Landing pages - what sells best?

Yello,

I have been bouncing around in seo land for a while and only started to look at forums and some 'guru's' - question I have is what people think is the ideal landing page, to get a person to make an action - like ring or submit an email for a newsletter.

I ask this because i come from traditional marketing, and I thought the big red font shouting at visitors and pages three miles long with a thousand testimonials were out, but it seems that's what the big guys use to sell their big products (courses).

Do people think that works, or can a more subtle approach work? Maybe for the hard sell, you need to ram and ram and repeat the message? If you want a more minor action such as joining a newsletter is there a preferred high response style that is in at the moment? I have yet to find a good reference site for comparing landing pages and perhaps a good template to follow.

I know this seems basic, but if anyone has a view, then thanks.

b

this is the first time I have brought a message back from the dead, but does anyone have an opinion on landing pages (font color style, whether to go the hard sell, testimonials etc)

any example pages or websites who specialize in this?

just wondering, cause that's the call to action that makes the money and it seems like a very dark secret at the moment.

I have a confession to make. All my landing pages are awful. I have no skill in web design.

However, I still make plenty of sales. Why? The keywords I target.

I go for keywords in which people have already decided they are going to buy something. They need no convincing, they know there is no difference between one site and the next with regard to what they are after. All they are looking for is the fastest, easiest route to make the pirchase they have already resolved to make.

In this scenario, black and white text and a link are all that is required.

KISS - Keep it simple stupid