Picture this: It’s a typical Saturday morning, and I’m balancing a baby on one hip while flipping pancakes with the other hand. My phone buzzes on the counter – another sale for my course just came in. All while I’m still in my pyjamas, and the kids are happily making a mess (read: tearing up the house). That’s the beauty of an evergreen sales funnel. It keeps working even when I’m not.
For a busy mom like me, with two energetic boys and a business to run, an evergreen funnel isn’t just one of those “nice to haves” – it’s absolutely essential.
In this blog post, I’m going to step you through how to set up your own evergreen sales machine that sells for you 24/7, just like mine.
Table of Contents
- What is an Evergreen Funnel?
- How Does an Evergreen Funnel Work?
- Know Your Audience
- Create a Juicy Lead Magnet
- Set Up an Opt-In Page
- Nurture Them with Emails
- Choose a Conversion Event
- Build a Killer Sales Page
- Automate, Automate, Automate
- Drive Traffic
- Keep an Eye on Things
- FAQs
- Wrapping It Up
1. What is an Evergreen Funnel?
An evergreen funnel is like a well-oiled machine that keeps running, selling your course or membership on autopilot. It’s a sequence of marketing steps designed to convert prospects into buyers consistently, without you needing to launch over and over again.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with live launching. I do it in my business and I recommend a lot of my clients do, too. Live launching can bring in a great cash injection and generate a lot of visibility of you and your offer. But it’s nice to have a consistent stream of sales coming in the doors that don’t rely on you having to “be on”.
2. How does an evergreen funnel work?
Put simply: You create a series of emails and a pre-recorded webinar (or another conversion event) that deliver value and pitch your offer. Btw: thee conversion event and emails can be repurposed from your live launch (in fact, I recommend you do this!).
Once set up, new leads can enter this funnel at any time, go through the same journey, and come out the other end as happy customers. It’s perfect for those of us juggling work and family, ensuring we don’t have to be constantly “on” to make sales—which if you’re a parent, like me, is critical to making sales even when life is unpredictable (because it is!).
My evergreen funnel for my low-ticket digital products made me $2,838 USD last week while I was sick in bed with the flu and looking after sick kids. I barely worked at all, and I’m so so glad I had my funnel set up! I’m sharing the 5 steps I took to set up my low-ticket evergreen funnel in this FREE Funnel Roadmap.
3. Know your audience
First things first, you’ve got to know who you’re talking to. Like, really know them.
- Who are they?
- What keeps them up at night?
- What do they dream about?
Dive into surveys, engage in social media conversations, and analyse your past live launches. This is crucial. When I first started, I thought every business owner needed my email marketing membership. Spoiler alert: they didn’t. I realised my ideal audience was coaches and course creators – those were the people who had the most urgent need for email marketing.
4. Create a juicy lead magnet
Think of a lead magnet like a free makeup sample at Mecca Cosmetica. It’s a sampling of what you offer, and it’s so good they want more. Make it something irresistible and directly related to your course or membership.
Example: For my email marketing course, I created a “Welcome Email Template.” It’s easy to use and helps people set up their email sequences quickly. People loved it. They signed up, got the template, and boom – they were hooked. One reader even emailed me saying, “I used your template and immediately saw more engagement with my welcome emails!”
Resource: If you’re looking for more ways to grow your email list, check out 27 Ways to Grow Your Email List as a Course Creator.
5. Set up an opt-in page
Your opt-in page is your front door. Keep it simple and inviting. A catchy headline, a bit about what they’re getting, and a spot for their email. Done.
Example: My opt-in page had a headline like, “Want a Free Welcome Email Template to Kickstart Your Email Marketing?” Simple and clear. People knew exactly what they were getting and couldn’t wait to sign up. Adding a testimonial like, “This template doubled my email open rates!” boosted sign-ups even more.
Want to improve your landing page? Grab The Complete Landing Page Checklist – it includes 16 things your landing page MUST include in order to convert leads.
6. Nurture them with emails
Now that you’ve got their email, it’s time to build a relationship. Think of this as dating. You wouldn’t propose on the first date, right? Start with a welcome email, then send some valuable tips, share success stories, and eventually, talk about your course.
Learn more about how to create a welcome sequence that turns subscribers into buyers.
7. Choose a conversion event
Your conversion event is where you’ll turn those warm leads into paying customers. There are lots of options:
- Webinar: When you think of a webinar, you often think of it being delivered live. But you can sell using a pre-recorded webinar too!
- Challenge: Run an evergreen challenge delivered via email.
- Private Podcast: Offer exclusive content that leads to your pitch.
- Low-Cost Paid Masterclass: Provide a taste of your premium content for a small fee.
Pick the one that fits your style and audience best.
Resource: Check out my 50K Course Launch Roadmap for a step-by-step plan for your launch.
