You ever have those questions you really wanna know the answers to… but are kinda afraid to ask?
Like you feel like you’re SUPPOSED to already know… but you feel embarrassed that you don’t.
I see that happen A LOT when you’re an entrepreneur or a creative professional.
Especially when it comes to marketing.
And I get it.
There are sooooo many buzzwords.
And acronyms.
OMG the acronyms! LOL
It’s like you need one of those Rosetta Stone programs just to do your work some days. LOL
Well, today I wanna break down for you a word that SOUNDS simple enough… but many people either don’t truly get it… (and won’t admit it)...
The word of the day is… FUNNEL.
As in “marketing funnel”.
Now, if you want a REALLY good explanation of this… you should totally sign up for my next online masterclass…
It’s called “The 3 key things your business needs right now”.
And if you attend live… you can get in for free.
And there are two dates you can choose from: November 9th or 10th.
Got it? OK good.
So it’s time to put ego aside and ask the question that you really wanna know…
What exactly IS a marketing funnel, anyway?
Well, very simply… it’s an online way to move a prospective client or customer from point A to point B… all the way to an eventual sale….
In an automated way.
Imagine the shape of a funnel, ok?
You know, it’s that thing you have in your kitchen you can never find when you need it. LOL
It’s got a wide opening at the top… and narrows down to a smaller opening at the bottom, right?
Well, in your business, at the top of your funnel is where you capture the MOST people.
And as they move down the funnel, they basically choose whether or not to keep engaging with you…
If they choose to opt out, that’s totally ok.
They’re not your people and you don’t wanna waste your precious time chasing after them.
And at the bottom of the funnel… where things are the most narrow…
Those are your MOST engaged peeps.
They’re the most likely to buy…
And they’re the most VALUABLE to you.
Now do you have the picture in your mind of what a funnel is?
Ok good.
Let’s break this down into practical steps via an example.
So, let’s say you have a network marketing biz.
What would attract your ideal client the most? As in, what does she WANT or NEED?
Maybe your ideal customer or client is a stressed out woman who puts everyone else first… and struggles with sleep.
What can you put up on your website as an offer that would entice her to join your email list?
Because -- spoiler alert -- that’s the main goal at the top of the funnel.
You want that email address because studies have shown that the majority of people buy via an email…
So if you’re all about social media and have put email on the backburner…
I really wanna encourage you to flip the script on that.
Email is the big winner when it comes to converting someone interested into a buyer.
Maybe you’re like me and you’re in the essential oils biz.
So let’s say you decide to put together a little tip sheet of 5 ways to fall asleep naturally…
Using essential oils.
That’s an obvious and perfect top of funnel giveaway you can offer on your website.
Top of funnel is all about awareness.
In this case, your ideal customer or client has identified a need, problem, or desired outcome… they’re on the hunt for a solution here.
Which is exactly what your freebie offers. At little to no risk whatsoever.
Tactically, you need a way for her to join your list. In most cases this means a webpage with a form.
It needs to be connected to an email platform that will automatically kick out an email delivering the guide she’s opting into.
Here’s the magic of this… You set this up ONE TIME… and then the automation handles delivering the content and welcoming her to your world.
And it does it for every other person just like her. Hello scalability!
Ok so let’s say she bites on your sleep guide... and now she’s in your email list.
You wanna warm her up.
It’s kinda like dating. LOL
You can’t just ghost on her… and then come back a few months later when you want her to buy something from you.
You KNOW the kind of response you’re gonna get with that approach.
That’s the marketing equivalent of not having any followup once she downloads your guide.
You also can’t hit her with a sale email right away.
That’s like asking her to marry you on the first date.
And I know a lot of you out there are “90 day fiance” fans… but that’s not gonna cut it in the marketing world. LOL
So, you gotta date a bit.
In email marketing that means you want a series of messages that add value…
Share your story…
Connect with her on other related challenges she may be having… and how you can help.
I love sharing hacks in my follow up emails.
Quick solutions to common problems…
For me, I focus on holistic hacks… for both biz and health challenges.
People LOVVVVEEEE that kind of stuff.
From a tactical perspective, you write maybe 5-7 emails (or whatever you feel your ideal customer or client needs to feel welcomed to your world and valued).
You walk her through a process of getting to know, like, and trust you.
Which is the foundation for any strong relationship. DUH.
Once you write them, you go into your email platform, load them up, and connect those emails to that optin form she came in through.
Again… this is something you do ONE TIME… and let the automation handle the rest.
Middle of the funnel is also where you start weaving in mentions of your products.
Because this stage is really about interest… and action.
