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An Email Campaign For Politicians

Over the last few days I’ve been researching several of the politicians currently running for president. I’m mainly looking at their email marketing campaigns to see what they’re doing and to be honest … I’ve been a little shocked.

They’re all begging for money – without giving anything in return.

Now, this may be because they’re not “really” running for president yet and they don’t “need” votes yet.

As the candidate list begins to thin and as front runners emerge, I expect to see their email marketing campaigns adjust to encompass the goal of attaining new voters … time will tell.

Regardless, this article isn’t addressing their current email marketing tactics, instead it’s presenting a simple campaign that will help them acquire more voters.

3 Ps

As with all email marketing campaigns, we need to define several aspects before actually implementing the plan. If we don’t have a defined path to travel down, we could be throwing money away.

Here at Crazy Eye Marketing, we define the path as the 3Ps – People, Problems, and Products.

And, depending on budget, market size, and the business’s capabilities – the definitions can be much more specific (ie. 23 year old male with a labradoodle who spends 14 hours a day on reddit)

But! For this example, I’m keeping it simple and fairly broad…

People (who’s visiting the business
[politician's website])

18-32 year olds

Problem (why an individual is visiting the business)

They don’t know much about the politician, but are trying to learn more

Products (what the business/politician offers)

This one is a bit tricky because politicians don't really “sell” anything except for their vision of how to make their country better.

They also sell little knick-knacks like t-shirts, stickers, and coffee mugs.

However, none of the above really solve any problems. So, in this instance, the product is access to the email list which will provide insights into the politician.

Marketing and Advertising

I’ve already beat this topic to a dead horse here. So, I won’t go into much detail in this post, but the main idea is that the politician needs to advertise where the audience they're trying to reach … actually hangs out.

In this case, search engine marketing (SEM) and pay per click (PPC) advertising would probably be good starting points as people usually turn to search engines when they have a question (want to learn more about the politician).

Also, social media will be good as the majority of 18-32 year olds are on social media. This medium will also perform well with the lead magnet I am about to suggest as, hopefully, it’ll go viral.

Lead Magnet

Keeping in mind our audience and their problems, what could a politician possibly offer in exchange for an email address?

Have you ever seen Jimmy Kimmel’s Celebrities Reading Mean Tweets?

It’s freakin’ hilarious and every video goes viral.

This lead magnet idea is along the same lines:

10 Of [insert politician’s name] “Toughest” Questions Answered!

Note: “Toughest” may not be a good word as it may imply the questions will actually be tough as opposed to silly, crazy, or ridiculous. (Hey, it's something to test!)

All the politician has to do is record a video of them answering 10 of the “toughest” questions they’ve ever been asked.

The “toughest” questions are the ones that are slightly silly and borderline ignorant. This way, when a humorous/witty answer is given, it's not insulting. For example, Hillary Clinton can't joke about the whole email scandal she's involved with, as that would certainly backfire.

But, she can answer questions like this:

Who would be a better president - Sarah Palin or Hillary Clinton

This …

Is Hillary Clinton a Lesbian

And this …

How intelligent is Hillary Clinton

Here’s the deal tho – it needs to be funny/witty while also being transparent and real … giving actual insights into the politician as a person.

Woah! A transparent politician?!

Maybe I am asking for too much but, if they can pull it off, and show that they're a real person, this will work.

Landing Page / Opt-In Form

The landing page and opt-in form needs to be kept real simple. Remember, these people are coming to learn more about the politician – and that’s it. There’s no need to ask for anything more than an email address.

Heck, I had some extra time so I made a mock-up landing page …

Landing Page

When the play button is clicked, a popup opt-in will be presented asking for an email address in order to view the video.

Landing Page Variations

In the landing page example above I described a “trick” video, which may or may not be a good idea … especially for politicians who are usually seen as sneaky people to begin with …

I present you with a couple more landing page variations:

  • Have an opt-in right below the video and tell people, “All they need to do is enter their email address and press, “Watch The Video”.”
  • Have the video play 2 of the 10 questions and if they want the rest, enter their email address.

Email Series

Just like with the landing page, I don't know what the best possible email series is; however, I know how to start … and from there changes/optimizations will have to be made.

DO THIS! The thing is, you've got to start … even if it's terrible at first!

The Introduction and Action series will be concurrent (2 emails on the same day).

Action Series

  • Email 1: Deliver Lead Magnet (immediately after subscribe)
  • Email 2: 5 Unanswered Questions if donate in the next 48 hours (24 hours after subscribe)
    • Note: This is just an example of something to sell. Another example could be a blooper real from when the 10 answers were recorded. Or, maybe, some “secret vault” of the politician participating in their hobbies
    • The point is, its got to be something someone who wants to learn more about and will pay $1 for. Once the person opens their wallet for the candidate, they're permanently bound!
  • Email 3: Last chance EVER to see unanswered questions (or whatever upsell from above) (48 hours after subscribe)
    • Instill a sense of urgency and fear that this opportunity is going away

Introduction Series

  • Email 1: Welcome, thank you, expectations of being on email list (1 hour after subscribe)
  • Email 2: Personal note/biography/relate to the common folk (25 hours after subscribe)
  • Email 3: Best content (speeches, articles, etc) (49 hours after subscribe)

Broadcast Emails

After the Action and Introduction series have finished, the politician can continue to send broadcast emails about things like …

  • Speeches
  • Appearances
  • Related news
  • Other action series
    • To try and get $1

Skies the limit!

Going Forward

While this is not the end-all, be-all for politicians, at least it's a starting point.

Currently, all they're doing is begging for money … which certainly turns away voters that are on the fence with which candidate to choose.

Hopefully, their email marketing campaigns change once they're “really” running for office and “need” votes … time will tell, but you can count on us being there to evaluate their performance!

An Email Campaign For Politicians2016-10-14T18:29:42+00:00

First Thoughts: What Are Smart Sales Funnels?

There’s a new phrase floating around the Internet concerning a “new” technology called “Smart Sales Funnels”.

This post aims to tell you what they are, how they work, how they can help your business, and a strategy for setting them up.

What Are Smart Sales Funnels?

A smart sales funnel is a website, seamlessly integrated with an email autoresponder, that adjusts per each visitor depending upon where they are in the sales process.

Example

A visitor lands on your website for the first time ever. The goal at this point would be to get the person to join your email list so you can begin building a relationship.

In order to accomplish this goal, you’ll display opt-in forms and lead magnets, trying to entice the visitor to give you their contact information.

So, let’s say you’re successful and collect the contact information. Now, the next time the individual visits your site, you won’t show them opt-in forms and lead magnets, instead you may show them information about your company and/or attempt to get them to make an initial purchase.

Now, let’s say, they looked at one of your products, but didn't make a purchase. You’ll now be able to use the email portion of the smart sales funnel to “remind” them they were checking out the product. You can include some extra helpful information that would persuade them to make a purchase.

You would also be able to change the website to display more information on the particular product – like, more links to it, more reviews, more information – to help drive the visitor back.

Or, you could work on an up-sell or down-sell – show them similar, but different products in order to get them to convert.

“New” Technology?

I want to take a moment to point out that this isn't really a “new” concept or strategy.

