The beauty of Internet marketing comes in the fact that you’re never tied down to a single source of revenue.

With so many potential options when it comes to putting your product out there, there’s no need to restrict yourself.

By exploring these eight traffic sources, you can expand your bottom line and make sure you’re making the most of your marketing dollars.

Businesses have options galore when it comes to building their sales funnels online.

This begs the question: why do some marketers get caught up on establishing a sole stream of revenue?

It’s definitely a thought worth pondering, especially since establishing multiple revenue streams is all the rage for modern online businesses.

But before we get into the different web traffic sources, let’s talk about traffic itself and its role in a company’s online success and how it influences how you build your funnel.

Why is Traffic So Important?

Traffic is essentially the number of visitors to your website. Simply put, the more visitors that come to your site, the more possible customers you have. It’s true that not all of them will convert, but having more visitors means having a bigger pool to draw from.

But bringing traffic to your site isn’t just about the numbers, it’s about the quality. You want valuable traffic, not just any old traffic. We’re talking the type of traffic more likely to convert.

Paid traffic is that traffic that you paid for to come to your site. This usually comes from display ads, sponsored content, social media ads, or paid search like Google AdWords. Organic traffic, on the other hand, is usually a result of unpaid search results, like someone looking for a product or solution in a search engine like Google.

Both types can be valuable forms of traffic. Funnels can benefit greatly from them. Organic traffic is often more cost-effective while the results of paid traffic are usually more immediate.

Driving Traffic to Your Sales Funnel

Once traffic is on your site, you need to know how to get them into your sales funnel. That comes down to how your landing page is designed.

Much of the success in this effort comes from managing expectations. If the ad that brings a visitor to your page promises a discount, the landing page should feature that discount.

Failing to meet the expectations you set often creates confusion and will drive visitors away from your website. If visitors know exactly what they’re getting from you before reaching your page, they’ll more likely enter you sales funnel and continue their journey.

Now that you know a bit more about traffic, it’s time to look at the many traffic sources for websites. Perhaps companies are hesitant to diversify because it just sounds too good to be true; however, the following means of building your sales funnel are tried and tested, with real potential to jive with just about any product or service online.

1. Email Lists

The mumblings of the Internet marketing rumor mill might lead you to believe email marketing is dead. False.

Internet marketing is very much alive and kicking, especially in a mobile marketplace where users are glued to smartphones.

We live in a world of notifications and alerts, in which sitting quite literally in the pockets of our users has never been easier.

Building an email list is a proven means of establishing a dedicated base of buyers.

Let’s take some modern email marketing statistics into consideration, including the fact that…

• 33% of emails are opened on iPhones; Meanwhile, 75% of Gmail accounts (totally over 900 million users) regularly access their email via mobile. The myth that “nobody uses email anymore” is absolutely absurd, especially when mobile users are so hungry for new messages.
• Over one-quarter of all Black Friday transactions in 2015 were kindled through email marketing. In other words, email appeals to a variety of buyers and users and no single, solitary demographic.
• Approximately 90% of marketers claim that email was their main means of generating leads. Who said email marketing was dead, again?

In short, the concept of email marketing representing spam is bogus, especially if you’re the one getting users into your own funnel.

Don’t stress about “spamming” your base; instead, focus on providing them with legitimate products and content that meet their particular needs.

The sales will come naturally.

2. Facebook Ads

Image Source: Aerotech Digital Marketing 

The unlikely success of Facebook has proven inspirational for Internet marketers and users alike. Mark Zuckerberg’s wildly successful social network boasts over one billion daily active users and has become a cornerstone of the modern web.

Given the site’s reputation and reach, it should come as no surprise that Facebook sports a robust advertising system for businesses.

Due to the massive nature of Facebook, their ad system has to be laser-focused and targeted for small businesses looking to convert sales from the platform’s massive user base.

Considering that Facebook ad convert approximately 25% of social media referrals versus platforms such as Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube, such ads have become to the go-to for marketers looking to break through the often tumultuous social media ad-space.

Much like brands such as Amazon or Apple, Facebook has become a trustworthy, household name.

By hosting ads on their platform, you establish yourself as a likewise trusted brand. With their flexible budget and numerous, high-performing call-to-action options, there’s no reason not to get your feet wet with Facebook’s platform.

3. Google Ads

With over $50 billion (yes, billion) in global net ad revenue last year, it’s clear to see why Google ads have been the bread and butter of marketers for quite some time.

Many businesses are wary of entering the world of paid search due to the risk-reward balancing act involved.

Considering the astronomically high click-through rates of ads in the top Google position, however, we can understand why perhaps it’s a more than worthy investment.

True, there is some risk involved due to the potentially high cost of keywords (depending on your industry).

However, consider some of the benefits of delving into Google’s ad platform, including:

Gaining a Better Understanding of Your Competitors – Targeting keywords can be a difficult, laborious process; however, it’s absolutely crucial for a successful SEO strategy. Getting your feet wet with Google Ads can help you better understand what your competitors are targeting and lead you into finding your niche, or better yet…

Understanding the Keywords You Can Dominate – “Niche” is, after all, the name of the game for many of today’s marketers and business. Which niche do you have the potential to dominate? What keywords belong to your business? Through AdWords, you can better understand not only where you stand versus your competitors, but which keywords convert and ultimately…

Test the Merits of Your Site and its Product – Are you getting clicks? Are those clicks converting into sales? The traffic obtained from Google ads is perhaps one of the best means of testing your site regarding user behavior and how your site’s content plays a role in the buying process. Google ads are a great way to find out what’s influencing your users and to A/B test means of improving sales through your site in the future.

4. Instagram Ads

Image Source: Instagram for Business

Instagram is one of the younger guns regarding social media ad space; however, it’s 400 million active users and 40 billion photos shared to date perhaps speak for themselves.

When we think of Instagram, we perhaps think of celebrity images and viral photos, ignoring the ad potential projected to grow to approximately $2.81 billion by next year.

As more and more businesses hop onto Instagram, noted to be one of the fastest growing platforms for SMBs, you might ask whether it’s not worth taking the leap as well.

With a similar CTR and CPM as Facebook (who own Instagram, by the way), coupled with the revenue above of the platform, Instagram may offer a snapshot into the future of photo marketers looking to engage users on a more visual level.

5. Solo Ads

Image Source: Precise Strategy 

Although perhaps not as “sexy” as your Facebook or Instagram ads, solo ads represent a numbers game which can provide big returns if executed properly.

In the same wheelhouse as email lists, solo ads allow you to blast a single offer to an opted-in email list.

Since the list is opt-in only, there’s less concern for being perceived as spam (assuming that the company providing the list is reputable).

When it comes to solo ads, we’re primarily playing with click-through rates and conversions.

For this reason, before considering a solo ad one should ensure that…

• The company selling the ad has a track record regarding their list and click-through rates (check ratings, reviews, and testimonials)
• The product of service being offered through the solo ad stresses urgency (one-time deal, strong call to action, time-sensitive offers)
• Strong marketing copy, both regarding subject line and the email copy itself (keep it short and sweet, include a compelling call to action alongside a trackable email link)

Perhaps the road less traveled these days, solo ads can be powerful tools for generating new leads.

Much of your success, however, depends on your own research, effort, and execution.

6. Podcasts

While radio advertising is dead in the water for most modern industries, podcasts remain a viable advertising option for those looking to build their sales funnel.

With 20% of Americans listening to at least one podcast per month and 63% of those users purchasing something a host promoted on the show, podcast advertising provides a truly unique opportunity for brands looking to break through to more buyers.

The key for successful podcast advertising is, yet again, understanding your product, its niche and the buyers within that niche.

For example, it wouldn’t make much sense for a website selling organic cloth diapers to advertise on a podcast for motorcycle enthusiasts (nor would it make sure to sell Harley Davidsons on a parenting podcast).

If you can find the right fit within your industry, advertising on a podcast can not only drive sales but also build your brand in the eyes (or ears, rather) of curious new buyers.

7. Blogs

Advertising on a blog may seem like a no-brainer; however, some marketers may cling to one method rather than explore what blogging has to offer.

For many marketers, seeing the ROI of blogging and subsequent content creation is often the hang-up.

How do I know this is going to work? How do I know it’s going to result in sales?

Guest blogging (along with other means advertising of blogs, including paid ads) is not just a way to get your product in front of more eyes.

It’s a means of building your brand, appearing like an authority and, this is perhaps the hidden gem, building backlinks to drive future traffic to your site.

Seeking out blogs which operate within your niche might very well be the secret weapon of the modern marketer.

Is a blog creating content surrounding your niche or product? Are their users hungry for more?

Blogger outreach is more than likely worth your time and attention.

8. Banner Ads

Image Source: Pinterest

Last but not least, let’s talk about banner ads.

We could discuss ad-nauseum the phenomenon of ad blindness and question whether or not such advertising is worth it; however, let’s consider instead the reasons why people don’t click on banner ads.

Such reasons include the ad representing a distraction (annoying pop-ups), providing irrelevant content or appearing just plain spammy.

The solution, then, is to provide creative ads which provide legitimate value to users.

Perhaps what’s more important than the ads themselves is the format.

That is, where they are placed, how they appear and whether or not they are targeting the right users.

Are your ads professionally designed?

Are you offering a legitimate product or deal that can help your users? Are your ads in the right place?

Banner ads do have a place in the modern marketing world, granted they are utilized correctly. Build banners that spark interest and drive users to buy rather than spam that scares buyers away. If you follow such principles, clicks will come your way.

The Bottom Line

The possibilities are seemingly endless when it comes to bringing streams into your sales funnel.

By breaking the dam and establishing new streams for users, you increase your chances of sales while also establishing your brand online.

Which of the above website traffic sources do you think has the most potential for the modern business?

Continued Reading

• Sales Funnels: The Ultimate Guide
• Using Sales Funnels
• Mapping Out Your Sales Funnel Online
  

Thanks for reading 8 Proven Traffic Sources for Your Sales Funnel which appeared first on ClickFunnels.

As the saying goes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Not all sales funnels are created equally; likewise, you may want to rebuild the success of an existing funnel but have no idea how to emulate it.

Chances are you can find out how using just three steps.

There’s nothing wrong with a bit of competition.

In fact, it’s fair to say that competition is the catalyst of modern Internet marketing, as businesses constantly strive to test, tinker and try out new strategies as a means to dominating their respective niches.

