Getting Started with Your Sales Funnel?
Basically a sales funnel is the process of taking a buyer through the actual buying process. Your funnel will begin with you using a squeeze page to get the reader to subscribe to your list. Squeeze pages are also known as landing pages and opt-in pages.
To set up a squeeze page you need to create an irresistible offer that will literally squeeze the name and email address out of the person. Then bingo! They are on your email list. Getting subscribers onto your list is the hardest part for many people.
The easiest way to do this is to use a squeeze page. This is a simple page with a powerful message that leaves your visitor wanting to know more. To get more information they must simply request it in exchange for their name and email address.
How to Create an Irresistible Squeeze Page
If you take the following points into consideration you will have the basics of generating a fantastic opt-in page.
- Research your target market and know exactly what they want
- Include bullet points which cover the main features and benefits of your product
- Include a detailed call to action with instructions
The above points may seem basic but research has shown that people need to be told to fill out the box below or to your right. Even though the box is staring them in the face they just don’t fill it out unless instructed to do so. This can be done by written instructions or by using a short video.
Keep your squeeze page short and do not put anything else on this page except details of your offer plus your opt-in box. This way your reader has only two choices, leave or sign up for the freebie! If they are intrigued by your offer then chances are they will sign up and you will have another subscriber to your list.
There are 8 important parts to your squeeze page:
- Title
- Subheading
- Bullet Points
- Instructions
- Call to Action
- Opt-In Box
- Reinforce what they are getting i.e. sign up for your free report
- Legal disclaimers
When writing your headline and subheadings make sure that they grab the reader’s attention. With your bullet points you want to highlight the features and benefits of your offer without giving away any information. So think of these as teaser type of points. Remember you are trying to attract your ideal customer to your list. One that will ultimately get to know, like and trust you and be confident in purchasing from you.
Making Your Sales Funnel Logical
Making your sales funnel into a logical process is extremely important. If done correctly your customer goes through the process without any surprises. They automatically accept the next step and proceed forwards. A good set up for your sales funnel will definitely increase your cash flow.
After your customer has made their purchase you send them to a download or thank you page. On this page they see something like the following.
I found this additional great resource that I thought you might like
Then list some information about the product and a link to the page. On this same page you should have your download clearly available. So this way they can choose whatever option suits them. Do not make the mistake of hiding their original download link on another page. This way you are just offering your buyer something else you thought they might like.
Basically you will have the following information on your download page.
- Thank them for their purchase
- A quick I thought you might like this recommendation
- Link to that product
- A no thanks I just want my download link
- Or a big download button
By providing this process in a logical fashion you are creating a good image with your buyer. Plus your chances for turning this buyer into a repeat buyer are increased. You didn’t oversell but provided them with what they were looking for and more!
Once you have guided your customer through your sales funnel once they know what to expect from you. This way you can now set up your next sales funnel to include either more options or higher prices.
A few weeks after their first purchase you can follow up with them and recommend an additional product that complements the first. See if they got the results they expected and ask if they are having any other issues.
If you ask questions in your emails you are more likely to get some good feedback. This can be invaluable as it is the perfect way for you to learn what your customer needs. Your job as the marketer then is to simply find or create the product and offer them their solution, yet again!
When following up with your customer once they have subscribed to your list be prepared to send out anywhere from 7 to 12 emails before you see sales begin. These emails are your way of reminding your subscriber about their issue and gently offering them solutions.
By taking the time and effort to research what your ideal customer needs and then providing it, you are going to grow your mailing list quickly. Plus of course, you will start to see sales faster and in turn repeat buyers.
The goal of your sales funnel should be to draw your customer through a natural process that doesn’t provide them with any loopholes or road blocks.
What Type of Freebie to Giveaway
The main point to remember is to give your subscriber something of value. This has to be the information that they are looking for. They are looking for a solution to their problem and you hold the answer!
To do this effectively you want to give away a valuable piece of information. You want to keep your freebie short and to the point. Plus you must let your subscriber know that you have even more detailed information available. This is where you will send them to your sales offer.
The recommended method of offering a freebie is to show your visitor what they need to do in your gift. But you do not show them how to do it!
What many marketers do is to give their subscriber one complete solution and then provide them with the sales link so that they can purchase the remaining information. So basically you are providing them with a teaser.
So far in the sales funnel you will have created the following steps:
- Squeeze page to capture the lead
- Emailed your freebie to them
- They now understand more of what they need to do
- You provide them with a sales link
So right now you may be stuck on what to offer as your freebie. Your choices include things like a report, a good newsletter, or a video telling them what they need to do. Or you can offer a short e course via video or text.
