What is a thank-you-page offer (TPO)?
A thank-you-page offer is a special deal that gets presented for purchase on your thank you page after a new subscriber has just opted in. The terms “tripwire,” “entry-point offer,” and “one-time offer” can be used interchangeably with thank-you-page offer.
It’s normally an entry-level digital product that your ideal clients will want as an impulse buy. A clear offer representing a great value at a fantastic price is hard to resist.
In a moment, you’ll discover the key components of a great thank-you-page offer. But first, it’s important to understand the value such an offer brings to your business.
Should you put a thank-you-page offer to work in your business?
If you enjoy seeing your revenue grow both short-term and over time, then the obvious answer is, yes.
Whether you’re just getting started marketing your business online, or you’ve been selling your products and services online for a decade or more, a thank-you-page offer provides a fast way to generate revenue quickly.
However, it’s not the instant revenue that you see from the thank-you-page offer that makes it so valuable to you. In fact, although you are likely to see a revenue bump, the reality is that your thank-you-page offer should not be designed to provide a huge profit in itself.
Instead, the bigger win with a thank-you-page offer comes in two other ways.
First, when a new subscriber becomes a customer within minutes of signing up, that customer separates themselves from the tire-kickers and freebie seekers that join your email list. Those that purchase, and get value from your thank-you-page offer, are more likely to become avid fans of your business.
The fastest way to build your “know, like, and trust” factor online is to provide value in exchange of real money. With “skin in the game,” even at a low price point, buyers of your thank-you-page offer are more likely to use (and benefit from) your product and your free lead magnet, than subscribers of just your lead magnet alone.
It then becomes much easier to sell your primary product (your signature offer) to these customers in the near future. Plus, you increase your library of testimonials and success stories to improve the social proof that boosts your business overall.
The second win of a revenue-generating thank-you-page offer is you’ll be able to offset the costs of advertising on Facebook, Google Ads, Pinterest, etc. Imagine what’s possible when you can reduce the risk and expense of advertising online instead of relying on organic traffic methods alone.
Two ways to get traffic
Remember, there are two ways to get traffic to your website and landing pages: organic and paid traffic.
Organic traffic comes in the form of search engine optimization (SEO), link building, establishing relationships in your field, and building up your reputation. Small business owners love this strategy for the price: it’s free. But, it does come at the cost of time. It can take six months to three years to get organic traffic to move your business forward.
On the other hand, advertising is preferred by many business owners who seek a faster growth curve. By investing in advertising, your traffic grows more quickly. Over time, advertising can become a predictable, scalable traffic channel for you.
Of course, the downside is the cost. Advertising is not by its nature free. But with a good thank-you-page offer, you can recover a significant portion of your ad budget. And with a great offer, you can be in profit–even before Facebook or the other platforms charge you for your campaign.
Successful business owners combine both long-term organic traffic strategies with paid advertising. And in both cases, having a high-converting thank-you-page offer gives your business a boost.
More eyeballs means more data-driven decisions
Another benefit of increasing the amount of traffic you get to your landing pages and website in a short amount of time is the reliability of your data.
Until you get 1000 visitors, the data you see (conversion rate, bounce rate, etc.) is not very reliable at predicting the future. When you’re fairly new, getting your first 1000 visitors may take you a month or more.
But when you turn advertising on, you can easily see 1000 visitors within days or even hours (depending on your initial budget and risk profile). That speed then gives you the metrics you need (principally in the form of landing page conversion rate) to make data-driven decisions.
Combine this with A/B split-testing and you’ll find even better results with the same (or less) ad spend.
Avoid these 3 pitfalls of a thank-you-page offer
Of course, a thank-you-page offer is not without risks. A poor thank-you-page offer can sabotage your success.
1. Confusion
First, you can confuse your new subscriber right after they’ve said yes to your lead magnet offer. If you put the wrong thank-you-page offer in front of them, you can muddy the water in your new prospect’s mind. And if they are confused the first time they see the offer, they’ll be skeptical about your offers in the future.
2. Discount your signature offer
You can also damage your long-term growth by offering your signature offer at a steep discount. This devalues your primary product, and can aggravate your existing customers. You’ll likely train your new subscribers to only buy from you when your products are on sale.
3. Bait-and-switch
And third, if the promise of your lead magnet offer is exactly the same as your thank-you-page offer, then your new subscribers will scream “bait-and-switch” in their minds. Not only will they say no to buying from you now, they’ll delete the lead magnet they asked for in the first place. Any additional offers you send them will be ignored, and you’ll have lost out on any potential referrals and testimonials.
The good news is, these pitfalls can be avoided when you know the formula for a successful thank-you-page offer.
The 3 key elements of a thank-you-page offer
As you start testing your own thank-you-page offer, keep your eye on these three pieces:
- A logical flow
- Can’t resist pricing
- A kick-ass sales page
Let’s dig into each now, and remember, you can go even deeper with Ruth and Bob in the video training, How to Create Thank-You-Page Offers That Convert Like Crazy. In the video, you’ll see specific examples of real-world pages driving significant revenue every month.
Your offer must flow within your larger marketing funnel
A marketing funnel is a way of thinking about the conversion journey for prospects as they decide to become customers. The thank-you-page offer is sandwiched between two other offers: a lead magnet offer and your signature offer.
For your thank-you-page offer to succeed, it can not be created in isolation. It’s one piece of this marketing funnel, and it must closely relate to what comes before it, and what comes after it.
All three offers, therefore, should address the core problem faced by a specific audience of solution seekers.
For example, at Living Well, Spending Less, Ruth serves overwhelmed parents who want an organized home, while thriving financially. Her mission is to help parents “develop the daily habits & simple home systems that will take you from stressed and overwhelmed to calm, happy, and in-control.”