A successful sales funnel is a prime example of trying something new to drive new sales and figure out what speaks most to our base of hungry users looking for real solutions in a marketing world often full of white noise.

Now, let’s say that you find a killer sales funnel that hits all the right buttons regarding design, content, and reach.

The design is crisp, the call-to-action is clear, and the offer is dynamite.

Let’s say you want to try and recreate the same marketing principles and points for your own funnel.

Well, what happens when that perfect funnel is in your niche?

What if the funnel belongs to a direct competitor?

That’s a problem, right?

Not necessarily.

The beauty of sales funnels comes in the fact that they are flexible regarding customization.

You can easily adjust your marketing language and offers.

For example, a site selling home dumbbell routines for men and a site selling yoga accessories to expectant mothers have two completely different audiences; however, the tone of their frontend pitches and execution of their backend funnel strategies may be identical.

We’re not suggesting that you undercut your competition, not by a long shot.

Any successful means of marketing, a sales funnel or otherwise, depends on a trustworthy brand with a sound product.

If you’re unable to provide such value to your users, you may find your efforts dead before they hit the ground.

If you are instead looking to see how competing funnels are performing and whether or not you can crack the code to their success, keep reading.

Truly understanding the in’s and out’s of your competition is perhaps one of the best weapons in your marketing arsenal.

It’s not always about you; instead, it’s about your customer and what products and services are currently being marketed to them.

Where does your funnel stack up?

What does your funnel do for them and how can you improve it?

How can you figure out what really works?

To rebuild a top performing sales funnel, you must first research and understand exactly how the funnel works.

Easier said than done, right?

Enter Their Funnel

Understanding the success of a competing funnel is akin to performing some in-depth detective work.

Perhaps the most effective way of gathering information is by going through the buying process yourself (sometimes known as “the buyer’s journey”), serving almost as an undercover agent for the product in the question.

Exploring this process is advantageous for multiple reasons, including:

You get to put yourself in the customer’s shoes – It’s not difficult for businesses to lose touch with their base from time to time.

Often, sales teams fail to map out what makes a successful sale.

This includes metrics such as click-through rates, drop off points and other milestones which measure customer engagement.

By playing the role of customer, ask yourself: how engaged are you with your competitors funnel?

What about your own  By putting ourselves in the customer’s shoes, we get to see the “gotcha” moments of a sales funnel and the calls-to-action in a real-time setting.

You see firsthand what works (and what doesn’t) – We can go on and on about market research and A/B testing; however, it’s all meaningless until it’s actually put into action.

By seeing how competing funnels operate, you provide yourself an opportunity to gather meaningful data on competitors regarding how they’re writing their content, presenting their deals and so on.

Are they using percentages or statistics?

Infographics?

Are the offers time sensitive?

How are they opting in?

The answers to these questions can help you craft your own killer funnel.

You get to see the backend firsthand – Marketers tend to obsess over the frontend and neglect arguably the most important aspect of a sales funnel: the backend.

However, the backend provides more opportunities to upsell customers and turn them into repeat buyers.

By seeing a competing funnel’s backend firsthand, you better understand what types of services you could eventually push to your own list over time.

Spy Games

Rebuilding a successful sales funnel also requires a keen understanding of competing for traffic sources.

Let’s face it: the traffic for your niche is probably spread across a network of sites.

How are you supposed to dominate a niche when there are so many moving pieces to ranking in Google or getting users into your funnel?

Many marketers have no idea where to begin with driving traffic away from competitors and back to their own sites, especially when keyword competition is so fierce.

To push the detective allegory a bit further, one of the best ways to learn from your competitors is to do a bit of spying.

It is very much possible to play some spy games with your competitors to see where their traffic comes from.

Depending on the tools you have in your marketing tool belt, this can be a relatively simple process.

Is this so-called spying underhanded or “unfair?” Absolutely not.

Such tools are completely by-the-book and can be accessed by any marketer.

Don’t think of “spying” as sneaking around; think of it as using what’s available to you to stay competitive in your industry.

There are some free tools available to help keep an eye on your competition and understand their traffic.

Such tools often have their limitations (especially when using the unpaid versions); however, there are plenty of free tools out there which work to…

Keep you updated whenever your competitor is mentioned online (via social media or otherwise)

• Monitor to the competitiveness of keywords in your niche, including keywords your competitors are targeting
• Analyze your competitor’s traffic regarding what keywords they are ranking for organically

In short, there’s plenty you can do to analyze your competitor’s traffic without spending a penny (Google’s Keyword Planner, for example, should already be a staple of your marketing efforts).

What if you’re willing to spend a bit more to learn the in’s and out’s of your competitor’s traffic?

There are plenty of paid tools out there (perhaps to the point of being overwhelming), but what’s worth its salt for marketers looking to get the best bang for their buck?

In the past, we’ve discussed the benefit of sales funnel tools such as AdBeat, which allows you to see the biggest advertisers in your space, what publishers their using and what messages they’re using to generate leads.

Of course, such tools do not come without their price tags, yet provide options for those looking for an in-depth competitive analysis.

Such analysis may be the key to rebuilding your next sales funnel.

Ask the Right Questions (to the Right People)

Conventional wisdom tells us that if you want something (or in this case, want to know something), it’s best just to ask.

When it comes to building an effective sales funnel, it’s all about understanding the niche behind that funnel alongside the most popular products and services being offered within that niche.

As niche marketing continues to thrive, affiliate managers are in a unique position when it comes to businesses trying to break through their markets.

If you’re looking to understand a competing funnel’s success better, asking an affiliate manager where they’re having the most success.

This is less “spying” and more “canvassing” when it comes to gathering intelligence on your competitors; however, sometimes the direct approach is the best approach.

Affiliate managers can provide unique insight to marketers and shouldn’t be left out as part of your strategy to rebuild a successful sales funnel.

Bringing it All Together

To put it all together, the keys to rebuilding a successful sales funnel include…

• Going through the funnel process as a buyer, understanding the allure of the competitor’s frontend and investigating the intricacies of their backend
• Spying on your competitor’s traffic sources, establishing an understanding of where their buyers come from and how you can attract the same crowd
• Asking affiliate managers to insight as to what’s working and what isn’t within your niche, further refining your approach to rebuilding your funnel

Rebuilding a successful funnel doesn’t have to be rocket science.

In fact, following through with the steps above is a great way to ensure that you’re following the best practices within your industry while also beefing up your marketing strategy.

Which of the above strategies do you feel is most beneficial to building out a successful sales funnel?

Thanks for reading How to Rebuild Top Performing Sales Funnels in Any Niche which appeared first on ClickFunnels.

Launching a digital course is no simple task; therefore, you want to make sure you get the most out of your efforts.

For this reason, we highly recommend launching an affiliate program alongside your digital course to get the most bang for your buck.

In the final part of this three-part series (Part 1 and Part 2), we’ll discuss the benefits of bringing on affiliates while also considering how you can improve your launch strategy for future projects.

For every product that’s planned and launched, there are two elephants in the room.

The first is the question of whether or not the product made any money.

Fair enough.

The second, which is perhaps more important, is the question of whether or not the product continues to make any money.

Great question.

Think about it.

What’s the point of putting weeks, months, or perhaps even years of your time into a product just to watch it become obsolete in a matter of months?

Unfortunately, this is the reality of some today’s physical and digital products in an increasingly competitive, global economy.

The technological demands of today’s rapid users want more, and they want it now.

It’s the very reason why it seems like there’s a new iPhone on the shelf every time we turn our heads and products such as waterproof smartphones become the flavor of the week.

For this reason, informational products such as digital courses are an ideal means of generating ongoing, passive income.

Whether or not you agree with entrepreneurs such as Tim Ferriss, who adamantly push the creation of information products as a means of making big bucks, it’s difficult to deny the added bonus to having a product in your arsenal which…

• Has a relatively low overhead and even lower barrier to entry
• Can potentially be repurposed and updated at a minimal cost
• Can be easy marketed and sold by others, resulting in more revenue and exposure

That last bullet point will be the focus of this final part of our three-part series on launching your digital course.

That is, should you consider bringing on affiliates as part of your strategy?

The short answer?

Yes.

Bringing on the Hired Guns

There’s no shame in asking for help when it comes to a product launch: in fact, many businesses could actually benefit from having some partners and hired guns on deck to help sell their new products.

The same logic rings true for selling a digital course (and this is especially beneficial if your launch doesn’t exactly go according to plan).

If your clicks and conversions are lower than you expected, what’s a marketer to do when they’re sitting on this brand new digital course and the buzz is drying up?

Don’t panic.

The answer to your plight may very well be best handled by bringing on affiliates.

Consider that digital courses are the bread and butter of many affiliates; meanwhile, keep in mind that a strong affiliate will be able to find warm leads for your product.

Remember, your digital course should have a shelf life beyond your initial launch.

For example, if you’re selling a course that offers killer PPC tips or copywriting strategies, such a course has a shelf life due to the evolving nature of marketing; however, a truly comprehensive course could be sold for years to come (and updated accordingly, if needed).

By selling the course as part of an affiliate program, you expand your scope beyond the initial launch and keep the momentum of your product going strong.

Can Affiliates Really Help?

Yes. Of course, affiliates can help.

Look, it’s natural to be somewhat skeptical.

After all, it’s our product, and we don’t want to see it in the hands of others, right?

Perhaps this is the wrong mentality to have.

If you’re unsure about bringing on affiliates, consider the following:

• Affiliate marketing is expected to grow to a $4.6 billion dollar market by the end of the year (affiliate marketing doesn’t make any money, huh?)
• You do not pay a cent until your affiliate makes a sale (no strings attached)
• You have control over many parameters of your affiliate program, from commissions to banners to advertising copy
• You can’t outrun a poor product; therefore, consider that it takes a product that’s up to snuff to sell to anyone, let alone be sold by affiliates

Sometimes it’s important to note that much of success of affiliate programs falls on the business and marketing the product itself.

Of course, it never hurts to have a killer affiliate on deck, either.

So you’ve decided to go the affiliate route with your digital course.

Now, what?

You Need Options, Functionality, and Flexibility

If you want to have success with affiliates, you’re going to need a few things: options when it comes to setting up your program, the ability to tier commissions and keep track of who’s selling what (and how much you’re making).

Thankfully, ClickFunnels’ Backpack does all of this and more.

Bringing on affiliates doesn’t and shouldn’t have to be rocket science.

