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Let’s talk about selling stuff online. A lot of people give it a try, but unfortunately, most of them don’t do it very well. And because of that, many folks who try to make a living selling affiliate products end up falling short.
Now, before you get discouraged, let me tell you something: it’s not because these people aren’t smart or don’t have what it takes to succeed online. It’s just that making money on the internet isn’t as simple as putting up a website and expecting the cash to start flowing in.
I hate to break it to you, but the old “build it, and they will come” mentality just doesn’t cut it anymore. Back in the day, that might have worked, but today’s digital landscape is a whole different ballgame. With over 2 million pieces of fresh online content uploaded every single day, it’s safe to say that the competition is pretty stiff.
So, no matter what kind of niche you’re in, no matter how unique or specialized it might seem to you, there’s bound to be plenty of others out there doing the same thing. And if you’re counting on people just magically finding your website and throwing money at you, I’m sorry to say that’s just not realistic.
That said, there’s good news too! If you’re willing to put in the time and effort to really optimize your sales funnel and stand out from the crowd, you can absolutely make money online. Just be sure to let go of the idea that success will come easily and without hard work. With the right mindset and strategy, though, you’ve got this!
How the game is really played!
If you’re interested in making some passive income using online properties, I’ve got some advice for you.
Are you ready?
You need to create a sales funnel!
Just putting up an online article or website isn’t enough to convince people to hand over their hard-earned dollars.
It takes a little more finesse than that, especially these days with so much competition. It’s not the 1990s where you could slap-up a quick GeoCities site, link your eBay account and post on Myspace.
Think of it like this: your audience is like a flock of sheep, and you’re the shepherd.
I’m not insulting consumers here! We’re all consumers, after all.
What I mean is that your potential customers are already interested in what you’re selling on some level. Maybe you’re promoting an affiliate product, or trying to sell a service or run an online store. Whatever it is, the people reading your content are already somewhat interested in what you have to offer.
But here’s the thing: how you present your offering can make a big difference in how they respond. You need to put yourself in their shoes and think about what they’re really looking for.
When you shop online, do you just hand over your money to anyone who asks for it? Of course not!
You’re looking for a solution to a problem or need that you have.
You’re looking for a page that can convince you that they understand your problem and have the solution you need.
And guess what? That’s how most people shop online! They’re looking for something that speaks to their needs in just the right way. Even if their need isn’t the most urgent or important thing in the world, if they come across the right materials that resonate with them, they’re likely to make a purchase.
So, how do you create the right sales funnel to make this happen? That’s the million-dollar question!
If you’re willing to put in the effort and really understand your audience and their needs, you can absolutely create a sales funnel that converts.
Just remember: it’s all about speaking to their needs and creating a sense of trust and connection.
What Is A Sales Funnel?
Have you ever looked at a funnel? You know, that thing you use to pour liquids into a bottle without making a mess?
Well, think of your online business as a funnel.
At the top of the funnel, you have a lot of people who might be interested in what you’re offering. But as they move closer to the bottom, the funnel gets narrower because only the most interested and engaged people will make it through to the end.
And that’s a good thing! You want to filter out the people who aren’t really interested in what you’re selling, so you can focus on the ones who are more likely to become paying customers.
No matter what kind of online business you have, whether it’s selling affiliate products, running an online store, or offering your own services, you need a sales funnel to convert visitors into buyers.
That’s where this article comes in. It will teach you how to optimize your sales funnel, so you can squeeze every last cent from it.
You’ll learn strategies to increase conversions and boost your profits. So if you’re serious about making passive income online, keep reading!
A sales funnel is a filtration system.
On the internet, your link or content can attract a wide variety of eyeballs. However, the majority of these viewers are not interested in making a purchase, at least not immediately.
This is where a well-designed sales funnel comes into play, allowing you to process these individuals and extract the maximum amount of revenue from them.
Unfortunately, many sales funnels are not set up properly. In fact, a lot of marketers believe they have a sales funnel in place when, in reality, they have a leaky bucket. It’s important to understand the difference between the two.
A true sales funnel must achieve the following objectives:
- Demonstrate the value of a particular solution
- Address the needs of individuals searching for a solution
- Build trust in a particular category of solution
- Direct potential buyers to a specific category of solutions that lead to a specific product
- Build trust in a specific product offering while excluding competing offers
If your sales funnel fails to accomplish all of these goals, then, you’re not using one!
Instead, you’re operating with a leaky bucket.
At best, you will only generate a small fraction of potential revenue. At worst, you’ll lose money and be left wondering why your sales funnel doesn’t work.
How do you know your sales funnel is working?
It all comes down to one thing: are you optimizing your ROI and ROAS?