Websites have always done their best to display unique content per each visitor. For example; depending on how you landed on a site – the website may be able to tell if you’re a male or a female and adjust its content based on what it concludes.

Or, it may adjust the content based on your geographic location. For example; if you’re in the USA – it may display one image; whereas, if you’re in the UK – it may display another image.

Think about “big” sites like Amazon – if you simply glance at a product – you’re probably going to receive an email about it. They’ll also recommend similar products in order to try and get you to make a purchase.

For example; I recently searched for an Adidas shirt and didn't make a purchase … now I see this on my Amazon homepage … a smart funnel in action!

Amazon Smart Funnel

Again, this isn't a “new” idea – everyone knows you want to make the visitor experience great and tailored to that individual, yet – not everyone has millions of dollars, like Amazon, to spend to make it all happen.

Needless to say, the concept and technology have “existed” for a while now; however, not at an “affordable” price point … until now! (we think*)

How Do Smart Sales Funnels Work?

Unfortunately, none of the plugins have been released yet – they’re that new. So, we don’t know exactly how they work, nor their pricing*; however, we can make an educated guess and describe how we would approach this concept.

First, you’ll download and install a plugin into a WordPress website.

If you don't have a WordPress website, we can set one up for you via 3 Step Sites.

Second, you’ll connect your email autoresponder service. Most quality email autoresponders have some sort of goal tracking [MailChimp's Goal Tracking | Active Campaign's URL Visited] that keeps track of what URLs people visit. This will help setup the email automation.

Third, you’ll have different shortcodes based on visitor information.

For Example:

For a new visitor you’ll have something like:

[new_visitor]Hello new visitor! Enter your email address below for exclusive offer![/new_visitor]

This will only display what’s between the two shortcodes to only those who meet the requirement, ie. New Visitor

Now, let’s say the person signs up for the exclusive offer and re-visits the site – for which you have a shortcode like:

[second_visit_email]Welcome back! We wanted to show you our flagship product because we really think it’ll be helpful to you![/second_visit_email]

Now, let’s say they click the product, but don’t make a purchase. This would send a signal to our email autoresponder that would send them an email about the product with more, exclusive information – maybe even a coupon?!

We could also setup another shortcode for this individual:

[clicked_flagship_product_no_purchase]Hi again! Here are a few other products you may be interested in – up-sell, down-sell[/clicked_flagship_product_no_purchase]

And so on, and so on – I think you get the gist.

Of course, there would be shortcodes for every type of scenario you could think of – no stone would be left un-turned!

Fourth, sit back and collect all the extra cash from your smart sales funnel!

Fifth, the fourth one was “kind of” a joke – yes, ideally, you’ll collect a lot more cash; however, there’s a lot of optimization that can, and should, be done. So, the “sitting” part – isn't too accurate.

How Would It Keep Track?

All of this information would probably be stored in a cookie and/or via IP – I can see some room for error here, because – what if the person opts-in the the email list while on their phone, and then comes back to the site via their work computer, and then again via their home computer. I don’t know how/if they’ll be able to keep everything properly coordinated – time will tell.

Again, this is just our “best guess” as to how these plugins will work. Once we get our hands on them, we’ll test drive them and I’m sure – implement them into our services.

The Problem With Smart Sales Funnels

The biggest problem I can see, is that when you create multiple levels and scenarios like this – it’s a lot of work.

What if they click this and not that?

What if they click both things?

What if they click this, that, and the other thing … but not this one thing?

Not to mention, you’ll still need to spend time optimizing each level.

As you can tell, it can get real messy, real fast … if you don’t have a plan in place before you get started!

The Solution

Have a plan before you dive into creating smart sales funnels.

Break your strategy into levels for specific goals – For example:

  • Level 1: Join email list
  • Level 2: Click on at least one of our three flagship products
  • Level 3: Make a purchase
  • Level 4: Recommend complementary products and services

Trust me on this one (because I've been there with a few of my membership sites) – if you don’t keep it simple – you will become overwhelmed. Having a bunch of – “What if they clicked this, that, and the other thing … but not this one thing” shortcodes lying around gets VERY confusing after a while, and it can become very hard to keep track of it all.

Final Thoughts On Smart Sales Funnels

While the smart sales funnel technology hasn't “officially” been released yet, we have a pretty good idea of how it will work.

We’re also very excited to get our hands on it and we're sure, when used properly, it will boost conversions!

Alas, this is more of a “nice to have” feature as opposed to a “need to have” feature … like a basic sales funnel.

So, start small – if you don’t have any sales funnel in place – start with a simple one like the Straight Line Sales Funnel. You can always make it more advanced later.

First Thoughts: What Are Smart Sales Funnels?2016-10-14T18:29:42+00:00

Why Your Gym Needs An Automated Sales System

This article is geared more towards owners, managers, and personal trainers at gyms or fitness centers; however, many of the same tactics I talk about apply across numerous business models – so, if you’re an owner or manager at any business, you can certainly learn some new concepts from reading this post.

Essentially, every businesses needs an automated sales system – and gyms and fitness centers are no different.

Think about how much competition a gym has … I mean, take a look at the 10 mile radius around my apartment –

Map of Gyms

There are so many to choose from!

So, what’s to convince someone to join one gym over another?

And, once that person joins a gym, what’s to keep that person coming back again and again for things like classes and personal training sessions, or even to make snack bar purchases and buy supplements … not to mention keeping their membership active…?

A relationship.

And what helps form and maintain relationships? (hint: it’s an automated sales system)

To Collect Lead Contact Information

The first reason your fitness center needs an automated sales system is to collect contact information from potential leads.

Once you have that contact information, you’ll be able to start a conversation with that individual – building trust and, ultimately, having that person join your gym.

Let’s start from the beginning – why in the world is someone on your gym’s website?

There are two main reasons:

  1. They want to join a gym, but aren’t sure which one fits their personality
  2. They want to join a gym, but aren’t sure if it offers what they need

Notice what’s similar between the two?

The person wants to join a gym!

That’s pretty much the only reason someone will be on your gym’s website – unless they’re already a member and checking hours or the class schedule, or maybe you have a killer blog they’re reading (we’ll save those folks for another article).

OK, so the main reason someone’s on your site is that they want to join a gym – the keyword here is “a” gym – not necessarily your gym.

It’s time to do some convincing.

Segmentation 101

One group of people is checking to see if your gym fits their personality. Of course, not all gyms are the same. Some are more for athletes, others for bodybuilders, others for elderly, and others that are more kid friendly.

The other group of people is seeing what your gym offers. Their looking at everything from equipment, to classes, to activities, to personal training, to the snack bar, and even if your locker room has free towels.

How To Segment The Visitors

Let’s go ahead and segment these folks so they can get the information they desire.

This segmentation can be easily accomplished by … get this … asking them!

Divide your landing page in half – one half is for people who want to see if your gym fits their personality while the other half shows everything your gym has to offer.

With this segmentation, you’ll know why the individual is on your site and you’ll be able to give them tailored content in order to get them to give you their contact information.

Lead Magnet

Here’s the deal, no matter which segment the individual is in, they’re both going to be offered the same lead magnet.