Simple to use, ClickFunnels’ Backpack allows you to build an army of commission-based salespeople to help sell your digital course.

Backpack makes it easy to manage affiliates and simplifies the process by…

• Offering a comprehensive overview of the affiliates in your program, the sales they’ve made, their commissions and more
• Allowing you to set up custom commission plans (for example, 35% to affiliate that sells your digital course and 5% to any affiliates they recommend it to)
• A straightforward interface, allowing you to set up and edit affiliate programs with ease

If you’re looking to market your digital course through affiliates, Backpack is the perfect starting point for newbies and experienced marketers alike.

 … and Marketing Firepower

Having a robust platform such as Backpack to manage affiliates is a great starting point when it comes to bringing on affiliates; however, strong marketing materials will help boost sales and ensure that your affiliates are successful (which in turn, make you more successful).

What can you offer your affiliates to help them seal the deal and put money back into your own pocket?

Killer Copy

There’s a reason why 82% of marketers note that strong content results in more conversions: you need a compelling message to support your product. Whether you’re claiming to boost sales, offer a cutting-edge breakthrough or provide secrets to undercut the competition, ensure that your affiliates have something to work with to drive their own content strategy for your product.

Banner Ads

Many marketers disregard banner ads; however, they still remain an incredibly common and easy-to-measure means of attracting clicks.

The effectiveness of your banners are heavily influenced by design, so make sure you’re giving your affiliates something that is attractive to potential buyers and best represents your product.

Upsell Opportunities

Beyond your product itself, give your affiliates an opportunity to upsell and reap the rewards of additional commissions.

For example, you can offer deals such as one-on-one coaching or 20% off for inviting a friend.

If you’re in need of inspiration, see what competitors are doing in this space and understand what sort of offers are popular with competing affiliates.

Attractive Commissions

Keep in mind that a higher percentage (25%+) will be more attractive to an affiliate versus 5%.

This is the very reason why many are discouraged by Amazon’s affiliate program, for example, which offers a 4% starting commission despite the platform’s vast popularity.

The Tim above Ferriss notes that his own affiliate commissions blew up when he offered the highest commission possible with ClickBank (75% at the time), leading hungry affiliates to evangelize his product.

By offering marketing options to affiliates, you increase your earning potential. Plain and simple.

The Power of Asking

So that’s that, right?

You’ve launched, you’ve got affiliates pushing your products, and you’re finally earning from your course.

Finished?

Not quite.

What happens when you want to repeat this sort of process again?

What happens during the next launch?

How can you improve upon your first attempt and make the next launch even better?

Sometimes if you want something, the best thing to do is simply ask.

We strongly recommend “concluding” your launch with an email survey of your customers.

Ask them the questions that really matter about your product, including what they liked about features, design, price, and marketing.

Understanding this information can help you test and drive decisions for your next projects and launches.

The answers to this survey can be quite eye-opening as you continue to build new streams of leads and passionate customers.

Anything Else?

So there it is.

There are plenty of moving pieces when it comes to launching an informational product such as a digital course; however, the rewards can be huge, especially when paired with the power of affiliates.

If you’ve had success with such products, we’d love to hear your story below.

Do you think there’s anything else that goes into a successful launch?

Thanks for reading How to Launch and Sell Your Digital Course Using a High Converting Sales Funnel (Part 3) which appeared first on ClickFunnels.

Although it’s tempting to focus on the “big picture” of our marketing efforts, sometimes the smallest details of our funnels have the most impact on our bottom line.

We’ve outlined the top six elements of funnel-hacking that are often overlooked yet could make or break your next funnel project.

When it comes to building a killer sales funnel, sometimes it’s crucial to understand what not to do.

After all, we understand the most common mistakes both newbies and professional funnel-builders make including:

• Focusing way too much on the front-end of the funnel, sacrificing user experience and copy at the expense of a flashy design that doesn’t actually convert
• Sitting on funnels instead of pushing and testing: after all, how can you hope ever to see a dime if you aren’t putting your products out there?
• Attempting to cut corners with a cheap team or less-than-stellar affiliate, resulting in few clicks and no conversions

However, these mistakes focus on the “big picture.”

What about errors that creep up on us when we’re least expecting them?

The sort of stuff that has us banging our heads against the wall, asking “Oh crap, why didn’t I think of this?!”

Don’t freak out.

Novices and pros alike are prone to the following six funnel factors that almost everyone ignores.

By understanding how to avoid these pitfalls, you can set up your future funnels for success and have a back-up plan if things go awry.

Lack of Product Support

There’s nothing worse than having to deal with something that’s completely out of our control.

Unfortunately, if you build a sales funnel around a product that ultimately lacks customer support, chances are you’re going to hit a huge roadblock.

Even the most pristine funnels, seemingly “perfect” on paper, will be dead in the water if the product its pushing isn’t up to snuff.

So, what’s the solution?

For starters, make sure that you’re working with a trusted affiliate program that provides plenty of affiliate and user feedback regarding the performance of products, for example:

• ClickBank (which has paid out billions to affiliates, easily integrates with ClickFunnels and supplies affiliates with detailed performance information)
• Commission Junction (which boasts robust tracking and transaction monitoring to make sure everything is running smoothly with affiliate offers)
• Amazon Affiliates (which perhaps represent the most “trusted” platform to users; however, you need to read product their reviews carefully)

Regardless of which platform you choose, pay close attention to product descriptions and reviews to avoid any sort of red flags (think: exaggerated claims or promises, scammy guarantees, etc.).

Ideally, you should order the product yourself as a means of providing feedback, answering user questions and simply having a better idea of what you’re working with.

While you shouldn’t feel the need to be a buffer between poor product support and your customers, there are some steps you can take to deal with a lack of affiliate support.

On-site, you may be able to quell some user concerns by crafting a personalized “About” page that urges users to talk to you.

Also, you may consider incorporating a live chat function to meet the needs of concerned customers immediately.

More likely than not, you can avoid this headache altogether simply by picking a proven affiliate program and product with plenty of feedback from sellers.

Ignoring Refund Rates

Funnel-hackers love to talk metrics: from click-through to conversions and beyond, we love to nitpick what’s impacting the effectiveness of our funnels.

However, the metric of “refund rate” rarely comes up in conversation.

Simply put, refund rate represents the cost percentage of returning a product if a buyer isn’t completely satisfied.

For example, exaggerated claims and money back guarantee for a weight-loss product can come back to bite you if customers don’t see the results you promised.

The higher the request for refunds, the higher the refund rate.

In short, a high refund rate can cause you to hemorrhage cash if you aren’t careful with what you’re selling and how you present it to your audience.

This case study from 2010 notes that a majority of ClickBank’s product refund rates were relatively low (less than 5%).

Also, marketing guru Tim Ferriss notes that the best way to avoid refunds is by delivering a high-quality product and outlining extremely clear expectations for customers.

Not all affiliates and vendors publish refund rates; therefore, it again becomes paramount that you only push quality products and be careful with your promises to potential customers.

Streamline this process by having an affiliate management system that lets you integrate it into your funnels like that of Backpack. Not only can it be easily integrated into your funnels, but you can easily view your affiliates’ performance and not miss a payment to your affiliates. What’s more is that since it is easily integrated into your ClickFunnels account, you’ll have the luxury of time to optimise your pages to cut your refund rates.

Getting Cut Off

We never want to assume the worst; however, what happens if our traffic suddenly gets cut off?

What if our affiliate account gets banned, or one of our referral sources simply goes ghost on us?

It’s a nightmare scenario for sure: so what’s the back-up plan?

As the saying goes, never put all your eggs in one basket. Instead, you should diversify how you warm and pull leads into your funnel, including:

• Organic traffic (think: traffic as a result of your SEO efforts and targeting keywords)
• Social traffic (such as those acquired from hyper-targeted Facebook ads)
• Email marketing (including opt-ins and subscribers)
• Affiliate traffic (warm referrals who are interested in what you’re selling)

In the worst-case scenario that one of your traffic sources falls flat, at least you’ll have traction elsewhere.

Likewise, this is why you should consider diversifying your business by building new funnels pushing multiple products rather than being a one-trick-pony regarding sales.

Bear in mind that in the case of any web-based business, it pays to be prepared.

For example, Google’s algorithm update swiftly punished some niche affiliate sites in 2014 for spammy content, dropping some sites’ traffic by a staggering 90%, causing some sites to fall off the face of Google and have to start over from scratch.

While you shouldn’t expect such punishment yourself, always have a “Plan B” on deck.

ClickFunnels can be easily integrated into other 3rd party software to make sure traffic is driven into your funnels. What

Hiring a Cheap Copywriter

The bread and butter of a copywriter are that their words will sell.

Therefore, you need to hire a proven, experienced copywriter before throwing money at someone without a track record.

Preferably, you should look for someone with experience in the following:

• Direct response copywriting
• Swipe files
• Long-form sales letters

Ideally, your potential hires should be able to show you examples of their portfolio and testimonials from former clients to help back-up their claims.

If you’re strapped for cash and perhaps can’t splurge on a career copywriter, you may need to work with someone less experienced or new to the industry (such writers can be found on platforms such as Upwork).

Although it may take some digging, you can find diamonds in the rough who have the chops to write killer copy but haven’t gotten their break yet.

However, if a writer seems like a good fit but is ultimately unproven, there’s no reason to splash big bucks at first glance.

If you’re skeptical, consider offering writers a paid test to figure out whether or not they meet your needs (for example, you could ask them to write a long-form sales letter for a fictional SaaS product).

You can also try Funnel Scripts if you’re looking to creating copies on-demand. It’s a great tool whether it’s for creating high-converting content, ad copy or email subject lines.

Poor Testing

“Always be testing” is the mantra of much modern businesses, and why not?

The benefits of A/B testing are well documented; however, running a test doesn’t mean you have to “go big or go home.”

Instead, rely on smaller sample sets or cheap, cold traffic versus warm leads if you want to experiment with your copy or deals.

Granted you have a large enough sample size; you can get a good idea as to whether or not your marketing speaks to an audience.

Whether you’re testing sales copy, email subject lines or ad design, consider using a sample size calculator to help understand exactly how large your tests should be.

You can also cut down on time and cash by running UX tests that provide valuable insight into exactly how users respond to your on-site marketing.

In short, don’t launch anything until you’ve tested it thoroughly (think: make data-driven decisions rather than relying on your gut).

Sleeping on Leads

If someone expresses interest in what you’re selling, you need to act immediately.