Some marketers like to offer a report or an e-course for $1 with the thinking that if you have to pay something you instantly feel as though you are getting more value for it. How many times have you been to a restaurant and spend 25 cents or more to get extra sauce or a larger sized drink?
To know if you should or shouldn’t offer your first product for a small fee you must look at your target market. If you are targeting customers who are younger they may not be prepared to spend money on something straight away.
The other consideration to take into account is actually yourself. How are you positioning yourself to your customers? Are you coming across as a watch me as I learn type of marketer? Or are you positioning yourself as an expert? If the latter then you can put a price tag on what you have to offer as your reputation will back you up.
Once you have created your free or low paying offer it is then time to go to the next step of the sales funnel. Deciding about offering special offers, up sells and/or one time offers.
Getting Exposure for Your Squeeze Page
Now that you have your squeeze written you need to get people to see it. There are lots of different ways to do this and some marketers actually refer to this as creating entry points. Your goal is to provide various gateways that people can enter your squeeze page.
Some of the most common ways of doing this are:
- Writing a Press Release
- Writing articles and adding your squeeze page link in the resource box
- Posting the link in your social media accounts
- Blogging about it
- Reviews
- Forum Posts
All of the above really work well in generating views to your pages. Connecting with someone who has an authority site in your niche and then getting them to review your offer can really work wonders. A good review from a respected site can potentially generate thousands of views.
Think about it in this way. When you like something what is your immediate reaction? You start telling friends, family and neighbours about it and this generates more interest in the product.
Your next step now is to make time each day and post some content about your offer. This could entail writing one or two articles and submitting them to article directories. Or making a few blog posts and scheduling them to be published on your blog.
If you do some of the above generation methods on a consist basis you will see your traffic and sign up rates increasing. If you use Google Analytics to track where your results are coming from you will know which tactics work the best. Then all that is left is to put more effort into what is working for you.
If you have a marketing budget you may wish to consider purchasing a solo ad to generate views to your squeeze page. There are thousands of ezines which have lots of members and often offer ads which are a buy one get one free type of deal.
Don’t forget to make use of Twitter and post your link to your squeeze page here along with some useful tips. It wouldn’t hurt to tweet your bullet points either. Facebook is another good option and here you can publish a longer post regarding your offer.
Other social sites that have the potential of creating hundreds of views are sites like Stumble Upon, Digg and don’t forget about utilizing YouTube. Make a quick video about your free gift and include the link to your squeeze page directly underneath the video.
If you are a member of any forums that pertain to your niche you may be allowed to post the link in your signature file. Again depending upon the form this method can generate tons of views back to your squeeze page.
You should have plenty of ideas on how to create your own entry points to your landing or squeeze page. Remember it is a smart move to create at least two pages with different headings and formats so you can test which one produces the best results.
Special Offers and Upsells
If you decided to sell your first offer for a low price you may also want to offer this a special offer in certain forums. Many forums will have a Special Offer section where you can list your product either for free or for a small cost. If you target the right forum this can be a great way to expand your list quickly.
Upsells and one time offers are something that often deters new marketers. They are so happy to have made a sale that they feel pushy if they were to offer something else during the sales funnel.
Upsells happen in daily life all the time. When you purchase a new television or even a new radio the sales clerks ask if you need batteries or a TV stand or even a warranty. These are all forms of upsells asking you to part with more money.
There is nothing wrong with adding an upsell product to your sales funnel. The biggest mistake is offering the wrong thing! This means that you MUST offer a related product to your buyer. This should be a product that complements or enhances their first purchase and something that they can immediately put to good use.
There are several ways a marketer can offer an upsell, this is also known as a onetime offer. You can place your offer on:
- Your download page
- Your thank you page
- In your first email
- If you are offering a membership then you can offer specials and/or a lifetime package
Your upsell offer doesn’t have to be your own product, it can easily be an affiliate product. You should try to position your upsell as a way of helping your customer find additional, relevant information. This way you come across as a caring marketer who has the best interests of their customers at heart.
Another way to add more value to your products is to offer them in an additional format. This even applies to your original free offer. You could offer an audio or video version of your product as your upsell for a few additional dollars.
If your original paid product is expensive and you worry that some people won’t purchase because of the price point you have another option. This is called a downsell. Simply offer them a similar product that still has value but is cheaper.
For example if the first product is a $47 e book with video you can offer it without the video for $27. If you are creating your own products packaging it this way is the ideal way to get more value out of your creation. You are basically still selling the same information but at different price points with different formats. This might be something worth trying in your next campaign.
