How To Get Sales From Your Lead Generation Efforts

Generating leads is great.

But you know what’s even better?

Converting those leads into paying customers.

So how can you make sure that your lead generation efforts result in sales?

We believe that the best way to sell anything online is the Value Ladder sales funnel.

And today we will show you how to build one for your business…

What is the Value Ladder Sales Funnel?

The Value Ladder sales funnel was developed by our co-founder Russell Brunson.

He then used it to grow ClickFunnels from zero to $100M+ in annual revenue in less than seven years.

This sales funnel has four stages:

1. Bait – You offer the potential customer your lead magnet in exchange for their email address.
2. Frontend – You offer the potential customer your least expensive and least valuable product.
3. Middle – You offer the customer a more expensive and more valuable product.
4. Backend – You offer the customer your most expensive and most valuable product.

Ideally, you also have a continuity program of some sort, meaning, a subscription product that generates recurring revenue.

The reason why the Value Ladder sales funnel works so well is that it allows you to:

1. Start the relationship with that person by providing free value.
2. Nurture that relationship by continuing to provide free value via email.
3. Build trust by providing progressively more paid value at each stage.

Here’s how Russell explains it:

How to Build a Value Ladder Sales Funnel

So how can you build a Value Ladder sales funnel?

Step #1: Create a Super Valuable Lead Magnet

A lead magnet is a freebie that you offer to the potential customer in exchange for their email address:

It can be anything that they can either download to their device or access online:

• A report
• An eBook
• A webinar
• A video course
• An email course

…etc.

Whenever we talk about lead magnets, we always emphasize that:

Potential customers won’t give you their email addresses unless you offer them something super valuable in return.

That’s why the key to designing an effective lead magnet is this:

Create something that your potential customers desperately want…

Then give it to them for free!

Step #2: Create a Landing Page for That Lead Magnet

A landing page is a type of web page that is designed with just one conversion goal in mind.

You should create a lead generation landing page for your lead magnet.

It doesn’t have to be sophisticated, a simple squeeze page will do.

Here’s are the three key elements that it should have:

• A headline that conveys what your free offer is all about.
• An opt-in form where the potential customer can type in their email address. It can be either displayed immediately or after they click the call-to-action button.
• A call-to-action button that encourages the potential customer to get the lead magnet.

Here’s a super simple, yet high-converting squeeze page that we use for our “Funnel Hacker’s Cookbook” lead magnet:

Step #3: Create an Irresistible Frontend Offer

Your frontend offer is the least expensive and least valuable product that you pitch to the potential customer once you have their email address.

It’s best if it targets the same problem as your lead magnet but provides much more value.

That way, the lead magnet serves not only as “bait” that attracts potential customers but also as a free sample of the value that they can expect from your frontend product.

We also recommend you to price your frontend offer at $7.

That way, the price isn’t so low as to make the potential customer skeptical of the product’s value but also not high enough to make them stop and think before buying it.

For Example:

Matthew Hussey, a world-renowned dating coach, has a lead magnet called “9 Texts” that offers nine text message scripts that women can copy-paste when texting guys they like.

Meanwhile, his frontend product is a guide called “The Momentum Texts” that offers 67 more text message scripts.

And yes, it costs just $7.

See how there’s a seamless transition from the lead magnet to the frontend product?

That’s what you want in your sales funnel as well.

Step #4: Create a Sales Page for Your Frontend Offer

Even a product that costs $7 needs a proper sales page. So how can you write one that converts?

The most important copywriting principle you need to understand is this:

No one cares about you or your product.

What potential customers care about is themselves and how your product will make their lives better.

The best way to think about this is in terms of features and benefits:

• A feature is a quality or a function of a product (e.g. “These shoes are waterproof”).
• A benefit is a value that the customer will derive from that product (e.g. “These shoes will keep your feet warm and dry”).

People buy based on benefits aka what’s in it for them.

And that’s why you should always sell on benefits, then support your pitch with features.

Here’s an old copywriter saying that might help you remember this principle:

Features tell. Benefits sell. 

We also recommend you to get a free copy of Jim Edward’s book “Copywriting Secrets” if you want to learn more about writing sales pages that convert.

Get Your FREE Copy!

Step #5: Create an Indoctrination Email Sequence

You also need an “indoctrination” email sequence that will be automatically sent to every new email subscriber.

We recommend this 6-email structure that is similar to how we get to know people in real life:

Email #1: Who are You?

Introduce yourself to the new subscriber.

The purpose of this email is not to give them the rundown of your bio but to create an emotional connection by telling them a story they can relate to.

Its message should be “Hey, I’ve been where you are right now, I know how it feels”.

Email #2: Where Did You Come From?

This is where you tell your new subscriber your origin story. How did you come to do whatever it is that you do now?

• How did you first get interested in it?
• What obstacles did you face?
• Who were your mentors?

…etc.

Again, don’t just give them a chronological rundown, tell a story that they can relate to.

Email #3: What do You do?

Okay, now that they know your background, it’s time to explain what it is that you do:

• What problems are you addressing?
• What solutions are you offering?
• How are you different from your competitors?

Note that this shouldn’t be a sales pitch.

You are just telling them what you do for a living in a similar way that you would if you were talking to a stranger at a party.

Email #4: How Did You Gain This Expertise?

Let’s keep it real:

The Internet is full of frauds.

That’s why your new subscriber wants to know the answer to this question:

“Why should I listen to you?”

So explain to them how did you gain the expertise that qualifies you to do what you do.

Mention relevant education, credentials, accomplishments, etc.

Email #5: Who do You do This for?

Now it’s time to tell your new subscriber who your dream customers are…

And then share a case study of how you helped such a person achieve the results that they wanted!

Email #6: How Can You do it for Me?

This is where you pitch your product.

Alternatively, if you have already built out your entire Value Ladder, you can give the new subscriber an overview of your sales funnel.

In that case, you can think of this email as a buffet, simply share links to your offers and provide a description of each, then let the new subscriber pick and choose whatever they want.

Use This Call to Action for Best Results!

We recommend that in emails 1-5 you use a call to action where you ask the new subscriber a question and encourage them to reply to your email.

Ideally, you should then reply to all the responses that you get, or at least to as many of them as possible.

This introduces a human element to your email marketing so that there’s actual one-on-one communication, not just automated messages.

Want Russell to Show You How to Build Your First Sales Funnel?

Let’s keep it real:

Building a sales funnel from scratch can seem like a daunting task.

That’s why we created our 5 Day Challenge where Russell walks you through it step-by-step.

You will learn how to:

• Generate unlimited leads
• Create your first lead magnet
• Build your first sales funnel
• Create a simple 6-email follow-up sequence
• And launch your funnel

…in just five days!

So don’t hesitate.

Join our 5 Day Challenge today. It’s completely free!