After all, why would you snooze when there’s money on the table?

Response time matters; likewise, customers do not like to be kept waiting.

The longer you wait to respond to leads, the more likely they are to drop out of your funnel.

Therefore, you need the following on deck to make sure that you can get back to customers sooner rather than later:

• Email autoresponders that provide essential details to specific inquiries
• Crystal clear language on your page that customer concerns will be responded to within a certain frame of time (24 – 48 hours, for example) to manage user expectations
• Virtual assistants or a dedicated team member to handle customer questions or concerns if you can’t dedicate the time yourself

Thankfully, modern apps and technology can send such concerns straight to our inboxes while we’re on the go.

Much of responding leads comes down to paying attention and acting in real-time, so make responding to inquiries a top priority to avoid losing leads.

Set up email autoresponders and integrate them into your funnel with ease by making use of automation tools like Actionetics. It’s an added bonus if your email automation tools lets you create and design emails.

What Else Can You Not Afford to Ignore?

Modern marketing affords us so many opportunities to reach customers; however, the small “what-ifs” and worst-case scenarios can lead to major headaches.

By understanding the most overlooked factors of funnel-hacking, you can manage your own expectations and stay on top of customers in the process.

Are there any other seemingly “small” aspects of funnel-building that you feel are overlooked today?

ClickFunnels Action Steps

How to Create Emails with Email Builder

As mentioned earlier, Actionetics’ Email Builder lets you create and design high-quality emails whether you choose to design from scratch or start off with the available templates.

Step 1: Log in to your ClickFunnels account

Step 2: Click Actionetics

Step 3: Go to Email Broadcasts and click on the New Email Broadcast button.

Step 4: Design your email! You can choose from several templates.

Step 5: Add the information needed

1. The subject of your email
2. Add the email lists. In this case, those who signed up for your webinar
3. Your SMTP Configuration which will be used to send emails.

Step 6: Open Email Editor

Step 7: Add and remove elements to your email according to your preference

Step 8: Click Save

Step 9: You can opt to send your emails upon creation or schedule them to be sent at a future time. Simply click “Send Later” and set the time and date.

Thanks for reading 6 Factors That Can Heavily Impact On Your Sales Funnel which appeared first on ClickFunnels.

Having a sales funnel means being able to convert lots of people into paying customers. At least that’s the idea. Sales funnels have been an effective way for decades to get people to buy your products or services. If you’re reading this, you likely have one up and running right now. Maybe you’re seeing the results you want, but there’s also the chance that it’s not making you the money you think you should be making.

So what’s going wrong? You’re using sales funnels, but they’re not leading to big payouts. You know you have the right product to offer. So why aren’t you getting the returns you expected?

It’s time to learn how you can fix your funnel. As part of his Marketing 101 series, Russell Brunson spoke about this very subject. In this video, he addresses what to do about sales funnels that aren’t making money and the steps you can take to remedy the situation. Let’s go over some of the ideas he brings up and mention a few other tips you’ll want to check out.

1. Actually Sell Your Stuff

This point may seem like a strange one to mention, but as Russell explains, too many sales funnels begin with just a picture of the product, the price, and a button to pay for it.

That’s not enough! Don’t just show your product or service to people — sell it! If you have a leaky funnel, chances are you’re not trying to sell the item to the prospect, you just expect people to buy it on face value alone.

There are plenty of great products out there that won’t go anywhere if you don’t sell it to the buyer. Make your offers irresistible. Get prospects excited about what they can gain from what you’re selling. Connect with each prospective buyer. Use persuasive language to explain why they need what you have. That gets them in the mood to actually buy from you. This art of selling a product extends to some of the other points in this article.

2. Tell People a Story

Storytelling is one art form you need to know to get people excited about what you have to offer. Talk about the personal struggle you’ve had and how you got to where you are in your life. It also all ties back into your product or service.

Russell goes into a lot of detail about storytelling in his book Expert Secrets. From this book, you can learn about what it takes to build a rapport with the hero of the story, from detailing the desires they have to the conflict they resolved.

This is engaging content helps audiences relate to you. It also shows how you’ve changed, which gives people the hope that they can change for the better as well. If you tell a good story, you’ll quickly see how much more effective your sales funnel becomes at making money.

3. Understand Your Audience

Along those lines, you also need to get to know the audience you’re selling to. Become familiar with their likes and dislikes. What do they desire the most? What do they want to change about their lives? What frustrates them all the time? Answer these questions and you’re well on your way to perfecting your sales funnel.

There’s actually a term for this called “market empathy.” This is basically where you put yourself in the customers’ shoes as you seek to understand them. If you can figure out what drives them, you can create a message that resonates. You’ll have customers going, “This person is almost exactly like me!” You build a personal connection with prospects and generate leads in the process.

4. Nail Down Your Copy

Nothing can bore a person more quickly than bland, uninteresting, generic copy. If your sales funnel isn’t seeing success, take a good look at the copy you’ve created and see if it captures the attention of any visitor to your funnel. If you come away thinking it’s boring, then you know you’ve got a problem.

Copywriting isn’t always easy, but it can often make the difference between engaging a possible customer and turning them away. With many of the above points in mind, you should be able to create copy that gets people excited and tells a compelling story.

5. Test Your Funnel

Getting the right sales funnel down can be a difficult process. Even the slightest tweaks can make a huge difference in the long run. To make sure you have the most effective funnel possible, you’re going to need to test it out.

You can do this through split testing, where you make subtle changes to your funnel and see which version performs the best. Change a word here, move the CTA button a bit there, and so on. The more you do this, the more you’ll settle on what works and how your funnel can improve. Do enough split testing, and you’ll quickly transform a failing sales funnel into one that makes you plenty of money.

Fix Your Funnel With ClickFunnels

That’s only scratching the surface of ways you can fix your sales funnel. Of course, one way that you can get help is by using ClickFunnels. When you sign up with ClickFunnels, you also get access to pre-built sales funnels that have been proven to generate leads, convert customers, and make money.

Have you never made a sales funnel before? You can build one in less than 10 minutes, even if you’re not a ClickFunnels expert. ClickFunnels can also help solve many of the issues listed in this article. Worried about copy? You can use tools and follow templates to ensure you’re using effective copy along each of the sales funnel stages. Want to test your sales funnel? You can split test each page with ease.

ClickFunnels is an indispensable tool for anyone wanting to make money with their sales funnels. If you want to give it a try, all you have to do is sign up for a free 14 day trial.

What fixes have you implemented in your sales funnel that has led to positive results? Talk about it in the comments below.

Recommended Reading

• What is Split Testing and How to Incorporate it into Your Sales Funnels
• Copywriting Tips: How to Write Killer Copy
• Sales Funnels 101: The Mechanics Behind Selling Online
• Sales Funnels: The Ultimate Guide

Thanks for reading Sales Funnel Not Making Money? Here’s How To Fix It which appeared first on ClickFunnels.

Digital courses are all the rage for today’s marketers; however, launching a successful course takes some careful planning and a strong sales funnel to back it up.

How can you turn eager learners into long-term customers?

In part one of this three-part series, we reveal why digital courses convert customers so well and how to sew the seeds of a successful launch

You’ve probably heard this one before: “give a man a fish and you feed him for a day: teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

The same philosophy rings true for modern marketers.

How so?

There is perhaps no better means of marketing than educating our readers and potential customers.

Most of us offer up free education to our users through blog posts, infographics, step-by-step articles and how-to guides.

Meanwhile, a good chunk of the Internet marketing world’s bread and butter comes in the form of books (e-books or otherwise).

Such books are crafted to tell you the exclusive ins-and-outs of the marketing world and how you can apply the same principles to your own business.

Therefore, the rapid rise of digital courses should be of no surprise to today’s marketers.

Users are constantly in search of education (especially in the B2B space) concerning how to grow their businesses.

Meanwhile, they’re more than happy to pay for such education if it means growing their bottom lines.

Digital courses represent investments that business owners are willing to make to expand, all the while offering a unique, interactive experience versus simply picking up a book or digging through yet another blog.

Why should you consider such a course of your own business? Consider that:

• Being an expert pays in today’ competitive marketing landscape; meanwhile, creating and selling a digital course cements your business’ expert status. After all, would some no-name newbie with no experience be able to launch a worthwhile course? Probably not. By having the ability to educate your users through a digital course, you have the potential establish yourself as a major player in your
• Let’s be honest: books and blogs can bore our users. This is especially true for budding business owners who spend a bulk of their free time sifting through blog posts and reading marketing materials. Digital courses offer chances for you to experiment and spark users’ interest using visual components such as video, illustrations, and infographics. These components help the user feel like their learning passively versus doing all the legwork of researching and digging through content.
• Digital courses offer a feeling of exclusivity, which is increasingly important to today’s buyers. After all, the information offered in such courses should be legitimately helpful and hopefully allow our users to break new ground in whatever their industry may be in. By providing exclusive education (that is, the education they can’t get from our competitors and certainly not for free) at a fair price, users walk away happy and much better off they were before

Assuming you’ve hopped on the bandwagon and have the specifics of your digital course squared away, one crucial question remains:

How the heck do I sell this thing?

Easy. Build the funnel and they will come.

Picking a Funnel

There’s no single, right way to craft a funnel when it comes to selling a digital course.

On one hand, this reassures us that we have options when it comes to reaching buyers; however, it also leaves us at a crossroads when it comes to getting started.

Below are three straightforward means of funneling users toward your course, each having its own set of benefits and advantages.

Multi-Part Video Courses (Product Launch Funnel)

Users are naturally drawn to how-to articles and guides; however, they are perhaps even more drawn to videos providing similar content (which are 10x more likely to be shared).

As such videos provide the user a means to kick back and soak up information, they are ideal for piquing our users’ interesting and giving them a taste of what our course has to offer.

If your videos are offer valuable information, they serve as a money magnet straight into your funnel as users are hungry for more.

Of course, this approach does require you to put in the initial investment on creating videos; however, don’t be afraid to put in the work and perhaps give away some of your “secrets” in the process.

Another added bonus of a multi-part video series is the fact that it can sit on YouTube and passively continue to attract visitors, even after the initial launch.

Jeff Walker coined the “Product Launch Formula” which you can checkout for further information.

Webinar Funnel

The Internet marketing world is in love with the concept of “gurus.”

By dishing out wisdom and insight in the form of a webinar, you put your knowledge and business on a pedestal.

