Hey there, Iām AndrĆ© ā tech entrepreneur and founder of LaunchFast. If youāre new here, LaunchFast is a stack designed to help web developers speed up their project development process, from launch to scale. Iām building in public, and Iāve been sharing daily updates on my journey.
Today, Iām taking you behind the scenes of one of the toughest parts of this journey: building a landing page that actually converts visitors into customers.
The Reality Check
In the past few weeks, LaunchFast has been attracting around 40 new users a day, which adds up to about 1,500 new users a month. At first glance, this sounds great, right? The product is clearly generating interest. But then comes the kicker: out of those users, Iāve only made 6 sales. Thatās right ā just 6 sales in 3 weeks.
Every single sale is a huge morale boost, but the low conversion rate is a clear sign that the landing page isnāt pulling its weight. The productās solid ā I know that. But the marketing? Well, thatās another story.
The Marketing Challenge
Hereās the thing: marketing has two jobs. First, bring qualified users to the website ā not just any users, but the ones whoāll find real value in what youāre offering. Second, convert those visitors into paying customers. Simple, right? Not exactly.
Iāve come to realize that the landing page doesnāt convert customers. Users convert themselves ā if the message is right, if it speaks to their needs, and if itās clear why they should care. Thatās where my focus has been for the past two weeks: dialing in the message on the landing page.
Learning to Sell (When Youāre a Developer)
As a tech entrepreneur, marketing is my Achilles heel. I can build. I can code. But selling? Thatās been a learning curve and not a quick one. I promised myself I wouldnāt touch the product until I had the marketing figured out ā which is why the past two weeks have been dedicated to getting this landing page right.
You might be thinking: Two weeks? Isnāt that a long time for just a landing page? Honestly, it feels like it sometimes. But learning to market takes time, especially when youāre determined to do it authentically ā no sleazy sales tactics here. I want the copy to resonate with people emotionally, while still being clear, concise, and effective.
At its core, entrepreneurship boils down to two things:
ā¢ Knowing how to build.
ā¢ Knowing how to sell.
Iāve got the first part down. The second? Iām learning as I go.
My Process for Crafting the Landing Page
Letās talk about my process because I know youāre curious. First off, I subscribe to ChatGPT for $20 a month, and itās become an integral part of my workflow. I split my ultrawide screen into thirds: one-third for ChatGPT, one-third for VS Code, and the last third for the browser. This setup allows me to keep everything I need in view as I work.
Now, hereās where the magic happens: I use ChatGPT to create extremely short feedback loops. Iām asking hundreds of questions a day, so I created a custom GPT specifically for LaunchFast. It knows the product, the features, and the target audience. This allows me to get faster, more relevant feedback without having to re-explain the context every time.
When interacting with ChatGPT, I find it helps to ask it to act in a specific role. For example, Iāll start with: āAct as a seasoned Conversion Rate Optimization Designer and copywriter to assist me inā¦ā And when Iām mid-conversation, Iāll say, āStill acting as a seasoned Conversion Rate Optimization Designer and copywriterā¦ā This keeps the responses focused and on point.
Structuring the Landing Page
The first thing I did was ask ChatGPT about the ideal structure for a landing page. Hereās the framework it suggested:
- Hero section
- Problem/Solution section
- Features/Benefits section
- Testimonials
- Call-to-Action (CTA) & Pricing
- FAQ (to handle objections)
- Final CTA
With this structure in mind, I approached each section individually, breaking the task down into three core skills: layout, copy, and design.
Copywriting: The Iterative Process
The real work begins with the copy. For each section, I start by asking ChatGPT to draft the copy while also recommending layout and design ideas. Once I have a rough draft, I hand it off to V0 for a basic layout. Then, with some manual adjustments, I refine the design until Iām happy with the look.
But the copy? Thatās where I spend most of my time.
I ask ChatGPT to rate the copy based on emotional impact, clarity, brevity, and whether it speaks the language of my audience. I also use my own judgment to make adjustments, working in an iterative process. Sometimes, I zoom out to check the overall flow, other times I zoom in on a single paragraph to fine-tune the details.
Take the Problem/Solution section, for example. This part went through over 100 iterations ā yes, really! At first, I focused on structuring it with a title and two columns: the pain points on the left and the solutions on the right. Then, I zoomed in on every word ā title, subtitle, and paragraph ā until it was just right. Finally, I zoomed out and checked the flow, tightening the copy along the way.
Itās a long process, but for someone learning marketing, itās invaluable.
Final Thoughts
If thereās one takeaway from this experience, itās that learning to sell is just as important as learning to build. And while it may feel like a slow grind, the payoff will come when the landing page does what itās supposed to: convert visitors into customers.
Until then, Iām staying focused on the journey, building in public, and sharing the highs and lows along the way.
Have a great week ahead šš