Hands down, the best lead magnet for a gym is a free trial.

This gets the person in the door and they’ll be able to see for themselves if your gym is a fit.

If you do not offer a free trial, I guarantee you are missing out on members. I personally only join a gym after participating in a trial membership – I always try before I buy – and several of my friends are the same way.

Tying The Lead Magnet To The Segment

As previously discussed, we have our two segments of people (personality, features) and our lead magnet (free trial) – now, how do we connect the two?

Leave Them Wanting More

Based on whatever segment they select, it’s your job to give them some of the answers they’re looking for; however, leave them wanting more.

For example; if someone is trying to see what features your gym offers – tell them about your features, but add in some mystery and excitement!

The best way to do this is by following the tried-and-true “clickbait” format – vague ambiguous hyperbole.

For example; “You won’t believe what color we painted our locker room!” – huh? What?! I want to see!

Or, “On your 10th visit you won’t believe what you’re rewarded with!” – Oo! I like rewards, and only 10 visits?! I need to check this out!

Or, “Our snack bar offers this one shake that’s so protein packed, most people can’t handle it!” – pff, I bet I can handle it!

Hopefully, that makes some sense.

The point is this – you want the visitor to have the burning desire to give you their contact information so they can get the free trial and see what’s really going on with your gym.

Rapport Building

Since you've done such a great job with segmenting and hyping up the lead magnet – the person has given you their contact information. It’s now time to build up the relationship in order to get them to use their free trial and, eventually, convert into a paying member.

Of course, the best way to start the relationship is to deliver what you said you would – the free trial.

  • First email: Lead magnet (free trial)
  • Time frame: Immediately after signup

Now, based on the particular segment (personality, features) – you’ll want to send tailored content.

Personality

Send information about your demographics, videos of people exercising in your gym, their stories, why they joined your gym, what they love about your gym, etc.

Features

Send information about what your gym has to offer. Give a video tour, talk about your classes, share videos of classes, talk about how your equipment is top notch or how you have unique equipment for their needs, etc.

Other

Besides sending tailored content displaying either the personality or features of your gym, you can include things like a free consultation with a certified personal trainer, a free shake at the snack bar, and other events your gym hosts.

You need to give the individual everything they need in order to feel comfortable in their decision to join your gym.

Paying Members (Sales Pipelines)

If you've followed the previous sections – you should have more paid members than you know what to do with!

So, now it’s time to start maximizing their lifetime value through the use of sales pipelines.

Once the individual is a paying member, you can ask them what their goals are and have them enter a sales pipeline based on those goals.

While in that particular pipeline – they’ll receive emails helping them achieve their goals, all while keeping the relationship alive and well.

For example; if the individual wants to lose weight, you can send emails about …

  • How to eat properly
  • Your in-house nutritionist and how they can help the person achieve their weight loss goals
  • Classes that target fat loss
  • Personal trainers who have helped other clients lose weight and reach their goals
    • Share testimonials
  • Supplements that help burn fat

Or, for example; if the individual wants to run a marathon, you can send emails about …

  • How to create a training plan
    • In particular – how your in-house personal trainers know exactly how to create awesome marathon plans
  • Which running shoes to wear
  • Nutrition and supplements for long races
  • The running club your gym has

There are a large number of sales pipelines that you can setup to send tailored content to your members – keeping the relationship alive all while maximizing revenue.

Conclusion

Gyms and fitness centers are prime candidates for automated sales systems.

They help convert visitors into paying customers and then maximize the lifetime value of those customers – automatically.

It’s really a no-brainer, and if your gym is lacking – contact us!

Why Your Gym Needs An Automated Sales System2016-10-14T18:29:42+00:00

Automated Sales System in Real Life: D1 Sports Training, Huntsville, AL

Every so often we take a few minutes to check out a business that is actually using an automated sales system.

We enter the sales funnel just like any other person who comes across their site; however, we examine everything and share our thoughts on how to make it even better!

This examination features D1 Sports Training of Huntsville, AL.

If you have no idea what an automated sales system is – click here.

First and Foremost

I must commend D1 Sports Training for actually having an automated sales system.

I examined 17 other gyms, fitness centers, and sports training centers in the Huntsville, AL area and D1 was in the minority. Only about 25% of these businesses had implemented some kind of automated sales system.

In all of my examination and research thus far, the gym industry does a much better job at implementing automated sales system than any other industry. For example; in the car dealership industry – out of 19 dealerships I looked at, only 1 had an automated sales system.

Their Site

Homepage for D1

While I’m more concerned about the actual automated sales system, I must address the website because it’s part of the whole experience.

When I first came upon their website – I was impressed.

It is a nice, professional, website; albeit, it is not mobile responsive, which is something I highly recommend changing.

It looks tough and rugged too, just like they train you to be.

While the D1 brand has multiple locations (27) across the country, and therefore, I’d imagine, a pretty decent revenue in order to invest a lot of money into a beautiful website – it really doesn’t have to cost too much.

We at Crazy Eye Marketing will get you up and running with a beautiful website at a price that you choose.

So, if your business website is old, outdated, not mobile friendly, sloppy, and/or ugly – contact us!

… sorry, we’re a business, I had to throw in a pitch somewhere 😉

Back to the examination!

The best part about their site is they have “Free Trial – Sign Up Now” button, and the entry point to a sales funnel, smack dab in the middle of their homepage!

This is outstanding!

The only thing I might change (or at least test) in regards to that button; are the colors of it. It almost blends in too well with the rest of their site. Don’t get me wrong, it’s certainly visually appealing – but, does it draw my attention?

I would test a bright green or a baby blue button in there to see what happens. Sure, it might not look as “cool”; however, the thing that matters is its ability to capture leads.

After clicking that button, we’re presented with the …

The Opt-in

The Opt-in

A nice little popup appears asking us for our “Athlete Profile”.

Problems with Popups

There are a few problems with this popup method.

It does require JavaScript – so, if a visitor does not have Javascript enabled – the box will not appear. Fortunately, this is not too big of a deal these days as the web runs on JavaScript and the likelihood that someone has it turned off is slim to none.

The other issue that may arise in regards to having a popup box is how it displays on a mobile device. This one happens to display fine on my Samsung Galaxy S5; however, there may be phones out there where this opt-in doesn't display properly. This is something to be aware of and to keep an eye on.

Instead of having the popup, they could have another page dedicated to collecting the contact information.

Too Much Information

With an opt-in form, you want to request the least amount of acceptable information as possible.

The more information that is requested, the more of a “hassle” it is to fill out the form and it creates a barrier to entry.

For example; if I’m on my phone, typing in all of that requested information will take me a minute or two. I might not feel like spending my time on that.

Instead, request what’s needed in order to start the conversation.

In this instance, I believe D1 should ask for the first name, email, possibly the phone number, and possibly the age (this will allow them to send tailored content specific to that individual – but, only collect this if it’s being used to send tailored content. NEVER ask for extra information just to have extra information. Only ask for what you absolutely need in order to start the conversation.)

I doubt D1 needs to know the athlete’s last name, parent’s name, and zip code in order to get them in the door.

