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Podcast Show Notes
Many people think you can make a few posts a week about your products to Instagram and Facebook and that sales magically drop into your bank account. But that’s not how running an online business works… and that’s precisely why I believe so many get frustrated when selling on social media or starting a new business. In this article, I’m laying out the sales process steps to follow as you move a customer through your sales funnel… to ultimately make your brand more profitable, faster. This is a must-listen for every business builder who wants more time away from their business!
Sales Strategy Problems
Based on the help my clients need, I can assume that most people think you can make a few posts a week about your products to Instagram and Facebook and that sales magically drop into your bank account.
But that’s not how running an online business works… and that’s precisely why I believe so many get frustrated when selling on Instagram or starting a new business.
They are neglecting the entire sales process. Also known as sales pipeline.
You can get away with “making one-off sales” online for a bit but having a clearly defined online sales process goes beyond knowing how to make a sale or close a prospect.
What is a sales process?
So let’s start with ….what is a sales process?
Your sales process is the set of steps you follow as you move a customer through your sales funnel. Your funnel starts when a prospective client is first introduced to your brand and continues after a sale is made.
Why your small business needs a sales process
What’s so incredible about having a set sales process is that you can automate most of your customer interactions from prospecting to selling to nurturing.
When you have a clear sales process, you can:
- Shorten the customer journey and move a prospect through your funnel more quickly
- Develop more strategic content marketing strategies
- Bring more consistent, and quality leads into your sales funnel
- Deepen connections with customers and followers
- Increase your customer lifetime value and how much they spend with you
- Reduce your customer acquisition cost
- Grow your list of customer referrals
- Make your brand more profitable faster
What you need for your sales process
So now that you understand what a sales process is and the impact it can immediately have on your business – let me share with you the things I suggest you need to use The Simplistic 5 Step Sales Process To Running An Automated Business.
Things you need:
- Active Blog – posting 1/ week new content
- At least two social profiles – with a couple new posts a week
- Pinterest Business Profile – 10 new personal pins a week
- Lead Magnet (free or tiny)
- Email Marketing, Automation, and CRM tool
- Paid Product – tangible or digital
- Recurring Membership
The Simplistic 5 Step Sales Process To Running An Automated Business
Now you know what you need, let me lay out The Simplistic 5 Step Sales Process To Running An Automated Business that I set up for my clients and use myself.
1 – Content Marketing
This step is where you use specific original content to reach your niche audience at their respective buying levels. For reference, I discuss these three buying levels inside Episode #42.
This content includes your social media posts, your videos (Youtube, Facebook Live, IGTV), your regular campaign emails, blog posts promoted on Pinterest, or any Facebook/IG ads.
But the thing is… You can’t perform this step without knowing your brand’s core foundation – your core interest, core niche, and beliefs.
It’s the step you cannot overlook as it holds the key to fueling this entire sales process. So if you don’t have a sales process yet – start at step one of my Business Building Roadmap and purchase the Personal Branding Playbook. Get your core brand foundation set.
2 – Lead Magnet
When you know your niche audience’s #1 problem, you can create a solution that you offer free or for a tiny amount, such as $7. As I covered in Episode #44, a lead magnet allows you to grow your email list with ideal clients.
And like mentioned in step one, ideal clients are the niche audience we want in our sales process!
In simple terms, a lead magnet is an article such as a PDF workbook or webinar, or service given in exchange for a reader’s contact information, most notably their email address. Using an opt-in form located on your website or blog, you deliver the lead magnet to them and enter them into your sales process and email sequence automation.
What you are doing is using the lead magnet to convert a reader into a warm prospect as they become your niche client and now on your email list.
Ep 44: 5 Ways To Make Sure Your Lead Magnet Isn’t A Big Fail
3 – Email List
What this means is having an Email Marketing, Automation, and CRM tool to create incredible customer experiences.
Many people think that having an email list is for sending a weekly newsletter. And although yes – checking in live with your audience is critical to nurturing that relationship, there is something even more key and that’s running an automated sales process with your email list.
What that means is having a marketing automation system installed that interacts and sends the appropriate emails to your audience based on their past, current, and potential interactions with your brand.
So based on what they’ve clicked inside your emails, the web pages on your site they’ve visited or the downloads and purchases they’ve made.
This is KEY to running an automated business because, as you sleep, your subscribers are receiving their respective invite and thank you email sequences! Automations means your business still invites the right prospects at the right time to purchase your products without you having to do a thing more after getting it all setup.
And sales roll in on automation.
Working with my 1:1 consulting and design clients and having them see the emails and automation happen in their back office is a real eye-opener to them. It’s a new thing for many people. They immediately see how having these automations set up immediately gains them more time freedom away from their business.
The Email Marketing and CRM tool I use is Active Campaign. The image below is a look into the email automation that happens after a prospect downloads my Brand Map Workbook.
CLICK HERE to start your free trial.
4 – Paid Product
Well, this step of your sales process is a no brainer. What product or products are you offering for sale? As you set up your email automation in step three, you want to consider your value ladder.
Your value ladder is the order you want your products introduced to your subscribers. The last thing we want to do is throw an entire portfolio of products at them at once.
So think about the exact steps from entry to your brand to their first, second, and third sale.
What products do you want them to purchase, and in what order based on their #1 problem, then their next #1 problem, and so on?
Then you set up your email automation based on this value ladder. After they download your lead magnet what’s their next #1 problem and the product you are going to invite them to purchase?
5 – Recurring Membership
This allows you to collect sales from your client on-going. By having a subscription product or a renewing service, you can maintain a more constant and consistent revenue stream. One-off sales such as a tangible or digital product might be the most logical business model, the one we think of most… but building a sustainable business of only one-off sales can be difficult.
When your value ladder can end with a recurring revenue product, you lower your customer acquisition cost with this type of model.
You can also scale your business and make your brand more profitable faster with this revenue model.
Recap
The Simplistic 5 Step Sales Process To Running An Automated Business:
1 – Content Marketing
2 – Lead Magnet
3 – Email List
4 – Paid Product
5 – Recurring Membership
If setting up this Simplistic 5 Step Sales Process To Running An Automated Business for your business sounds intriguing I’d be happy to help you brainstorm, create and develop your custom process.
I have about a dozen business builders that I’m working with at a time who are at different stages of these 5 steps. And I’m excited to bring them on the show in upcoming episodes to share their respective sales processes with you all.
Sales Process Consulting
To set up a complimentary 15-min brand discovery call simply go to kristinkorn.com/consulting to fill out the application. I can help you from start to finish with every detail down to website design, sales page copy, email automation, and teaser graphics.
I’m using The Simplistic 5 Step Sales Process To Running An Automated Business in my own business and honored to use my gifts to help other women do the same. To get started simply go to kristinkorn.com/consulting to fill out the application for a complimentary 15min brand discovery call.
As you can see by this sales process every social media post, video and blog post is the start of a new relationship with a potential client.
Knowing this is your chance to make a good first impression you want to stand on your core brand foundation to demonstrate your knowledge and influence.
Since I share awe-inspiring resources and must-have products for business builders like you who want to streamline their business – my content may contain affiliate links for products I use and love. If you take action (i.e. subscribe, make a purchase) after clicking one of these links, I’ll earn a small commission. While it has no effect on your pricing, it’s my responsibility to let you know that an income (however small or large it may be) is made from recommending products I love, use, and share with other awesome people like yourself. With your support, I’m able to commit time to this blog and to each of you on your journey!
