Do you have your own website and want to make money with it? Do you have a product that you want to sell? Then you need to set up a sales funnel.
And this is even more important if you plan on selling a ‘big ticket’ item with a high asking price. Read on and let’s break down precisely what a sales funnel is and why it’s such a valuable tool…
A sales funnel is by far the most effective way to get any product – digital or otherwise – to sell. This way, you are attracting the right kinds of visitors, building their trust and engagement with their brand and then selling to them right at the point when they’re most likely to buy.
As a result, your audience is much more receptive and far more accepting of your marketing messages – which makes all the difference to your conversion rates.
This is the big mistake that so many internet marketers make; they don’t realize that it’s ineffective to simply try and sell something ‘cold’ to strangers in the street.
We can illustrate this point by imagining a watch salesman. Imagine that someone came up to you in the street and offered you a $5,000 watch. Would you buy it? Heck no! And here’s why:
Now try to understand that if you have a sales page that is trying to sell a make money ebook, you’re probably doing the exact same thing. It probably looks every bit as shady, and your visitors are just as likely to say ‘thanks but no thanks’.
Think about it: these people know nothing about you. They probably stumbled upon your website by accident, and they have no reason to believe you aren’t just going to collect their money and then run off into the sunset.
They also probably aren’t in the market to make a big purchase right now. And they probably have no particular interest in making money online/getting fitter – beyond the basic interest that everyone has in these topics.
And if that’s all that you’re offering on your site, then the vast majority of people who land on your page are simply going to leave and never come back. Hence, low conversion rates and very low profits.
So what do you do instead? Well, this is where the sales funnel comes in…
With a sales funnel, you are recognizing that you can’t just ‘go in for the kill’ as soon as someone lands on your site. Instead, your interest is going to be retaining them as customers and engaging with them in a meaningful way.
One way you might do this is by getting them to buy something much more inexpensive first – like a short ebook, or in the case of the watch salesman, perhaps a watch strap.
The idea of this is that it’s much easier to sell something small but when you do, you are demonstrating the kind of value you’re capable of delivering and you’re building engagement with the brand. You’ll also be collecting the details of that customer, such that you can market to them further in future.
Your hope then, is that your new customer is going to say ‘that was such a great watch strap, I wonder if they have any good watches?’. Or that they’ll read your free ebook and see mention of your ‘VIP Ultimate Course’ and be interested.
Now they have overcome the trust issue, they know who you are, they know what you represent, and they know that you make good products. So selling something a little more expensive is just a matter of getting them to take that leap.
A sales funnel can be thought of almost as a slide. It can be a series of purchases of increasing value, that inexorably build up momentum and take your visitor closer and closer to the final ‘big’ item.
But that’s not the only thing a sales funnel can be. At the same time, you may wish to include other free stages in your funnel. For example, this might mean that you have a blog, or a mailing list, or a free report. These items work even better because they allow you to capture the people who aren’t yet ready to spend any money with you.
Think of this like the free coffee or the free cake you get outside of Starbucks. You’re just walking past, you’re in a hurry and you’re not ready to buy anything at this point. But then you see a nice snack and it’s completely free, so you think why not? And perhaps while you’re there, you take a flier or a money-off voucher so that you can use those things later on.
For an internet marketer, this is basically what we mean when we talk about content marketing. The objective of content marketing is to get people to become interested in the content you’re sharing, to the point that they will regularly keep checking back of their own volition.
Then maybe they decide they like what you’re offering so much, that they want to subscribe and start hearing more.
Then, once they’re on your mailing list, you might offer them a free seminar. At each stage of the way, they’re becoming more engaged and more interested in your brand – more willing to be marketed to more in the future.
Finally, you then start to offer something a little bigger for a little cash. This might mean an ebook or it might mean a short course. Perhaps it’s an item of clothing! Either way, it’s a small purchase that you need to make as appealing as possible and that will benefit from the fact that your audience now knows you and knows you’re capable of delivering good value.
This is where the concept of the ‘free line’ comes in. The ‘free line’ is the point at which your offerings stop being free and start being charged.
Where you place this free line is in many ways going to define your sales funnel and have perhaps the biggest impact on how successful that funnel is. Some experts on the matter go as far as to suggest that the businesses with the most on offer for free will be the ones that are ultimately the most successful.
The best sales funnels will use the strategies that we just outlined in the previous chapter but will normally organize this into five separate steps (called ‘touches’). Research suggests that to make a sales costs five touches on average and thus, this should be what you aim for.
