You spent three hours writing that proposal. Custom pricing, detailed timeline, perfectly formatted PDF.

They hired someone else.

Not because your competitor woo’d them more effectively. Honestly, they probably just sent a two-line email with a link to their landing page.

That’s because spending more time on proposals doesn’t equate to landing more deals.

If you have a productized offering, you’ll save yourself a lot of time by focusing on your landing page instead.

The median landing page converts at 6.6%. The good ones hit 15–25%, with some climbing up to a whopping 40%. 

It all comes down to experimentation; running enough tests to understand what makes your customers click “purchase.”

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Let's start with some important numbers. 

What’s considered a “good” landing page conversion rate starts around 11.4%, but the exact range varies greatly, depending on your industry.

In most verticals, “good” means 2–3x the industry median; getting to this point puts your page in the top 25% of performers. For example, if your industry’s median is 6%, a 12–18% conversion rate means you’re hanging out in the winners’ bracket.

In every category (except media), simpler copy performed better. 

Pages written at a 5th–7th grade reading level convert about 56% higher than those at 8th–9th grade level.

If you need industry knowledge (or an 8th-grade education) to get through your landing page without getting confused, you need to simplify things.

Brett Williams from Designjoy proved the power of a good landing page, at scale. 

If you didn’t guess from the name, he was running a design service. Traditionally quite proposal-heavy, but Williams decided to experiment anyway. 

He looked to turn his service into a subscription you sign up for “like Netflix.” Prospects visit his landing page, see exactly what they get, and subscribe like any other SaaS.

The page does all the selling. Williams runs the entire operation solo, pulling $50–80k MRR with no meetings and purely asynchronous communication. 

This way, he can focus on delivering great product to his customers, without getting sidetracked by a million time-sensitive pings.

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel to have a powerful landing page. 

It’s all about following a proven system, then testing your way to better results.

Before you write a single word, figure out where your offer sits on two dimensions: deal size and decision complexity.

Low-value, simple decisions (like a $19 ebook) need short, punchy pages. 

High-value, complex decisions (like enterprise software) need longer pages with detailed proof points and extensive objection handling.

A $50 course? Keep it simple. A $5,000 consulting package? You'll need case studies, credentials, and detailed explanations of your process.

Every high-converting page follows the same structure, regardless of industry:

Hero + CTA → Proof → Offer detail → Objection killers → CTA zone.

Your headline, subheadline, and primary button. This needs to communicate your core value proposition in under 10 seconds. Think “Get X result for Y type of person.”

Testimonials, client logos, usage stats, or case study snippets. This answers the “who else is using this and how do they feel?” questions running through every visitor's mind.

What exactly are they getting? Features, benefits, timeline, what's included. Be specific about deliverables and outcomes.

Address the main reasons people hesitate. Common objections include price (“too expensive”), trust (“will this actually work?”), and timing (“not ready yet”). 

The best way to find objections is by talking to your customers. Understand what made them hesitate, then address those concerns upfront. If you don’t have enough customers/data to pull from, check what your competitors address through their landing pages.

One last conversion opportunity with urgency or scarcity elements if appropriate.

Use modern tech to your advantage. Before going live, audit your page with a tool like Leadmeter. It algorithmically assesses and scores copy clarity, CTA prominence, and missing trust signals in real time.

Key questions to ask:

Pick one element and test it for at least two weeks. Headlines, hero images, or proof placement are good starting points.

The key is single-variable testing. Change your headline, wait, measure results, then move to testing your CTA button text. Multiple changes at once make it impossible to know what actually moved the needle.

If this kind of experimentation feels like a chore, find a tool that has native A/B testing and set it to work in the background.

Various industries have their own (relatively) predictable conversion patterns. There will always be nuance depending on your niche, but here are some of the big lessons I gleaned from Unbounce’s report:

Education: Lead with outcomes and cohort timing. Show a tight curriculum snapshot and instructor credibility. Use a low-friction primary CTA like “Get syllabus” or “Join waitlist.”

Entertainment & media: Preview value before asking for the email. Keep plan choice simple or use one CTA. Avoid hard paywall language before a sample.

Financial services: Put trust signals first. Use plain-language benefits and a short pre-qual or calculator instead of a long intake form. Keep disclosures below the fold.

Health & wellness: Highlight outcomes, practitioner credentials, location and availability. Offer simple packages with one clear CTA (“Book first session” or “Free consult”).

SaaS: Favor risk-reducers like free trials or “no credit card required” messaging. Keep forms slim (3 fields maximum) and emphasize the trial experience over features.

Professional services: Push credentials hard. Include case studies, certifications, and outcome-focused testimonials. Some areas (like legal services) convert much better on mobile, so do research to see if you need to prioritize mobile UX.

Ecommerce: Minimize navigation distractions and be super clear in your offer. The gap from 4.2% median to 11.4% “good” represents massive revenue upside for most stores.

Your first version won't be perfect, so don’t get too bogged down hunting for every last “best practice.” 

The goal is getting a page live, getting cash in the door, and improving through systematic testing.

Here are some more tools that help with landing page creation. Every pick below has a free plan or decent-enough trial, so you don’t have to pay to test.