This is where an online sales funnel comes into the picture.
The beauty of a sales funnel is that it’s largely automated. That means you set it up one time, make a few tweaks to maximize its profits, and then you can let it run on autopilot.
This is the first step in your business' automation - where you’re now making sales even when you’re not actively working. Wouldn’t it be nice to see your account balance go UP while you’re out to dinner with friends, watching a movie with the family, or even on vacation?
That’s what’s possible when you master online sales funnels.
A sales funnel is a set of online tools woven together to help produce more sales of your product or service. We put people into the funnel. Assuming that funnel works well and does its job, it begins to automatically convert leads into customers daily.
Take IKEA for example. If you've ever been to an IKEA, you've witnessed a brilliant sales funnel. When you walk into IKEA, it’s not like walking into a big box store like Walmart, where you can freely (and aimlessly) roam the aisles.
Instead, IKEA is strategic in their approach and they make you follow a path that takes you through their showrooms where they've staged every room in a house so that you can EXPERIENCE their products at work and see the genius behind their products' applications.
Even if you’re just there for bedding or kitchenware, you have to go through every other section of the store. Home offices, kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms, etc... before you can actually buy anything. The checkout is at the very end.
It might sound annoying, but they've made it very enjoyable because they're pros and they studied human behavior and have carefully engineered your experience through the store because you are inside of a sales funnel.
They know based on their studies that people spend more money when they get people to walk through their store in a strategic way, and it works... on ME... every time! 🤪
Everywhere you look in your physical life, and online, you see sales funnels.
With Freelance Digital Marketing, we’re using digital technology to create an online customer experience that strategically leads people to make a buying decision. This is done with a
The one I use and recommend is systeme.io because instead of piecing together multiple tools and systems (which is complicated and expensive) it’s an all-in-one marketing platform that literally does it all!
You can create a very simple website that directs people to your products and affiliate links, or - as you gain experience - you can get as fancy as you like! The platform won't hold you back, but it's great for beginners because it's user friendly and it comes with FREE training and great tech support!!
AND you don't have to start from scratch! I created a template that's easily customizable with your branding and products - check it out below. It comes with a sales funnel template that you can just duplicate for as many products as you want to sell.
Opt-in Page (or pop-up) that captures your lead's contact info
⬇️
Your Sales Page with your offer (or an affiliate link)
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Your Order Page (or an affiliate link)
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Your Order Confirmation / Thank You page
(which is N/A for affiliate offers)
There are of course other ways to structure a funnel, but this is pretty standard - HOWEVER you don't have to start from scratch! I created a template that's easily customizable with your branding and products - check it out below. It comes with a sales funnel template that you can just duplicate for as many products as you want to sell.
The other thing you’ll need is an Autoresponder, which is an email tool that can be used in a variety of ways.
Email marketing is NOT dead and you defintely want to build your email list so that you can keep in touch with your leads and customers without having to monitor your inbox 24/7 - which is NOT sustainable, or even possible...
Your emails can (and should) be automated for purchase confirmations and follow up communication. Basically you schedule a series of pre-written emails that contain the information needed to assist them in making a buying decision. If you've ever been in sales before, you’ve heard “the fortune is in the followup."
This is a brief overview of how it works for opt-in pages / contact forms.
If you have a page / form where you're asking a lead for their email address it's because you are going to send them something in exchange for their contact info - like a free guide or something. You simply set up an autoresponder in your email tool (like systeme.io) so that when someone submits their info your email sequence is sent automatically - because you've written it once and told the system what to do.
This process is especially key for any affiliate offers you may have. In many cases the product owner (who you're an affiliate for) may not share the customer's contact info with you, so you need to capture that information on the front end so that you can connect with your leads regardless of whether or not they buy something, because who knows - maybe they'll buy something else OR more!
Then there's newsletters... which, if you're like me, you have a love/hate relationship with. On the one hand it's a key way you get new product info and first access to promotions from companies, but on the other hand they clog up your inbox and can get annoying fast!
As marketers we need to master the art AND science to effective email marketing, and that is a skill all its own. It necessitates its own blog post, and that is coming soon...
In the meantime, you can get started with the training course above so you don't get caught in spam folders or blacklisted by the email service providers (like gmail and hotmail, etc...) because you definitely don't want THAT to happen.
Education is key - so make sure you don't wing it. Get a reputable course, learn the skills and then keep reading... so you'll know where to find buyers to email!
Just a quick heads up - some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means I earn a commission at no cost to you.
In fact, as an affiliate I often get discounts that I can pass on to you!
All of my reviews and recommendations are 100% my own and everything on my website and in my emails is intended to help you in your life and career. I've used many products that I don't recommend, so none of those made the cut!
Learn more about affiliate marketing here.
Thanks for supporting me in this way so I can keep providing you with valuable content and show you how you can do this too! 🫶🏻
- Melody
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