Most operators treat the landing page as the make-or-break moment.

They’ll stress-test button colors, rewrite headlines and tweak pricing layouts.

And without a doubt, those things have an impact.

But here’s the truth: By the time a prospective member lands there, the decision is already 80% made.

That’s because every touchpoint you’ve put into the world - your content, your tone, the proof you’ve shown, has already nudged them toward action or inaction.

And by the time they’re standing at the threshold, they’re either warmed up and ready to join, or they’re just window shopping.

Which brings me to a second point - if the first touchpoint a prospect has with your product is your landing page, then you shouldn’t be expecting a strong conversion rate - or a conversion at all.

Let’s dive in.

It’s tempting to believe the landing page is where the sale happens. In reality, it’s just where the sale is confirmed - or lost.

Think about it from your own perspective. How often have you signed up for something cold, right after hitting a join page?

Almost never.

You lurk, you watch, you collect evidence.

Your decision is being made upstream - weeks or months earlier - through signals that either reinforced your trust or chipped away at it.

This is why two nearly identical landing pages can perform so differently.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen an operator duplicate the overall structure and copy of a competitor’s landing page, thinking that if it works for them, it must for me.

This approach and thinking has been slowly killing membership businesses for years. We’re all caught up in constantly iterating off of the layouts, structures and landing page copy of our competitors and peers.

But I can promise you this: Building the best-looking landing page doesn’t mean you hold the cards when it comes to converting your prospects.

The tipping variable isn’t the copy, the colors or layout - it’s the baggage that prospects bring with them.

If they arrive convinced you’re valuable, the page is just a formality.

If they arrive unconvinced, no headline magic will save you.

So where’s the gap for most operators when it comes to low conversion rates?

Where is the breakdown?

What is really happening when people see your product, nicely packaged and presented, but don’t take action?

The answer lies in the deliberate, carefully crafted signals you’re sending out into the world…

Or, better yet, the signals you’re not sending out.

Here’s the shift I’m encouraging you to make right now: Stop treating your landing page as the starting line.

This is what effective operators do.

They design the runway. They realize that signals don’t just attract attention - they build readiness.

There are five, highly important signals that matter most when priming your audience. On the surface, they may seem trivial - but if you take the time to truly interrogate them, I guarantee you’ll uncover major inconsistencies and gaps that you can close in your approach.

Example in practice: A professional community lets members bring a guest to one monthly event. That guest doesn’t just see a landing page - they experience the vibe firsthand, alongside someone they trust. By the time they hit the join page later, they’re already primed with proof.

Another example: A design membership releases a free “Design Cheat Sheet.” It solves a real pain point and gives prospects a quick win. When they finally land on the join page, they’re not wondering “Is this worth it?” They’re thinking, “If the free stuff works this well, the paid membership must go even deeper.”

Signals like these do the real heavy lifting. They don’t just bring people to your door - they shape whether the door feels worth walking through.

The threshold problem isn’t really about the page itself. It’s about the journey leading up to it.

The operators who win are the ones who zoom out. They see the full arc - from first touch to final click - and they design for it.

They engineer early wins, reinforce consistency, and create proof along the way so that by the time someone hits the landing page, the decision already feels inevitable.

I’m encouraging you to dig deep into the larger story that surrounds your product. I’m encouraging you to think beyond the product itself - and how it reaches into the lives of those it’s designed to touch.

A hard reflection on these things can change your entire trajectory as an operator.

So here’s the question worth asking:

When someone lands on your page, is it the first time they’re deciding - or just the moment they confirm what they already know to be true?

Think about it.