Design for Conversions is all about leveraging both design principles and marketing know-how to craft a marketing website that performs it's primary duty: To convert new visitors to loyal customers. The topics in this talk are based on my book, Design For Conversions, available in November 2013 at http://casjam.com/design-for-conversions

1. Using design to connect with
customers
Brian Casel
·
casjam.com

2. Hi :)
Brian Casel
web:
casjam.com
email:
brian@casjam.com
twitter: @casjam

3. Restaurant Engine
A web design service for Restaurants.
RestaurantEngine.com

4. Design For Conversions
My book
Available in early November
casjam.com/book

5. Design For Conversions?
What is a conversion?
Traditionally: A sale, an opt-in (newsletter, white paper, webinar, etc.)
But also: New visitor to engaged reader, customer to evangelist, & more...
What are we talking about today?
Your marketing website.
Design + marketing concepts = a website that performs
Who is this talk for?
Founders, Designers, Developers, Marketers
Products or Services

6. Value
• Your Value Proposition is Everything
- No matter what business you’re in, you’re
in the business of creating value.
- Examples: Web Design Services,
Basecamp
• Purpose of your website:
- Drive home your value proposition
- Make it a “No Brainer”
• Value Mindset:
- See your site through the eyes of your
customer.
- Every design decision: Does this help my
customer see the value?

7. Value
Basecamp.com
Lean heavily on social proof to convey the
value their product brings to customers.

8. Value
RestaurantEngine.com/pricing
When I heard push-back on price, I added this
graphic to spell out the value of the product.

9. Talk to One Person
• Common mistake: Talking to a crowd
• Know your customer
- What do they care about?
- What is their biggest challenge/pain?
- How can you make it a WIN for them?
• Be authentic
- People buy from people
- “I” vs. “We”

10. Talk to One Person
10000ft.com
They know me. Speaking in terms that
resonate with things that I care about
(and struggle with).

11. Grab & Keep Attention
• Is this worth my time?
- We are are ruthless about our time—
especially when we’re on a mission.
- If you don’t grab & keep a 1st-time visitor’s
attention, they will click the back-button
(and probably never return).
• Top Headline
- Grab attention.
- Make a short, bold statement.
- Touch on a point that resonates.
• 2nd headline (or paragraph)
- Establish relevancy
- Provoke curiosity

12. Grab & Keep Attention
Kissmetrics.com
The first headline grabs your attention,
resonates with a pain (Google Analytics
doesn’t tell you everything).
The second headline goes deeper and
provokes curiosity.

13. Copywriting Tips
Benefits, not features
Focus on the benefit customer receives, not the technical feature.
Reduce friction
Overcome customer’s natural resistance in online transactions.
No risk, easy onboarding, secure
AIDA
Attention, Interest, Desire, Action

14. Copywriting Tips
Benefits, not features.
Balsamiq.com
Focuses on the benefits/possibilities that a
designer receives when using their app.

15. Copywriting Tips
Reduce Friction
Basecamp.com
Emphasize “60-day unlimited free trial”
No obligation, no credit card required.

16. Carve a Clear Path
• A visitor should never ask themselves,
“Where do I go next?”
• Prioritize navigation. Don’t include all links
to all pages. Separate and prioritize.
• Set clear expectations (what will happen
when this button is clicked?)

17. Carve a Clear Path
• A visitor should never ask themselves,
“Where do I go next?”
• Prioritize navigation. Don’t include all links
to all pages. Separate and prioritize.
• Set clear expectations (what will happen
when this button is clicked?)

18. Carve a Clear Path
• A visitor should never ask themselves,
“Where do I go next?”
• Prioritize navigation. Don’t include all links
to all pages. Separate and prioritize.
• Set clear expectations (what will happen
when this button is clicked?)

19. Carve a Clear Path
• A visitor should never ask themselves,
“Where do I go next?”
• Prioritize navigation. Don’t include all links
to all pages. Separate and prioritize.
• Set clear expectations (what will happen
when this button is clicked?)

20. Guide the visitor’s eye
• Create a visual hierarchy
- The order in which you want your customer
to digest each part of your message.
- Example: Explaining a new concept to a
friend.
• Visual weight
- Size
- Color (contrast)
- Space (whitespace)

21. Guide the visitor’s eye
• Create a visual hierarchy
- The order in which you want your customer
to digest each part of your message.
- Example: Explaining a new concept to a
friend.
• Visual weight
- Size
- Color (contrast)
- Space (whitespace)

22. Guide the visitor’s eye
• Create a visual hierarchy
- The order in which you want your customer
to digest each part of your message.
- Example: Explaining a new concept to a
friend.
• Visual weight
- Size
- Color (contrast)
- Space (whitespace)

23. Guide the visitor’s eye
• The Squint Test
- Good way to test your visual hierarchy
- The key concepts should be legible

24. Guide the visitor’s eye
• The Squint Test
- Good way to test your visual hierarchy
- The key concepts should be legible

25. Call to Action
• Be explicit.
- Tell them exactly what action you want
them to take.
• Only one CTA per page
- All the content should lead into that CTA
• Set a clear expectation
Instead of “Submit”, try “Subscribe Today”
• Differentiate
- Try using a unique color for CTA buttons
• Reduce Friction
- Free trial, no spam, etc.

26. Call to Action
• Be explicit.
- Tell them exactly what action you want
them to take.
• Only one CTA per page
- All the content should lead into that CTA
• Set a clear expectation
Instead of “Submit”, try “Subscribe Today”
• Differentiate
- Try using a unique color for CTA buttons
• Reduce Friction
- Free trial, no spam, etc.

27. Call to Action
• Be explicit.
- Tell them exactly what action you want
them to take.
• Only one CTA per page
- All the content should lead into that CTA
• Set a clear expectation
Instead of “Submit”, try “Subscribe Today”
• Differentiate
- Try using a unique color for CTA buttons
• Reduce Friction
- Free trial, no spam, etc.

28. Call to Action
• Be explicit.
- Tell them exactly what action you want
them to take.
• Only one CTA per page
- All the content should lead into that CTA
• Set a clear expectation
Instead of “Submit”, try “Subscribe Today”
• Differentiate
- Try using a unique color for CTA buttons
• Reduce Friction
- Free trial, no spam, etc.

29. Design For Conversions
Book available in early November
casjam.com/book
Brian Casel
email:
brian@casjam.com
twitter: @CasJam
web:
casjam.com