From the very first ‘touch’ you should be sowing the seeds of your big sale. And one way you can do this is by focussing on the ‘AIDA’ structure. AIDA stands for:
Awareness
Interest
Desire
Action
These are the stages that you need to guide a new visitor through whenever you try and sell a product, and ideally, they should be in this order! Notice how we once again have five steps – which perfectly fits with our five touches.
So to sell a product, you first simply mention it while providing value and not trying to sell. In your second interaction – perhaps a newsletter – you give a little more information but keep it coy. This should hopefully be enough to pique just a little interest.
Finally, in your follow up email or on your sales page, you are going to try and trigger ‘action’. This last action step is where you start to really sell and it’s where you’re going to ram home the idea and make sure that people really want what you’re offering.
This is where you need to understand the basics of persuasive writing and sales and there are a few things to consider here.
The first challenge?
Getting people to actually stop and listen to what you’re saying. These days, we are all constantly in a rush and we all constantly have a million things we need to be doing. This means that we really don’t have time to spend hours reading long passages of text about why X product is so amazing.
So how do you get your visitors to stick around and actually listen to you? One good suggestion is to use a ‘narrative’ structure. This means you’re going to frame your sales pitch like a story and start off by telling your visitors how your product changed your life.
This works well because we are naturally inclined to listen to stories, and we find it very difficult to stop reading them halfway through. That’s why you’ll often stay up all night watching bad quality TV, even though you’re not really enjoying it!
The next tip is to break your text up into lots of sections and to include long detailed headings. Ideally, your sales pitch should be designed such that someone just skimming straight through it would be able to get all the information they need reading the headlines alone.
Using bold or underlined text can help here too, as it allows readers to pick out the key details in any given sentence.
Then, once you’ve done all this, you need to encourage rapid action. You do this by introducing ‘urgency’ and ‘scarcity’ to increase the illusion that the deal is limited time only and that your audience needs to act NOW.
There’s much more to a successful sales funnel than just this and over time, you’ll learn that there’s much more you can do here. The more you tweak and perfect the funnel and the more you understand the psychology that drives sales, the better you’ll be able to increase your conversion rates and drive more traffic to your site.
Then there’s the matter of marketing and finding targeted customers, and the matter of actually building all of these stages using the best available tools.
If you want to learn more about sales funnels and how you can optimise them to convert better, then check out the featured resource below for a free detailed report; download, read it and take action 😊
Many new marketers come online to start their own business and can’t seem to put all of the pieces together. They have bits of knowledge about things like lead magnets and upsells, but how and when everything takes place in an orderly fashion hasn’t been laid out for them.
If this scenario describes you, or if you’d simply like a better overview of how a customer goes from that initial click-through and on through your entire marketing funnel, the sections below will paint a better picture for you.
It’s important to know that you have the ability to tailor this system to whatever best helps your customers.
As you can see, there are a number of sales funnel stages that you can use but start simple and build it up further as you go. Funnel building should be fun, not daunting, so start with a minimum viable funnel and adjust from there; the key is to take action.
There are millions of consumers online waiting to be presented with the right opportunities for improving their lives. As an online marketer, you can position yourself as the leader people turn to for niche information and guidance.
One of the biggest problems in getting the click-through to your strategic landing page is that most people simply forget to link to it. Instead, they are focused on getting the content out and the engagement that comes from it, and they simply forget to include the link.
Before you ever begin putting content on the Internet to build a list and get people into your digital marketing funnel, you need to work on building the type of landing page consumers will respond to.
This should not be as long as a full sales letter, but should still have compelling headlines, bulletpoints, and an offer they can’t refuse. Once your landing page is created to build a list, you will want to generate content that puts people into your funnel at that point.
Instead of linking to products and earning commissions or sales, you want to link to the landing page and put people on your email autoresponder list so that you can market to them for years to come.
The content you generate can be placed strategically on your blog. This is where your opt in forms can reside in the sidebar as well as beneath each blog post to get people onto your list.
You can direct readers of each post to sign up at your landing page or in one of the forms they see there. Another place you can generate a click-through to your landing page is on social media platforms.
This includes sites like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and YouTube. On some of these sites and apps, you’re only allowed one link in your bio.
Instead of sending people to your products that you were reviewing or a blog post that you wrote, simply send them directly to your landing page where an amazing freebie will be waiting for them in exchange for their contact information.
When it comes to getting people into your funnel, there’s only one way to do that. You must have an amazing and enticing offer. The fact that a lead magnet is a free gift makes it somewhat easier for people to slip into your funnel.
However, keep in mind that people are very protective over their contact information. No one wants to give their name and email address to someone who may or may not turn out to be a spammer.
There are many unethical marketers who will sell their information to others and cause them a lot of headaches. So, what kind of lead magnet can you offer that will ensure people feel very little hesitation in exchanging their details for the gift?
