Make Time

Executive Summary & Critical Assessment

The landing page for Make Time serves as a digital hub for a bestselling book and productivity philosophy. However, from a strict conversion standpoint, the site acts more like an author portfolio than a high-converting landing page.

While the design is clean and visually aligned with the book's branding, it suffers from a passive approach to lead generation. Visitors arriving with acute pain points—burnout, constant distraction, and overwhelming schedules—are met with a soft sell rather than an immediate, actionable solution.

The primary issue is that the page assumes the visitor already knows who the authors are and what the framework entails. To maximize email captures and book sales, the page must shift from simply "displaying the book" to actively solving the visitor's productivity crisis.

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1. Hero Text Effectiveness

Current State Analysis

Problem: The typical hero messaging relies heavily on the book's subtitle: "How to focus on what matters every day." While pleasant, it is too generic. It lacks a specific mechanism or a measurable outcome.

Why it matters: The modern internet user is bombarded with productivity hacks. Vague promises of "focus" blend into the background. You have roughly 50 milliseconds to form a first impression, and your headline must punch through the noise immediately.

Recommended fix: Transition the headline from a passive statement to an active, disruptive claim that speaks directly to the visitor's pain point.

Resources to help:

• CXL Guide to Value Propositions
• Copyblogger on Headline Formulas

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2. Value Proposition & The 5-Second Rule

Clarity and Speed

Problem: The unique value of the Make Time framework (Highlight, Laser, Energize, Reflect) is buried. A visitor cannot understand the specific mechanism of the core benefit within 5 seconds without scrolling down the page.

Why it matters: Visitors leave pages in 10-20 seconds if they don't immediately see how the product benefits them. If they have to hunt for your methodology, they will bounce.

Recommended fix: Bring the 4-step visual framework above the fold. Explain how you deliver the promise, not just what the promise is.

• Add a visually distinct subheadline highlighting the specific time saved (e.g., "reclaim 2 hours").
• Include a miniature 4-step graphic next to the hero text.
• Add social proof (e.g., "Used by 100,000+ busy professionals") right below the value proposition.

Resources to help:

• Nielsen Norman Group: How Long Do Users Stay on Web Pages?

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3. Above The Fold Impression

The First Glance

Problem: The first impression is aesthetically pleasing but structurally confusing. There is a mix of book promotion, newsletter sign-ups, and blog links competing for attention.

Why it matters: When everything is emphasized, nothing is emphasized. Hick's Law states that increasing the number of choices increases the decision time. Competing primary elements create cognitive overload.

Recommended fix: Streamline the top navigation and focal point. Choose one primary goal for the hero section (e.g., getting an email subscriber in exchange for a free chapter/guide).

• Remove secondary links from the immediate eye-line.
• Use directional cues (like an arrow or the author's eye gaze in a photo) pointing directly to the primary Call to Action.
• Anchor the bottom of the "above-the-fold" section with logos of publications where the book was featured (WSJ, NYT, etc.) to establish instant authority.

Resources to help:

• Interaction Design Foundation on Hick's Law

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4. Target Audience Alignment

Speaking to the Pain

Problem: The messaging casts too wide a net. It speaks broadly to anyone who wants to "make time," which fails to deeply resonate with the core buyers: overwhelmed tech workers, burnt-out managers, and distracted creatives.

Why it matters: Broad copy converts poorly. If a visitor feels the website is speaking directly to their specific daily frustrations (like endless Slack messages or back-to-back Zoom calls), they are drastically more likely to convert.

Recommended fix: Inject agitation of the problem before introducing the solution. Tailor the copy to reflect modern workplace miseries.

• Use recognizable industry terms (Inbox Zero, calendar tetris, burnout).
• Frame the framework as the antidote to "reactionary work."
• Highlight testimonials from specific, relatable roles (e.g., "A lifesaver for this exhausted Product Manager").

Resources to help:

• HubSpot: How to Find Your Target Audience

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5. Call To Action (CTA) Optimization

Driving The Click

Problem: Standard CTAs like "Subscribe" or "Buy the Book" are high-friction and low-reward. They ask the user to give up money or inbox space without offering an immediate, tangible dopamine hit in return.

Why it matters: The CTA is the tipping point of conversion. If it feels like "work" or "cost" rather than "value," the visitor will hesitate. You must focus on what they get, not what they have to do.

