They’re two of the most powerful words in the English language:

“Thank” and “you.”

Put them together, and you have a very powerful phrase indeed.

But when you think like an online marketer, the idea of “thank you” takes on a very different meaning.

Specifically, the Thank You Page.

What is a “Thank You Page”?

Simple: a thank you page is the page to which you direct anyone who has filled in the information on your landing page after clicking on your call-to-action.

That’s it. Easy-peasy, right?

Believe it or not, the Thank You Page should not just be another boring destination on your website or landing page.

If used properly, your Thank You Page can be used as another opportunity to turn more of your leads into sales.

How?

I thought you’d never ask.

First Things First: Defining the Thank You Page

Here’s how it works: someone interested in your mortgage, real estate, or insurance services clicks on your landing page.

They like what they see and decide that the benefit you’re offering is worth sharing their information with you, so they fill it in.

They click “submit” (that’s just for illustration purposes—hopefully your CTA buttons are using better directive language than that… if not, learn more about The Top Reasons Potential Leads Click On Calls-to-Action).

Next, they’re taken to a Thank You Page in which you say a few short sentences that confirm their action has indeed been noted and their information has been sent through successfully.

Now, if you’re an unimaginative marketer, it’s perfectly fine if you leave this Thank You Page as bland and boring as possible.

Something like “Thanks for your submission. I’ll get back to you later…” (again, there’s that pesky “submit”/”submission” reference, but I use it as an example because it’s used quite often. Is it me, or does that just sound wrong?)

I mean, it does accomplish the main idea behind the “Thank You Page”—after all, it thanked them…

But did it really achieve what you want the page to achieve?

If your goal is to up your conversion rate of LEADS-TO-SALES, you need to start looking at this page as another opportunity to optimize for better results.

At this point you’ve captured their information. They’ve proven they’re interested in your offer by providing you with valuable details about what they’re looking for along with contact information…

Why “leave them hanging”, so to speak?

Your Thank You Page is valuable real estate that can be used strategically to guide potential clients further along the path towards purchase, instead of just a message telling them someone will follow up with them later…

That means optimizing your Thank You Pages to add more value to the user experience.

Why It’s So Important to Optimize the Thank You Page

The best time to talk to a potential client is right after they’ve filled out their information. You’re fresh in their mind and they’re thinking about the issue at hand.

Some companies follow up so quickly with their leads that they have it down to thirty—sometimes even ten—seconds or less.

That’s just half a minute or less between a lead entering their information and receiving follow-up from the company/consultant.

It can be tough to compete with that.

But “tough” doesn’t mean “impossible.”

You can always improve your customer response time by setting up a text alert to your phone, for example, that will keep you on top of things.

But let’s be realistic: you won’t always be around for an instant call back.

That’s where the Thank You Page comes in.

The Thank You Page is like your immediate “follow-up” with a web visitor. It’s a chance to talk to them right after they’ve already been persuaded to become a lead.

It’s almost like setting up shop right near the Point of Purchase.

That’s why so many grocery stores add last-minute impulse buys like candy bars right next to check out.

The customer already has their wallet out. What’s another buck?

Think of the Thank You Page as a way of immediately accessing a customer’s “point of purchase”. Except in this case, they’re a lead, which is why optimizing for lead-to-sale conversion is so important.

Steps to Improve Your Thank You Page

Now that you know why it’s so important to have a good Thank You Page, let’s think about what it takes to optimize it.

First, it takes customization.

Customizing your Thank You Page is all about suiting the content to the intent and interest of the visitor in the first place.

For example, I wouldn’t suggest putting a general Thank You Page for someone who just signed up on a landing page with a call-to-action targeting first time homebuyers.

You would include a little something for first time homebuyers, like a 2017 First Time Homebuyer Guide in the form of a downloadable PDF that they can access on your thank you page as a “reward” for entering their information.

If you have multiple landing pages and Thank You Pages, you’ll want to customize the message of each to coincide with what the potential lead was doing that brought them to the page in the first place.

For example, if they tell you they have poor credit, you might then link them to one of your partner credit repair solutions providers right on your Thank You Page.

These are just small ideas used to demonstrate how much potential there is in customizing the Thank You Page to the action taken by the potential lead.

If you only have one landing page and corresponding Thank You Page, and it’s general at first, then don’t worry: there are other solutions.

You can link to your “services” page, for example, to show them the breadth of what you offer.

You can link them to your “reviews” page if you want them to see what happy clients and partners are saying about working with you.

Whatever you want them to do, give them a link to do it, and you’ll further engage some of that captive audience.

But let’s think about dialing up the volume.

You don’t want to give just a boring link—not if you want your Thank You Page to have the greatest possible impact.

So what else can you do?

Here are a few more ideas:

• Add a personal video. A video of you explaining the next steps will not only help introduce you to potential clients, but can let them know what to expect in terms of your follow up and what they’ll need to have ready for your call.
• Include a calendar link so they can book an appointment with you. Free consultations can be a tremendous boost to your business. Some great calendar tools include Calendly and YouCanBook.Me—these can go a long way in automating your appointment setting.
• Provide some extra content, right then and there. Perhaps a free report, infographic, or interactive checklist. Giving away extra value is a great way to show that you’re a trustworthy source and that they’ll get a lot of value out of any interaction with you.

With that in mind, let’s look for some specific steps in taking your Thank You Page to the next level.

Next Action Steps: Optimizing Your Thank You Page

Let’s say you don’t have anything for a Thank You Page yet except for a generic, Thank You-for-signing-up page.

No links, no content—nothing.

Where do you start?

Using the tips outlined here, take the following steps:

• Plan out a unique, relevant Thank You Page experience for each different type of landing page you’re using. Think about who that potential lead might be and what they’re looking for. Write a few short sentences about their needs, just to show that you understand where they’re at.
• Create new content. Whether it’s a 60-second video, or simply a few helpful links for them to check out, you want to give your potential lead a next step on your site. You might consider including a link so they can book time with you, or even links to follow/like you on your social profiles. On that note: it’s much safer to introduce your social profiles on your Thank You Pages than on your homepage from a strategic standpoint.
• You’ll want your Thank You Page to look more like a short story than a novel. Too much content and they’ll get overwhelmed. Here’s a good rule of thumb: give them only one decision to make. Don’t ask them to choose between twenty links. Just say “Thank you, and if you’re interested in more, here’s what you do next.”

Put these steps together and your Thank You Pages will be more than just gratitude: they will be a way to increase your lead-to-sale conversion rates.

Leads are great, but they’re nothing if you’re not converting them into sales. Optimizing your Thank You Pages can help you bridge that gap more consistently.

And if you’re looking for battle-tested landing pages for the mortgage, real estate, and insurance spaces that come with easily customizable Thank You Pages, sign up for a free trial of leadPops.