Unlike the multi-part video course, webinars require you to interact with users in real-time and answer questions on the spot.

A successful webinar, however, can yet again cement your status as an expert and offer a platform to evangelize your digital course.

Strategic Content (Content Marketing)

Digital courses offer an alternative to traditional written content; however, there’s no reason why you can’t leverage your company’s blog when it comes to marketing your course.

By sprinkling strategic content that perhaps offers a window into what your course has to offer, you can bring more users into your list who would serve as perfect course candidates.

Over time, such strategies will work to lead users to your list, making them prime candidates for your digital course.

Although there some approaches you can take when it comes to building leads for your course, definitely consider video marketing as part of your strategy.

Winning With Warm Leads (Email List)

Let’s assume that your hard work has paid off and that your warm leads are there, or perhaps you have accumulated a warm list over time that you feel would benefit from your course.

Now, what?

As always, you should handle your warm leads with extraordinary care. Since warm leads can very easily turn cold or drop off altogether, the email marketing component of your funnel is absolutely crucial to the success of your course.

Drop the ball here and it could mean the death of your marketing push.

This doesn’t mean you should be paralyzed by fear, but rather make sure you take the necessary steps to keeping your leads warm.

For example, ensure that your leads…

• …have expressed a certain degree of interest in your business, marketing or products (by either opting into your email list, commenting on your company blog or through direct inquiry)
• …consider you a trustworthy source of information and would be willing to buy from you (you should be perceived as an expert versus a source of spam, so make this point incredibly clear)
• …understand what you’re offering, how it benefits them and why they need it now (this is achieved through careful copywriting and marketing language)

Email marketing isn’t a game of “spray and pray,” even with warm leads.

Since you’ll ideally be dealing with users who are familiar with your product and what you have to offer, such prospects represent your best chance of selling your course.

So how do you seal the deal?

Funnel Fundamentals For Launching A Digital Course

The following strategies should represent the fundamentals of your funnel when it comes to your email marketing campaign and your digital course.

Each of these elements can be integrated into your headlines, copy and content throughout your funnel and the process of leading your users through the process of signing up for your course.

The Money Back Guarantee

Although this tactic is nothing new, perhaps as old as time itself, money back guarantees just plain work to boost the legitimacy of your course in the eyes of skeptics.

Let’s face it: there are plenty of scams out there, and it’s natural for users to be skeptical of just about anything they’re buying online.

The longevity of your guarantee is up to you, although traditionally 30-day or 60-day are industry-standard.

If you’re feeling especially bold about your course, you could also offer a 200% money back guarantee (unsatisfied customers get double what they paid for in return).

The type of guarantee you offer it completely up to you: just make sure your course is backed up by one.

Score with Scarcity

Yet again, using scarcity as a means of marketing is nothing new; however, it can be the difference between someone signing up for your course now or blowing it off altogether.

By promoting a limited amount of spots or only opening the course for a limited amount of time, you provide leads with the push they need to sign up.

Combined with a money-back guarantee, leads are confident in their decision to click-through as they feel they have nothing to lose.

Don’t Hesitate on Urgency

Think of urgency as scarcity’s partner in crime.

Many of today’s hungry buyers can’t resist a proper deal; therefore, the urgency is your friend when it comes to incentivizing users to sign up for your course.

By offering exclusive or fast-action bonuses (20% if you sign up within the next 24 hours, additional content if you sign up today), users are less likely to waste time or simply skip out on your course altogether.

Money back guarantees, scarcity, and urgency, can be used in various ways, shapes and forms throughout your sales funnel, although they’re perhaps most important to the email marketing piece.

In addition to reaching out to warm leads, you should keep these tactics in the back of your mind when also dealing with cold lists or perhaps trying to sell to individuals who reach out to you.

Ready to Launch. Now What?

If you feel confident that everything’s in order (your course is ready to sell, you have a means of generating leads and an email campaign to seal the deal), what’s next?

In Part II, we’ll discuss last-minute marketing essentials for your launch, how to make sure your launch runs smoothly and what your backup plan if things go awry.

Thanks for reading How to Launch and Sell your Digital Course Using a High Converting Sales Funnel (Part 1) which appeared first on ClickFunnels.

You’ve prepared your brand, designed your sales funnel, and now, you’re ready to launch.

Whether you’re on your first business, or you’re an established player bringing a new idea to market, this step can be full of anticipation.

What more could there possibly be to do, but sit back and enjoy the ride, watching the leads (and the sales) roll in?

Not so fast!

What you do before your launch can be just as important as how your funnel is designed or what your logo looks like.

In fact, according to a recent analysis, people are pretty skeptical of brands and the tactics they use to engage customers through the sales pipeline.

But don’t lose hope!

By driving traffic to your funnel before you even launch it, you have a chance to define the direction.

With these strategies, you’ll be able to develop higher-quality leads that have more trust in your brand and your funnel.

Each step we’ve included for you serves its own purpose, but in complementing each other, they’ll also solidify the overall experience your customers enjoy.

And in part, that’s the key to this guide: creating an experience for your audience before they even arrive.

Recent analysis by the Washington Post shows that Millennials, more than any other generation before them, want experiences more than products.

And today, we’re going to look at how to create that experience.

With more, higher-quality traffic, you’ll be more confident in the results and get a better return on investment.

Make Appearances on Lots of Podcasts

Image Source: Blogging.Org

This year is turning out to be the rise of the podcast.

Every year, the data shows an increase in podcast listeners, with 33% of Americans saying they listened to at least 1 podcast episode in 2015.

And with services like Pandora introducing podcasts such as Serial, more and more people are being exposed to this medium.

As a marketing tool, it makes perfect sense: podcasts are a low-cost way to have your own radio show.

So when you make appearances on them, you get to grab some of this limelight for your funnel.

But most importantly, you’re able to show your potential audience that you’re a real person with real ideas, not just a brand with a product.

1. Create a list of podcasts that might be relevant to your customers

To find podcasts, turn to sites like iTunes, but apps like Stitcher also remain a popular choice. The simplest method is to use Google or Bing to search for shows in your niche. You can also reach out to friends in your industry who have started podcasts. The longer the list, the better.

2. Listen to at least 1 episode of each podcast

By getting a feel for each podcast, you’ll have a better idea of whether it matches your brand voice and your goals. Also, you’ll also be able to connect what you hear to your pitch when you get in touch with the host.

3. Reach out to the host and pitch an appearance

We recommend contacting via email. Go beyond simply telling them that you love their show, and you’d like to be on it. Instead, compose a short email that distinctly shows what you can offer. If you’re able to connect yourself (not just your brand) to a specific show idea, you’re much more likely to be offered a slot.

4. Prepare your space and your ideas

You’ll want to be prepared. Check the space you intend to conduct the interview at ahead of time. Ensuring that, for example, your mic works guarantees a smooth appearance. But also prepare a list of ideas that you plan to bring to the table, so you’re ready to be relevant to the host’s audience.

5. Act natural and enjoy the spotlight

Remember how we’re creating an experience instead of simply pitching a product? Your funnel will benefit when listeners hear a genuine person getting in touch with what matters most to them. While it’s perfectly okay to do a short pitch, stay relevant and give back value to the community you’re interacting with.

6. Thank everyone involved

Before you close your appearance, thank the host, but also thank the audience. Invite them to visit your website or get in touch with you for questions on social media. You’ll also want to send a thank you email to the host afterward, letting them know you enjoyed it, and you’d love to be back at anytime.

7. Share, share, share

Once you’ve made your podcast appearance, share that episode! Sharing a link on your personal social media is totally allowed and gives your brand that authentic feel we’re looking for.

Protip: You might be tempted only to target podcasts with the biggest audiences.

But remember, while spreading your brand as far and wide as possible is important, sometimes those smaller audiences can be a better match for your brand, especially if they’re strong enthusiasts in your niche.

Guest Post on People’s Websites

There’s plenty of research out there that shows that blogging increases traffic to your brand’s website and your funnel.

But guest blogging goes a few steps further than simply writing a blog article and calling it a day.

Instead, you’re tapping into a whole new community of people.

Think about sites that feature multiple authors like the popular Lifehacker.

In fact, take a few minutes to browse articles on their site.

Notice anything interesting? Sites like these are really entire communities commenting and sharing content in a niche.

By guest posting, you’re presenting your brand as an authority in the industry to these real people.

1. Visit some of the popular sites in your niche

Just like with appearing on podcasts, you’ll want to create a list of popular sites. If you’re already a frequent commenter on another site, it’s even better, since you’ve already established yourself in the community.

2. Browse past articles to find a topic that fits, but might be missing

Keep a list of ideas as you browse the site’s past articles. Once you’ve made a shortlist, search the site to see if they’ve written on these topics before. This way, you’ll be bringing the community something new.

3. Reach out to the blog or website owners.

Let them know what your idea is, how it can benefit them, and why you and your brand are the right fit for a guest article.

4. Motivate, inspire, challenge, connect

Captivate your audience and look to move them really. Whether it’s giving them tips or presenting a novel perspective, skip directly pitching your brand and seek to get them engaged. But don’t be afraid to link back to your own site when appropriate.

5. Answer comments and questions on your article

Once you have their attention, don’t just skip town! After your guest post is published, be sure to return and regularly answer questions or thank people for their input. Continue to be part of the community.

6. Get the data

Can you imagine knowing how many people were already aware of your sales funnel before you even contacted them? Data from your guest post gives you a great perspective.

Protip: Include a photo of yourself that’s relevant to the topic of your article. This adds a human touch to your post and further connects the audience to you and the experience you’re writing about.

Use Content Marketing on Your Blog

Image Source: Ben Wheeler

Chances are, you’ve probably heard of search engine optimization, and the phrase, “content is king.” But in reality, content marketing on your own blog serves several functions for your sale funnel. First, it allows your brand to be found more easily on sites like Google and Bing. It also draws potential customers to your website and increases the chance they’ll be exposed to your sales funnel, increasing the possibility of a positive ROI by as much as 13 times.

1. Select your keywords

Choosing the keywords for your blog can be a challenge (and one we’ll address on another day). But selecting the right keywords makes it easier for people to find your site when searching.

2. But write with natural-language in mind

While many people have their own best recipe for how to write blogs, your readers will appreciate it more when you develop your own voice, free of stringent SEO gimmicks. This creates a better overall experience.

