Why Do You Need A Sales Funnel?
Whether you make money from an online business or a blog, you need a sales funnel to convert your customers/ readers into buyers. Unfortunately many entrepreneurs either don't know what a sales funnel is for or how to use one.
Plainly, the main purpose of your sales funnel is to move people through the various phases until they reach the final purchasing phase. But, in truth, it's more complex these days. Now, you need to nurture relationships that help to foster the "know, like, trust" factor if you want people to buy. And, you want that nurturing to happen for them every step of the way. In today's online world not everyone begins at the top of your funnel. It is just as common that a person doing a search finds your website, likes your product, and makes a purchase. Your attention to this customer at this point is crucial if you want their repeat business.
Begin With A Simple Sales Funnel
At some point, it's likely that your business will utilize multiple funnels to sell your products and services. Yet, your first sales funnel will likely be a super simple one and strictly speaking needn't sell anything. A well functioning, lead gathering funnel that brings in subscribers is a valuable asset to any type of business.
Still, in most sales funnels you have awareness of you and your business at the top, and an action of some kind at the bottom. The amounts, and kinds of phases, or stages in between, can be as many and varied as you need for the business you have. I recommend simplicity for your first funnel because, like any piece of content that you create, you will want to gauge the responses to it and make any changes as necessary to refine it. In other words, you need to gather data, analyze, and improve your funnel if you want better results.
Determine Your Ultimate Goal
- Inventory your list of offers, both paid, and unpaid
- Sort your offers into those that are anytime, or evergreen offers, and those that are either time specific, or one-time offers
- Determine what your ultimate goal is for this particular funnel
- Create the customer's journey outlining the steps for them to follow
- Create an automated email series, map out exactly what's included at each level
Building Your First Sales Funnel
Phase 1 | What You Can Do To Raise Brand Awareness
- Your website optimized for user experience. With easy to use navigation, load speed, and mobile friendliness. This can't be stressed enough as this is often where your customers have found you, and they will judge your business by its appearance.
- A Social Media presence. You need not be on every platform, but, you certainly need to be where your target audience hangs out.
- Your blog. If you don't have a blog you should consider starting one. There is no better vehicle for spreading your knowledge and authority about the products, or services you sell.
- Ads. You can place an ad in your local newspaper, through Google Adwords, or Facebook ads.
Phase 2| Interest / Lead Gathering
- Capture the email addresses of interested people with a targeted lead magnet.
- Ask for social likes and follows to keep in front of those less interested at this time.
Phase 3 | Nurturing Your List / Decision
- Your email sequence has done its job, and you've skipped straight to the last phase and made a few sales.
- Target the remainder of your list with an additional sequence that gives them more free value.
- Ask them what they are struggling with, and offer to help them overcome it.
- Don't forget to respond to their questions and concerns.
Phase 4 | Action / Sale
- You have made several sales. But, your job isn't done.
- You have more nurturing to do if you want repeat customers, and word of mouth recommendations.
- Remember to thank them.
- Check back with them to see that they are using/ enjoying their new product.
- If not find out why not.
Sidenote:
A quick and easy way to look at some great sales funnels is to sign up to an email list or purchase a product of someone you like or admire. Pay attention to the email sequence, and their sales funnel as you receive it ( I recommend that you save them if they are particularly good) to use as a guideline. Don't copy it but use it as a reference.
I hope you found this easy to understand, and useful as you create your own first sales funnel. Drop me a line, I'd love to hear from you. Please share it with your friends if it was helpful.