever felt FOMO?
It stands for Fear Of Missing Out.
It's the feeling of anxiety about not being included in something. That includes experiences, events... and offers!
The Fear Of Missing Out can help out with your landing page conversion.
When you show an exclusive offer, you can't help but want to get it, too.
To improve landing pages with scarcity, go ahead and learn...
✅ How To Show Scarcity On Your Landing Pages
Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Time is running out! Get that juicy offer before it's gone. Create time-limited offers. Moreover, you can also show how limited your stock is before it runs out.
And there you have it! The six principles of persuasion and how you can use them to create good landing pages. Not only does it support your value proposition, but it can also boost conversion rates!
So, go ahead and...
Get Your Customers Psyched For Your Brand!
Now that you learned a lot about these psychological principles... Which one would you like to use on your eCommerce store?
If you are considering social proof, don't look any further. Because Debutify Reviews lets you display your needed reviews quickly and with different filters.
Don't miss out and...
