Hello! I'm Michele

What is a Sales Funnel? Why it has more to do with Know, Like & Trust.

What is a sales funnel? Why it has more to do with know, like, and trust verse selling in a coaching business? Sales funnels are essential to any business, especially in the coaching industry. They're not just about selling; they're about building relationships. And that's why I like to call them “relationship funnels.” That's what creating a trust funnel is about.

What is a Sales Funnel?

Building a relationship with a potential coaching client is not any different than building any other relationship. It will follow the same path: you meet, get to know each other, decide you like to hang out with this person, and the more you hang out, the more you trust each other.

When building a sales funnel, you’ll ensure that you do the same things you would to create a long-lasting relationship.

How you meet

Imagine you're meeting someone new for the first time. You're both strangers, but over time, you start to get to know each other, decide you like each other and eventually build trust. It is no different with a sales funnel. Can you see how it is a trust funnel?

You will meet new people in various ways with an online coaching business. It may be through social media, via a google search, or, more than likely, an introduction from one of your mutual online friends.

When building a sales funnel, you need to ensure that you're doing the same things you would do to create a long-lasting relationship. You need to meet people, get to know them, and build trust. And the key to building trust is being visible.

It’s visibility…

First, you need to be visible. How will potential clients find you if you're not putting yourself out there? It can be scary to put yourself out there, but it's essential. You must share your knowledge, engage on social media, and attend local meetups if that's your thing.

If you’re not putting yourself out there, how will anyone, let alone your dream client, know what you offer?

This is how you build visibility and connect with the people you're meant to serve.

But I know that being visible can be scary. It's an area that I struggle with too. I love to have my head down working behind the scenes, but that's not how you build relationships. You need to face your fears and put yourself out there.

If you stay in your little world, you will have difficulty connecting with people with whom you have a genuine bond. They are the people that you’re drawn to, the people that you’d like to serve. If you’re not visible, how will they find you? So get yourself out there and mingle.

Overcoming…

Overcoming visibility phobia can only be done by facing the fear. Stop lurking in Facebook groups and actually share your wonderful knowledge. Create a Reel for Instagram, comment on posts, and begin to engage. Put a few stories on and then start to go live on social media. This gives people the opportunity to engage with you. Prefer face-to-face? Search for local Meet Ups.

Stop assuming that people know what you know. Share your unique self.

Now that they meet you

Now that they meet you, it’s time to start to get to know each other. How would you do this if you were developing a budding friendship? You may ask them out for a coffee; you can do the same and have a virtual coffee chat.

Block time out in your schedule a couple of times a week for 15 minutes to have a video chat via Zoom, Skype, Facetime, or whatever video conference platform you use. This gives you the added benefit of having a face-to-face experience. It is much easier to get to know someone if you can actually hear the voice inflection and see the smiling face.

Trust will come…

Once you've made a connection, it's time to start getting to know each other. This is where the “know” part of the funnel comes in. You can schedule virtual coffee chats, engage on social media, or have them join your email list. The more you interact, the more trust you'll build.

And trust is essential. It's a two-way street; you both need to feel comfortable in the growing relationship. Without trust, you won't be able to move forward and discover the solutions you can offer to help them.

In time, the relationship will continue to develop, whether it is through coffee chats, engagement on social media, or subscription to your email list. Trust grows as the relationship grows.

A growing relationship requires both members to feel comfortable with each other.

In the relationship funnel, know, like, and trust is at the top.

Discover

Once you've built trust, the “discover” step is next. This is where you pay attention to the things they talk about and their struggles and invite them to a discovery call.

Now that you know their struggles, don’t be scared to tell them how you can help. If they do not reach out to you first, it's okay to create a little plan and invite them to a discovery call and give a few solutions you can offer.

If you have a true connection, why would you sit back and watch them struggle when you’re offering the exact solution they have been searching for?

This is the “discover” step of the funnel. After this, you'll both decide if it's a good fit to move forward and become part of the “inner circle” or a new client.

The goal is to turn all your clients into “champions” – people who give you love notes and introduce you to their friends. This is how the inner circle grows, and your business thrives.

Inner Circle

After the discovery call, both of you get to decide if this relationship deserves an invite into your inner circle. Your inner circle should be clients that you have a genuine connection with.

You’ll want to ensure the inner circle is saved for clients with similar values and characteristics because you don’t want to be alone when you break out in a happy dance to celebrate their win.

l

Little Side Note

Be visible! Developing successful relationships with potential clients starts with being visible.

Share your knowledge, share your personality.

Champions

Do you hear it in your head now – “We are the Champions…”

The goal is to turn all your clients into Champions. What are champions? They are the people that give you love notes and introduce you to their friends. This is how the inner circle grows.

But don't just take my word for it. Try it for yourself. Implement a sales funnel in your business, and see how it changes how you connect with potential clients. You'll be amazed at the difference it makes.