Her lead magnet offer, thank-you-page offer, and signature offer all help solve this problem at increasingly deepening levels.
Check out Ruth’s thank-you-page offer by grabbing her Living Well Starter Guide.
Consider your own mission, and how your three offers can provide a path towards transformation for your ideal clients and customers.
And remember, for the sake of customer service and your own time commitments, your thank-you-page offer will likely be a digital product of some kind that requires no extra time for you to deliver. The last thing you want is to bog yourself down in entry-level consultations or coaching sessions that keep you from effectively serving your higher-end customers and clients.
Find the right price for your thank-you-page offer
Your thank-you-page offer will follow a Goldilocks pricing rule. You’ll likely start off too small, then go too high, before landing on a “just-right” price.
The key is to price your thank-you-page offer at a point where it’s a no-brainer impulse buy for your prospect, while not knocking the value and results your customers receive from it. Also take advertising costs into consideration, so that the revenue you receive can offset or even completely recover your ad spend.
Make sure that whatever price you choose feels like a great deal for the buyer. This can be achieved by providing a realistic comparison value of what you’re selling. Avoid coming across as inflating this number. It’s unlikely that a “real value” of $10,000 for just $27 is going to engender trust. However, it’s easy to comprehend the time savings and costs of alternative solutions to be five to ten times greater than what you’re charging.
So, depending on your audience, you may start between $20-$40, with a real value of $100-$200. Have a wealthier target client? Don’t be afraid to raise your prices; just remember that everybody likes to save money.
Create a kick-ass sales page
How you present your offer is just as important as the offer itself. Your thank you page needs to have a few key content blocks to convert new subscribers into customers, virtually instantly.
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Insider tip: watch the training between Ruth and Bob to see examples of each of these sections. You’ll also discover how you can get a thank-you-page template to put these pieces into action within minutes.
Section 1: First steps
The primary purpose of any thank you page is to reinforce the positive decision your new subscriber just made. In this first section, thank them for saying yes to your lead magnet offer, then tell them specifically how they’re going to get it. This should be delivered via email, not as a download on the page itself, to ensure that your new subscriber gave you an accurate email.
At the bottom of this first section, invite them to keep reading for a special offer.
Section 2: Hero with CTA + countdown timer
Present the thank-you-page offer at a high level, without the details of the actual “thing” that you are selling. Lead with the primary transformation provided by the product.
Include the opportunity to buy the product in this section with an attractive call-to-action (CTA) button.
Next to the button, include a countdown timer to emphasize the urgency of their decision. Countdown timers on thank-you-page offers should be set to encourage immediacy. Twenty minutes is a good starting point to test out the best timing for your offer.
Section 3: Key benefits with CTA
This section has three simple, yet powerful elements.
First, include a background image that evokes the emotions of a satisfied customer AFTER they’ve used the product. Do not use an image of your ideal client’s current state of mind (avoid frustration, loneliness, despair, for example). Need an image? Within the Leadpages builder, do a search for Shutterstock images to find the perfect picture. Start with a search for “enjoyment” and pick a happy person, couple, or family.
Second, overlay the image with a strong statement of what transformative benefit a buyer of your product will receive. This does not include details about the product but adds to the message in the previous section.
Third, include another CTA button to make it easy to buy.
Section 4: Testimonials
This fourth section is actually several small sections place between the remaining sections.
For each of these blocks, add a testimonial that highlights the core benefits of your product, while mentioning the overcoming of a particular challenge or objection that a potential buyer may be thinking.
Ideally, the content of each testimonial will reinforce the promise that you’ve made in the section placed before it.
Section 5: Details with CTA
Halfway down the page is when you reveal the features of your offer. For each feature you describe, be sure to provide a benefit that’s tied to the overall transformation you’re promising.
If possible, provide a real-world value for each of the components of your offer. Be realistic, as mentioned above.
Give the price while emphasizing the overall value of what they’re receiving (not just your offer, but the transformation that results).
Include an attractive image of your product in this section.
Section 6: About + why
This is the only section where you talk about yourself. Your goal is to showcase empathy and authority.
Share relevant details of your own story that shows you understand the challenges that your new subscribers are facing. Provide a snapshot of your own journey in coming to know the solution and how what you offer has helped customers in the past.
Make it clear that you stand behind what you offer, and you’re excited to see the next success story take their first step.
Section 7: FAQ
Many of your prospects will have internal dialogue as they’re considering this purchase. It’s natural for them to have doubts, and your frequently asked questions section will answer those.
Answer such questions as:
- What’s included?
- How do I know this is right for me?
- How soon after purchase will I receive this?
- Where should I start?
- What’s your return policy?
With each answer, you’re reinforcing the value of the product, and ensuring the right people buy it.
Section 8: Final CTA + countdown timer
The final section of your page repeats the big promise of your offer, the price for purchasing it, the value they’ll receive, and the urgency of making their choice.
Use a similar headline (or the same one) as in sections 2 and 3.
Include the countdown timer again, matching the deadline at the top of the page. If you’re using Leadpages, set the timer to redirect the page, or reveal a less awesome offer at expiration.
Implement the thank-you-page offer in your business
When your a person online has just said yes to your lead magnet offer, they are actively seeking solutions to a core challenge they’re frustrated by.
With a relevant, valuable thank-you-page offer presented at a great price, you can serve more people faster, while giving your top-line a boost. Use that revenue to offset the costs of advertising, and you open up a scalable system to consistent income and accelerated growth in your business.
Take a closer look at the concepts discussed in this recap by watching the original Thank-You-Page Offers webinar between Ruth Soukup and Bob Sparkins.
Then login to your Leadpages account (or start up a free trial) and get ready to unlock a new phase of growth for your company.
