Let’s play a quick game of “Small Business Bingo.” Never heard of it? If you’re a small business owner, I bet you’ve been subconsciously playing it for a while. It’s a fun game I created a few years ago in light of all the marketing articles that are published during Small Business Week. Basically, each square is filled with a typical cliche that one of these articles will start out with. Something like: B-2) “As a small business owner, time is your most valuable commodity…” I-26) “Social media is a cornerstone for any small business to generate huge word-of-mouth results...” O-47) “It’s time for some out-of-the-box thinking…” You get the idea. You’ve seen these lines time and time again, and each of them can be answered with a resounding, “Yeah, no kidding, Sherlock.” These are the same articles that tend to over promise and end with vague generalities like “Use Facebook more and you’ll be golden!” This isn’t one of those articles. This article will flat-out help you build a stronger online presence and generate leads through things like effective real estate landing pages without breaking the bank. We’re going to show you five different types of landing page templates in the LeadPages™ Marketplace and how one of these pages and an hour or two of work can satisfy your entire yearly marketing goals by exploring the best options in the LeadPages Marketplace. No fluff. No cliches. Just good ol’ fashioned results. Let’s get to it.
Template Type #1: Minisite Page
52% of small businesses don’t have a website. Wait...what? HALF of the businesses in the US don’t even have a website?! How is that possible? This is the 21st century, where 3.1 billion people actively use the internet and those same people are much more likely to trust your business if you have a website. So why do so many businesses either lack a website or march out a low-quality one? It’s because there used to be only two unattractive options:
OPTION 1: Build From Scratch
This was, by far, the most expensive and time-consuming option around. You had to hire someone to design a website. Then you had to hire someone to code the website. THEN, you had to buy a domain name, host the site and maintain the upkeep of the site. That’s a lot of time, work and money, and you could still end up with a sub-par site.
OPTION 2: Buy A Theme
This is a cheaper option than the previous one, but it still results in a substantial time-suck in the form of maintenance and knowledge acquisition. You still have to host the template and meticulously upkeep the content. Both these options lead to a lot of headaches. The monetary cost is high, and the amount of time needed to properly understand how to maintain your entire site is just unrealistic. But now there’s a third (and vastly better) option for you…
OPTION 3: Use A LeadPages Minisite Template
It’s the best of both worlds for a fraction of the cost. You can buy a beautifully designed minisite template from the Marketplace, then implement it almost instantly with the easiest-to-use landing page builder on the internet. We host all the pages so you don’t have to worry about that hassle (or you can publish to WordPress in just a few clicks), not to mention our pages are lightning-fast AND mobile-responsive (two huge SEO factors). The minisites in our Marketplace are built from the ground-up with conversions in mind. These are templates that are created by conversion optimization and design experts in order to provide you with a site that looks good and converts. Here’s a few of the minisites we have in the Marketplace right now:
1) Travis Moore’s “Ace” One Page Minisite
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Click here to see the entire template.[/caption] World, meet Travis Moore. He’s our Marketplace’s most popular author, and it’s because he consistently cranks out the coolest and most cutting-edge templates around. His “Ace” template is one of the newer minisite templates in the market, and it’s already climbing up the “Most Popular” charts. We’ve even gone out on a limb to say this is an early favorite for “Minisite Template of the Year.” Looking at the first fold, you’re immediately engaged by the aesthetics. The font is thin, but you never have a problem reading it because it works well with the simplistic and muted blue background. Also, the social share buttons on the left side are designed to be as clean as the rest of the template. We really love the subtle placement of the three white icon circles barely peeking up above the first fold. That’s used a visual cue to the readers that more information is below, prompting them to scroll down after the first fold. However, it’s the content opportunities that make this template shine. This template contains:
- An “About Us” section complete with social proof icons
- A company video area
- A “Services” section (supporting up to six services)
- Quick company statistics
- A portfolio overview
- An “Our Team” area
- Testimonials
- Recent Company News
- Map/Address
All of this comes in an intuitive design chock-full of little features that make the entire experience engaging for a visitor. Like we said, this is an early contender for “Template of the Year,” so you’ll want to start using this template ASAP.
2) Scott Silvi’s LeadPages Agency Minisite
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Click here to see the entire template.[/caption] Scott’s LeadPages Agency Minisite is a gorgeous long-form minisite template that has a strong sales flow and great features. There’s a brilliant mix of social proof and opportunity to show off your work in this minisite, and this is one of the best-designed templates in the entire Marketplace. Look how Michael Robert used some of this template: [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="758"]
Mike does a great job of utilizing the color scheme and image opportunities in Scott Silvi's LeadPages Agency Minisite Template.[/caption]
3) Jeff Wenberg’s Real Estate Landing Page
If you’re a realtor, chances are you need a better minisite. Most real estate home pages are bland and indistinguishable from their competition. THIS template by Jeff Wenberg, though, is definitely a game-changer. It displays the property in a simplistic yet effective way, and it keeps visitors much more engaged in the content than a traditional real estate landing page. Just see how Paul Dojcinovic leveraged the power of this template
Paul uses stunning property imagery and strong descriptions to successfully market this house with Jeff Wenberg's Real Estate Landing Page.[/caption] The best part is Jeff and his team created a thank-you page and a page to host multiple property listings, so using a minisite like this opens a door to a full landing page funnel. Remember, these are only a few of the minisites we have in the Marketplace. We’ve got minisite templates for restaurants, personal trainers, coaches, apps, eCommerce and a whole lot more. Check them out and find the perfect one for you by visiting the Marketplace.