3. Choose a posting schedule you can keep

It’s true that blogging more increases traffic. But keep your efforts in perspective and commit to a schedule that makes the most sense of your sales funnel.

4. Keep an eye on your stats

Just like with any marketing effort, you’ll want to watch your data so that you can change what isn’t working and keep what is.

5. Be patient

At the same time, building a blog audience doesn’t happen overnight. Patience and regular posting are the keys to drawing in those readers.

Protip: Instead of closing with a traditional call-to-action, ask your readers to share with you by getting in touch directly. It’s friendly and offers a more one-to-one custom experience for them.

Engage Your Email List to Build Up Your Click-Through Rate

Image Source: Merrie Marketing

It seems that every year, someone declares that email marketing is dead. While it may be true that “content is still king” in the case of blogging, email remains at the top of the list for driving traffic to your funnel. It may surprise you to find out that, according to Entrepreneur and Direct Marketing Association, email increases return on investment by thousands of percentage points.

And yet, it is consistently one of the most misunderstood ways to drive traffic to a sales funnel. You’ve probably gotten your own fair share of bulk-sent emails you’ve ignored over the years. Isn’t there a better way? Yes!

1. Forget the newsletter templates

Most people’s inboxes are flooded with newsletters that they don’t have time to read. Instead, opt for a more organic feel by using a standard email.

2. Send your email from a singular person instead of a brand

You may have noticed recently that big brands aren’t sending emails from info@bigbrand.com. Instead, they use individual people with real names to send communications, even to bulk lists. This helps give a more one-to-one connection to the message, increasing open rates.

3. Start a conversation

In today’s day and age, we’ve learned that people want to share their stories and conversations. Why not use email as a vehicle to create a conversation about your product or service… and ask them to share their own thoughts?

4. Include a link

Don’t forget those links! By sharing relevant links, you drive that high-quality traffic back to your funnel.

Protip: Personalizing content with the day of the week or a regional reference point helps link your audience to the message by making it immediately relevant to their own lives.

Find Affiliates for Your Upcoming Launch who can Drive Organic and Paid Traffic

Image Source: USANFRAONLINE

If you’re new to marketing, you might be wondering how affiliate marketing works. Think of it as a way to get your brand out there through 3rd parties that take a small commission. Google Adwords and Amazon’s affiliate network are two popular choices, but there are many other networks out there. Bottomline: you take advantage of lower costs and broader penetration of your market. The real selling point here, however, is that you often only pay when you see results.

But how do you use it to create a genuine experience for your customers and drive traffic? Really affiliate marketing shines most when you’re able to get honest, real reviews of your brand across the web. Sites like Yelp have programs that can truly benefit your funnel with genuine reviews. And with as many as 90% of consumers trusting reviews to help make up their mind, you can see how important this strategy is.

1. Clear message that taps into their need

When you’re able to craft or approve the message that will be used for your affiliate marketing, make sure that the message is simple and straightforward and appeals to your customers’ needs.

2. Provide excellent customer service

Whenever you have an affiliate review, take the opportunity to address any concerns or issues the reviewer had. By publically doing so, you’re showing off just how awesome your customer service really is.

3. Update content regularly

In today’s world, it seems that ads get stale in a heartbeat. Regularly changing out your ad means that new traffic is constantly seeing fresh content to entice them your way.

4. Follow your data closely

Always be on top of your affiliate data so you can make any changes. You’ll also know when an affiliate network is working toward your advantage and when it’s not.

Protip: When using affiliate marketing reviews, consider “doubling up” your marketing by putting positive reviews on your website as testimonials, another strong marketing tactic.

You’re the expert in your industry: what strategies have given you the best return on investment?

Thanks for reading 5 Strategies To Build Traffic Before You Launch Your Funnel which appeared first on ClickFunnels.

It’s always a thrill when we make our first dollar from a fresh funnel; however, how do we turn that dollar into more serious cash flow?

By following this six-step scheme, you can finally take the training wheels off and supercharge your new and existing sales funnels.

Making money online is pretty easy, right?

I mean, anyone with a blog and some time on their hands can pick up a niche, slap some affiliate content on a WordPress site and play the waiting game.

But that’s dollars and cents.

Making serious money online is another story.

Serious money requires a sales funnel and a serious one at that.

Again, building a sales funnel is relatively easy (especially with the functionalities provided by ClickFunnels).

However, the legwork that goes into a truly effective funnel is nothing to scoff at. Consider, for example…

• Crafting the perfect copy, language and pitch to pique the interest of your audience (and keeping that message uniform throughout your funnel)
• The time and resources involved in competitive analysis and understanding what the neighbors are up to (including what sort of deals they’re pushing to users)
• Designing a sleek site that attracts the attention of users and drives traffic through proper SEO

And that’s just for starters.

If you’ve gotten your funnel off the ground but want to build a serious revenue stream, you’re going to need to put in the hours to make it work.

However, building a powerful funnel is about working smarter and not necessarily harder.

Take a good, long look at your funnel. Then, ask yourself the following:

• Who’s helping you push users through your funnel? Is the answer “nobody?”
• What’s incentivizing users to go through your funnel? Be honest: are you offering a sweeter deal than your competitor?
• Where are your visitors coming from? Are you reaching your targets or simply bouncing random traffic through your funnel?

Don’t shrug your shoulders and let potential business pass you by. Instead, consider it time to get down to business.

Rome wasn’t built in a day; likewise, killer funnels aren’t built overnight or by accident.

If you’re looking to build a funnel that goes beyond the ordinary and builds a truly impressive revenue stream, consider the following six steps as part of your sales strategy.

This mixture of marketing and networking represents the recipe for conversions rather than just clicks.

Network, Network and Network Some More

It’s natural for entrepreneurs to want to go the “lone-wolf” route.

However, when you consider the benefits of a joint venture, it’s hard to deny that a little bit of outreach can go a long way.

Networking is the name of the game when it comes to your funnel.

In short, the more traffic you drive, the more potential you have to drive revenue and further optimize your funnel.

That being said, what sorts of outreach can ultimately benefit your business?

Schmooze with Influencers – Today’s users want to build relationships with the brands they buy from; therefore trust and authenticity are key when it comes to sealing the deal. By associating yourself with influencers within your space (think: must-read bloggers, social media big-wigs and so on), you can get your product in front of eager buyers who are more likely to convert. Offering incentivization such as a free trial or guest post to such influencers may help deal the deal.

Partner Up with JV’s – Simply put, two heads are often better than one when it comes to your sales funnel. By having a partner in crime, you poise yourself to get more eyes on your funnel and additional resources to market it in the future. Likewise, building up a network of JV’s can open up opportunities for your business and get your product in front of some fresh faces.

Bring on Affiliates – There’s plenty of power (and billions of dollars) in affiliate marketing; likewise, there’s perhaps no better way of working smarter than by having someone else market your product for you. If you’ve tested your funnel and feel that it has potential to scale, consider affiliates as a means of doing so.

Give Them a Push

Let’s be frank: some sales funnels just plain stink.

If you aren’t incentivizing your visitors with some sort of push, you’re letting your traffic go to waste.

The question remains: what sort of incentives and bonuses are proven to drive users to convert?

What do users want?

Whether it be a software, e-book or video series, providing users with something of value for nothing is one of the oldest tricks in the marketing playbook; however, it works.

By offering free tools or education to your users, you’re perceived as a helping hand rather than a salesman.

Likewise, users in your funnel should feel as if you’re the go-to resource for whatever they’re looking for.

By building up your offers with exclusivity (first-hand, cutting-edge information or a product marketed at truly unlike any other), users go through your funnel with a sense of accomplishment.

Score with Scarcity

On a similar note, scarcity is an incredibly powerful sales tool.

However, building a sense of scarcity and the need for users to act now versus later is completely based on the set-up of your funnel. For example, scarcity can be achieved by…

• A countdown clock at the beginning of your sales funnels (implying that time is running out)
• Advertising a limited stock of your product due to demand (implying that supply is running low)
• Marketing your product as a one-time deal, establishing a sense of exclusivity (implying that it’s now or never for the product)

Regardless of your product or service, scarcity should most definitely be center stage at some point in your funnel.

Note: ClickFunnels offers multiple means of establishing a sense of scarcity within your funnel.

Congruency Matters

Often overlooked, the elements of design can make or break your sales funnel.

It’s incredibly important to maintain consistency across your funnel from beginning to end (this includes email marketing efforts and affiliate programs).

Consistent design includes…

• Marketing language, copy, headlines and deals (ex: you wouldn’t advertise a 25% discount which clicks through to a 10% off deal)
• Color scheme, design, and logo (switching between colors and branding can potentially confuse visitors and cause them to bounce)

While the design may be a rather subtle component of the sales process, it’s something that’s completely under your control and should be consistent.

Forget the Junk Traffic

Don’t kid yourself: not all traffic is created equal.

It may feel great to get tens of thousands of visitors per day; however, what does it mean if only a dozen of those users convert?

Either your funnel’s conversion potential is abysmal, or your traffic is trash.

In order to make the most of your marketing efforts, you should target quality traffic.

What qualifies as quality traffic? For starters…

• Organic traffic is driven by targeted keywords, perhaps readers of your blog who tend to spend the most time on your site
• Social traffic from highly-targeted Facebook ads, which you’ve hopefully optimized through A/B testing
• Affiliate traffic from users who are truly interested in what you have to say (and sell)

Traffic means very little for your funnel if it isn’t actually converting.

Instead of focusing on the numbers game, work to build traffic streams that will actually buy your product when push comes to shove.

The 80/20 Principle

The 80/20 principle states that for many events (including marketing), 80% of your outcomes result in 20% of your total effort.

While there are tons of moving pieces to your sales funnel, from marketing to design, consider how one or two missteps within your funnel can diminish your efforts.

So, where does the 20% come from within your funnel?

From most marketers, it comes at the beginning in the end (think: the first 10% of your funnel and the last 10%).

In other words, if there’s anywhere you need to strengthen, make sure you have a strong pitch as it represents the visitor’s first impression and arguably the most critical aspect of the funnel itself.

Likewise, you need a strong closer if you’re looking to seal the deal, especially with funnels selling higher ticket products.

Naturally, all parts of your funnel matter; however, starting and ending strongly is crucial if you’re in search of more conversions.

Putting it All Together

At the end of the day, the successful funnel is built.

Not bought. Not stolen. Not copied.

Built.