It must be closely related to the topic your site is built around. It can’t just be in the same niche, either. If your site is all about the keto diet, you would be shooting yourself in the foot to offer a lead magnet about calorie counting instead.
Besides keeping the lead magnet topic relevant and closely related to your niche topic, you also want to make sure the customer feels they are getting an amazing value from you.
Just because the gift is free, doesn’t mean you should skimp on the quality. In fact, this is your chance to make a first impression. It’s imperative that you wow the customer and shock them that you are willing to hand over so much great information.
You want them to walk away with their download feeling grateful and strong in their decision to allow you to contact them in the future. You can create a lead magnet that is a short report, a full eBook, or even a video course.
The customer has now opted into your list. This is where they begin the slippery slope through your funnel. It’s key that you understand how to navigate the email process so that you not only keep them on your list but convert them into paying customers as well.
One of the first things you may want to do is over deliver with the freebie gift they signed up for. Not only should the original gift be amazing, but you can surprise them with an additional gift or two that they weren’t expecting.
From there, you can contact your subscribers on a regular basis. Only you can determine how much or how little that should be. Some subscribers will never be happy with your decision.
And some will become your most loyal and dedicated followers. There will be those who complain if you email once per week and those who complain if you miss a single day of the week because they can’t get enough.
You will be able to email your subscribers using a follow up system, which automatically drips content out to them on a schedule that you devise. Or you can simply send out broadcast emails whenever you feel like it that future subscribers will not have access to.
As for what types of content should go in your emails, you want to mix that up a bit. Your subscribers are there to receive helpful tips and advice first and foremost. So, you definitely want to include a non-monetized portion of the content – either periodically or in every email.
At the same time, you’re in this career partially if not fully to earn money. So, it would be foolish not to monetize the emails you send out. Once you’re ready, begin adding recommendations for products using an affiliate link.
You also want to create your own info products and begin sharing these with your subscribers. You can even give your list a better deal than others will get if you want to create a coupon or special page for them.
So, what kind of offers will you have that are sure to convince people to spend money, as opposed to simply downloading a freebie you offered them in the very beginning? You have some options.
The person who subscribed to your email list has already shown interest in what you have to say. Now is the time to strike while the iron is hot. You need to present them with an offer for a paid product that will present several options to them that have the potential to maximize your revenue.
You want to start with a front end product. This is the no brainer product that is priced very attractively for the consumers. It should be something that is in demand within your niche and not so overwhelming that it requires a higher price tag.
Usually, front end products are smaller and less expensive. For example, instead of selling a soup to nuts affiliate marketing course priced at $97, you might sell a $7 report on how to write a product review.
This is a cheap enough price point that it won’t present many obstacles to most of your subscribers. They will be willing to pull the trigger on the offer without hesitation. Once you have your front end created, you need to decide whether or not you will have any upsells, and if so, how many.
You will find two different schools of thought about product funnels. The first group of people believe all upgrade options are annoying and should not be presented to the customer.
The second group understands the value and importance of continuing to give a customer who was already in a buying mindset, the opportunity to add onto their cart. There are many consumers who will appreciate the opportunity to continue to get good deals on products that are related to their original purchase.
Your third upgrade might be a service that you provide to set up an affiliate marketing blog on their domain for $97. At any point in the funnel, the consumer can choose to decline the upgrade option.
If they purchase it, they will continue to see as many upgrades as you put in the funnel. But if they decline, you have the option to kick them out of the funnel to the download page or present what’s known as a downsell to them.
The downsell is when you offer something of a lesser value. This could be a completely different item, or it could be one of your upgrades that has certain elements extracted from it so that they don’t get everything that was in the original upgrade option.
For instance, if one of your upgrade options included 35 PLR articles and 10 product reviews for $27, then if they declined, you’re downsell might be just the 10 product reviews for $7.
You’re not making as much money as you would if they had accepted the original upgrade, but you are still adding on to the sale in its entirety. You’re giving them the option to buy a little less.
Once they have proven themselves to be paying customers, you will have the opportunity to create a follow up campaign that converts well for you. This is where the long-term income begins to materialize.
One of the most important parts of your funnel overall is your ability to cater to your subscribers again and again. This is where long-term earnings begin to mount and provide a stable income for you.
Instead of merely experiencing one time sales, you will be able to meet the needs of your subscribers and be the go to person whose recommendations they can’t pass up.
When you create your follow up email campaign, you want to make sure that you are only recommending the very best products for your audience.
Don’t spam them with too many offers from vendors or brands that fail to live up to their standards. You will lose their trust and their contact details quickly if you take that route. You want to make sure in your follow up campaign that you aren’t promoting any items that will expire.
