7 Steps to Build an Email List with a Sales Funnel (the smart way...)
When done right, a well thought out sales funnel will build your email list and make sales for you automatically.
Here’s a quick overview of what you need to do…
Step #1 - Send traffic to your squeeze page
Offer high quality products for free in exchange for your visitor’s name and email address. Give away things that you could charge for. Get graphics done for the gift. Make it appealing. ‘Sell’ the freebie so that visitors truly desire your product and opt-in.
Step #2 - Add a special offer after sign up
Next you need to create a low-cost, high value special offer to monetize the time and effort you put into promoting your squeeze page. This may very well be the last time they see your website, so now is a good time to make a sale. You can offer an upgraded version of your product e.g. add audios, add videos, offer resell rights, private label rights etc. as a paid upgrade.
Step #3 - Offer a down-sell
Next you need to offer a down-sell of the previous offer. Not everyone will buy your main offer, however some will buy a cheaper version if the price is right. Offer about half the amount of content for about half the price. You’ll be surprised at how many sales you can pick up just by presenting a variation of the previous offer.
Step #4 - Create access pages
Next you need to create access pages (also known as download pages or thankyou pages) for every single option. In this example you will need three. One for those that passed on your special offer and downsell... another one for those that purchased your special offer... and another one for those that purchased your down-sell. Put the free gifts you promised on your squeeze page on every page and place the download links to the products you promised on the special offer and down-sell on their respective pages.
Step #5 - Add affiliate offers to access pages
The next step is to add related affiliate offers to your access pages. The purpose is turn a profit from other sources of income - i.e. affiliate marketing. If you're reading this then I'm assuming you haven't created many products so promoting affiliate offers is the next best thing. If you’re offering a free eBook on your squeeze page on ‘how to setup a WordPress blog’ for example, offer WordPress training tutorials as a recommendation to help them further. If you’re offering a free eBook on how to write articles, recommend an article submitter or spinner to help them achieve results faster. If you're offering a free eBook on traffic and SEO, then recommend SEO software.
Step #6 - Setup an affiliate program
Next you should allow your new subscribers to promote your sales funnel and return give them 100% commission of the sale on the special offer and down-sell when they promote your squeeze page. Use a system like JVZoo or your own self-hosted one, so that anyone who promotes your site can earn commissions instantly. If your special offers convert well, subscribers will actively promote your squeeze page and build your list for you. So everytime you promote your squeeze page, your efforts are multiplied.
Step #7 - Follow up with your readers
Next you need to follow up with your readers and send them emails and free gifts on a regular basis. There’s no point in building a list if your readers don’t even know who you are when you send out an email. You’ll get very low clicks and many unsubscribes. So when starting out prepare at least one month’s worth of emails spaced 2-3 days apart that deliver good quality information and content. That way when you have an offer to promote, it will sell much better!
Final Thoughts...
These are the steps you need to build a high-converting sales funnel that builds your list, make sales, gets other people to send you traffic, and builds a relationship with your list on complete autopilot.
However every step must be done correctly or else the chain of events will break. So take your time to do things right because it pays off in the end and will last forever.
Posted and written by Aaron Danker - With over 18 years of online experience, Aaron takes complex subjects and breaks it down into simple layman's terms that anyone can follow. He provides high-level training, done-for-you solutions and website installation services so everyone can learn and profit. This blog is a insider journal of all the best tried and tested marketing methods to date backed by years or trial and error. If you'd like to learn more from Aaron and start your online business then sign up now for a free online masterclass.
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