My First Sales Page Project

My first sales page project was a steaming hot mess.

Emotionally, that is.

Eager to impress my client, but having never written a long-form sales page before, I felt way out of my depth…

So I spent the majority of my writing sessions second-guessing and debating every single word and sentence I typed out.

I knew what it was supposed to read and sound like. But the words that poured out from my fingers never seemed to sound as poetic on the page as they did in my head.

To get inspired, I’d read over stellar sales pages from seasoned copywriters, only to spiral into a “mine’s not as good” pity party.

And every hiccup, every writer’s block moment, led me to the same panic-induced thought spiral:

Maybe I’m not cut out for this.
What if this page tanks?
Should I just refund the client now?

I overanalysed and procrastinated on this project for so long that, even though I’d given myself two weeks to write the sales page, I was still wrestling with the words on the day of the deadline.

Yikes.

To my delight, all the agonising, stress-eating, and banging my head against the keyboard paid off! The client loved it so much, they booked me straightaway for more launch projects.

But even with the tick of approval, I still felt like I had no idea what I was doing.

And during my next (few) sales page projects, I found myself repeating the same torturous pattern.

I’d start off excited to write and word-vomit all my ideas onto the page…

But as soon as I struggled to come up with a powerfully persuasive sentence — my mind would flood with despair and I’d procrastinate by eating my feelings or re-watching Grey’s Anatomy for the 20th time while still feeling the weight of the half-baked, half-done sales page over my head.

“You do this every single time,” Ben would say whenever I lamented about how I wasn’t going to be able to get the project done. “But you always pull through”

“Nah, this time it’s different,” I’d retort back while shoving spoonfuls of Rum & Raisin ice-cream in my mouth. “I really don’t think I can figure it out.”

(Isn’t it funny how we always argue in favour of the worst-case scenario?)

But like clockwork, I always delivered.

In the last two years, I’ve written dozens of sales pages.

And y’know what I’ve noticed?

I no longer find myself repeating the same agonising pattern!

Writing a sales page these days feels a lot lighter, less torturous, and even, fun!

Mind you, I still have the occasional mini freak-out where I second-guess if I’m on the right track.

And every project has its own unique set of challenges. Sometimes I’ll struggle to figure out how to position the course as a stand-out, no-brainer offer, or how to tactfully acknowledge the audience’s objections with the right amount of tact, persuasion, and personality.

But the overwhelming sense of panic is no longer there.

Now, whenever I look at a client’s course, it’s like the sales page writes itself in my mind. I can see the structure, the story, the journey I need to take the prospect on — all I have to do is sit down and physically type it out.

I credit this to the fact:

I’ve now had tons of practice ―

Sales pages happen to be my most requested deliverable that clients hire me for again and again. From self-paced courses to group programs and memberships— I’ve had plenty of opportunities to write for different types of offers and get familiar with the rhythm and structure of a sales page.

I’ve honed my research process and strategic thinking —

The blank page no longer feels intimidating when I map out the strategy and plan first instead of hoping the right words will magically pour out of me.

I now have a thorough research process and a streamlined way of organising my data that allows me to identify patterns within the audience and understand what they’re feeling.

AND developed frameworks to help my brain understand the exact info the audience needs to hear that’ll guide them to take action (something I’m coining Actionable Empathy) —

All of which helps me identify the key sections and messages I must hit on the sales page.

I’ve invested countless hours (and thousands of dollars) on upskilling

The upside of experiencing never-ending imposter syndrome (but not so great for my Expenses account) is that it fuels me to devour as many resources as I can on launching, copywriting, funnels, and sales pages so I can do right by my clients when they trust me with their hard-earned revenue.

Inspo from the wild

I’m constantly reading and collecting sales pages from other course creators and copywriters I admire to add to my bustling swipe file. I love analysing the structure, identifying what works, and gaining endless inspiration on how to make my transitions from section to section, smoother.

All this to say…

If you’re currently experiencing an endless cycle of suck as you try to get through a new project, new type of deliverable, or new challenge —

You’re on the right track.

Whether that’s your first sales page, your first launch, creating your first course, your first anything is likely not going to match the picture-perfect version in your head.

(This applies to your second and third attempts as well).

And that’s ok.

In time, you’ll find your own rhythm. So keep practicing, keep going. And before you know it, you’ll be typing mid-sentence or halfway through your launch, and you’ll realise it no longer feels as scary as it once did.

But hey, if sales pages happen to be a deliverable you’d rather outsource to someone who’s put in the practice — I’ve got a handful of slots left for sales pages for this year.

(which, btw, can have your name written all over it if you’re hoping to launch your offer before Black Friday).

Wondering if I’m really as good as I say I am? Don’t take my word for it.

Here’s what fellow copywriter, Eman Ismail, has to say about my sales pages:

“Ash is my go-to copywriter for launch sales pages.

She is THE copywriter I trust to deliver a sales page that needs no additional work from me. She’s extremely talented, has a great way with words, and easily understands how to turn my brief into a great sales page.

Ash is easy to work with, she delivers on time (every time), and she helps make my life easier…everything an amazing copywriter and service provider should do.

I highly recommend her, and I hope we continue working together for a long time!”

Get some of that action here.

Wondering how to revamp and streamline your audience research process so you can show up to the blank page armed with the right insights so you can write copy & content faster?

You’re going to want to keep an eye on my next email…

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