Basically, are you making the highest returns on your marketing activities (and choices) as you can?
It’s a simple question with a simple answer.
Don’t get too caught up in the numbers game. Sure, traffic and engagement are important, but what really matters is profit. That’s the bottom line.
To make a profit, your funnel must convert. It’s important to focus on the end of the funnel first and make sure it’s converting effectively. Once that’s in place, you can work your way up the funnel and optimize each step to maximize conversion rates.
Here are some key points to keep in mind:
- Profit is the most important metric
- Focus on conversion at the end of the funnel
- Work your way up the funnel to optimize each step
- Don’t obsess over traffic or engagement
Sales funnels have different components that must work together.
Many people misunderstand the concept of a sales funnel. They think it’s just about converting traffic into cash. However, in reality, a sales funnel has two parts: the content funnel and the conversion funnel. It’s important not to confuse the two because although they overlap, they are not the same thing.
The conversion funnel takes traffic and turns it into cash by leading the prospect through a series of pages or blocks of text. As the prospect progresses, they develop a growing sense of trust and belief in you. An effective conversion funnel accomplishes the following:
Demonstrates your knowledge and credibility. Your prospect starts to believe that you are knowledgeable enough about whatever it is you’re talking about for them to continue to read your content.
Builds trust. The more your prospect reads your content, the more they believe you, and the more trust they develop in your authority.
Prompts action. This can take different forms, such as filling out a form, clicking on an “Order Now” button, or joining a mailing list. Regardless of the form it takes, the ultimate goal is to get traffic from the internet, filter it down to a core group of people who believe you and trust your authority enough to take action.
So, remember that a sales funnel is not just about converting traffic into cash.
The ultimate goal of a conversion funnel is to get a prospect to take a specific action that generates revenue. This can take various forms, such as filling out a form, clicking on a sales link, or joining a mailing list.
Regardless of the form, the aim is always the same: to filter traffic from the internet and convert it into a core group of people who believe in you and trust your authority enough to do what you want them to do.
So, you’ll build trust and credibility with your audience, and prompt them to take action through an effective conversion funnel.
What is a Content Funnel?
In the world of online marketing, a content funnel is a crucial component that shouldn’t be overlooked.
It’s a step-by-step process that takes visitors through different stages of trust by providing them with valuable information.
The content funnel consists of a variety of blog posts, articles, and pages, both on your own site and third-party websites.
The main goal of the content funnel is to establish your authority and credibility in a specific area of knowledge.
Let’s say, for example, that you’re an expert on dog care, and you want to sell a product that helps people deworm their dogs.
Your content funnel would start by providing basic information about the deworming process to establish your credibility on the topic.
This is what people will see when they run a quick Google search on your name or brand. And this will help your search engine rankings as well as increase your visibility and build your credibility.
Once you’ve answered the reader’s basic questions, your content funnel can progress to more detailed information.
For example, you could provide a comparison of different deworming products, highlighting their pros and cons. By doing this, you’re showing the reader that you have a deep knowledge of the topic and can be trusted to recommend a specific solution.
At this point, the reader should be convinced that you know what you’re talking about and can be trusted. You can then lead them to a Trust page, which is designed to further enhance their trust in you.
This page typically includes an in-depth report or review of your product or solution, highlighting its benefits and drawbacks.
From here, you can move the reader into a conversion funnel, where you can convert them into paying customers.
Alternatively, you can get them to sign up to your mailing list, which allows you to continue building trust with them over time.
Ultimately, the goal of the content funnel is to take visitors from initial interest to a place where they trust you enough to take action.
Great Sales Funnels Start With Great Product Knowledge
If you’re promoting something, you should know exactly what it is you’re promoting! In fact, the better you know it, the easiest it will be to sell it.
And the more you know about it, the easier it will be to convince people to buy it.
It doesn’t matter if you’re selling a product, a service, or promoting someone else’s stuff as an affiliate – you need to establish yourself as an expert in whatever it is you’re marketing. Otherwise, how are people supposed to trust you and believe that what you’re selling is worth their time and money?
Having solid product knowledge is crucial for both conversion funnels and content funnels. So ask yourself: what problem does your product solve? Think about it in simple terms. If you’re selling something, it’s because it solves a problem.
Let’s say you’re a real estate agent selling a home. Why do people need a home? It’s not just for shelter – some people buy homes for the location, others for the status, and still others for a particular lifestyle. When you understand these different reasons and can speak to them, you’re more likely to connect with potential buyers.
Are you able to relate to your audience?
Speaking of connecting with buyers, can you figuratively speak their language?