To summarize – I would scrap at least half of those data fields and only go with what is absolutely necessary to start the conversation. The rest of the information can be gathered when the athlete walks through the door.

Submit Button

Ewww.

Never, ever, have a submit button that says, “Submit”. That’s one of the biggest no-no’s in the industry!

The submit button should reaffirm exactly what the person is signing up for.

For example, “Get Free Trial!” or “Send Me My Trial!”

I would change this ASAP.

Lead Magnet

Let’s take a minute to dissect their Lead Magnet – “Sign Up For Your Free Trial”.

I love it.

I don’t believe there can be a better lead magnet than a free trial membership to a gym.

By my own personal experience, I've done a number of free trials to gyms, and they've converted me into a paying customer on multiple occasions.

In fact, I've only ever signed up for a gym if they've had a free trial. So, in my opinion, all gyms need to offer a free trial.

Nothing to change in regards to the lead magnet.

Upon Submission

After inputting all of my information and hitting the horrible “Submit” button – I was greeted with the “Thank You” page:

Thank You Page

It’s not bad, but it should reiterate the reason I bothered to enter my contact information in the first place – the free trial.

At the very minimum, I would change the last sentence to say: “A D1 team member will be contacting you shortly in regards to your Free Trial!”

Also, on the thank you page, I would add some links to more information or the social media pages. Say something along the lines of “While you wait for your free trial to arrive in your inbox, why don’t you check out these articles or like us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.”

I’m Concerned

The message has not been consistent across the entire opt-in process.

By keeping the message of the “free trial” consistent, you build trust; however, with the exception of the initial free trail button on the homepage, I haven’t seen anything else talking about my free trial – whether on the opt-in form, nor the thank you page, and I’m becoming a little concerned that I'll actually be getting a free trial.

You need to keep the message consistent, because, right now, I can’t really remember what I signed up for.

Rapport Building

3 hours and 41 minutes after submitting my information in order to get a free trial, I received an email.

Yes, after submitting my very personal information like my full name, age, my parent’s name, my email, my phone number, and my zip code – information I hold dear – I heard nothing for 3 hours and 41 minutes.

This is unsatisfactory on multiple levels.

At the very least, I need an instant email confirmation saying that you received my personal information and that you’ll be in touch shortly.

I need to know that all of my contact information is both valued and being handled properly.

3 hours and 41 minutes of silence does not convey that you really care about my information.

Issue number 2, after 3 hours and 41 minutes, I may have even forgotten about you guys. More than likely I’m searching for several gyms that offer free trial memberships, and if you don’t respond, I’ll just go on to the next one, and you will miss out on me becoming a paying member.

3 hours and 41 minutes later …

 

d1-email-1

All in all, I think it’s a pretty good first email.

First, it’s attractive and looks professional.

Second, it tells me what’s about to happen – that someone will contact me in regards to my free trial.

Third, it tells me what to do in the meantime – watch this awesome video.

Fourth, it tells me what to do if I have any questions – hit reply or call.

All in all, pretty good.

The biggest issue I have is that I had to wait 3 hours and 41 minutes to see it. Why wasn't it sent instantly?

I would also add a signature block to the email. You say to call, but who am I to ask for?

2 hours and 34 minutes later …

 

d1-email-2

Nice!

A follow up email!

Short, sweet, to the point!

I like it, I love it, I want some more of it!

17 days later

 

d1-email-3

I don’t understand why this email followed 17 days later.

By this time, if I've not already signed up for your gym – I've forgotten you exist and am already happy elsewhere.

When in the rapport building phase of the sales funnel, time is of the essence. You need to be proactive and responsive, working to build that relationship as quickly as possible in order to get that individual through the door and converted into a paying customer.

However, with the exception of the 17 day delay, it’s a great second (or third, depending how you look at it) email. It shares a story of someone who’s had success within your gym – and people love success stories.

I can’t tell from this exact email, but hopefully you’re using the age information I inserted in order to share a story with someone in my age group.

For example; if I selected that I was in middle school, I should receive a story about a middle schooler who found success with your gym.

When I registered, I selected that I was an adult – and this story is about an adult, but, I don’t know if this is just a coincidence or if I was specifically targeted.

Remember, if you’re not using the information you requested upon initial sign-up – don’t collect it.

Also, I would be sure to add a signature block to the email so the individual receiving the email knows exactly who to ask for when they call.

Summary of What They Need To Do:

  • Their site is “pretty” – however, it is not mobile responsive. It still looks fine and functions on mobile devices; however, it’s not “meant” for mobile devices. I would change this.
  • They should test their “Free Trial” button that is on the homepage. Try different colors that standout more and see how well they convert.
  • They need to re-evaluate exactly what fields they’re using in their opt-in. If they are not using the information they’re asking for, or if that information can be gathered later – don’t’ ask for it right up front. It needs to be as simple as possible to fill out.
  • The popup opt-in is “cool” however, some mobile devices may not support it. I’d recommend setting up a separate page specifically to collect leads.
  • They need to change their “Submit” button ASAP – to anything other than “Submit”.
  • They need to re-iterate on their thank you page that the individual will be receiving a free trial membership shortly. The message needs to be kept the same across all steps of the opt-in process.
  • They need to send a confirmation email IMMEDIATELY after someone sends in their personal contact information. No one likes the thought of their information floating around out there in cyberspace.
  • They’re emails were actually good for the most part. The biggest issue was their timing. The first one should be instant, the second one was appropriate, and the third one was 17 days later – which is way too long.
  • They should also add a signature block to their emails.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, D1 Sports Training is doing a pretty decent job.

The biggest issue they need to fix is the timing of their email delivery – which can be accomplished with a few clicks.

The rest of the issues are fairly small and easy as well; however, when compounded will have a huge impact on conversion rates.

What Do You Think?

I need to know if you've found this post helpful in any way.

Even if you don't own a gym or a fitness center, does it help you understand how to approach an automated sales system?

What would make this post better?

Leave a comment below!

Automated Sales System in Real Life: D1 Sports Training, Huntsville, AL2016-10-14T18:29:42+00:00

Why Your Car Dealership Needs An Automated Sales System

This article is geared more towards owners and managers of car dealerships; however, many of the same tactics I talk about apply across numerous business models – so, if you’re an owner or manager at any business, you can certainly learn some new concepts from reading this post.

Essentially, every business needs an automated sales system and car dealerships are no different.

Think about how much competition a car dealership has. Unless you’re way out in the middle of nowhere, there are probably a dozen dealerships within a 10 mile radius. So, what’s to convince someone to go to one dealership over another?

Then, what’s to convince that individual to come back again and again for things like services, maintenance, and even, another car?

A relationship.

And what helps form and maintain relationships? (hint: it’s an automated sales system)

To Collect Lead Contact Information

The first reason your car dealership needs an automated sales system is to collect contact information from potential leads.

Of course, you’ll then use that contact information to build a relationship and ultimately sell a vehicle.

Let’s be honest for a minute. There are really only two reasons why a person would ever arrive on your dealership’s website:

  1. They’re seeing what’s in stock (they’re ready to buy)
  2. They’re checking on how you do business (research)
    [loans, offers, incentives, policies, reviews, etc]

They’re not going to be researching particular vehicles on your website – that’s what the manufacture’s website and the plethora of vehicle review sites are for.