8. Build a killer sales page
Your sales page is your pitch. It needs to be clear and compelling. Think of it as a story that takes your reader on a journey from where they are now to where they could be with your course or membership.
There are 15 key elements you should include:
1. Qualifying Statement
Right at the top, let your dream clients know they’re in the right place. Be specific about who your offer is for. If there are any prerequisites, include them here too.
2. Headline
Paint a picture of the transformation your client desires by asking a big question or making a bold statement.
3. Why It Hasn’t Worked Before
Speak to their current struggle. Remind them they’re here because what they’ve tried before hasn’t worked.
4. Deepest Pain
Describe their deepest pain point in vivid detail. Make them feel understood.
5. Biggest Desire
Paint a picture of the perfect scenario for your dream clients. What would life look like without their pain points?
6. Shift Beliefs
Address and bust the beliefs that are holding them back. Show them what’s actually true.
7. Create Buy-In
Get your dream clients excited about the transformation that’s possible for them. Drop hints about your offer.
8. Your Story
Share a relatable story that positions you as the expert who will guide them to success. Inject your personality here.
9. Testimonials
Include testimonials that speak to the points you’ve made and demonstrate your credibility.
10. Offer Reveal
Introduce your offer, reiterate the transformation, and explain why you created it.
11. Inside Look
Give a detailed breakdown of what’s included in your offer. Outline the transformation for each section and list any bonuses.
12. Guarantee
If you choose to include a guarantee, make it specific and show how it benefits your customer.
13. FAQs
Use this section to bust any objections your customer might have about buying your offer.
14. Who This Is Perfect For
List all the reasons why your offer is perfect for your reader, or why it’s not. Be clear about any prerequisites.
15. Final Appeal
Remind your dream clients that the transformation is possible for them and that your offer is the perfect solution. End with a strong call to action.
Resource: Need help writing your sales page? Grab my Sales Page Template to make this process a breeze.
9. Automate, automate, automate
This is where it gets fun. Use tools to automate your emails and webinars. Set it up once, and let it run. ConvertKit is my go-to for email marketing and Loom for hosting a pre-recorded webinar (you can embed it in a page on your site!).
10. Drive traffic
Your funnel won’t work if no one sees it. Share it everywhere. Blog about it, talk about it on social media, run some ads. Get people to that opt-in page.
Here’s what I do to drive traffic:
- Run paid ads.
- Join bundles.
- Do email list swaps.
- Get interviewed on podcasts to increase my visibility.
- Use Pinterest marketing.
You don’t have to do ALL of these things, but you do need to have traffic. You might prefer focusing on Instagram organic marketing or TikTok. Just make sure you have a way to generate leads. Because a funnel without leads is a funnel without sales!
Resource: If you’re looking for more ways to grow your email list, check out 27 Ways to Grow Your Email List as a Course Creator.
11. Keep an Eye on Things
Check your numbers. Are people opening your emails? Watching the webinar? Buying? Use this info to tweak and improve.
Example: I keep an eye on open rates and conversions. If something’s off, I tweak the subject lines, update the webinar, or adjust the sales page. One tweak increased my open rates by 20%! It’s a process, but it pays off.
Resource: Don’t forget to use The Complete Landing Page Checklist to ensure your landing pages are optimized for conversions.
12. Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long does it take to set up an evergreen funnel? A: It varies depending on the complexity of your funnel and your familiarity with the tools. Generally, it can take a few days to a few weeks. Start with a simple setup and expand as you go.
Q: Do I need to be tech-savvy to set up an evergreen funnel? A: Not necessarily. There are many user-friendly tools available that make the process easier. Platforms like ConvertKit and EverWebinar offer excellent support and tutorials to help you through the setup.
Q: How do I know if my evergreen funnel is working? A: Monitor key metrics like email open rates, click-through rates, webinar attendance, and sales conversions. Regularly review and tweak your funnel based on these insights to improve performance.
Q: Can I use an evergreen funnel for different types of products? A: Absolutely! Evergreen funnels can be used for courses, memberships, digital products, and even services. The key is to tailor your funnel to fit the specific product and audience.
Q: What if my leads don’t convert? A: If leads aren’t converting, revisit your funnel steps. Ensure your messaging is clear, your value proposition is strong, and your audience is well-targeted. Sometimes small tweaks can make a big difference.
13. Wrapping It Up
Building an evergreen funnel takes some work upfront, but once it’s rolling, it’s like having a little sales robot working for you 24/7. Know your audience, offer value, and automate the heck out of it. Before you know it, you’ll be making sales around the clock!
Got questions? Drop them in the comments, and let’s get your funnel converting!
FREE Download: Grab the 5-Step Funnel Roadmap that’ll show you how to set up your first evergreen funnel for a low-ticket offer
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