Most people are thinking, “what’s in it for me?” when they’re considering making a purchase. So you need to understand that question and be able to answer it in a way that resonates with your audience.
Your product’s value proposition should be presented in clear terms that directly answer the questions your customers are asking in their heads. That way, they’ll understand the benefits and be more likely to make a purchase.
Are you able to speak to them in terms of benefits?
When someone buys a luxury car like a Mercedes-Benz, it’s not just about getting from point A to point B. Sure, they could have purchased a cheaper brand for that.
But why do they choose a Mercedes-Benz?
They’re looking for something more – tangible proof that they’ve arrived at a higher social status. They want luxury, sophistication, and prestige.
The key to selling a Mercedes-Benz, or any other product for that matter, is to speak the language of your prospect. You have to understand their complex and competing needs and cater to them.
It’s important to note that not everyone who lands on your sales page is the same. Different people have different reasons for buying a Mercedes-Benz.
Some are looking for the utmost quality and reliability, while others have an affinity for German engineering.
So, when creating your sales funnel, you need to identify all the potential reasons and benefits that people might be looking for and prioritize them accordingly.
Your funnel must address all these different needs to push people down the funnel and convert them into paying customers.
It’s not enough to just focus on luxury when promoting a Mercedes-Benz. You need to appeal to other factors like quality, engineering tradition, and more.
Your sales funnel must be crafted to speak to these different needs and appeal to a diverse range of people who might be interested in your product.
Remember, different benefits appeal to different people, so your sales funnel needs to have enough information to appeal to everyone.
Don’t assume that everyone who lands on your page is looking for the same thing.
By catering to their specific needs and desires, you can convert them into cold, hard cash.
Translating Consumer Intelligence Into A Workable Content Strategy
When it comes to sales funnels, there are two options: conversion pages only or a combination of content and conversion pages. Some marketers believe that all they need to do is buy traffic and send it straight to their conversion pages. While this can be effective, there are other strategies to consider.
If you’re looking to save money or don’t have any budget at all, you can still generate revenue online by using content to attract free traffic from the internet and directing it to your conversion pages. It’s important to understand which strategy you’re using and how to execute it properly, whether it’s a conversion funnel only or a content funnel plus conversion funnel.
Don't confuse content funnels with conversion funnels!
Just buying traffic and directing it to a series of pages can result in a sale, and I can teach you how to optimize this method later.
However, if you’re low on funds or have no money at all, using online content to attract traffic from search engines and social media can be a great alternative (and it’ll help grow your search rankings!).
It’s important to understand the differences between these two models. If you confuse them, you may be losing money unnecessarily.
Let’s focus on content funnels.
The key to selling something online is building trust, and that’s where content funnels come in.
The question you need to ask yourself is: how do you get people to trust you online?
First, you need to demonstrate that you understand their needs.
Second, you need to showcase your expertise and your understanding of their problems.
Once people like and trust you, they are more likely to buy from you.
The KLT Process (Strategy)
The KLT strategy is all about building Know, Like, and Trust with your audience. The ultimate goal is to gain their trust so that they will be more likely to buy from you. This is where your content funnel comes in and is integrated into your conversion funnel.
Your Website's Design Must Align with the KLT Process
When creating a content-rich website that utilizes a content funnel strategy, it’s recommended to use the Silo system.
This involves starting with general information, then linking to pages that contain more detailed information. As people read through the pages, they can easily click to the next page depending on their level of interest in the topic they are researching.
These pages must be question-based to make them easier to digest.
It’s crucial that your website is designed in a way that is effortless for people to navigate. The site should start with general information and gradually become more detailed as they click through until they reach the Trust pages that promote a specific product.
All of their questions must be answered as they go through the process.
The KLT Process Must Drive Your Promotion Efforts
Once you have set up your website based on questions starting with the K (knowledge pages), you need to promote your site using these pages. This involves finding existing questions on the internet and linking to your content as an answer.
Before you get worried, this isn’t considered spamming since you’re providing a resource to answer their question.
However, it’s important to make the connection between the question asked, the answer provided on your page, and why they should be interested in learning more about the topic before dropping the link.
By doing this, your link becomes a valuable resource and not spam. It’s similar to citing a source in an essay.
To successfully use your K-pages in your online promotion efforts, you must first establish credibility and authority.
This involves answering people’s questions on forums, even if it’s not related to your website.
You must show that you genuinely care about helping people and not just trying to make a quick buck.
By sharing information and helping others, people will be more likely to visit your site and go through your content funnel.
Try to remember the age-old saying, “People don’t care about what you know until they know that you care.”
This is the core principle of the KLT process and content funnels.
Build trust and credibility with your audience, and they will be more likely to buy from you.