Recommended fix: Shift to value-based, low-friction CTAs. Offer a lead magnet that solves a micro-problem instantly.

• Change the button color to contrast sharply with the page background.
• Include a click-trigger directly beneath the button (e.g., "Join 150k+ Time Dorks. Unsubscribe anytime.").
• Make the button text action-oriented and first-person.

Resources to help:

• WordStream: 31 Call to Action Examples You Can't Help But Click

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6. Concrete "Before → After" Examples

Here are 4 specific copy transformations to implement immediately for higher conversion rates.

Example 1: The Main Headline

Before: "Make Time: How to focus on what matters every day." After: "Stop Letting Your Calendar Dictate Your Life. Reclaim 2 Hours a Day for What Actually Matters." Why it works: The "After" introduces a specific villain (the calendar), promises a tangible metric (2 hours), and ends on a high-value benefit.

Example 2: The Subheadline

Before: "A simple 4-step framework by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky." After: "Join 150,000+ professionals using our proven 4-step system to beat burnout, silence distractions, and finally finish your most important work." Why it works: It adds instant social proof (150k+), details specific pain points (burnout, distractions), and promises a clear outcome.

Example 3: The Primary CTA Button

Before: "Subscribe to Time Dorks" After: "Get the Free 4-Step Start Guide" Why it works: "Subscribe" implies a chore and ongoing clutter. "Get the Free Guide" implies an immediate, valuable gift with zero financial risk.

Example 4: The Social Proof / Authority Section

Before: "From the authors of Sprint." After: "Created by the Ex-Google Designers who wrote the NYT Bestseller, Sprint. Featured in the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, and Wired." Why it works: It heavily leans into the "Halo Effect." Mentioning Google, a NYT Bestseller, and major publications instantly bypasses the visitor's trust barrier.

Resources to help:

• OptinMonster: Social Proof Statistics & Examples

Product Positioning Score: 8/10

Make Time operates in a unique space—it’s an ecosystem (book, app, newsletter) positioned directly against traditional hustle culture.

The Problem-Solution fit is highly compelling: modern life is hijacked by "Infinity Pools" (endless apps/feeds) and the "Busy Bandwagon." The solution is your 4-step daily framework. Your Competitive Angle is sharply defined as "anti-productivity"; as the site says, "It’s not about crushing your to-do list." However, while the Market Positioning is highly relatable, the Feature Communication occasionally buries your actual digital products (the app and newsletter) behind the overarching philosophy.

Here are my specific recommendations to tighten your landing page:

1. Elevate the "Anti-Productivity" Competitive Angle Your strongest differentiator is that you are the antidote to burnout. The copy stating, "Make Time is not about crushing your to-do list, optimizing every hour, or maximizing productivity," is brilliant. Move this exact phrasing above the fold. Contrast your unique framework directly against the anxiety-inducing features of traditional task managers. Tell them exactly what you are against before explaining what you are for.

2. Bridge the Gap Between Philosophy and Product Features When you introduce the 4-step framework (Highlight, Laser, Energize, Reflect), the copy is perfectly benefits-focused (e.g., "choose a single activity to prioritize and protect"). However, it reads strictly as a book summary. If you want to drive adoption of the Make Time app or newsletter, pair these steps with product visuals. Show how the app facilitates this (e.g., "Use the app's daily prompt to lock in your Highlight"). Transition the copy from passive reading to active doing.

3. Sharpen the Market Positioning (The "Who") The problem is clear, but the target audience is slightly nebulous. "People who want more time" is too broad for a high-converting startup page. Call out your primary personas. Are they overwhelmed founders? Distracted creatives? Remote workers drowning in Slack? Adding a sub-headline or testimonial section targeted at specific use cases (e.g., "How creators use Make Time to write their first novel") will ground your abstract philosophy into concrete market segments.

4. Weaponize the "Time Dorks" Social Proof You have a massive, engaged audience, but the community aspect feels like an afterthought. You mention joining a community, but the CTA lacks a sharp hook. Turn your newsletter into a core product feature. Instead of a generic sign-up, use a benefit-driven CTA: "Join 100,000+ Time Dorks getting one actionable tactic every Tuesday to reclaim their week."

Bottom line: Make Time has a world-class philosophical moat and a brilliant competitive angle, but the landing page needs to pivot from acting solely as a "book website" to a cohesive product funnel that clearly shows users exactly how to implement your framework using your digital tools.