At this point, your prospective client probably isn’t ready to purchase yet…
But she does feel an affinity toward you.
There are a few ways you can deepen that relationship.
Like by creating interactive experiences…
Tactics like webinars, online trainings, or maybe goal-oriented challenges.
You could create a free Facebook group and invite her to join your community.
The action part is where you get her to interACT with you.
Actions include:
- Opening and clicking in your emails.
- Joining your private group.
- Opting into your free webinar.
Basically some action BEYOND that initial one where she raised her hand to say yes to your sleep guide.
Every action is building a relationship.
She’s literally saying YES to you with each click, signup, or comment.
If only real life relationships were that clear, am I right? LOL
Ok so once you’ve checked this off the list, you’re ready to enter the promised land…
The Bottom of the Funnel.
Remember that shape in your mind?
All your best leads are heading toward the bottom.
Which is where you want them to be… because it’s where asking for the sale has happened.
And because you’ve nurtured the relationship the right way… you’ve earned the right to ask for the sale.
It’s like… The value has stacked up… and somewhere in your ideal customer’s mind, she can’t believe how much your tips, tricks, and content have already helped her out.
She feels prepared, inspired, and empowered -- and ready to buy.
But you gotta pick the RIGHT thing to offer.
Often one of the first barriers to purchase is price.
Time is another biggie.
So if your first offer makes her feel like:
- It’s too expensive -- or
- It’s gonna take way too friggin long to complete or see results…
...you could have the best possible offer ever… and she won’t say yes.
So personally I recommend starting small.
Maybe you bundle up an ebook with a mini-kit of oils to go along with it.
Or you offer a 1:1 consultation to help her create a 6-pack of oils to help her with sleep, stress management, and relaxation.
These are a couple of examples of lower-ticket products and services to put into your marketing funnel -- which you set up once and automate via email.
Be sure to choose an offer you actually WANT to do…
Sidenote: my friend Laura Belgray, who is a literal genius when it comes to emails and writing great marketing messages…
Posted the other day about how important it is to create offers you actually WANT to do.
Just because you CAN do something doesn’t mean you should offer to do it.
Like if it makes you miserable… but you feel like you’re supposed to.
Or you really hate doing it but people ask you for it all the time…
Strongly consider the ENERGY you are putting out into the world.
Choose offers you will be HAPPY to do when someone says yes.
It’s literally the key to longevity in business, if ya ask me.
Do what makes you happy… and you’ll attract the right people to you.
Anywho, distraction over. LOL
So in your offer emails, be very very clear about what you want her to do.
Only choose ONE action.
If you offer more than 1 thing to do, chances are, she’ll choose nothing.
Statistics prove that if you offer more than 1 thing in an email, she will choose nothing.
So keep it simple. Keep it clear. And keep it on brand.
I wanna give you one more note here...
NEVER STOP ADDING VALUE!
Even when she’s made a purchase, you never stop delivering the same informative, nurturing approach she’s grown to expect from you.
You gotta remember… even though most of these interactions are digitized, there’s a real person on the other side of that screen.
And their experience once they purchase is as important as before they do.
Now, I know this is a lot to take in…
Which is why I wanna invite you to my “3 Biz Keys” masterclass.
Again, if you show up live with me… I’ll hook ya up.
No cost to attend. LOL
If you can’t make it live on either November 9th or 10th… then I’m sorry to say you’re gonna have to wait for me to offer this one again.
And honestly, I don’t even have it slated for the next run yet.
So if your biz is important to you… like it’s an actual priority...
I highly recommend you rearrange things now to carve out 2 hours in your day to learn something that’s gonna help you grow and scale your biz.
For the long term.
The stuff you’re gonna pick up in this masterclass is not throwaway tactics that don’t work for most people.
It’s literally foundational pieces of your biz.
Especially if you’re in an industry like network marketing… or coaching… or anything where you plan to have a presence online.
If that’s you, then you GOTTA come.
And we’re gonna cover “The 3 key things your business needs right now”.
I’ll throw the link into the show notes for ya and in the newsletter so you can pop right over and grab it if you're on the road or something right now.
But don’t wait… this is a super popular training.
If you have questions you wanna ask me live, you gotta reserve your ticket… add this event to your schedule… and come prepared with allll your burning questions about digital marketing, ok?
Because I don’t have this scheduled again past November.
So you wanna show up live.
Alright, friends, hope this helped you feel more confident than you actually KNOW what a marketing funnel is…
And you’re ready to learn how to actually implement it into your own biz… by coming to my masterclass.
Can’t wait to teach this one for ya…
Have a great week… and I'll see ya online.