Content Funnels Explained
K is for Knowledge
When it comes to creating a content funnel, you need to start with what we call the “K” page. What does that mean?
Well, it’s all about understanding your audience’s needs. When someone is searching for information on a specific topic, they’re not there to waste time.
They have a problem that they’re looking to solve, and they want a solution fast.
For example, if someone is searching for “How to immigrate to Canada,” they want to find a page that will give them clear and legal information on how to make that happen. They’re not interested in reading about dog food or vacationing in Hong Kong. They have a specific need, and a well-constructed K page addresses that need head-on.
Get to the point, fast!
So, how do you create a K page that really hits the mark?
It all starts with asking the right questions.
Think about what your audience wants to know and organize your content around those questions.
You can use tools like Google Ads Keyword Planner or Ask the Audience to help you identify the most common questions related to your topic.
Why is it so important to organize your content around questions?
Because people process information in two ways: questions and stories.
When you structure your content around questions, you make it easier for people to read and digest. And let’s face it, in today’s world of information overload, people are scanning more than ever.
By organizing your content into bite-sized pieces, you make it more appealing to those who are just looking for quick answers.
But it’s not enough to just create great content.
You also need to promote it effectively.
One way to do that is to find the places where people are already asking questions related to your topic.
This might be on social media platforms like Twitter, Quora, or forums. Instead of starting your own discussion, look for existing threads where people are seeking information.
Then, provide a thoughtful and informative answer, along with a link to your content as a source.
By doing this, you’ll build credibility and authority in your field, and people will be more likely to take you seriously.
Just remember, it’s important to approach this strategy with a long-term view.
Don’t just drop in, promote your content, and then disappear.
Take the time to build relationships and establish yourself as a trusted source of information. When you do that, you’ll find that your content funnel becomes more effective than ever.
Organize your question-based pages around themes
Just as questions fall under certain categories, you’ll want to organize your question-based articles similarly, by category.
This isn’t just an organizational housekeeping tip!
You’re doing this, so you can maximize the value of each page.
Link your Knowledge pages in your content sales funnel for maximum effect.
You can’t just use an internal link, effectively saying that there’s another page somewhere in your website.
You have to organize these links based on questions or concerns and tie them around certain themes that you know your audience members would be interested in.
This makes the content easier to find and will increase your SEO.
Make each page count!
Your website serves a purpose, and you want to make sure that every single page on your site counts. Each page should be pulling its own weight and landing you conversions, in one way or another.
It’s important to remember that every word, paragraph, and page should have a clear purpose.
And what is that purpose, you ask?
Well, it’s to guide your audience down the conversion funnel!
Whether you’re using a content funnel or an actual conversion funnel, your goal with every piece of content is to lead your audience to the next step.
And the best way to do that is by amplifying their desire or respect for your authority. You want to get them excited about what’s coming next!
To give you an example, let’s say someone is on your pizza website because they want to learn how to bake a Napoli pizza. Your first page might provide general information about what a Napoli pizza is and a basic recipe. But to really get your audience hooked, you need to provide more detailed information about how to get the right heat temperatures for your Napoli pizza or how to make sure you don’t scorch the bottom of your pizza.
Why? Because when people are looking for a basic question, they usually have another question at the back of their mind.
And if you can provide the answers to those follow-up questions, you’ll start building trust and credibility with your audience. They’ll see that you’re knowledgeable about your niche and are truly interested in helping them.
So, to make each page count, start with a general question and then create subsidiary pages that are based on closely related questions. This maintains your audience’s interest and amplifies their desire for a specific product or solution later on. And as they click deeper and deeper into your website, they’ll be more likely to trust your take on their problem.
But remember, it’s not just about interlinking randomly from one page to another. You need to create a clear path that leads your audience down the conversion funnel.
That’s how you’ll keep them engaged and excited about what’s coming next.
Establish credibility and authority through multimedia.
Have you heard the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words? Well, it’s true! If you want to establish credibility and authority with your audience, you need to take advantage of the power of multimedia.
When we talk about multimedia, we mean things like videos, pictures, diagrams, and info-graphics. By using these different types of media, you not only make your content more visually appealing, but you also make it easier to read and understand.
It’s important to keep in mind that most people these days are browsing online content through their mobile devices, which means they don’t have the patience for massive blocks of text. By breaking up your text with visuals, you keep your audience engaged and interested.
Not only that, but using multimedia can also help you keep your audience on your page longer, increasing the chances that they’ll click on links and explore more of your website.
So don’t be afraid to add some variety to your content with some multimedia elements – your audience will thank you for it!
