2 builders who never spoke to each other

Win the glance before the scroll

Treat the page as two halves with different jobs: what shows without scrolling has to earn attention, and everything under it earns the sale. The bar for the top half is instant comprehension, roughly the five seconds someone spends deciding whether you can help them, so clarity beats creativity. Immediately below, the first features make the promise concrete by listing what is actually included.

The method

1. 01

   Design the page in two halves: what is visible without scrolling earns attention, and what is below it earns the sale.

2. 02

   Assume roughly five seconds for the visitor to decide whether you can help them, and choose clarity over creativity accordingly.

3. 03

   Set the bar for the visible area at instant comprehension: someone glancing for a second should be able to say back what you sell.

4. 04

   Immediately below the fold, use the first features to make the headline promise concrete.

5. 05

   Copy the two-tier layout on your home page: the headline states the benefit one rung up, and the section below it lists what the product actually includes.

What it returned

• Attributed to Donald Miller

• Riverside's opening features spell out the recording quality its title promises

• Substack leads with writers publishing straight to an audience and getting paid by subscription, then lower down lists the blog, newsletter, payments and support it bundles.

Sources

• Using the Needs Stack for competitive strategyJason Cohen · longform.asmartbear.com · The solution to “selling benefits” vs “selling features” · 2023-06-04
• My step-by-step guide to landing pages that convertHarry Dry · Marketing Examples · undated