Hey hey! So let me ask you, how much is your list working for you and PAYING you?
Is it a valuable list that hits the open button the second you send an email and automagically buys what it is that you’re selling? Or is it more like cricket cricket each time you hit send?
Have you been rocking your biz, posting in Facebook groups daily, rocking Instagram, making Twitter hot with all your posts, giving TONS AND TONS of valuable content that would spin people’s heads right round baby right round, only to realize your revenue is heading down the toilet?
It’s not a fun feeling.
In fact, it’s a sinking, gross nasty feeling that makes you want to puke if you think about it too hard. You want this passion, this thing that lights you up, this lifestyle you dream of, to happen so bad. Because let’s face it, you deserve it.
So when it doesn’t, things don’t go well. You get upset. And you get hurt.
Happens to the best of us. Happened to me, happened to every big name you can think of. It just happens.
So how do you make it stop happening and start actually living the dream life? Or at least, your version of it?
You get your information working for YOU, and get your sales funnel selling for you.
HOW DO I CREATE THIS SALES FUNNEL MAGIC
First of all, you need to understand what a sales funnel is (I get that ‘sales funnel’ is the buzzword of the year, but that’s because it rocks, they work, and they make magic happen when done correctly)
A sales funnel is the process of moving people from just visitors to your site, to full on paying customers that know, like, and trust you.
Some sales funnels are extremely simple, and generally look like:
-Free info (like a video or blog post)
-Opt-in that ties into free info
-Intro offer (think e-course, e-book, video for like $17-47)
-Main offer (1:1 Coaching, group program, membership site)
Some of the more complicated sales funnels have multiple automated email sequences set up. They contain multiple emails full of information, intro offers, main offers, back to a sequence full of info, which goes back to an intro offer and…holy wow. They are insanity. And time consuming to create. And…way too much for me to go into in a blog post.
So lets stick with the simple (but extremely effective) sales funnel strategy.
HOW DO I START
You start by asking your people what THEY WANT, not what you think they want.
Go to your Facebook group (if you have one, if you don’t…that’s totally cool there are other ways) and start a poll. Ask them what they want most out of a selection of 3-5 top things you know you can deliver.
No group? Got a list? Ask them. If you’re afraid they wont answer, offer free 15 minute sessions to the first 20 responses. You get market research AND a solid way to convert someone to 1:1 by turning your strategy session into a discovery call (hello win).
No group and no list? Go to facebook groups built by others that you know your ideal client hangs out in. Post some. Get yourself known. Then start a poll. Ask questions. Offer strategy sessions to those who will sign up for a market research call. Honestly, people know how hard market research can be and they will generally sign up.
Anyway, do these things. Ask people what they want. Then give it to them. In the form of a free, no opt-in piece of content.
You have to give value before you can get something from them in return.
Create a video, do a blog post, SOMETHING they can see before you ask them for their email.
The average adult receives approximately 147 emails a day. They aren’t going to hand over their email for nothing when it looks like a hot mess as it is.
SO HOW DO I ACTUALLY GET THE EMAIL ADDRESS
You get it by offering ANOTHER free piece of content to go with the exchange.
You give them a solid opt-in that builds on your free piece of content in such a way that it just makes sense that they would opt-in. They have to. It’s the next logical step in the sequence.
If you are struggling with this, you can grab a lead magnet (or opt-in) checklist here with all the info you need to create a rocking lead magnet.
You know what’s cool about that link up there?
It’s also part of a funnel. It’s the opt-in I was just explaining. But it’s not some random e-book you’ll get, forget about in a folder, and never read (not that all e-books are like that, mind you)
But it’s something useful. Something that you can take right now, read in a matter of minutes and implement today. Right now. And see results.
It’s something that solves a very specific problem and gives a specific solution.
Now, you can take the info, build your opt-in, and your free piece of content, and then pitch the person on your service the next email you send out.
And that will possibly, maybe work.
But it probably wont.
Because you need to show that you give value, and you care about them as a person.
That they aren’t just another notch on your list.
HOW DO I SHOW THEM I CARE
You do that, by giving even more value.
Immediately send the email they just opted into with the offer you gave them. Let them read/watch and implement for a day.
Then, the next day, send some MORE free content.
I like to send another PDF or video file that relates to what they just received.
But you can just include a great email full of valuable information and that will be just fine.
This is called indoctrination and it’s really not as odd as the word makes it out to be.
This is where you introduce yourself. Get them to follow you on social media channels. Join your Facebook group (again, if you have one) and really get to know you.
Then you give them even more value in that second email. Show them that you value them and really want them to succeed. Because you do, honestly.
I sometimes even send a THIRD value email. Why? Because I can. Because I care. And because it shows them I over-deliver in a big way all of the time.
Then, and only then, can I begin to pitch them on my introductory offer
WHAT ON EARTH IS MY INTRODUCTORY OFFER
I’m glad you asked friend! Your introductory offer is that e-course I mentioned in the title. Which, by this point, you probably thought I forgot about.
I didn’t. I swear.
Having an e-course as your introductory offer is like…handing people solid gold.
I mean, not really, but I can’t think of a good analogy because I suck at that.
But, it’s great for you and for your client. Because you’re teaching them something awesome, in a way that helps them and you as well.
You’re giving them value that they can act upon and see a difference in whatever it is they are working on right away.
And you’re doing it in an affordable way, that just genuinely feels good.
E-courses show how much value that you can really add to someone’s business/health/life/mindset. They show how well you over deliver.
They show YOUR value.
Once your e-course has been sent, and they have seen the tremendous value that you offer, you can sell them on your main offer.
Your main offer is just that, what your main business is built around. Mine is a giant program that I open twice a year (next time will be June-ish). Others have a membership site. Still others do 1:1 coaching. It’s honestly up to you.
BUT! You can still grab this opt-in checklist and get your sales funnel rolling RIGHT NOW