A Quick Word about Third-Party Multimedia Content
Now, before you start getting all excited about using cool videos and pictures from other people’s sites to spice up your own content, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
First off, it’s not cool to just take someone else’s video or image and use it as your own.
That’s not only unethical, it could also get you into legal trouble.
So, if you want to use multimedia content from other sources, you need to do it the right way.
And how do you do that?
Simple: give attribution and link back to the original source, which also gives the originator of the content a quality backlink (win-win). That way, you’re respecting the rights of the content’s owner or creator and letting your audience know where you got the content from.
Now, I know you might be worried about losing traffic to these third-party links, but there are ways to make sure that doesn’t happen.
One trick is to make the attribution links open in a new tab.
This way, your website stays open, and your audience can easily come back to your content after checking out the multimedia content.
Another thing to keep in mind is to use materials from non-competitors.
After all, you don’t want to accidentally promote your competition by using their content. So, when you’re looking for multimedia content to use in your own content, make sure it’s not directly competing with you. Look for sources that are more general knowledge or non-profit, and you’ll be good to go.
By following these guidelines, you can use third-party multimedia content to make your own content more interesting and engaging without any ethical or legal issues. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved!
The whole point of the K level of your content sales funnel is dwell time.
So, what exactly is dwell time?
Simply put, it’s the amount of time someone spends on your website, clicking through pages and reading content.
And believe it or not, the longer someone stays on your site, the higher the chance they’ll become a loyal follower, sign up for your mailing list, or even buy something from you.
Think about it – the longer someone spends on your website, the more they get to know you and your brand. They’ll start to trust you and view you as an authority in your niche. And that can lead to some serious conversions down the line.
But here’s something you might not know – dwell time also affects your website’s SEO.
Yes, Google takes into account how long someone spends on your site when deciding how to rank your pages.
If someone visits your site and clicks away from it quickly, that’s known as a bounce and too much of that will increase bounce rate, which will get Google thinking that your website isn’t a high-quality site.
So the longer your dwell time, the higher your site will rank on Google.
So, how can you increase dwell time on your website?
One tip is to make sure your content is engaging and keeps readers interested.
Use visuals, videos, and even interactive elements to keep people on your site for longer.
And make sure your content is relevant to your audience – the more targeted your content, the more likely people are to stick around.
Ultimately, the more you focus on increasing dwell time, the more your website will thrive. Not only will it lead to more conversions and loyal followers, but it will also help your website rank higher on Google.
So get to work on creating engaging, targeted content and watch your dwell time soar!
Understanding Your Content Funnel's L Pages
L is for Like.
So, when you create an L-page, it’s important to remember that you don’t want to repeat the same basic information that you’ve already covered on your K-page.
By this point, your reader has already been introduced to the topic and is looking for more specific information.
For example, if they’re interested in making Napolitano-style pizza, they already know the background information about where it came from and how tasty it is.
On the L-page, you want to dive deeper and provide more detailed information on specific topics like how to avoid burning the pizza or what kind of techniques (or specific ingredients) will produce the best results.
This kind of detailed information is what will eventually lead your reader to purchase a product.
Remember, your readers are already interested in your product and trust your credibility to a certain extent, so it’s important to suggest one particular category of solutions over another. This may involve changing their previously held beliefs about other options.
By avoiding repetition and providing specific information, you’ll establish your credibility and authority while guiding your reader towards a product that’s right for them.
L Pages Can Take Many Forms
Let’s talk more about L-pages and how they work to create a distinction in the mind of potential buyers.
When people reach the L-page level, from the K-page level, they’ve already seen the basic options available to them, and they might be thinking, “Well, these are all pretty much the same.”
Your goal with L-pages is to show them that this isn’t the case.
How? By listing out the different levels, categories, types, brands, and products and comparing them against each other.
Yes, it’s all about comparisons!
For example, with different levels, you can list out the top and bottom levels and explain why one is better than the other.
For categories, you can pit one category against another and discuss the pros and cons of each. The same goes for types, brands, and products.
But here’s the key: to produce the “disabusing effect” that we want, you need to interlink your L-pages. This means that you should have links within your L-pages that lead to other L-pages, so that readers can compare different options and make an informed decision.
There are different types of L-pages you can create, from side-by-side product comparisons to categorical consumer guides. The important thing is to use these pages to help your readers understand why your option is superior to others.
So, keep these tips in mind when creating L-pages and remember that the goal is to create a clear distinction in the minds of your potential buyers.
How to use your funnel to set up comparisons.
You can’t just throw a bunch of product reviews together and expect people to know what to do with them.
That’s like proposing to someone you just met!
You have to build up to it, right?