They’re only there for the aforementioned reasons, and instead of inundating them with random information, you should target them based off of those reasons.

Segmentation 101

Based on the visitor’s intent, you’ll be able to cater to them on a deeper level – but first, let’s talk about segmenting them.

There are a number of ways to segment visitors automatically based on keywords and the links they clicked; however, let’s keep it simple.

All you need to do is – ask them.

The very first page someone lands on can ask the simple question – “Why are you here?”

Then, give the options:

  1. I’m looking to make a purchase soon
  2. I’m just browsing

Boom!

Too easy!

Now you know exactly why an individual is on your site and you can provide the necessary information to that person in order to collect their contact information and start building that relationship.

Lead Magnet Ideas

For the individuals that are looking to make a purchase soon, you can offer a special deal like …

  • $1,000 cash back
  • 0% financing
  • 6 free oil changes

For the individuals who are just browsing, a special deal won’t go as far because they’re not quite ready to commit to a purchase, so you’ll want to offer something else – for example:

  • Digital pamphlet – 7 tips for buying a car from an independent dealer / used car dealership / car dealership / etc
  • Fact sheet – 7 questions you need to ask before purchasing a vehicle
  • Fact sheet – 5 things most dealerships don’t tell you, but you need to know

Of course, in each of these digital products you’ll refer back to your business and how your business answers the questions and solves the problems – placing you in the spotlight.

Rapport Building

How many people purchase a car without talking to a salesperson at some point?

Exactly – everyone will talk to a salesperson at some point.

So, after collecting the individual’s contact information, it’s time to start a conversation that builds a relationship.

The best way to start a conversation is by delivering exactly what you say you will – the lead magnet.

  • First email: Lead magnet
  • Time frame: Immediately after signup

This action instantly establishes a bit of trust. You said you would instantly deliver the lead magnet, and you did. You’re a man/woman/business of your word.

The goal of the second email should be to start the conversation – and a great way to do that is by asking a question. (Note: based off of your segmentation, your question should change – CYA [consider your audience])

  • Second email: Ask them a question
    • How can I help you?
  • Time frame: Within 24 hours of delivery of the lead magnet

Note: It may be best to ask a simple yes or no question as people are more likely to respond with a yes or no. For example: Have you ever shopped with us before?

Remember, it’s all about getting the individual to start talking with you – once the conversation has started, you’ll be able to drive.

Ideally the conversation will be started with the second email; however, this doesn’t always happen. Maybe the person needs a little more information about your dealership – which is the point of the third and fourth emails.

  • Third email: Tell them about your inventory
  • Time frame: 2-3 days after second email
  • Fourth email: Tell them about how you conduct business
    • Incentives, credit checks, warranties, etc
  • Time frame: 1 day after third email

Now, the individual should know everything they need to know about your dealership – from your inventory to how you conduct business. It’s time again to ask a question.

  • Fifth email: Ask them a “fun” question
    • What car do you picture yourself in?
  • Time frame: 2 days after fourth email

Now, these are just the first five emails that I recommend sending. Of course, things change – what works for one dealership may not work for another. What works for one segment may not work for another.

The point is, you’ll have something to work with, and from there you’ll be able to see what’s working and what isn’t.

Just remember, it’s all about getting the conversation started!

After The Sale

After spending hours working with an individual – trying to sell them a vehicle. And after that individual opens their wallet to give you money to purchase a vehicle … do you want that person to drive away from your dealership … never to be heard from again?

My guess is no.

You’re going to want to keep that relationship alive – and this can be easily accomplished with an automated sales system – via the sales pipelines.

Segmenting Your Sales Pipelines

There are many reasons people purchase the type of vehicle they purchase.

For example; if they purchase a sports car – they certainly care about what they drive, they’ll be proud of their purchase, proud of their accomplishments, want people to see it, etc.

If the person purchases a minivan – they probably do so because they need some extra room – have kids, etc.

If the person purchases an off road vehicle like a Jeep or a truck – they’re probably going off road, camping, exploring, etc.

So, you can specifically target individuals based off of what their interests are and send them related products and services.

Also, no matter what type of vehicle they purchase, they’re still going to need to perform the regular maintenance like oil changes, filter changes, tires, etc, etc, etc.

Whether your dealership actually performs the maintenance or not – it’s going to need to be done – and by sending reminders, coupons, and recommendations at a regular interval, you’ll be able to keep in touch with your customers in a very helpful manner.

I mean, who doesn't like oil change coupons?!

Conclusion

If your car dealership does not have an automated sales system in place … you’re missing out on so much! Everything from starting the initial conversation to keeping a relationship alive.

Alas, it’s never too late to implement an automated sales system for your business, simply contact us!

Why Your Car Dealership Needs An Automated Sales System2016-10-14T18:29:43+00:00

What Are High Leverage Activities?

High leverage activities are activities that have greater results than regular or low leverage activities.

They’re the activities that maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of your money, time, and relationships.

Pop Quiz Time!

Wait, So, What’s A High Leverage Activity?

A high leverage activity is defined by one or both of these parameters:

  • It’s something only you can do
  • Its results are worth a multiple of the energy put into it (ROI)

It’s Something Only You Can Do

Some activities can only be performed by you.

For example, if you’re the brand – you can’t hire someone to be you. Let’s say you run a podcast and you’re the host – only you can host that podcast.

Or, if you’re writing an article about a life experience – only you can write that article.

Or, if you’re meeting people and building relationships – only you can build your relationships – believe it or not, you cannot hire someone to do that for you.

Its Results Are Worth A Multiple Of The Energy Put Into It

Some activities are worth doing more than others.

For example, writing a blog post may take four hours; however, it may be read thousands of times, result in hundreds of leads, and build your authority.

Or, it may take months to build a relationship; however, that relationship may form into a partnership that leads to a revolutionary business.

Or, it can be an automated sales system – where, once it’s setup, it will continue to multiply the lifetime value of your customers.

Then, What Are Low Level Activities?

Low level activities are the exact opposite of high leverage activities:

  • Anyone can do it
  • Energy in is less than or equal to the results

Anyone Can Do It

For example, in the case of a podcast – only you can be the host of your own podcast; however, anyone can edit the podcast, upload the podcast, transcribe the podcast, create artwork for the podcast, etc.

Same with a post – only you can write it, but someone else can edit it, upload it, create artwork for it, etc.

Many chores are low level activities – does it really take YOU to clean the store? Or YOU to run errands? Or YOU to do the landscaping?

No, anyone can do those activities.

Energy In Is Less Than Or Equal To The Results

Providing a service for people tends to be a low leverage activity.

If you’re the only one providing the service, you’ll work X hours for Y dollars.

There are only so many hours in the day and you’re therefore limited by those hours and the amount of money you can make.

Sure, you could charge $300 an hour and work 80 hours per week and you’ll make a 7 figure income; however, you’re still exchanging dollars per hour. It’s going to be hard to pass that 80 hour mark without risking your health and sanity.

What if, you hired two people, took the time to train them (a high leverage activity), and had them producing the same results as you, while only paying them $150 per hour?