In a nutshell, a sales funnel builds a relationship with potential clients by getting to know them, liking them, and building trust. It's not just about selling; it's about creating a connection that can last for the long term. It's a way to understand your client's struggles and offer them the solutions they need to overcome them. And as a coach, your ultimate goal is to make your clients champions, people who sing your praises and refer you to others. So, start building your trust funnel today and watch your business grow.

← FloDesk Email Automation: Your Welcome Flow Series System for Content Creation →

Most Popular Downloads

FloDesk Email Automation: Your Welcome Flow Series

by Michele | Content Marketing, May Contain An Affiliate Link

Want to take your email marketing to the next level and stand out from the crowd? Flodesk is the answer. Its user-friendly design and automation features make it the perfect tool for online business and mindset coaches looking to streamline email marketing and build deeper connections with their audience. Say goodbye to overwhelming email automation and hello to beautifully designed, automated emails that will help you connect with your audience and grow your business!

Why did you start your online business?

Yes, I know I ask more questions than a three-year-old, but it is for a good reason. You see, why you started your online business need to be strong enough to get you through the periods when you feel scattered, overwhelmed, and overworked. Running an online business is not for the faint of heart.

I’ve circled back to my why more than I care to admit. For anyone that doesn’t know my story, before starting my business, I was a sales representative that traveled for work 75% of the time, feeling like a stranger in my own home for a job that did not feel rewarding or impactful.

For me, it is the freedom to be present for my family while building a business that feels like I’m making an impact and supporting another business owner’s dreams.

What I’ve discovered is this same why is so true for many online business owners and coaches.

The never-ending bits and bots of creative content

Unfortunately, I’ve heard from many of you that the neverending bits and bots of creative content leave you overwhelmed and overworked.

Building your email list is one way to avoid burnout from content creation. I know what you’re thinking, creating a welcome flow email series has zero appeal to you, or perhaps you’ve made one before that generated little traffic.

If you’d like an easier way to engage with your potential clients, it’s time to leverage the power of automation to connect quickly with your new subscribers. With Flodesk, you can easily create an automated welcome email series that will make a great first impression for all new subscribers.

Are you procrastinating on building your email list?

There could be a variety of reasons why business owners and mindset coaches might procrastinate on building an email list. I’ve heard a lot of reasons; here are the most common, and I’m curious as to which bucket you fall into.

Lack of understanding or knowledge about how to build an email list effectively.
Feeling overwhelmed or unsure about what content to include in your emails.
Fear of failure or rejection from potential subscribers.
Prioritizing other tasks or responsibilities over building an email list. (cough, cough, social media)
Believing that email marketing is no longer an effective method of reaching clients.

Do you have a different reason for procrastinating on creating your welcome flow email series? Please know that whatever the reason, know that you’re not alone.

Why building an email list is necessary for the success of your online business.

Most people don’t realize that building an email list is essential for the success of an online business because it allows you to communicate directly with your target audience and build relationships with them.

Some key benefits of building an email list include

Increased client retention: Email marketing helps keep your business top-of-mind with your clients, leading to increased sales and repeat business. I can tell you for a fact that the marketing emails that come in from my current coach and my past coaches always get read.
Cost-effective: Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to reach and engage your target audience.
Personalization: Email marketing allows you to personalize your message and tailor your content to specific segments of your audience, which can lead to higher engagement and conversion rates.
Direct communication: Emails are a direct line of communication with your clients, which allows you to easily update them on new services, sales promotions, and other helpful information.
Increased website traffic: Email marketing campaigns can drive more traffic to your website, increasing your visibility, leading to more sales, and helping to grow your business.
Additionally, having an email list gives you the ability to reach out to your audience even if social media platforms or search engines algorithm change. This way, you have control over your audience, and you can reach out to them directly.

Connecting Flodesk to your site.

If you’re a new user of Flodesk, the first step to creating an automated welcome email is connecting Flodesk to your site. It is as simple as copying and pasting a bit of code into your website's header.

Depending on your WordPress theme, most make it pretty simple these days.

This will allow for a popup for your visitors, and yes, they do work.

Flodesk makes it easy for you and new subscribers.

Basically, this will automatically enable your new subscribers to be added to the list once they’ve signed up. After you've connected Flodesk with your site, it's time to create a message that will be sent out whenever someone subscribes from your site.

Creating a Flodesk email automation is simple.

Flodesk has an online university that walks you through creating a welcome flow email series. Here is the link to watch that training! https://university.flodesk.com/what-are-workflows

Write out the messages in your welcome flow email series.

Your welcome message should be warm, friendly, and inviting. Start by thanking your subscribers for joining your list. After all, think of this as a new client walking through the front door of your business. When I worked at Victoria's Secret years ago, every customer walking through needed to be greeted almost immediately.