When it comes to L-pages, it’s all about setting up the proper funnel. You can’t just jump right into comparisons.
Remember, people are coming from K-pages, which establish your credibility.
So you need to have some sort of intermediary pages that lay out the different options available and why your preferred solution is the best fit for your target audience.
But before you even get to that point, you need to qualify your audience. Not everyone who lands on your website is going to be a potential customer. And that’s okay!
You want to focus on the people who are actually interested and open to being persuaded or influenced into buying from you. It’s all about finding the right fit.
Set up your comparisons to win!
Setting up comparisons to win requires more than just slapping together a bunch of product reviews and hoping for the best.
You need to guide prospective buyers towards making the right choice. Otherwise, they may end up taking their hard-earned money somewhere else.
This is particularly true for Amazon affiliate marketers who put in a lot of effort and research only to end up with nothing.
To avoid this, you need to set up your comparisons strategically. By highlighting your strongest points, you can persuade potential customers to choose your product over others.
Even if your product isn’t the best in the market, there’s always something you can emphasize to make it stand out.
Positioning is key. Don’t compare your product to the category killer; instead, highlight what makes your product unique and compare the alternatives based on that. It’s all about playing up your strongest hand.
But it’s not enough to just present the information.
You need to call the reader to action.
A clear call-to-action can make all the difference in converting a potential customer into a paying one.
Assume that your website visitors have an eighth-grade education, and spell out what you want them to do.
Remember, even content pages need a call-to-action. If you don’t guide your visitors towards taking the next step, they may end up doing nothing at all.
Keep it simple, and push them down the content conversion funnel until they’re ready to buy.
With a little strategic planning and a clear call-to-action, you can win at the comparison game.
Make Sure Your Content Funnel Integrates Properly With Your Conversion Funnel
Too many marketers just focus all their firepower on their conversion pages.
And that’s understandable, these are your bread and butter pages, after all.
These pages determine whether you’re going to make a thousand dollars a month, a hundred dollars a month, or a hundred thousand dollars a month.
This is where the magic happens. I understand that. But the problem is, these pages don’t exist in a vacuum.
They’re part of a larger context that ultimately revolve around your brand.
And if you’re so short sided that you can only see bits and pieces of the overall picture, then you only have yourself to blame if you’re not making as much money as you would’ve hoped.
This is the reason why a lot of online marketers can’t, for the life of them, make the thousands of dollars that other people are making. They’re simply focusing on the wrong things.
You need a tight fit between info pages and conversion pages.
You have to make sure that you use strong CTAs to get people to where you need them to go.
Unfortunately, when marketers set up K and L pages, they skip the T pages.
This is an often fatal mistake.
If somebody’s making $5,000 a month from their online store, and they committed this error, you can safely bet that that person’s actual unrealized income is $50,000 a month. A lot is lost in translation because they skipped a very vital part of the overall sales conversion content and sales conversion process.
These are not linked up properly.
Think about the plumbing in your home.
If you have a faulty pipe, then regardless of how much water comes through your home, by the time it gets to the faucet, you’re just going to have to settle for a dribble.
Do you see how this works?
The same applies to sales.
Do not neglect your T pages!
T pages stand for trust pages.
These are the pages where people go from liking a particular category of solutions or even collection of products, you’re pushing to trusting a specific product or service solution
The Most Common Form of T-Page is an Individual Product Review Page
At the end of the day, once the prospect has gone from K-page to the L-page, they basically have a very good idea of what’s out there, and they’re ready to decide.
Now, they’re basically properly educated. Your T-page then should get straight to the point.
It should basically just say, “Okay, these are the reasons why you should trust this particular product.”
Please understand that whatever you’re talking about on the T-page must relate to what went on before at the L-page.
So, if the L-page convinced the reader that the hallmark of a superior product is 1-2-3, your T-page better mention 1-2-3.
Besides individual product review pages, another common form of a T- or Trust page are the product description pages on e-commerce sites.
This is when people go to an online catalog, and they click on the product link, and then they see the product described, that it is a T-page.
The anatomy of successful T pages
Successful T pages really are psychological in nature. You have to remember that people are buying products for benefits.
They couldn’t care less about features.
Maybe you’re selling a washing machine, and it has 5 modes, it only takes up 10 kilowatt-hours or whatnot.
Consumers couldn’t care less about features.
They do care about benefits.
And it’s the benefits that actually land the sale or make the conversion.
Understanding, and using, the difference between features and benefits.
Features are technical in nature. They’re about screen sized, screen brightness, certain new technology. Benefits, on the other hand, are psychological in nature. If somebody’s buying a washing machine, they’re looking to save time. They’re looking for more control over their life. They’re looking for more time with their loved ones.