You could still charge a client $300 per hour because they would still be getting the same results; however, you’re no longer doing the work. You have two employees, who can do twice the amount of work as yourself, at half the cost – leaving you to go out and do the things only you can do – land big clients.

How To Make Low Leverage Activities Into High Leverage Activities

You will have unavoidable low leverage activities in your life.

Unless you figure out how to teleport, you will have to drive places.

More than likely, you will have to do some low leverage activities like grocery shopping, yard maintenance, waiting in lines, checking your email, etc.

However, many of these low leverage activities require very little focus and concentration which gives you the opportunity to multitask by …

Listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

Reading (listening)  is a high leverage activity because it can expand your horizons and make you a much more effective and efficient person.

With audiobooks, all you need is your phone and a set of speakers / headphones.

Now, while driving – you can also be “reading”.

While grocery shopping – you can be devouring the latest content in your industry via a podcast.

Audiobooks and podcasts are amazing because they allow you to transform all those mundane, unavoidable, and low leverage activities into high leverage activities.

How To Figure Out Your High Leverage Activities

By this point in this article, you should know the difference between high leverage and low leverage activities, but, you might not know what YOUR high leverage activities are.

The 80/20 Rule

More than likely you've heard of the 80/20 rule, or the Pareto Principle, that states that 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.

Essentially, 80% of the results in your business and life, come from only 20% of the tasks that you do.

Let’s take a look at your life – what makes you most happy and healthy?

  • Spending time with family and friends (relationships)
  • Exercise
  • Reading
  • Mindfulness/Spirituality
  • Eating nutritious foods

Let’s take a look at your business – what activities directly impact your bottom line?

  • If you could only do one activity for your business that directly impacts its bottom line – what would that activity be?
    • Training employees?
    • Systematizing and developing processes for your business?
    • Recording podcasts, writing articles, recording videos?
    • Building relationships and landing big clients?
    • Studying and understanding your industry and making decisions on a path forward?
  • What’s the second most critical activity you do for your business – that no one else can do?
  • The third?
  • That’s it. Those three things are the only things you should focus on. Everything else should be delegated.

The Best High Leverage Activity For Your Business?

The best high leverage activity for your business is one that requires very little manpower, yet is directly responsible for multiplying your bottom line.

The activity I’m speaking of is the design, implementation, and optimization of an automated sales system.

An automated sales system will automatically capture leads, help convert those leads into paying customers, and then turn those customers into lifelong, repeat, customers. Again, all with very little manpower.

It’s also super easy to get started, all you have to do is contact us!

What Are High Leverage Activities?2016-10-14T18:29:45+00:00

Automated Sales System in Real Life: Bill Penney Toyota, Huntsville, AL

Every so often we take a few minutes to check out a business that is actually using an automated sales system.

We enter the sales funnel just like any other person who comes across their site; however, we examine everything and share our thoughts on how to make it even better!

This examination features Bill Penney Toyota of Huntsville, AL.

If you have no idea what an automated sales system is – click here.

First and Foremost

I must commend Bill Penney Toyota for actually having an automated sales system.

I examined 18 other car dealers in the Huntsville, AL area and Bill Penney Toyota was the only one that had one!

So, good job on that – you’re on the right track.

Their Site

Bill Penney Toyota Homepage

While I’m more concerned about the actual automated sales system, I must address the website because it’s part of the whole experience.

When I first came upon their website – I was overwhelmed.

There are multiple menus, images sliding across the screen, cars for sale, multiple contact forms, and there's even a chat box in the middle of the header (yeah, don’t ask).

The most disturbing thing; however, was the fact that I found no easy place to opt-in to their sales funnel.

So, I went to leave their site, disappointed like I had been with so many other car dealerships, when I was hit with this …

The Opt-in

The Opt-in!

Woohoo!

Finally!

An entry point to an automated sales system!

Note: I’ll address the actual lead magnet in another section – we’re just looking at the opt-in for now.

How did they make this happen?

Now, how the heck did they know I was about to leave their site and go elsewhere?

They’re using a piece of software called ExitGadget that tracks where my cursor is. So, when my cursor scrolled off their website – they “hit” me with an offer – with the hopes it will either keep me on their site and/or collect my contact information.

Here’s the deal though – they’re spending $379/mo on this one piece of software!

While there are definitely cheaper options out there – as long as that piece of software adds $380+ to their bottom line – it’ll more than pay for itself.

I imagine they've done the analysis on its impact and decided it was worth every penny – and if not – they need to make some changes!

Note: I am not criticizing ExitGadget. It’s a solid piece of software that does a great job – it’s up to the individual business and their marketing department to do their own cost analysis to see if it’s worth the price. Keep that in mind when implementing your automated sales system. I know we do!

One BIG problem

The issue with only having an opt-in that presents itself upon exit intent is that they do not work on mobile devices.

Over 50% of local searches are done via a mobile device [reference]. So, by not having a mobile friendly option, they’re missing out on a huge percent of their visitors.

Lead Magnet

Let’s take a minute to dissect their Lead Magnet – “A Down Payment Assistance Voucher of $500”.

I hate it.

It’s not clear

First off, what is a “down payment assistance voucher”? Is it the same thing as $500 off a down payment? Do I have to pay it back? What are the terms?

It’s not clear as to what I will be getting.

When deciding on a lead magnet, make sure it’s crystal clear exactly what the person will be receiving – do not leave anything open for interpretation.

It’s very limited

Being a “down payment voucher” – I imagine it’s for people who are about to buy a car.

I would also imagine that most of the people who arrive on your site are not about to buy a car – they’re probably just browsing and checking out your dealership.

Or, maybe they’re looking to lease or sell a vehicle.

What about all of those people?

Your lead magnet needs to be an offer too good to refuse; however, right now – most people who visit your site don’t need what you have to offer.

What might be better for the general public is a free report – “7 Things Most Dealers Won’t Tell You When Buying a Car.”

Note: If their marketing department was measuring purchase intent, and if they were directly targeting buyers, their current lead magnet could be great; however, as a standard lead magnet it misses the mark.

Segmenting

After clicking “YES, I WAN’T MY $500 VOUCHER!” – I was greeted with a second page:

Opt-in Page 2

Cool!

Hopefully they’re using this information to segment their leads in order to deliver tailored content.

I mean, they even asked me exactly why I was there! (I selected “Just Browsing” even though, as previously discussed, I doubt anyone “Just Browsing” would have actually made it this far.)

Opt-in Page 2 Part 2

After filling out the form, I pressed the “SEND MY $500 DOWN PAYMENT VOUCHER NOW!” button and was greeted with this page:

Opt-In Page 3

Thank you for shopping with us? I didn't buy anything, but, OK.

At least my $500 down payment voucher will be delivered shortly!

Rapport Building

18 minutes later I received my first email from them. (I expected instant delivery of my voucher).

BP - Email - 1

 

Hmm.

As you can see – no voucher.

Where is my freaking’ voucher?!

This rapport building isn't going too well…

Maybe the second email will have it…

BP - Email-2

 

Hmm.

I don’t see a voucher here either – unless that broken image is one – which, I don’t believe it is because I would think Bob would have mentioned it in the email.