Template Type #2: Launch Page
I bet you’ve got a new product idea in your mind. That, or you’re about ready to launch a new product or service. How do you plan on launching it? A press release? A post on Facebook? An ad in a magazine? There’s a newer, better solution to get your product noticed by the maximum amount of people. Let me introduce you to the world of launch pages. A launch page is a template designed to either:
- Generate interest in a product that’s about to launch by gathering email addresses via a “Coming Soon” format (A.K.A. a Pre-Launch Page)
- Entice visitors to buy a new product or service.
These launch pages are usually short in length, and that’s because focus is directed to one specific spot on the page -- generally the area that will convert a potential customer. The shorter the template, the easier it is to be concise and give enough information to effectively pique interests. Here’s a few of our favorite launch pages in the Marketplace:
1) 8bitstudio’s Coming Soon Product Page
This type of launch page falls under the category of pre-launch. Your product hasn’t been released yet, but this page will help get visitors interested in the product before it launches. The main goal of a pre-launch page like this is to build your email list so you can message customers when your product is ready AND retain those email addresses for future marketing purposes. In this template by 8bitstudio, you can feature an image of your product in the hero section in the first fold, then set a date for launch indicated by the countdown timer under the image. Beneath that, you can include an overview video and a testimonial to further increase the social proof. This is not only one of the best pre-launch pages in the Marketplace, but one of the highest-converting as well.
2) Jerad Maplethorpe’s Vibrant Sales Page
Speaking of high-converting templates, this was at one point the highest-converting template in the Marketplace. This is a true launch page, in that the product has launched and you’re announcing it with this page. The use of images and contrasting colors in this template makes every section easy to digest, while the copy helps point out your product’s key features and what they can help you accomplish (that second part is key). Jerad also included a powerful testimonial section that builds trust, making the decision to buy the product easier. Look how Review Miner used this template to launch their online review product: [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="758"]
Review Miner drums up strong interest for their new product with Jerad Maplethorpe's Vibrant Sales Page.[/caption] Launch pages are a powerful and unique way to announce a product. They go beyond the traditional approach of product marketing, and these types of pages (plus many more in the Marketplace) are sure to help boost your overall opt-ins and sales.
Template Type #3: Event Pages
P.T. Barnum, the very father of marketing, once said, “Without promotion, something terrible happens...nothing!” He was a master of drawing a crowd, and the importance of drawing crowds is still paramount -- whether it’s digital or physical. That’s why events are still a staple in every marketer’s arsenal. Bringing people together for one singular goal is a tough thing to do, but pulling it off pays dividends for your business. But think about every event website you’ve ever seen. True, there are some that are amazing, but those usually require -- you guessed it -- a designer or two, a developer and a whole lot of time and money. Forget the team of designers and developers. We’ve got event templates that rival any event page ever made. These pages have that literal “WOW” factor that impress your visitors instantly. Here’s a few of our favorites:
1) Irving Rivera’s Conference, Event, Meetup Summit (All-in-One Page)
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Click here to see the entire template.[/caption] We love this template because of how bold and sharp it is. Not only is it visually stunning and completely engaging, but the features it brings to the table are masterful. Look what this template includes:
- A countdown timer with waiting list option (for exclusivity and urgency appeals)
- An interactive “About” section
- A “Speakers” section complete with video and social media capabilities
- Day-by-day schedule with call-to-action-buttons for maps, apps, etc.
- Ticket pricing options
- Exhibitor, sponsor and media logo opportunities
Anything you could possibly need to convey about an event can be included in this beautiful template.
2) Travis Moore’s Event Conference Summit Template
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Click here to see the entire template.[/caption] This, like Irving’s template, is one of the coolest templates in the Marketplace because of how well-designed it is. We really like the first fold of this template, because the immediate countdown timer provides an urgency appeal. No one wants to be left out of something, and the clock winding down makes the event date all the more real. The layout is expansive here, highlighted by robust schedule, speaker and testimonial sections. This is a template where you aren’t necessarily limited to images, as many of the areas can be an image OR video. This is one of our most-purchased templates for a reason, and it’s easy to see why when you take a look at how customers like the Luxury Academy use the page: [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="758"]
Luxury Academy utilizes Markeazy's "Event" Template to promote their event with a great schedule and fantastic social proof elements.[/caption] If an event page sounds good and looks good, people naturally feel like your event will be good. These event templates in our Marketplace prove that you don’t need to break the bank in order to have one of those high-quality event landing pages. Try one out for your next event and enjoy the overwhelming praise you’ll receive for having such a professional presence with your page.