You should also give them an idea of what they can expect to receive from you. Such as new product updates, helpful blog posts, exclusive discounts, and offers – and how often they'll hear from you. Be sure to add your contact details if anyone has questions about their subscription so they know who to reach out to.

Craft a killer subject line.

The subject line of your automated welcome message should pique curiosity and hint at what’s to come.

Brainstorming ideas such as: “Welcome to!”, “Grateful you’re here,” or “Get ready for the great stuff ahead.”

Keep it short and sweet but set the tone with an introduction to yourself, your brand, and your personality in the subject line to encourage subscribers to open it.

Pretty Email Automation

One of the best features is the beautiful email templates. Flodesk offers an extensive library of beautifully designed templates to choose from so that you can create a framework for your email in no time.

Each template has been professionally designed by their in-house design team and is entirely customizable with drag-and-drop elements such as logos, images, text frames, social media links, fun gifs, and so much more!

You also have the option to upload your photo, graphics, and brand fonts if you want to customize Flodesk further.

Set it and send it.

Set up triggers to send the automated email. Now that you have designed your automated welcome email, you will need to create triggers to send it.

In Flodesk, this is a simple process – just click on the Automations tab and select a trigger. Several types of triggers are available, including when someone signs up for your newsletter list or makes a purchase from your store. Select the desired trigger and then set up the message's delivery time – it can be sent out immediately or delayed for later. You’re all done!

How much is Flodesk, and is it worth it?

Flodesk pricing starts at $35 per month when billed annually, which includes all features and integrations. One of those features is unlimited subscribers, you may be wondering. This is not necessarily the case for all email service providers.

Is Flodesk worth it for a growing online business? Yes! With Flodesk, members are never penalized for successfully growing their lists. Subscriptions are $38/month for unlimited email sends, unlimited subscribers, and unlimited access to all features.

Get 50% off your first year with my code! Here is the link: https://misstask.com/flodesk

Again, in case you missed it above, here is my affiliate disclosure: Some of the links in this post content are affiliate links, and if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I only share companies I truly believe in.

l

Little Side Note

Email Marketing: Plan A/B Testing In Your Next Email Campaign

Time to wrap this up; welcome flow email automation with Flodesk is a powerful tool for online business and mindset coaches looking to build deeper connections with their potential clients.

It allows you to create a series of automated emails that welcome new subscribers, introduce your brand and build trust with your subscribers.

With its user-friendly design and automation features, Flodesk makes it easy to streamline your email marketing and make a lasting impression on your new subscribers. So, if you're looking to take your email marketing to the next level, give Flodesk a try and see how it can help you grow your business.

See the difference Flodesk can make in their email marketing. Try Flodesk risk-free for 30 days and see the results for yourself. In case you missed it above.

← 3 Tips to eliminate email stress and take control of your inbox What is a Sales Funnel? Why it has more to do with Know, Like & Trust. →

3 Tips to eliminate email stress and take control of your inbox

by Michele | Life and Success

Michele Duwe from Miss Task Eliminate Email Stress

Does opening your inbox make you cringe? Anxiety fills your chest whenever you think about opening your email. How long does it take to draft a reply to a negative email? Your inbox should not have that much control over your emotions. Here are three tips to eliminate email stress and transform your inbox from something you dread.

Take back control of your inbox.

How would you feel if you could regain control of your inbox and stop feeling stressed every time you opened it?

As an online business owner, do you let your inbox dictate your day, or is it only a tool you use?

I’m guessing you know what I think is the right answer. Your inbox is only a tool that you use in your online business. This is important because it is not your “to-do list.”

Use the most straightforward approach to create your unique best practice to keep your inbox in check.

The keys to going from an inbox that is cringing worthy to one that feels organized and manageable.

I’ve cleaned up a lot of inboxes for the online business owners that I support. So often, they are so scared to delete anything from their inboxes. Some have never deleted a single message. You may think that looking at an unread message count of tens of thousands of messages is not a big deal, but it is.

This leads to email stress.

You see, opening up an inbox full of emails you don’t need will cause you stress. Whether you choose to believe it or not. Why is letting go of junk and outdated email such a struggle?

I’m curious what are your thoughts about having an inbox full of emails? Does that big number lead you to feel important or needed? Do you feel popular?

Drill down into you why you continue to have so many messages in your inbox.

I promise it’s not because of time. I’ve cleaned out inboxes that are over tens of thousands of emails in a couple of days or less. That’s with breaks and includes ensuring I wasn’t deleting anything worthy of a save.

As with everything in life, it comes back to our mindset and thoughts.

It’s time to take back control of your inbox once and for all.

Tip One to eliminate email stress, set up folders and labels.

The first thing to do in order to regain control over your inbox is this.

Setting up folders and labels to organize all the messages that must be kept.