Anyway, in the second email, he tells me why I should buy from him, which is a bit presumptive as I was just browsing! (Remember, I selected that option while going through the opt-in)

He should be asking ME what I’m looking for and then match MY needs with his business.

While I’m sure Bob is a nice guy, I don’t really care about him at this point.

All he is to me is a signature at the bottom of some emails that don’t include my $500 voucher.

Moving on.

I have since received five more emails from Bill Penney Toyota:

Email List

Notice how they use the same subject line multiple times and also the fact that they’re sending two emails on the same day? Both are big no-nos.

Also, they say the same thing:

BP - Email - 3

Yes. Five emails like the one you see above.

Asking me to call him, or her, or it – who knows!? There’s no signature.

And for that matter – no phone number to call.

How are you going to ask me to all you without a phone number?

This is poor.

Oh, and by the way – where is my $500 voucher!?

This is bad

Needless to say, they have done a very poor job building rapport.

What They Need To Do:

  • Simplify their site – there are way too many options – it’s overwhelming
  • Offer another lead magnet that has broad appeal
  • Deliver the lead magnet – near instantly – not 18 minutes later (or never in this case)
  • Use the segmentation information gathered from the opt-in to deliver tailored information. I told them I was just browsing, and next thing I knew, Bob was telling me that he’s a grandpa and trying to sell me a car.
  • Their email series should start like this:
    • Instant delivery of the promised lead magnet
    • A question asking ME how they can help ME
    • Bob talking about himself, his dealership, and how they help folks that are “just browsing” find exactly what they’re looking for (testimonials can work well too)
    • Another email asking for questions. They need to get the conversation started, and by being helpful, they stand a much greater chance of opening the conversation
      • Instead of telling me to call them and not including the phone number
    • A link to a YouTube video – preferably a viral one – that features a Toyota doing awesome things. Subject line can be – “Have you seen this video?” – This will help form the relationship
    • Information about a special offer the dealership has for first time customers – or something along these lines – trying to get the prospect to walk through the door
  • Also, they should never send two emails on the same day like they’re currently doing – it’s annoying

Conclusion

At the end of the day, Bill Penney Toyota at least has something in place – which is better than at least 18 of their competitors.

Having said that – there is room for improvement.

What Do You Think?

I need to know if you've found this post helpful in any way.

Even if you don't own a car dealership, does it help you understand how to approach an automated sales system?

What would make this post better?

Leave a comment below!

Automated Sales System in Real Life: Bill Penney Toyota, Huntsville, AL2017-06-29T11:01:22+00:00

What Is A Lead Magnet? & 7 Examples

A lead magnet is an incentive, or “bribe”, to convince an individual to give you their contact information.

You see lead magnets everywhere online in the form of discounts, contests, eBooks, checklists, video courses, etc.

But, lead magnets don’t exist solely online. Think about all of those “member” cards you have on your keyring for grocery stores, gas stations, and department stores. They offer you “points” in exchange for your contact information.

Think about store specific credit cards. Every time I walk into a Target, I’m offered one of their credit cards in exchange for 5% off all of my purchases.

Obviously, as a business owner / marketer – having either a points card or credit card that tracks your customers’ purchasing behavior would be phenomenal. You could tailor your marketing efforts incredibly effectively.

Some kind of card that tracks purchases would be an ideal lead magnet; however, those options might not be practical for your business. In this article I’ll address several lead magnet ideas you can use in your business.

A Lead Magnet Has Three Parts

I’m not going to go into too much detail in this section, I just want to point out the fact that a lead magnet is more than having a simple little giveaway.

You will also need a page, or a section on your page that does a great job promoting your lead magnet and collecting the contact information. This type of page is often referred to as a landing page.

You will also need traffic to your landing page and lead magnet. Traffic can be generated any number of ways and without it, your lead magnet will not be successful.

To summarize, a lead magnet is made up of:

  • The giveaway (coupon, eBook, checklist, course, trial, etc)
  • The landing page (to promote the giveaway and collect the contact info)
  • The traffic (from advertising)

These Days…

Back in the good ‘ol days (like 2 years ago), the bigger your lead magnet – the better. It used to be that a 200 page eBook was better than a 100 page eBook, which was obviously better than a measly 50 page eBook.

However, over time, people came to realize that they weren't even reading a 10 page eBook, much less a 200 page one. So, they stopped giving up their contact information in exchange for such massive eBooks.

These days, “quick answers” work best.

A single coupon, a 1 page checklist, and a 5 minute video tend to outperform a 200 page eBook.

This is great news for you, the lead magnet creator! Now, you don’t have to worry about compiling a massive lead magnet!

7 Lead Magnet Examples

Below are 7 lead magnet examples. Of course this list is not all inclusive, but it should help you get started.

1. Coupon / Discount

A coupon can drive people to your store, and/or to make a purchase. A coupon can be the deciding factor between someone going to your store or one of your competitors.

For example, if someone searches “ecig coupon chester va” – and you have a coupon readily available – you’ll get that customer AND their contact info.

I recommend every physical store, that sells a commodity, to have a coupon available and don’t hesitate to pay to advertise that lead magnet in order to get ahead of your competitors.

2. Checklist / Step-list

A checklist can be a great lead magnet, if there is some sort of process that can by systematized and helpful to your audience.

For example, if listing a product on Amazon, there are certain steps one has to go through every time to list their product. There’s the title, description, pictures, etc.

Offering people a checklist or step-by-step instructions can help them accomplish the task they set out to perform.

3. eBook

Even though I “bashed” eBooks a few paragraphs ago – they can still work as lead magnets. It simply depends on what your audience wants.

One tip, if you decide to go the eBook route – break it into small sections, and make each section independent of the others.

For example, if you have an eBook about fly fishing – one section could be about flies, one about equipment, and one about locations. This way, a reader can quickly find the answer they're looking for without having to read a massive eBook.

4. Contest / Raffle Entry

You see these all the time and they’re self explanatory, so I won’t go into much detail here.

The good part about these; however, is they can go viral. For example, in order to enter the contest, you must give up your contact information AND share the contest!

5. Free Trial

Free trials can work wonderfully.

For example, many SaaS companies give free month long trials to their software.

Also, gyms are another prime example of a business giving a free month long membership – heck, I just had one!

6. Video Course

Video courses and the online learning market are booming right now. If you’re able to offer a video course that teaches someone, something to make their job easier – it can be a successful lead magnet.

7. Notification of Future Products

Some people enjoy being on the cutting edge and having the latest and greatest. They’re more than willing to give up their contact information in exchange for being notified when a product is launched.

For example, my wife wants a FitBit. However, the color she wants has not been released – guess what – we’re on their email list waiting to be notified when the color is launched.

Bonus Examples! (Updated 28JUN2016)

This post was first published 10 FEB 2015 and it's become one of the more popular posts on my site.

Being that's it's old in Internet years and popular, I felt it was due for a bit of an update … here goes!

8. Webinars

Webinars are essentially online seminars that both teach and sell to its attendants. This make them a great choice – the attendants learn something and you make money!

You can also automate webinars which enables you to record them once to be used again and again.

