Disclosure: Some of the links in the podcast show notes and transcripts are affiliate links (indicated with [Affiliate] in front). If you choose to make a purchase through these links GradBlogger will earn a commission from that purchase at no extra cost to you.

At GradBlogger, we get a lot of questions about how to sell successfully. How do you create sales pages that work and make calls that convert prospects into loyal customers?

Our recently-launched Self Tenure community includes training on how to grow your online business. In this blog, we’re sharing some tips from these training sessions, namely how to use six highly-successful selling frameworks in your online sales pages and calls:

  • PAS
  • Four P’s
  • AIDA
  • SLAP
  • QUEST
  • SPIN

Sales pages and discussions are important to your business

All online businesses have three main components: attracting somebody to your platform, converting them into an actual buyer, and delivering your content to them. The sales page does the heavy lifting between attracting and converting someone to your offer. When properly designed, it attracts people to your offer and motivates them to buy. 

How much work your sales page has to do depends on how well-known or trusted you are. If a prospective customer has heard of you, they may buy on the spot if you email them a PayPal link. On the other hand, if they’ve never heard of you, the sales page copy will need to go over the benefits of your product or service and overcome objections.

Frameworks will help you achieve results more quickly

This is where having a framework comes into play. There are three primary reasons why you should use one:

  • The sales page will be created more quickly. With a structure in place, you can put the page together a lot more quickly. 
  • Nothing is left out. With a framework, you can ensure that all necessary information is included: challenges identification, benefits of what you offer, and other details that help overcome objection.
  • No blank page syndrome. Blank pages are intimidating. After awhile, you’ll be tempted to go watch cat videos on YouTube!

Six selling frameworks that can get results

The following frameworks can be adapted for use in your online business.

PAS

Short for problem, agitate, solution, PAS is the simplest framework. You identify a problem (e.g. the customer is stuck in a job they don’t like or they don’t get to spend much time with their family), agitate it by showing how it affects or will affect their life, and provide the solution, which is your product or service.

The Four P’s

This selling framework consists of four P’s: problem, promise, proof, and proposal. It is commonly used in case studies. You ask the customer to identify their problem and desired outcome, and present a similar case study as proof that your product or service works, making them receptive to a proposal.

AIDA

AIDA stands for attention, interest, desire, and action. Some marketers have expressed concern about this framework, finding it too similar to clickbait. 

Common uses include highlighted page text with interesting titles like ‘10 Solutions to Solve X Problem, You Won’t Believe Number Six,’ which moves the viewer from attention to interest. Once they click on the link, they are greeted by content that usually inspires desire and then action.

SLAP

SLAP, which stands for stop, look, act, purchase, is another framework associated with clickbait strategies. It is frequently used in telemarketing: the stop phase is interrupting someone during dinner, then the caller gets them to look at something (e.g., a utility bill), followed by some form of action, such as comparing their bill to the cost of the service being offered, and finally a purchase.

QUEST

QUEST stands for qualify, understand, educate, stimulate, and transition. It is a more complicated framework with multiple levels. It starts by qualifying the prospect: for example, if you sell empowerment courses to women, men won’t qualify. The next step is educate, which involves explaining the value of your solutions to the client, followed by stimulating their interest and then the transition from prospect to buyer.

SPIN

SPIN stands for situation, problem, implication, and needs payoff. Created by Neil Rackham and referenced in books like The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation, it combines education with customer service. 

For example, if you sell cars and someone comes in to buy one, one of the first questions you should ask is “Who is this for?” Because if the answer is “For my grandmother” or “For my teenager” or “For my wife or spouse” or “For myself,” a different sales approach is required for each option.

After identifying the situation, the next step is addressing the problem. Did their car break down? Is it getting rusty? Or do they want a new car because their brother-in-law bought one? The next stage is implication: how would having a nicer car benefit them? This will help them recognize the needs and payoffs of buying a new vehicle.

Use these frameworks to create your sales page or calling strategy

If you’re creating a new sales page, start with a blank Google doc and type out each part of the framework. If it’s PAS, type out ‘problem, agitate, solution.’ If it’s QUEST, type out ‘qualify, understand, educate, stimulate, and transition.’ Then fill them in: those different parts of that framework will each become a section of your sales page.

Upon completion, review for anything that might be missing. Maybe you need some testimonials for further social proof, some nice graphics, or some frequently asked questions. Once you supply them, you’re ready to go live with that page and see how it does.

The process is similar with a sales script. Open a Google doc, add the framework sections, and insert bullet points. They can consist of questions, points you want to make, or information you want to obtain from the customer. Then execute it, test it, make notes, and refine it. You can only get a good script and a good process after testing with your own client. 

These frameworks will give you starting points and make sure that you’re capturing all different elements necessary for the sales conversation. Have you tried any of them? If so, how did they turn out? Leave us a comment below!