If in 2022 you are planning on creating an online course, membership, academy or have some offer that you can sell to anyone worldwide you are going to need a funnel to sell that thing.
When we have a local service area business such as walking grooming or training then the marketing and selling of that is much easier. It’s locally based so we target your local SEO on your website and you do your marketing for your local area eg. Ads in vets, post in local Facebook groups.
When you have something to sell that you can sell to anyone nationwide or even worldwide the marketing and the SEO becomes much more difficult. Niching can help with this e.g. helping owners off a specific breed, or with a specific problem like reactivity. But still, the competition in Google is generally much higher, and you do have to work a lot harder to get your marketing to work.
And this is where a funnel comes in. Funnels are perfect for marketing your online course, academy or membership.
But what exactly is a funnel?
All a funnel is, is an automated way to get in front of new people. To give them the chance to get to know you, like you, trust you and learn from you before they get on a webinar or a one to one call with you, or ideally, directly sign up to your course or membership.
Think of it as online networking and marketing, a way of selling to many.
It does all of the upfront work for you. It’s a no brainer.
One of the things that leads the funnel is the freebie that you create. And this is where the notorious lead magnet comes into play.
Your lead magnet entices people onto your email list to then continue chatting with them. The lead magnet should be the mini version of the thing that you have to sell.
Lead magnets could be:
- A PDF download
- A checklist PDF
- A video mini-series embedded into your emails.
All of these will be offered on your website and delivered by your email marketing software e.g. Mailerlite (my fave), Mailchimp, Hubspot and there’s many more.
What are the three things that your freebie has to do in order to work?
One
It has to be a mini version of the thing you’re offering. It has to connect with what your course or membership is about, not be something totally different.
Potential customers need to experience the offer and get to know like and trust you, and learn from you in a small way that leads to the final product.
Two
It’s got to be irresistible. You have to sell people what they want, give them what they need.
You have to sell the outcome, the transformation. Sell the thing in their mind that they are aiming for.
People with dogs with Separation Anxiety, what are they looking for? They are looking to be able to go out to the shops without leaving Fluffy at home howling as they close the door.
Sell the vision of Fluffy being calm and peaceful as they lock the door, with no anxiety for them whilst they go and meet their friend for an enjoyable 2 hour lunch. The feeling of being a relaxed and happy dog owner rather than one who is totally stressed out and worried about their dog.
People with spaniels what are they looking for? They are looking to have a calm walk with their spaniel by their side not legging it around chasing everything in sight and generally being crazy.
Sell the outcome, sell the dream of the walk through the forest with their spaniel at their side whilst feeling the warm sunshine on their face and feeling energised by their healthy and calm dog walk.
Three
You must add value every time you put a bit of content out or share a freebie or a mini version or do a promo or plan a webinar.
People will pay you to join your courses and sign up for your memberships if they get into your energy, into your space and feel like you are the one that can deliver the transformation that they are looking for.
They are not your customers at this point, so give them a mini experience of it what it would be like to be one and you will convert them into paying clients.
Be generous, add value, give people a real chance to know like trust and learn from you. And that is how you win more customers, grow your business and help and serve many more dog owners that are out there looking for the help that you offer RIGHT NOW.
All WUF design and Ready Steady WUF websites come ready to implement your funnel and email marketing.