So, how are you going to repackage a time saving feature, it has a nice fancy name, into terms that your end buyer would appreciate? So you talk about spending more time with their children. You talk about him being able to do more with less money and living life to the fullest.
This is how benefits work because benefits, ultimately, are personal in nature. Remember, most American consumers couldn’t care less about the features or the jargon that are on your sales pages. They care about what’s important to them.
Remember, just as you ask yourself, “What’s in it for me?” other people ask themselves that question as well. It is all personal. So you have to phrase whatever benefits that your product brings to the table in those terms.
The essence of effective T pages are calls to action. They have different forms, but the key to them is emotional impact. When crafting a CTA (call to action), emotionally tie the reader to the benefit they will get if they buy the product or service.
The Different Types of Calls to Action
Call to Action Using Emotional Triggers Example:
Take your life to the next level by saving at least 80% on your next vacation, Click Here.
Calls to Action Involving Authority Example:
9 out 10 plastic surgeons swear by this product
Call to Action Using Social Proof Example:
Click here to get the number one rated laptop solution for insurance professionals
The key to calls to action is to get away from just saying “Click here” or “Order now.”
When you do that, you waste momentum. Instead, amplify the sense of need in the mind of your prospect.
Please understand that once they get to a page where there’s a call to action, your content pages or your conversion pages have already done most of the heavy lifting.
Don’t waste it by just saying “Order now.”
Plug into some sort of emotional urgency.
Know Your Conversion Options
Converting online traffic into dollars is not as straightforward as you think.
A lot of newbie marketers are under the impression that if they buy traffic and enough of these users click on page after page, eventually, they will land on a conversion page, read something that they like and then whip out their credit card. If only things were that simple.
If that’s your strategy, you are probably going to be settling for cents on the dollars, assuming you make any money at all. The better approach would be to study what kind of conversion strategy works best considering whatever it is you’re trying to sell.
Different products and services need different conversion strategies.
A lot of marketers are completely clueless about this because they think there is only one cookie cutter or one size fits all solution to turning interest into sales.
This is where they screw up because selling a sofa online is very different from trying to get American grooms looking for Brazilian brides.
These are 2 totally different sets of needs, and you must speak to them differently.
In other words, your strategy must fit the outcome you are looking for. There is no such thing as a one size fits all conversion strategy.
Different Conversion Strategies
If you are selling a high-ticket item, let’s say a gold IRA conversion kit which can involve hundreds of thousands of dollars, you need to take it slow. You need to basically drip feed information to your audience, so they can build trust over an extended period of time.
And as they engage with your content and as they see your content again and again, that level of trust deepens until they go to the like stage and then, before you know it, they get to the trust stage and then they buy.
Of course, this is not guaranteed. This is not a slam dunk. But you have to get the process going in light of the dollar value of the transaction. If you’re looking for somebody to transfer their retirement fund worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from one fund to a gold fund that you’re an affiliate of, you have to invest in a long funnel that builds trust over an extended period of time.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a quick sale, your conversion funnel can be shorter.
In other words, you can basically tell the reader if they’re going to ship or get off the pot. It’s pretty straightforward.
For example, there’s no need to create a mailing list for certain types of one time use products. If people are just going to use a product once, either they want it or they don’t because if you’re going to build a mailing list which sends them update after update to try to remind them and push them closer and closer to the conversion end of the content funnel, you might not get there.
It turns out that the reason why they got on your list in the first place is because they want your freebie or your lead magnet.
There are different conversion strategies and each of these is manifested in different funnels. At the very least, there are three you should know:
Page Only
This model just uses one page to convert traffic. It doesn’t matter whether the traffic is free, organic, or paid. This conversion strategy just uses one page to convert the visitor.
Pay attention to how sales pages are set up. They’re quite clever. They would start with an attention-grabbing header, and then they would try to pull the reader down the page. They would use all sorts of tricks to build credibility and stoke demand for their product that is being pushed. They would use testimonials. They would use fancy graphs.
Whatever the case may be, the idea is when a person manages to read all the way through that page, other people didn’t make it all the way through. In other words, that page acted as a funnel. Basically, it filtered people who were not really all that serious.
Usually, they people who really want by your stuff or who could be influenced to buy your stuff make it all the way through. That’s how you should set up your conversion page.
Content Plus Sales Page
The content-plus-sales-page model uses a variety of content using the KLT process and once people end up on T-content pages, they are pushed to the conversion page. The sales pages that are tied into a series of content pages or a content funnel tend to be shorter.
Why?
Most of the heavy lifting is already done by the T-content pages. By dumping them into a page-only type sales page, you might end up contradicting yourself or losing the attention of your potential buyer. At the very least, you run the risk of losing momentum, so don’t do it.