Template Type #4: eBook Pages
Online businesses know just how valuable an eBook is, but many brick-and-mortar stores haven’t fully embraced this strong marketing tool. That’s crazy to me. Think about this example: You’re a clothing store. You write an eBook about fashion do’s and don’ts for the summer. It’s a decently sized eBook (10-12 pages), and it features tips on how to dress for males and females in different situations. You include apparel from your store, and point them out throughout the eBook. Just like that, with a little bit of valuable content in the form of an eBook, you just grew your email list and sold more clothing. Pretty cool, huh? This strategy can work for any business with a product or service. Let me show you three of my favorite eBook templates in the Marketplace:
1) Sean Bestor’s Free Preview eBook Template
Ever notice how Amazon lets you preview the contents of a book before you buy it? What if you could do that on a landing page? With the “Free Preview” eBook Conversion Page, now you can. On top of stunning design and the best conversion practices designed and coded into the page, this template gives visitors the chance to preview a bit of your eBook. The unique part of this template comes as the visitor pages through your free preview. After the fifth preview page, a screen pops up that prompts them to buy the whole eBook. It works on the principle of vested interest. If you start to engage by reading, you’re more likely to respond to a call-to-action. You won’t find a feature like this anywhere else. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="795"]
The unique "opt-in page" in action.[/caption] Look how Makeup Artist Katie used this page to drive eBook downloads: [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="751"]
Katie uses Sean Bestor's Free Preview eBook Template to flawlessly drive eBook downloads.[/caption]
2) Jen Gordon’s Free eBook Download Page
This is a more simplistic approach to marketing an eBook, but the results are still effective. This is in the top 10% of highest-converting templates in the Marketplace. And that shouldn’t surprise anyone because author Jen Gordon has conducted over 3,000 split tests in her career. She’s a true pro when it comes to designing for conversion. This template nails first-fold simplicity. All you see is a headline, an image of the book, three overview bullet points and a massive call-to-action button. That’s all you need, though, because it places emphasis squarely on the content and conversion. Below this area is a section for three more comprehensive bullet points, followed by one last call-to-action. This template is effective in its minimalistic approach, and its high conversion rate is something anyone can benefit from.
3) Robert Coorey’s Best-Selling Book Template
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Click here to see the entire template.[/caption] There’s so much to love about Robert Coorey’s Best-Selling Book Template – Robert Coorey’s Feed a Starving Crowd. His first fold does a great job of delivering a concise message about the product. There’s an image of the book, a headline/body copy call-out and even a spot for a testimonial. The orange call-to-action button is a little unorthodox by being placed in the top-right corner of the page, but it ends up working because it stands out so well against the black background. Another clever design tactic in the first fold: Robert Coorey made it take up only 3/4 of the fold. Since visitors can see a little bit of the next content section they'll be motivated to continue scrolling down the page. He’s included a navigation bar in the last ¼ of this fold to give you a preview of what’s in store for the rest of the template. After that, it’s all about the features, baby. There’s a video section, a scroll bar for displaying things like benefits and features, an interactive testimonial display, an eBook “sneak preview” and a pricing table to cap it all off. You’ll find more eBook templates in the Marketplace, but the overall point is that you should have an eBook to market. Having one will help build your email list and move product, but it can also help establish your presence as a thought-leader as well. These eBook templates will help get that eBook to the masses.
Template Type #5: Contest Pages
The last type of template we’ll cover in this post happens to revolve around something many small business owners want to do, but don’t know how to to execute. We’re talking about contests. In their most simplistic form, a contest boils down to the formulaic “Do this, win this” format. You ask the potential contestant to perform an action and, in turn, they have a chance to win something. Yet, even in this basic form, a contest can still be difficult to execute. Most people rely on the “Like this post/comment on it to win” Facebook method, but even that is illegal to do. That’s why having an external contest page to link out to is vital to any campaign. Not only do you have one central location to drive all your traffic to, but it’ll also give that campaign an extra bit of credibility. Of all the contest pages, here’s our absolute favorite one:
1) Travis Moore’s "Contesty" Template
Just like the title indicates, this page is mostly used for contests and giveaways. It isn’t like a long-form contest page, and it doesn’t need to be. All the information for the contest is perfectly condensed into one fold, so no space is wasted with unnecessary fluff that might cut down on conversions. Oh, and by the way -- this is currently the 5th highest-converting template in the Marketplace. This template has three clear, actionable steps complete with bullet points for extra flair. However, one of the biggest features this template includes is the countdown timer. A countdown at the top of this template is phenomenal for creating a sense of urgency and the need to make a decision right now. If you need a simple template with tons of features for your next promotion, look no further than this template. You can check out this contest page and others over on the LeadPages Marketplace, and we highly encourage you to think about running a contest in the future if you’re looking to generate some product buzz.
