I think a product sales page has a lot in common with a book's front cover; the job of the front cover is to get you to read the back, and the job of the back is to get you to read the flap or introduction, which is meant to get you to buy.

With the sales page, you don't necessarily have to walk a customer all the way through the sales funnel, just make them take that next step. If you can get a sale, great – if not, it doesn't necessarily mean the page missed the mark.

But what's lacking is a value proposition. Why should I buy this book? Also, some light positioning would be nice. Who's this book for? What's the book's promise?

I could try to post more about testing – what would be interesting about it to you? I'll try to answer your questions in a post :)

No, this strategy doesn't work in the long term, because it pisses customers off. But it certainly works as far as that manager is concerned, the one whose job is to get you to sign up (and who cares if you stay).

But is that really marketing?

I guess it all comes down to marketing which is very hard to do sometimes because you can't tell “how pushy” you may be coming off. I don't think anyone wants to appear overly aggressive. I guess that's where testing comes into play or paid consultants.

Would you be interested in doing a series of posts on testing?

Thanks again Josh.