Here is the list of folders that I create:

0-Immediate
1-Action
2-Active
3-Hold
Finance
Finance/Payable
Finance/Receivable
Review
Unsubscribe

Here are a few more ideas from folders that I have in my inbox as well:

⌚️ Waiting Room – this is instead of Hold; cause let’s be honest, I like cute names.

📖 Read At Leisure – a folder for all those marketing emails you’d like to read and don’t have time for right now.

If you’re a Gmail user, I suggest archiving the emails you think you may “need” in the future.

If you’d prefer setting up a folder is an option as well. Call it Old Emails, Dreaded Emails, Someday Maybe, if you like cute names too, have fun with it.

How To Clear Your Mind With Meditation

In today's world, we're consumed by technology, pressured by financial stress, meeting deadlines, and much more.

It's no wonder more and more people are stressed, overwhelmed, and anxious.

At the end of the day, we all want to be happy.

But how do you take the steps to a life filled with happiness and contentment?

A powerful way is by practicing meditation.

It is time to "clear the mind" in my latest digital download - How To Clear The Mind With Meditation

Access This Digital Download Today!

Clear Your Mind

Grab The Workbook

Tip Two to take back control of your inbox, set up rules:

In the inbox, rules can be established to sort your emails automatically, so you don't have to. Setting up rules in Gmail and Spark, the email app I use on my phone and computer is so easy.

Don’t worry, Outlook user; I double-checked, and rules are also possible in Microsoft Outlook.

Filtering your emails can be done by using from, to, and specific words.

I’m going to give you my example of Austin, and this is what I mean by that. I don't know what happened,but some how my email address has gotten added to an email list for Austin that is looking for colleges.

I get multiple emails a day sent to Austin asking him to look at this university, this college or check out this campus or whatever.

It all has to do with Austin and with college.

Therefore, those are words that I look for in my filtering. So that I can get them out of my inbox and I don't have to deal with them because it's a pet peeve of mine that I have these in my email.

Although I tried unsubscribing in the beginning, it took too long because there were too many emails in my inbox.

Now I just have a rule that deletes Austin's email automatically.

What can you do with filters?

Do you want a message from your boss starred and marked important?

Do you want to send a templated email back if a message has specific words or goes to a certain inbox?

Filter all those marketing messages directly into your Read At Leisure folder. No more sorting or distracting you. Mark them as read for even less distraction.

Tip Three to eliminate email stress, use a timer:

Use a timer when going through your inbox.

Make sure you tell your brain that it will be easy to get through sorting your messages in that amount of time.

Since this is new to you, I suggest one 25-minute sprint or Pomodoro when sorting through your emails.

When you’re sorting, you’re not responding.
Instead, you’re making decisions as to when you will do the work.

Remember your email is Other People’s Agendas (I heard this from Ashlyn at Ashlyn Writes).

Begin to ask people to provide you with timeframes. Do this same curiosity to others.

Spell it out in the subject line exactly. Response Needed By [Date].

What is the goal when you’re sorting your messages?

It’s all about the 4 D’s: Do, Delegate, Defer, Delete.

Do –
How long will it take you? Are you able to respond back in a minute or less? If that is the case, do it right now and get it out of your email.
If it takes longer, answer the next question; when will it get done?

Decide when you will Do the task and put it on your calendar.

A quick reply to the sender to let them know it’s been received and you’ll have it to them by the end of the day on [insert the date].

Here’s an example:

Greetings!

Thank you for your email message. It’s been received, I have this on my to-do list and you’ll have it by the end of the day on Monday, November 7th. If you need this done sooner, please let me know.

Delegate –
Who else can do this for me? Are you able to delegate it in a minute or less? Do that now; if not decide when you’ll gather all the information to delegate it.

Defer –
The messages that are informational emails. These emails can be achieved for later review.

They will fall into the defer bucket and should be handled on the spot by either achieving or moving into your read-at-leisure folder.

Delete –
Listen to me just delete the junk!

I promise you do not need it in your life or your inbox. If they are marketing messages that are no longer valuable, drop them in the unsubscribe folder.

If you’re like me and not much of a tv watcher, sometimes it's nice to have a mindless activity while sitting on the sofa. Unsubscribing to emails is just that activity.

If you prefer a tool like Unroll.me to roll up those marketing emails and unsubscribe easily.

l

Little Side Note

If you like this post, you may also like this one on Decluttering Your Inbox!

Digital Declutter Of Your Inbox

Top 3 Tips to eliminate email stress & take back control of your inbox

Set Up Folders and Labels
Establish automatic sorting rules
Use a timer when sorting messages

Thank you so much for reading. I appreciate you and hope you have a wonderful week!

← The Secret to Sales Success: A Simple Overview of a Digital Marketing Sales Funnel FloDesk Email Automation: Your Welcome Flow Series →