While there are many webinar strategies out there, one of the best ones is the Perfect Webinar by Russell Brunson. You can learn more about it here; however, the full version costs a few bucks.

9. Flowcharts / Frameworks

I hate to say this, but people are lazy and if something's hard – they won't do it.

If you're able to give an individual step-by-step directions in a logical flow, they'll eat it up!

My favorite flowchart software is draw.io. It's free, web based, and syncs nicely with Google Drive.

10. Mind Maps

Similar to flowcharts, mind maps are a simple way to visually organize information.

They tend to be 1-page and loaded with great information that can be quickly and easily consumed.

Below you'll find a video on how to make one from scratch in about 20 minutes!

How To Create A Great Lead Magnet FAST (from scratch!)

Tools Used:

Closing Tips:

Developing a lead magnet doesn't have to be too time consuming or difficult. It’s not a “the bigger the better” type of thing. For example, a 100 page eBook – might not do as well as a one page checklist.

So, here are a few tips to set you up for success:

  • Be specific. This is referring to both the lead magnet and the results.
    • Bad Example: 50 page eBook called, “Learn To Be A Champion Cyclist”
    • Good Example: 1 page checklist called, “8 Steps To Breaking 60 Minutes In The 40k”
  • Delivers immediate gratification. People want answers to their problems now. They don’t want to have to wait for the answer. Think of a way to keep it short and sweet, so they’re immediately fulfilled and have a direction to go in.
    • Obviously, breaking 60 minutes in a 40k bike race will require months of hard training; however, the 1 page checklist will immediately provide the direction for someone to go in.
  • One Promise. Keep it simple. This follows with the previous bullets – you don’t have to create the bible on bike racing. You don’t have to address nutrition, clothing, training plans, bike setups, etc.
    • The lead magnet should provide one answer to one problem.
What Is A Lead Magnet? & 7 Examples2016-11-17T16:01:46+00:00

What Is A Landing Page?

It’s probably best to define what a landing page is before we get into learning about the elements of a successful landing page!

A landing page is exactly what it sounds like – the page a visitor lands on after clicking a link (search results, advertisement, tweet, etc).

If that page is the homepage, then that’s the landing page. If the visitor lands on a blog article, then that is the landing page.

Now, with regular old search traffic, a blog article can be a fine landing page, especially if it answers the question the visitor is trying to solve. Of course, you want to try and optimize your blog articles for conversions as well, but that’s a topic for another day.

With any paid or promoted traffic, you want to send the visitor to a dedicated landing page.

A dedicated landing page serves only one purpose – to drive an action.

In most cases, and the in the case of this article, the action a landing page seeks is to collect contact information.

Just know, some landing pages attempt to sell products, others act as “click through” pages to keep the marketing message the same, and others aim to drive people to a physical location.

The Main Thing To Remember

This part is incredibly important, because without it, it won’t matter how great your landing page is – it will never perform well.

The message that you promote (advertisement), must match what the landing page says.

For example; you cannot have an ad that says “Get 10% off your next bike purchase!” and have a landing page that mentions nothing about a 10% off coupon.

The marketing message must remain consistent!

Elements Of A Successful Landing Page

Of course, some landing pages have all of these elements – some have one or two of these elements.

Landing Page Layout

Main Headline

This is the big, bold, headline across the top of the page that promotes the marketing message received in the advertisement. It is arguably the most important aspect of a landing page because if people can’t get past the main headline, they’re unlikely to perform any action.

Supporting Headline

You guessed it, this headline supports the main headline!

Hero Shot

A nice, clean, pretty picture of what you’re “giving away”. Note: this does not always need to be a picture – videos can work well too.

Benefits

List some of the benefits people will gain after giving up their contact information. Remember, it’s all about benefits to the individual – it’s not about the features of what you’re giving away.

Opt-in Box

This is the form where a visitor enters their contact information.

CTA (Call-To-Action)

This is the button a visitor will press to submit their information in exchange for the promised lead magnet. Believe it or not, the CTA is the second most (and in some instances, the most)  important aspect of your landing page. The CTA should match the Main Headline and not be something generic like “Signup Now”.

Social Proof

Include a testimonial or two, or an “as seen on” section to give proof that what you’re offering is socially acceptable.

What Is A Landing Page?2016-10-14T18:29:45+00:00

How Do Sales Pipelines Work?

While this strategy works well … there's now a “smarter” version I recommend you checkout by clicking here.

I’ll start this post with an if / then statement ~

If sales funnels are what convert leads into customers …

Then, sales pipelines are what multiply the lifetime value of those customers.

Sales Pipelines Are For Paying Customers

It’s been said, time and time again, that it’s much easier to sell to your current customers than it is to acquire a whole new customer.

Think about that for a moment. When you have a paying customer – you know that person is not afraid to open their wallet, and, unless you under-delivered the first time – they should be more than happy to open it for your business again.

Sales pipelines aim to keep that wallet open by automatically sending communications to your customers based on the products they purchased and/or their demographics.

Sales pipelines are where money is made.

2 Goals Of A Sales Pipeline

There are two primary goals of a sales pipeline:

  • Retain trust
  • Generate action

Retain Trust

Here’s the deal, unless you really under-delivered on the initial sale to the customer, your customer already trusts you and your business.

Having said that, it will be much easier to sell a second, third, fourth, fifth, …, time – however, if you continually send offer after offer, you may alienate your customers.

They’ll start to see you as a money hungry person or business who’s not looking out for their best interests.

Obviously, no one wants that – you need to retain the trust you initially built.

This is done by continuing to send content that is helpful, entertaining, and/or informative.

Generate Action

The second goal of a sales pipeline, and the one that’s directly responsible for more money generated per customer, is the communications you send that drives action.

An action is something you want the customer to do. These actions can include things like:

Having the customer…

  • go to your online store and make a purchase
  • go to your physical store and make a purchase
  • go to an affiliate offer to make a purchase where you earn a commission
  • refer a friend
  • leave a review on Amazon.com
  • record a video testimonial about your product/service/business

There are a lot of actions a satisfied customer will perform, if you simply ask.

And, if the plain ask doesn't work, you can spice it up a little bit – for example: You can send out a “loyal customer coupon”. Since they've been a great customer, you’ll give them 10% off their next order.

A Sales Pipeline In Action

I used to offer a personal training service where I created fitness and nutrition plans for clients online.

In this business I had several sales pipelines setup, one of which targeted males that wanted to build muscle.

In that pipeline, I sent an email that linked to a YouTube video of a killer bicep workout. I did not even own that video. It was just very informative, entertaining, and I felt any one of my male clients, wanting to build muscle, would enjoy watching it.

In that video, the instructor mentioned a few supplements he recommended for building muscle.

Can you guess the content of my next email?

Affiliate links to those supplements!

This way, when one of my clients followed the link and made a purchase – I earned a commission.

Hopefully that example clarifies how a sales pipeline can be used to maximize your customers’ lifetime value.

In Closing

I want you to remember two things:

  1. Sales pipelines are where the money is made.
  2. And, do not abuse your paying customers’ trust.
How Do Sales Pipelines Work?2016-10-14T18:29:45+00:00