That not only includes item you promote as an affiliate for other vendors, but also your own products. If you have products that have become outdated, either take the time to update them for your buyers or remove them completely from the marketplace and stop promoting them to your subscribers.
More than anything, you still want to continue providing value to your subscribers. If all you’re doing is promoting without sharing any tips or advice, they will feel used and quickly exit your list.
Keep sharing insight, continue surprising them with gifts from time to time, and listen to their needs and create products that help them achieve their goals or eliminate their most pressing pain points.
Any type of marketing funnel relies on good sales copy and there are many pitfalls and mistakes that inexperienced copywriters can make. If you want to know more about avoiding these and other copywriting mistakes, take a look at the featured resource below where you can download a copy of a free report, Copywriting Blunders, so you will be forewarned and can make your copy more effective. Download, read it and take action 😊
If you know anything about sales and marketing, you know the power of the sales funnel.
This Is nothing new; sales funnels have been around in some shape or form forever. Online marketing makes them quick and simple to implement with the correct tools, such as Convertri or ClickFunnels and they can make a real difference to your profits, but can you be doing more, and is your sales funnel bleeding money and not working as well as you would like?
Let’s be honest. Does this sound a bit like you and your business?
You work hard to build your sales funnel. You’re buying traffic, but your funnel isn’t converting well enough to fully pay for that traffic.
Which means, you’re in the red. Yes, you are building your list, and yes, over time you will recoup your money from your list by promoting other products.
Having a self-liquidating offer, or an offer that breaks even on the front end can make a huge impact on your business because this means that you can afford to pay more for traffic, which means more eyes on your offer and more profit, but only if your offer converts well.
Anther way to boost your funnel is to take in a “lodger” of some kind. Not sure what I mean? Look at it this way…
Think of a big house – one that you love, but it costs too much on your income. What do you do? You take in a renter or two. They are paying you to stay in your house, and you now have no trouble making the mortgage payment each month.
Surprisingly, you can do the same thing with your sales funnel.
If that marketer has an offer that converts really well, and it’s a good match for your funnel, then this makes total sense for the both of you.
Now here’s a little trick: Let’s say you run your traffic through three different offers after they sign up to your list. All of these offers are on a related topic, in line with the subject of the lead magnet that got them into the funnel in the first place.
But if they turn down all three offers, then renting the exit splash page to another marketer with a product that is DIFFERENT for your offers could work really well.
Obviously, this offer would still be marketing-related, but it could be ANYTHING else that is marketing related. Of course, you’ll have to test this out. Do a one-week trial run with your “renter” and see if it’s a good fit. If not, find someone else.
You can rent out any space you like, whether it’s the first upsell, the exit page, a link on your download page and so forth.
How much should you charge? Enough to put your funnel into profit, or a little bit better. If your renter makes a killing, that’s fine. The point is to get you into profit. Then you can buy all the traffic you like and build that list quickly.
Selling this offer to established marketers isn’t difficult, either. Simply send them an email letting them know what you have. It’s an offer they don’t see every day – at least not yet – and it will spark immediate interest with some marketers.
Like anything else, it is a numbers game. Plan on approaching or emailing about 5-7 marketers to get 2 who are really interested, typically one of which will say yes.
I know of one fellow who’s been doing this for a couple of years now. He built a funnel in a new niche; one he was dying to enter. But for whatever reason, he had a devil of a time getting the funnel to pay for itself.
Finally, in frustration, he sent out a blanket email to 14 marketers that he personally knew. Granted, he already had the contacts, so this part was easy for him.
10 of those marketers expressed interest, and he wound up building a second, similar funnel to accommodate the demand.
Finally, he sends a ONE TIME ONLY offer to his new subscribers via email. He makes it VERY clear that this is the only time he will ever send such an offer on behalf of another marketer, but this offer is so good, he just had to let his new readers know about it. (You know the lingo to use.)
Because he makes it clear that this is a one-time only thing and he won’t be spamming his list, no one gets upset.
And between his own upsell, the upsell he rents out, the three ads on the download page and the ‘solo ad,’ he makes a good chunk of money.
He’s now able to buy more expensive traffic and still be in the black at all times. And this better traffic is more targeted and results in more sales from his list.
Talk about a win-win-win situation. He took something bad – a funnel that frustratingly was not paying for itself – and turned it into a way to build his lists even faster and with better prospects, while still making a small profit on his funnels.
If you want to know more about increasing conversions in your business, check out the featured resource below to grab a free report which will teach you how to boost your conversion rate. Download, read it, and take action 🙂
