Get ready to see some serious eye candy. I’m not sure what cosmic forces aligned this month to make this happen, but the LeadBoxes that came to our attention in June are incredibly photogenic. The marketers who made them clearly appreciate excellent photography and graphics. And—equally important—they know how to choose imagery that isn’t just attention-grabbing for its own sake. As lush as it often is, it enhances the offer in the LeadBox™, rather than competing with it. Read on to take a cue from their design savvy (or just take a mental break by gazing at the gifs). And if they do inspire you to whip up a new LeadBox™ of your own, click below to grab some graphics we made especially to enhance the visual appeal of your LeadBoxes®: [cta-box]
1. Christine Sparks: Welcome Gate LeadBox™
What Stands Out: In a crowded field like real estate, it helps to make your landing page distinct. Knoxville real-estate professional Christine Sparks does that with color: hot pink. The vividly welcoming shade that suffuses the welcome gate is carried through to the LeadBox™ in the logo and call-to-action button. When you’re offering an opt-in bonus as customized as a home-value analysis, you’ll need to collect more information than if you were just offering an e-book. Perhaps because of the extra fields required, this LeadBox™ keeps the rest of the screen clean and simple. The result is both attractive and low on visual friction.
2. Savvy Biz Club: Email Swipe File LeadBox™
What Stands Out: This lovely landing page has a lot going for it, but I want to call special attention to the LeadBox™ trigger—it’s one of the nicest I’ve seen. The unusual shape, thoughtfully composed still-life-with-mobile-device image, and subtly quirky font combine to make this button highly clickable. Inside the LeadBox™, the button graphics are recombined to maintain both coherence and interest. And the copy reinforces the value of the offer: you don’t just get emails to study from Jessica’s successful launch, you get 16 of them.
3. Internet Succes Gids [Internet Success Guide]: Video Training LeadBox™
What Stands Out: Even if you don’t read Dutch, it’s probably pretty easy to tell where to click on this page from the Netherlands. Follow the arrow and click the orange button (which really pops on the page’s serene beach scene), and you reach a LeadBox™ with a couple of nice elements. A graphic of a gift-wrapped web video bears an orange ribbon, echoing the trigger button, while the blue opt-in button recalls the ocean vista. As for the button itself, “Yes! Send me the first video!” is both clear and enthusiastic.
4. Beneficial Bento: Free Guide LeadBox™
What Stands Out: The image in this LeadBox™ is also present on the landing page, but it’s larger and, I think, more noticeable inside the box. It’s worth presenting a second time not just because it makes for a unified experience, but because this image in particular is really one to savor. On a cutting board flanked by fresh veggies, the designer of this LeadBox™ has placed a representation of the guide itself. A tape measure suggests the weight-loss benefits possible with the guide’s advice. More broadly, the image also enhances our expectations for the lead magnet: if this much thought has been put into the LeadBox™ graphic, we’re likely to receive a quality product.
5. Template Launcher: Monthly Report and Bonus LeadBox™
What Stands Out: You’d expect a template-design company to create attractive LeadBoxes®, but there are some other interesting choices going on here as well. For one thing, this LeadBox™ leads with the fact that you’ll be hearing from Template Launcher regularly with monthly income reports and presents the bonus—a free template—as an added perk. Because the lead magnet isn’t the focus of the entire page, the LeadBox™ does a little more work to clarify what it’s giving away. An arrow ties a screenshot of the template to the opt-in button, which in turn reinforces the idea that this is a pleasant surprise with the message “Free Template? Yes Please!”
6. Oser Changer [Dare to Change]: E-Book LeadBox™
What Stands Out: French psychologist Marc Vachon uses this LeadBox™ to offer an e-book, which I’ll let the landing page imagery guide me in translating as 12 Tools to Sail Actively Through Change. The theme of sailing and serenity introduced by the landing-page image is reflected everywhere: the logo, the e-book image, and the colors of the title text and button. The photo chosen to illustrate the e-book is unusual enough to make the eye linger on the page—which might tilt the balance in favor of opting in.
7. Christian Mickelsen: Video Report LeadBox™
What Stands Out: Everything about this landing page and LeadBox™ feels dynamic. From the background photo of high-powered execs making decisions, we arrive at a LeadBox™ with a bold report-cover image. The sharp design is a perfect match for the message of finding clients faster.
8. James Altucher: Navigation Bar LeadBox™
When you’ve built a following as big as writer/investor/entrepreneur James Altucher’s, you can afford to make your call to action a little subtler—and, perhaps, cheekier. Tucked into a slick top navigation bar, his LeadBox™ trigger offers “free updates.” Since he’s a prolific blogger, he doesn’t have to over-explain the benefits of signing up. But in case your commitment does waver between the landing page and the opt-in button, James uses some other features to seal the deal. His impish headshot stares you in the eye. An animated progress bar silently cheers you on to the finish line. And the copy promises something spicier than the average newsletter by offering three of his “best (and most controversial) articles.” Count me intrigued.
9. Flitter Salon: Wedding Tips LeadBox™
What Stands Out: This peachy German LeadBox™ sets the scene for its wedding-related lead magnet with a photo of a decked-out wedding-reception hall. The only thing missing? Party favors. And that’s just what the LeadBox™ offers with a guide to 9 Enchanting Ideas for Party Favors for Your Wedding Guests. Inside the LeadBox™, there’s a second tasty photo: a stack of sandwich cookies adorns the guide’s cover. The cursive script of the title adds to the overall impression of whimsical elegance.
