Some things are better when they're warm.
Towels. Soup. Grilled cheese sandwiches.
Something else that's better when it's warm is the relationship you have with potential clients. A warm relationship is full of trust, respect, and appreciation. Qualities that lead someone to buy whatever it is you're offering them.
Imagine this…
You walk into a bakery on the day of its Grand Opening. As soon as you open the front door, the baker comes over and shoves a big ol', icing covered cupcake in your face.
At first, you might think, "Is this heaven?"
But then, he starts to bring over more desserts. You can't move, think, or breathe without some confection being shoved in your mouth. He keeps saying things like:
"You can't leave without trying this."
"Ooh. This is perfect for you!"
"You'll just love this buttercream icing."
If this happened to you, how would you feel?
You might feel a little weirded out about the fact you haven't had a chance to inhale the sweet bakery aroma before you're bombarded with a, "Here, buy this!" That's exactly how potential clients will feel if you start shoving your paid offer in their face as soon as they meet you or find your business online.
You need to give them time to take in the sights, smells, and items you offer BEFORE asking them to hand over the cash. They need to warm up to you a bit before they'll be ready to buy from you.
That's exactly what a sales funnel does for your business.
Now, let's take a look at the different parts of the funnel, and how you can guide someone through it to warm them up to you, your business, and your offer.
AWARENESS
The awareness stage is when someone is hearing about you and your business for the first time. This is when marketing your business comes into play. To raise your awareness, post about your brand on social media, in online groups or forums, tell your friends, join networking groups, etc. Do whatever you can to tell as many people as possible about what you do and who you help.
At this stage, you can also create a free offer to attract new leads to your email list. Email is one of the easiest and fastest ways to guide potential clients through your sales funnel.
INTEREST
Now that you've grabbed the attention of your future client, it's time to get them interested in your offer. You'll need to have a solid idea of what your offer is and how it helps your client before beginning this phase of the funnel.
At this stage, you can create posts on social media that mention your offer. [You don't want to say "buy it now" at this point, you're just trying to get them interested.]
You can also share a link to a landing page that asks them to "join your waitlist" to learn more about your offer, once again getting those potential clients on your email list.
Freebie Funnel Kickstarter
Wish you could create a sales funnel that actually helps you sell your paid offers?
The Freebie Funnel Kickstarter is an easy-to-follow system to help you grow your email list fast, with subscribers who can’t wait to work with you.
CONSIDERATION
Once someone makes it through the interest phase of your funnel, they're ready to consider buying your offer. BUT, they'll want to make sure their investment in you and your offer will be worth it. This is when you'll want to share more details about what's included in your offer and testimonials from past clients.
Email is one of the best ways to guide someone through the consideration phase. You can do that by:
Sending them videos or articles of your offer in action.
Sharing testimonials of past clients.
Providing more free content to make someone see the value in what you're offering.
Giving out a free trial of your offer (if possible).
Reducing their worry by answering questions in a live social media video or with a simple FAQ sheet.
You can also post this same content on your social media to warm up anyone that takes an "I'll watch from the side-lines" approach to your business.
ACTION
This is the moment you've been waiting for. The action phase is when someone actually buys your offer. Make this process simple by telling them when your offer is available for purchase. Make sure all links to your purchase page are in working order. And don't forget to tell them how to make their purchase.
REACTION
Your funnel isn't over just because someone made the purchase. Now, the hard part starts. You have to deliver on your promise and make sure it's everything you said it would be. You want all clients to have a positive reaction to you, your business, and the service you're offering. Give them an experience they can't help but tell their friends about!
The better an experience, the more likely they are to come back to you anytime they need your service.
Sales Funnel Quick Tip:
If you're stuck on the awareness stage and aren't sure what type of freebie to make, flip your funnel. Think about your end goal first. What is it you want potential clients to do or buy? Now, think about the steps it will take someone to get there OR what they'll need to know before buying. That's what your freebie should focus on.
Here are a few examples:
If you're an accountant and want to get new clients, you might offer a "home budgeting worksheet" to potential clients who want to get their finances in order.
If you're a photographer and want to attract new clients, you might offer a "family posing guide.” You could also include examples of photos you've taken to compliment the poses in the guide.
If you're a health and wellness coach and want to get new clients in your coaching program, you might offer a "30-day healthy lunch planner" to your prospects.
Sales funnels don't have to be complicated or contain 50 moving parts to work. The key is to plan out your goals and the steps the funnel should contain before you start writing freebies, emails, ads, etc.
Do you use sales funnels in your business? Let me know in the comments below.
Now that you know what a sales funnel does, it's time to create one of your own. The Show-Stopping Sales Funnel Checklist will give you everything you need to create a funnel that will bring you more leads, subscribers, and sales.