Have you ever found yourself staring at your business bank balance and wanting to cry?!

You're all fired up about working on a business you love and creating a lifestyle that gives you so much freedom to be happy. You've got your mindset sorted, and you're doing what you love with the people who light you up.

And you're at the end of a busy week, where you've been getting real visible in Facebook groups, putting out lots of content online, and feeling like you've done LOADS in your business……

But then you realise, that when you add up all the hours you've been working, and compare it to the amount of money in your bank account…..you're working for a pittance?

You're tired. There's so much still you need to do. 

And now you don't feel like doing any of it. I mean, you're going to have to work even harder to make more money, right? Not to mention having to revisit your mindset.

Have you been there?

I have. And it's not fun. Not one bit.

In fact, it can leave you wondering if you'll ever crack this online business malarkey. If you'll ever live the life you dream of, and which you see so many other women doing effortlessly. Or so it seems.

But there IS something you can do. Something that WILL make life easier. Something that will stop you having to work more hours to make bigger profits. Something that means you can enjoy time with the kids without feeling guilty or stressed about not working on your business.

You can create an automated sales funnel.

What Exactly IS an Automated Sales Funnel?

A sales funnel is simply the path you want your potential customers to follow, to lead them towards buying from you. It’s how you turn a complete stranger into a loyal customer who loves what you do. 

The chances are you’re using some kind of sales funnel right now, and you don’t even know it!

There are 3 key stages in any sales funnel:

1. Building Awareness
2. Building Engagement
3. Sales

Now I like to keep things as simple as possible. So let's look at how you can create a simple funnel, without getting bogged down in tech and processes that will overwhelm you!

Getting Started

We're going to start with the end in mind. By making sure that EVERYTHING you offer is aligned with solving the problems and challenges your ideal customer needs most help with. So that you can entice them into your sales funnel, build trust, and have them biting your hand off to buy from you!

How? 

Ask them what they need!

Send an email to your list and ask them ”What is your BIGGEST challenge right now?”. You can even include a second question such as “If you could overcome that, what results would you like to see in your business”.

Keep track of the responses, and take note of their most common challenges. Because this will be the thread that attracts new prospects into your funnel (Step 1), and which links through to what you deliver in your products and services. 

Don't have a list? No problem. Simply ask the question in Facebook groups, LinkedIn groups, on your social networks, or any communities or forums you're a part of where your ideal customer also hangs out. You'll still get valuable feedback. And if you use a survey form on a site as SurveyMonkey or Wufoo, you can even collect email addresses from respondents and build your list while you gather feedback! 

Once you have a clear idea of the most popular answer to your question, you're ready to build that funnel! 

Step One – Building Awareness 

The first step in creating a sales funnel is to build awareness of you and your business. One of the simplest ways to do that is to write a blog post. Or create a video, podcast, or a livestreaming session on Facebook Live, Periscope, or Blab if you prefer. 

Whichever medium you decide use, make sure you go deep on this key issue. Wow your target customer. Tell them exactly how to overcome their biggest issues, and give them all the steps they need to take action.

With your blog post all prepared and ready to go, it's time to add even more value to draw your potential customers further into your funnel.

The Lead Magnet

A lead magnet is something which solves a specific problem that your ideal customer has. It should be easy to get access to, and quick for people to consume. 

Here are some examples of lead magnets:

• Swipe files
• Planners
• Videos
• Reports
• Checklists
• Fill in the Blank templates
• Resource lists
• Ebooks

Whatever you decide to create, your lead magnet should give your audience a way of using the tips and value you're providing, by applying it to their own business. The content should also link through to the topic in your blog post, and to whatever issue or challenges your end product or service will solve for your customers.

There are two ways you can use your lead magnet. 

1. You can create a sales funnel just for this piece of content, to attract new leads and build your list
2. You can use it as a ‘content upgrade' within the blog post/podcast/video you have just created.

For now, we'll focus on using it as a content upgrade – a free giveaway that builds further value for your audience. You simply mention your lead magnet throughout your blog post/podcast etc, and provide links to where your audience can get their hands on it. Ideally you want that to be a landing page where they exchange their email address in return for your lead magnet. Which you then deliver to them by email. 

Boom! Now you're beginning to build your list, as well as creating awareness of your business with a whole new audience which is reading your blog, listening to your podcast, or watching your videos.

But by now, you may be asking “Landing pages? Deliver my lead magnet by email? How do I do that?” 

You will need to set up a website page and opt-in form as your landing page, and it's a good idea to have an email autoresponder to deliver your lead magnet and welcome your new subscribers. But if your brain makes a run for the door when you think about tech, I've got you covered! You can checkout the list of tools and tech I use in my own business in my Essential List of Time Saving Tools & Tech for Your Online Business.

(You see what I just did there!)

Step Two – Build Engagement

Nobody wants to be sold to straight off the blocks. Instead, you will want to nurture the new leads you have attracted with your blog and lead magnet, so that you build engagement, showcase your expertise, and build trust with your audience.

First of all, choose your main authority platform. The one where you will build your community, continue to add value and to engage with them. And choose ONE! One that you love to use, where you can do your best work, and where your ideal customer hangs out too. This might be:

• Your Facebook page
• A Facebook group
• Your Podcast
• A Vlog
• A Blog
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• LinkedIn
• YouTube show

And while you are interacting with them and getting visible with what you do, be sure to send out regular emails that inform, instruct and support your audience too.

The more contact your audience has with you, and the more you help them solve the issues and challenges they face, the more they will know, like and trust you. Once you've nailed that, you're ready to introduce your offer!

Step Three – Your Offer

This is the final stage of your sales funnel. The one where you get to introduce your potential customers to your signature offer, service or product and make the sale!

Your offer can be anything at all. But it should be packed full of value, solve the issues you know your ideal customer is facing, and give them the kind of result they want in their lives and business.

If you've done your job well in steps 1 and 2,  you will have attracted your perfect client into your funnel using a blog and lead magnet that is aligned to your core offer, and nurtured them into warm prospects within your authority platform.  So go get em and make that sale!

Step Four – Automate It!

This is where the magic happens. Add paid traffic, such as Facebook ads, to drive targeted leads into your funnel, and a sprinkle of tools and tech to link up all the steps and stages, and you're ready to take your business to the next level!

You can finally stop trading your time for money, and leverage more profits from every hour of work that you do. Because your sales funnel will be working on autopilot behind the scenes. 

And the best bit? Absolutely anyone can do this. Anyone at all! But if you need a little help mapping out your funnel, and building it in a way that fits YOUR business, YOUR offers and YOUR customers, I'd love to help. Let's hop on a call together and plan out your funnel right now!