More than once I’ve had comments about my thank you page. You see, I have a lead magnet and when you submit your email, I don’t give you a boring, bland thank you. No, I go overboard. Well, almost.
I take that opportunity to start the relationship, the onboarding, by nurturing from the beginning. I even insert a cool GIF that will undoubtedly make them smile.
I remind them that they are on the list until they confirm their email. I let them know what they can expect in the next few days (welcome emails).
Finally, I give them a door. Yup, I give them an option of where to go. The first door is to go read more blog posts, the second door is a cornerstone page on using story, and finally, I give them a “click to tweet” that they can use to tell their friends they have downloaded the book.
Here is what most people do.
First, they set up the opt-in form or use their WordPress form plugin (ie. OptinMonster) and then, they use the default “thank you” message which comes with the tool.
That is too boring. It doesn’t set the expectations of a good experience. It isn’t memorable. In fact, the person who just signed up might forget all about signing up or even wonder if they signed up at all.
So, what are some of the things you can do with your confirmation? Well, for starters, don’t use the default “thank you” because it is just too bland.
Set up that thank you page. There, you have a chance to customize the content and control more of what you want to say. Further, you can track how often someone arrives at that page signifying a successful conversion.
Not giving a good “thank you page” can leave the wrong impression, especially when someone is purchasing from you. Consider what Joanna Wiebe of Copyhackers says,
Now that the company has what it wants, you don’t matter.
Inconsiderate, empty pages tell people who just gave you their money or their email addy, “We’re done with you. At least until we want more.”
But are you done with them? I think not. So why’re you acting too cool – or too busy – to keep the relationship alive?
When to use a Thank You Page
Now in what cases do you need a thank you page? Let’s take a look at three different scenarios.
Email Subscriptions
Seriously, make a custom thank you page for when a reader subscribes to your email list. My thank you page I show above is when readers sign up for a lead magnet and, ultimately, for my email list.
You can ask them to add your email address to their contacts, look for the confirmation and welcome emails, introduce them to other content, and/or fill out a very short survey.
If you are giving away a lead magnet, you can include the download on the thank you page as well.
Selling a Course or Product
You got the sale! There is nothing quite like the feeling of knowing a little more money is going into your account from something you spent many hours completing. You get to see your hard work pay off.
Why not double up and ask for them to sign up for your email list? Better yet, why not take advantage of social sharing triggers and give them the option of tweeting or sharing their purchase with their friends?
Signing up for a Webinar
Are you hosting a webinar? Here is another opportunity to take advantage of a custom thank you page.
You will want to let webinar attendees know all the pertinent information for the webinar but you can also include a video, links to relevant content, an option to buy a low-cost product or service.
Thank You Page Essentials
What does one include in a Thank You page? Mary Fernandez does a great job of breaking down the anatomy of a thank you page at the OptinMonster Blog,
While some thank you pages are seen by new subscribers, and others are seen by new (or returning) customers, every thank you page must have these 3 essential elements.
If any one of these key ingredients is missing, then your thank you page will fall short of victory…
A confirmation message
A clear call to action
Specific instructions on what to do next
These are the absolutely essential ingredients, but don’t you want to do more than that? That is why I included a GIF on my page. It provides a casual and memorable way to make an impression.
I may or may not have used this GIF via GIPHY
Move beyond the GIF and use a video. Simply turn your smartphone sideways and hit record on your camera. Make a quick, casual welcome to your new guests. This makes an impression.
Two other things I would consider implementing which will take your thank you page to a new height are social proof and social sharing.
If you can add something that makes people feel comfortable about what they are joining it goes a long way to making them feel confident in their choice. This works well if you already have a big list. If you do not have a big list, you can always include a testimonial from a satisfied customer.
Using a Call to Action (CTA) asking people to share is an opportunity to magnify your reach. Your reader can share with their friends and colleagues online that they just signed up for your email newsletter, downloaded your ebook, or joined your course.
Over to You
Thank you pages are something that can give you an edge over other website developers. You can use thank you pages for email subscription, selling a course or product, as well as a webinar.
How do you implement a Thank You Page? Do you just use the default message or do you craft a custom page for confirmation?
Creating a custom page can go a long way to establishing a relationship with your customers as well as nurturing leads.
Resources
15 Thank You Page Examples That Will Help You Grow Your Business
7 Thank You Pages That Take Post-Conversion to the Next Level
10 Thank You Page Examples That Totally Nailed Lead Nurturing
