[TilmanGriesel]

Maybe some "startups" using this technique to harvesting email addresses. But in this case, we need the email to inform about the current progress and select future beta users. We know the problem with this kind of landing pages, but this is a good way to proof the concept, acceptance, get feedback and work together with future customers.

[gbaygon]

...we need the email to inform about the current progress and select future beta users.

So why don't you hint about it in the landing page?

My process was:

  1. Open the page
  2. Saw "build your own webinar tool"
  3. Saw email field
  4. Saw join button

and thought: "If I enter my email in this box this will give me access to some kind of personalizable webinar tool, but I don't know if I need this yet", then closed the page.

You need to rework the landing page so the visitor knows what they are doing exactly when they click the "JOIN NOW!" button.

[duiker101]

No offense but that is exactly what all those "startups" do... or say they do.