Content Plus Email Capture Page
This is pretty much the same as the category above, but instead of the sales page, it leads to an email capture page.
Your product or service offering also determines your mailing list incentives.
As I’ve mentioned above, you don’t necessarily have to build a mailing list for all sales funnels. Forget what other self-proclaimed marketing gurus tell you. Some people would always tell you that you need to build a mailing list.
Well, if your product is very specific, and it’s a one-time use, you can get by with just a sales pitch.
You don’t necessarily have to get a sales page that’s plugged into by a network of content pages.
It all depends on both your audience and product or service you are promoting.
Optimizing Your Funnels
Conversion funnels differ quite a bit. Some are just made of one sales page. Others involve different sales pages that plug into each other. Even others use a mailing list.
You have to optimize each of these differently.
Start with elements
When you’re optimizing a conversion sales page, it’s very tempting to change everything and hope for the best. I’m telling you, that strategy is no strategy at all because even if you’re successful, you don’t know which change accounted for your success.
What if you can tweak other elements to get even better results? Unfortunately, if you just changed everything, you’re left in the dark as to which change actually accounted for the drastic improvement in your results.
Element by element optimization explained
Element by element conversion page optimization really boils down to slicing and dicing each conversion page into different elements and plugging them into a systematic and orderly testing system. For example, graphics are elements. Header or text are elements. Actual sales body text are elements. The same with calls to action.
The key to success here is to optimize each element one at a time. Don’t jump from element to element. For each element, come up with variations, run your traffic test and if you see a winner, make variations of that. See if any of the variations get better results than the first variation.
Keep repeating this evolutionary process until you reach a point where you cannot optimize your element any further. In other words, you can’t get any further improvements in conversions. Once that happens, you switch over to the next element and optimize that as well.
Keep repeating this process until you end up with a sales page or a series of sales pages that convert at their fullest potential. You can use the same strategy for your mailing list as well. You can optimize your squeeze page, and you can use the same strategy for your mailing list updates.
Optimizing your content funnel
You also must optimize your content funnel just like your conversion funnel. It’s not as bad as you think. It all comes down to your statistics.
For every 10 pieces of content, you publish on your blog, only one of them will account for the vast majority of the traffic you get.
Identify the theme of that successful content and publish more on that theme.
Create variations.
If you notice an upward trajectory of the traffic you’re getting, this means you are on the right track. It means you’re talking about the right topics.
Keep exploring different subtopics, so you can keep increasing the organic traffic your blog or website attracts from the rest of the internet
Optimize how your content funnel plugs into your conversion funnel
Look at the series of pages people go through as they navigate your website.
Do you notice that a certain path is more popular than the rest?
Read each page on that path and see if you can recreate that path for new pieces of content.
If you get to the point where you can repeat that same success, then make this the default path for all the content on your blog.
This is not something that happens overnight.
It requires a tremendous amount of traffic.
It also requires quite a bit of patience.
But the good news is if you’re able to do this, you can maximize dwell time and also boost overall conversions because you are plugging a larger chunk of your traffic to your conversion pages.
This is crucial, especially if you’re not paying for traffic on Facebook and Google.
Conclusion
I know that a lot of people are under the impression that they will expand their business or create sales and content funnels when the time is right.
Here’s the problem…
The time will never be right. If you are sure that you want to do this, decide to do it now. Commit to it.
If you are going to rely on whether it feels right or not, you’re going to be waiting for a long time. Before you know it, you’re going to be buying one product after another and end up failing to lift a finger to turn the businesses that those products talk about into a reality for yourself.
Read Each Section In This Article Closely
I know that, at this point, you’re really pumped up (hopefully!).
You probably want to just start doing it, and that’s great, but before you jump straight in, read each section one more time.
Understand what’s involved.
Pay attention to how each step works with each other, so you don’t make a mistake.
Remember, you’re building a business.
This means that you have to set things up right the first time around, and then you optimize.
You can’t do things in a half-baked way.
You can’t can just build it and then backtrack.
Try to get things as well put together in the beginning so that you can start to produce results, and you remain motivated to keep optimizing your business.
Have Faith In You!
Finally, you must have faith in yourself.
You have to understand that people have been pulling off the things that I’m talking about it in this book for a long time. They’re making good money. If they can do it, why can’t you.
Please understand that you’re not much different from other people.
Sure, you may have zero budget, but you have a lot of time.
And, sure, you may not have an in-depth knowledge, but you have your sense of curiosity and excitement.
Whatever the case may be, stop making excuses for yourself to delay and start taking action today.