The building isn’t always easy; however, your decision to set your funnel apart from the crowd and fix its weaknesses will ultimately decide whether or not you cash in on your efforts.

Making money online isn’t rocket science.

Building a successful sales funnel doesn’t have to be, either.

If you had to name the most common mistake you see funnel builders making today, what would it be?

Thanks for reading How To Take The Training Wheels Off Your Sales Funnel which appeared first on ClickFunnels.

Do you want to get serious about being a sales funnel builder?

Do you want to tap into the minds of successful sales funnel builders?

There are some powerful habits that successful sales funnel builders have that you could benefit from.

If there is one thing I know, it’s the habits of sales funnel builders.

As time has gone on, I have picked up on a few common habits that the top sales funnel builders have.

If you’ve not built your sales funnel before, it can seem like a very daunting task however it doesn’t have to be.

Taking on some or all of the powerful habits of successful sales funnel builders will help put you in the right frame of mind to not only build your sales funnel but to manage it once it has started seeing activity.

While some of these habits may or may not come naturally to you, they can all be learnt with practice and consistency.

Here are the 7 powerful habits of a successful sales funnel builder:

1. Don’t Judge But Analyze

It can be all too easy to assume things such as what information your customers need, what they are searching for, what images will entice them to click through, what call-to-actions will make them convert and more.

If you want to build a sales funnel that will work, though, you must stop assuming.

Successful sales funnel builders never assume, they build their sales funnel from facts and evidence and continue to use evidence to grow.

To build your sales funnel, you will need to know everything from what social media networks your audience hangs out to your customer pain points and everything in between.

If anything cannot be backed up with evidence, then split test a theory to gain that evidence.

You can also analyse competitor strategies to help build your sales funnel which I’ll explain further on.

Analyzing isn’t just for when you first build your sales funnel.

As you continue to make changes to any marketing or sales strategies, you must do so only when you have educated hypothesis and properly analyze the data from any changes to decide which are valuable and which are not.

Where many marketers and businesses fail, is they focus too heavily on what isn’t working and forget about scaling what is working.

A successful sales funnel builder can analyse performance and focus on scaling what is working. For example, an e-commerce company would spend the majority of their budget on the top 1% of customers as this top 1% actually has 30X more lifetime value than other customers.

2. Good Is Never Good Enough

One the best habits a successful sales funnel builder has is the mind frame of ‘good is never good enough’.

Again, it can be all too easy to settle when something is working well and bringing good results.

It is understandable that you are happy with the performance and may even feel a bit scared of changing something in case you ruin that good performance.

This is all very understandable however it is not what a successful sales funnel builder would do.

Even when they have broken performance records, they will still strive to get even better results and won’t be scared to make changes.

They won’t be scared because they know how to split test properly.

There is no stopping them; they work hard to continue to break performance records as often as they can.

This is a great frame of mind to put yourself in to avoid stagnating campaigns.

CrazyEgg is a great example of a company that never stops trying to achieve better results.

Sometimes it can be the smallest of things that lead to great results.

CrazyEgg added an explainer video to their landing page and seen a 64% increase in conversions just by making that one change.

What sales funnel builders understand is that working on increasing conversion rates is more beneficial to the bottom line than working on generating more traffic.

3. A Goal Without A Plan Is Just A Wish

Another very powerful habit of a successful sales funnel builder is they have a plan for everything.

Nothing is ever rushed; not their decisions, not their strategies and not their research.

To obtain the specific goals you have set yourself, you need to have a focused plan of how you will build a sales funnel that will achieve that goal.

Trying to build a sales funnel without a clear plan or without having a specific goal will only waste a lot of time and even money if you put the sales funnel into action.

No business wants to waste spend or time and so it is important to lay out a clear plan before building.

One thing I would note, though, especially if it is your first time building a sales funnel, is not to get too caught up and making the plan too complex.

Simplicity is key with a sales funnel so keep it simple and focused on one particular goal.

4. The Right Words Will Make Every Day A Good One

One of the reasons why successful sales funnel builders are successful is because they understand the importance of content.

Many businesses highly underestimate the power of words and the effect it can have on visitors, prospects and customers.

In fact, Campaign Monitor found that emails that contained personalized subject like resulted in 26% more opens.

Content is an aspect in almost every aspect of the sales funnel such as:

• Enticing users to click through from your ad to your landing page (headlines, ad copy, call to actions)
• Telling visitors the benefits of your product to target their pain points (landing page headlines & bullet points)
• Directing visitors to take the action that leads them to become prospects (call to actions)
• Nurturing prospects into paying customers (email content)
• Encouraging customers to become brand ambassadors (email content & social media interaction)

Planning the content that will be needed is a key aspect when building your sales funnel.

5. Be One Who Nurtures And Builds

Successful sales funnel builders are nurturing.

When building a sales funnel, they will make sure that the funnel has no leaks by implementing a complete lead nurturing strategy.

To explain the power of lead nurturing, Online Marketing Institute found that businesses that have an email automation strategy to nurture leads see an average 451% increase in qualified leads.

It is important to make your leads feel they are important and that you care for them as an individual and not just as another number.

You can do this level of nurturing with automation that will automatically fire off emails to individuals based on their activity.

When this is added with personalization, you will have a successful lead nurturing strategy which will improve the overall health of the sales funnel.

6. They Hack To Build

Successful sales funnel builders are hackers.

They know that one of the best ways to determine what works without having to start from scratch is to hack growth competitors.

They will review what strategies and sales funnels competitors have implemented to begin growth hacking.

This will save a lot of time and a whole lot of money not having to split test and optimize your strategies and sales funnel from scratch.

You will have a foundation that you know works well for your competitors for you to then build on and create a formula even better than theirs.

The goal here isn’t to copy like-for-like what your competitors are doing but building your strategies using theirs as the foundation.

7. They Just Want To Get To Know You Better

Successful sales funnel builders always want to get to know the target audience; what age they are, whether are married, whether own their home, what their job status is, how much they earn a year, what their pain points are, what their goals are and more.

This may seem excessive however all of this information and more is what is needed to create your customer’s personas which are crucial to the success of your sales funnel.

Knowing everything, there is to know about your target audience you will be able to plan better and build a sales funnel that they will easily travel through.

You can gather information for your customer personas by talking to existing customers, surveying customers, reviewing demographics from paid ads, interacting with your audience on social media and more.

Conclusion

There you have it, 7 powerful habits of a successful sales funnel builder that you can learn from.

Remember only to make evidence-based decisions, never settle for good performance, always plan before building, don’t underestimate the power of content, invest in automation for lead nurturing, hack competitor sales funnels and build your customers personas.

Have you tried and built a sales funnel?

What did you find hard when planning, building or managing your sales funnel?

I want to hear all your experiences so leave your comments below.

Thanks for reading 7 Powerful Habits Of A Successful Sales Funnel Builder which appeared first on ClickFunnels.

As the old saying goes, a great magician never reveals his tricks.

However, we’ve uncovered some of the top-secret tools to couple with ClickFunnels to create funnels that absolutely slay.

If you’re looking for some new tricks to transform your next sales funnel, look no further.

When it comes to crafting a killer sales funnel, ClickFunnels comes pretty close to being your one stop shop.

Just ask the thousands of active users who are already generating millions of leads and millions of dollars in revenue.

However, sometimes it pays to have more tools in your toolbox to seal the deal.

True funnel hackers, who understand the in’s and out’s of their audience and have their marketing pitch in their back pocket, strive to have only the best tools at their disposal to convert customers.

That being said, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the amount of tools, extensions, and plug-ins out there.

Since Swift businesses are smart businesses, you need only the best of the best when picking out funnel hacking tools.

By being selective in your search, you avoid wasting time and bloating your business with needless “solutions” that don’t serve what your company really needs.

So what makes a tool worth your time? In short, the best tools for transforming your sales funnels are…

• Simple to access, understand and utilize, not requiring a large investment of your time or resources
• Able to provide functionality and flexibility to customize your funnel the way that you envision it rather than forcing you to restrict yourself
• Capable of giving your marketing strategy a much-needed push rather than distract you from your goals

Whether you’re just now getting your feet wet with funnel hacking or want to understand the tools of the trade better, consider how the following tools could influence your next funnel and increase conversions.

Ninja Chrome Extensions

Chrome reigns king of browsers by a landslide, with over 70% of modern users relying on Google to surf the web in the wake of the competition.

It’s no surprise that Chrome boasts tens of thousands of extensions that help marketers and businesses make decisions without having to leave the page.

Regardless of whether you’re trying to build a new funnel or see what’s under the hood of a competitor’s side, the following extensions can work to increase your productivity and cut down on time spent researching:

ColorZilla – Design and color scheme are two of the most important yet often overlooked aspects of Internet marketing.

Color picking tools such as ColorZilla remove some of a headache from funnel design by allowing you to extract colors from existing websites.

For example, if you come across a color that catches your eye, and you want to use it on your funnel, it’s only a click away.

Through influencing buyer behavior or creating a stronger association with your brand, the color scheme is arguably one of the most crucial yet subtle elements of a solid funnel.

Instead of settling on a dull or boring color scheme, dare to be different and customize your funnel to make sure that it pops.

Ghostery – Security is always a concern when it comes to our sites and sales funnels, especially in an era of growing cyber attacks and phishing scams (such attacks are up 55% since 2015).

Likewise, there are hundreds of sites working to collect our data at any given time.

For funnel hackers concerned about privacy, it’s paramount to protect yourself and understand who’s effectively watching you.

Extensions such as Ghostery allow you to see who’s tracking you and collecting your data, meanwhile allowing you to control permissions regarding who you provide your data to.

The benefits of Ghostery are threefold:

• You can enjoy a faster browsing experience but shutting off bulky trackers that weigh down the sites that you’re visiting
• Get rid of page clutter so you can enjoy the content that you actually want to see
• Take control of your data and have peace of mind regarding your browsing habits

Not only do extensions such as Ghostery protect you from potentially dangerous trackers, but also allow you to do competitive research to see how other sites in your space are tracking your customers.

BUT.

The main reason I like ghostery?

I like the ability to see what scripts are trying to track me so I can reverse engineer them and see if they’d also be a good fit for my funnels.

Mozbar –  If you’re looking for link-building opportunities for your funnel or simply want to figure out whether or not a site seems legitimate, tools such as Moz’s SEO toolbar allow you to check out how authoritative a site is at a glance.

