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.
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.
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