By analyzing a site’s link profile and keyword competitiveness, you can better understand what your site needs regarding SEO and understand how competing funnels have built up their own search presence.

As there is no one-size-fits-all approach to funnel-hacking, some tools may be more important to you than others; regardless, the three extensions above can help streamline your browsing experience and get down to business faster.

Custom HTML & CSS

As noted earlier, solid design is crucial to crafting a funnel that actually converts.

For further customization, you may want to learn the ropes of custom HTML and CSS to give your funnel a facelift.

Thankfully, learning HTML and CSS doesn’t have to be rocket science thanks to the wealth of information online; likewise, the benefits of custom design include:

• Creating a sense of congruency throughout your funnel and site
• Reducing file transfer size and bandwidth, allowing for a smoother browsing experience for your visitors
• Making your site easier for search engines to crawl
• Improving your compatibility for browsers, especially for mobile users

Focus first on learning how to make small tweaks through HTML and CSS versus giving your funnel a complete overhaul.

If you consider yourself a newbie when it comes to style, check out sites such as Codecademy and Code School to get started.

Heat Mapping & Visitor Recording

Image Credit: The MX Group

Conversion optimization can be a tedious grind.

After all, we can know the information retrieved from Google Analytics inside and out and still not understand why users truly fail to convert.

Enter the world of heatmapping tools, which allow you to see exactly where users are clicking and where they’re dropping off.

By understanding such elements of your page, you can optimize copy and imagery accordingly.

Best of all, your decisions are based on data so you aren’t just taking a shot in the dark.

Tools such as HotJar and Crazy Egg both have built in heatmaps, while the former also has visitor recording tools.

Again, the best way to optimize conversions is to rely on your own data rather than have someone else advise you based on intuition.

In fact, Crazy Egg conducted a survey in 2015 which noted that 63% of site-builders make decisions based on best practices or their instincts rather than hard data.

By separating yourself from that 63%, you’re already ahead of the game when it comes to understanding user behavior and converting customers.

Copywriting Scripts That Convert

Killer Copywriting can make or break a sales funnel; however, what are we to do if we’re strapped for cash or don’t have a copywriter on deck?

Fear not. There’s a lot that we can learn from existing sales letters for awesome products, and as they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

If you feel that your marketing language is lacking, or you simply want to draw inspiration from existing sales letters that work, consider the following solutions:

• Take a look at some of the VSLs from ClickBank or OfferVault, transcribing them yourself to find the sort of copy that converts
• See what competitors are doing regarding marketing message (for example, are they using urgency or scarcity, long-form sales letters and so on)
• Use FunnelScripts as an alternative to hiring an expensive copywriter

Whatever you decide to do, remember that VSLs are far from dead and are ideal for funnel-hackers looking for creative ways to seal the deal.

High Converting Elements

Don’t forget the high-converting elements that are already built into ClickFunnels that can drive fickle users to buy.

The following tools are proven to give visitors that final “push,” and may be the cornerstone of your next sales funnel:

Order Bumps – Order bumps provide opportunities for you to build even more revenue for your funnel beyond the original transaction.

By selling at the tail-end of your funnel and providing, even more, value to visitors, you can make more money without interrupting your visitors whatsoever.

In other words, order bumps represent a win-win for skillful funnel hackers.

Verification Seals – Trust is a huge factor for skeptical buyers; therefore, verification seals can provide such users with peace of mind as they see your business as a resource rather than a scam.

Progress Bars – Buying is a process: the use of progress bars can help visitors understand that they’re almost there and are less likely to drop off. Likewise, progress bars build a sense of urgency as users strive to get through your funnel so they can interact with your product.

What Else is in Your Toolbox?

Few funnel hackers are satisfied with “decent” results: they want the best of the best for their products, funnels and customers alike.

By relying on the best tools possible, you set yourself up to create a lean, mean funnel that converts quickly and easily.

Now, are there any other crucial funnel-hacking tools that we missed? What else is in your toolbox?

Thanks for reading 5 Secret Tools Skilled Funnel Hackers Use which appeared first on ClickFunnels.

Have you built a new sales funnel and are keen to see it in action?

Are you looking for ways to use social media to get the wheels turning?

Here are 6 ways to drive traffic to your new sales funnel using social media.

Social media can be a very powerful tool when used correctly (but most people don’t).

You can use social media to establish rapport with your audience and to drive traffic to your sales funnel.

This is a very exciting time if this is your first sales funnel as I imagine you’re eager to put it to the test.

To get the ball rolling, here a few tips you can use to get traffic from social media.

1. Give Your Social Media Audience An Offer They Can’t Refuse

Image Source: SocialMediaExaminer

There is no better way to drive traffic to your new sales funnel from social media than to offer your audience something that is irresistible to them… for free.

Everyone loves something for free but even more so when that something will help with their problems or to achieve their goals.

This will not only help to drive traffic to your sales funnel but will also help to drive leads in putting your new sales funnel to the test.

Perhaps a “Free Plus Shipping” offer you might be thinking?

More on that later…

Know Their Pain Points and Goals

In order for this to work, you are going to need to know the pain points and goals of your audience.

What do they struggle with?

What type of information do they find easily digestible?

What goals do they have? When do they wish to achieve those goals?

These are all questions you need to have the answer to.

If you have these answers, then you will be able to create an offer that will be highly targeted and enticing.

For example, if you have software then offer a 14 day free trial for a limited time only.

Create a Landing Page

After you have decided what you will be offering your social media audience, you will need to create a landing page that is only on that offer.

You don’t want to have any distractions at this point so keep it to the point by having a compelling headline, listing the key benefits, a contact form and a clear call to action.

You do not want to have any distractions on the landing page that may deter your social media audience from entering the sales funnel.

2. Share Your Content On Social Media

You have probably heard so many times before how content is king, so you don’t need me to tell you.

Because you already know how important content is for your sales funnel, you may already be blogging or plan to do so very soon.

However the content is much more than to write simply the blog post, you also need to plan a strategy for what you’re going to do after the blog post has been published.

One key element that you must do after publishing a blog post is to syndicate it.

There’s no point writing content if you don’t plan on people reading it.

This is a great way to drive traffic from social media to your new sales funnel.

Don’t Over Share

Image Source: Saleoid

One thing to remember when sharing your blog posts on social media is not over to share.

If you regularly share a blog post more than once or are posting too many times a day, then you will annoy your audience.

To avoid high numbers of unfollows, make sure to post something unique every time and to test how many times a day works best.

If a particular blog post worked really well, then you can repurpose it into a video or something else to benefit from it again rather than sharing the same blog post.

Place Different Content On Different Social Media Networks

Image Source: Crazy Egg

As well as not over sharing content, it is also important to share your blog posts on the right social media networks.

It is important to remember that not all social media networks are the same but that each of them have their different audiences.

Posting content in the wrong places will only lead to negative signals which I’m sure you agree, is not something you want for your business.

It is best to master one or two social media networks than to dive in head first and try and manage the all.

3. Start Social Media Groups

While it is key to having your own social media pages, starting your own social media groups is something you should consider.

They come with both their advantage and disadvantages so you will have to test and determine whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantage for your particular niche.

The main disadvantage of having social media groups is that other voices will be able to speak, not just yours.

There are two main advantages of starting your own social media groups, which are:

All Members Will be Notified of New Posts

This particular advantage relates to Facebook.

If you have been running your own Facebook page for a while then you will know that their algorithms dictate which post will be seen on your audience’s timelines and which won’t.

That’s right, not all of your Facebook posts will be seen by your audience even if they Like your page.

You can get around this by starting your own Facebook group.

Every time you post in the Facebook group, the group members will be notified, and all posts will be seen in their timeline.

This does not mean that you should take advantage of this and constantly post overly promotional things.

This would only lead to group members leaving.

But the power to notify your group when you post is priceless.

Establish a Community

The other main benefit of having social media groups is that it give you a great opportunity to build a community around your brand and product.

Because your audience will be able to post too, you will get a true insight into how they interact, what information they enjoy, their pain points and goals.

Learning more about your social media audience will help you to create detailed customer personas and build better marketing strategies.

4. Grab Their Attention With Enticing Headlines

Image Source: Neil Patel

Think about how you scroll down your social media timeline, do you glance at things as you scroll rather than stop at each and every post to read it?

There are so many posts on social media timelines (especially Twitter) so what is going to make yours stand out and make them stop scrolling?

You can capture the eye of your social media audience with the headlines of your posts.

The headline is usually the first one or two sentences.

Split Test Headlines

Don’t ever assume what will work; it is important to test variations, so you have hard evidence of what actually does work.

You can do this by split testing your headlines to see which drives the most traffic to your new sales funnel.

For example, “Get Your 14 Day Free Trial” might drive more traffic than “Get A 14 Day Free Trial”.

You will be surprised at how the smallest of changes can lead to significant results.

Include Numbers

Which out of these two headlines do you believe would stop people in their tracks?

• See how we helped this business get more traffic to their sales funnel
• See how we helped this business get 64% more traffic to their sales funnel

Numbers tend to stand out a lot more than just all text.

The more specific those numbers are, the better. It is all very well and good you saying how you have helped a customer, but anyone could say that.

Be more specific and give figures to make your social media posts more believable.

5. Don’t Forget About Social Snippets

Image Source: MOZ

It is surprising how many marketers and businesses forget about social snippets when writing their blog posts or anything else.

When others are sharing your blog posts, you need to make sure they are too generating traffic to your sales funnel.

You can do this by optimizing the social snippets.

The social snippets are the preview that is automatically generated when a link is being shared.

Social snippets can account for thousands of free visitors.

You can optimize these automatically generated social snippets with your title tags and meta descriptions.

6. Use Paid Social Advertising

Image Source: Brand Driven Digital

If you do not have a social media following as yet, then the best way to drive traffic to your sales funnel through social media is to use paid social advertising.

This will also help to build your social following for organic traffic.

You can create image-based ads to make sure the user doesn’t scroll right past it.

You can also use your headlines and call to actions to stop them from scrolling right past it as previously mentioned.

Conclusion

Social media is a great choice to drive traffic to your new sales funnel, and when implementing the tips mentioned in this blog post, you should have a fully active sales funnel in no time.

What successes and problems have you had when driving traffic from social media?

Let me know by leaving your comments below.

Visit the ClickFunnels site today to start your free trial!

Thanks for reading 6 Ways To Drive Traffic To Your New Sales Funnel Using Social Media which appeared first on ClickFunnels.