This. Is. Everything.
Absolutely every step, every process and every guide we use to sell splinter products and scalable products.
Scalable products are digital, virtual and non-physical based products and services that I could sell 1000 in a day and not have to run around delivering them. eBooks, courses, templates, guides etc.
Connecting more of your audience to a scalable product, means showing your audience, traffic and email subscribers a product WITHOUT needing you to be there for the sale.
Smaller, low-cost products up to about $50 are suitable for splinter products. Splinter products work to pay for the cost of traffic and lead acquisition.
Splinter products also make great scalable products to sell on automation.
If you want to connect more of your audience to a scalable product, remember your content silos.
Your content silos are your free blog content at the top, a lead magnet then a splinter product. All within the same subject/topic.
You’re more likely to see higher conversion rates and increased sign-ups and sales if you remember your content silos.
The key is to build the automation within the silo first, then focus on populating the top of the silo with blog content.
This chapter is a step by step guide on how to build that automation funnel, within the silo. We’ll also cover how to create a splinter product later.
We start with a diagram like the below. This is an overview of our website, the blog content and lead magnets within it and the products for sale.
You can use a WordPress website and a page builder for this, Lead Pages, Click Funnels, whatever works for your business.
You don’t have to have 3 or even 1 blog post yet per silo. We recommend building out each silo at a time. Focusing on the splinter product and lead magnet, making sure the automation works for each stage, then populating the blog content at the top of the silo.
Blog content feeds into a lead magnet (within a silo)
Your blog content needs to feed into your lead magnets. We used to just slap up a landing page, but now, we need to give people a lot of value first before they’ll sign up.
Again, focusing on content silos, offer a lead magnet via an optin form at the end or during your blog post.
How you capture email subscribers is entirely up to you. Almost all email and CRM systems will include an email form embed code. Something you can easily paste into a WordPress site.
Other options include OptinMonster which is a specific plugin and tools just for capturing email leads. OptinMonster is what we use at Sell Your Service and Devon Digital Design.
There’s also SumoMe, another option which works similarly to OptinMonster.
If you’re using a WordPress website, you could use Gravity Forms as a plugin and just embed a form at the end of a blog post.
Also, most page builders such as Beaver Builder and Divi have email subscriber forms baked into their builders.
Your blog readers need to be encouraged into signing up. Content silos help, keeping the topic relevant. But also you need to look at the language and messaging that you apply to the copy.
For example on an SEO post, “sign up to our SEO newsletter” will have a very low optin rate. It’s related to the content topic, sure, but it doesn’t give anything specifically valuable away.
Conversely, a lead magnet that says “if you’re serious about SEO and growing your traffic from Google, then you need our SEO check list. Make sure every blog post you publish is an SEO goldmine” is way more likely to connect and convert.
That’s pretty much the key to creating lead magnet messaging. All we’re trying to do is connect with people. Businesses and customers that have desires, hopes, fears, goals and objections.
They’re looking for guidance and you can offer that to them. All we’re trying to do, is help them get MORE guidance and value from the blog post.
Think to yourself, what would REALLY help someone get more results from this post?
Remember ‘what to do, how to do it, I’ll do it for you’
The easiest way to start thinking in terms of scale, automation and growth is with this little funnel mantra.
What to do.
How to do it.
I’ll do it for you.
Remember what to do, how to do it and I’ll do it for you. That’s the mantra to your silo and automation funnel.
Blog posts and lead magnets are what to do. Sometimes the lead magnet is a little “how to do the thing”.
When people are learning what to do, they still might not know how to actually complete the action.
It’s worth noting, that even though a lot of our posts are titled “How to…” i.e. How to search optimise your blog posts or How to get more free traffic from Facebook, you’re really only telling people what to do.
A lead magnet should then expand on that with checklists and cheat sheets. It might also show a physical walkthrough of how to really do the thing.
The blog post might give an overview, but your lead magnets can go into more detail.
Or, your splinter products can show someone HOW to do something. A course, a piece of software etc. We’ll get into splinter products later.
Finally, your highest ticket product should be “I’ll do it for you”. You or your team will do the actual thing. You’ll build the blog posts or execute the work.
Often, many businesses believe that if you tell people what to do and how to do for free or low cost, they won’t want you to do it for them. While this may be true of a small percentage of people, most customers will enjoy the learning introduction.
But they’ll return to you asking for you to complete the work. It’s a well-known trope that the more consultants and coaches give away, the more they’re asked to complete work.
I even know of one consultant who got so tired of building WordPress websites that he set up a course just to help other businesses take on his excess business. Ironically, he is now inundated with higher paying work. He has to turn down almost all his new leads.
Do you want these results faster and with more automation?
Another messaging hook to remember, for lead magnets and sales, is to ask “do you want these same results, but faster and with more automation?”
Which is to ask, “the blog post you’ve just read, do you the same results that the blog post talks about (more Google traffic, higher rankings, better fitting trousers) but faster than doing it by yourself? Do you want those same results with less work from you and more automation? Then sign up to our checklist below”
Or “the mini course you’ve just watched on building the perfect marathon training plan, do you want to run that marathon and get fitter, faster? What if there was less work from yourself and the plan was more automated? Then you need our training plan builder below. It’s a one off cost of $19”
We ask this question to get people thinking in the future and asking for more commitment from them. Some people won’t be ready yet, which is fine.
Others however will want to start seeing those same results faster and with less work from themselves. It’s an incredibly powerful proposition to place in front of someone.
Faster and more automation. Like a driverless Tesla car. On nitros
Splinter product creation
A lot of people complicate splinter products and how to build them.
Most of the time, we see people work on from a lead magnet and think “what would be the most logical step here, to sell to someone, after this lead magnet?”
They’ll think in terms of delivery, whether it’s a course or an eBook or some software. But we have a different approach.
The problem with thinking “what makes sense to sell?” after a lead magnet, means it might not connect with your final product.
A splinter product is designed to help people move towards your final product. If your final product is a website or a social media course, you need to offer something that allows a logical step into your final sale.
Sometimes, when we create a splinter product after a lead magnet, it doesn’t seem obvious that the final sale is the next step.
So instead we ask “what does someone get for $25000?” That might be too low for your final product, in which case just add a zero. Even if your final product doesn’t cost NEARLY that amount, play along with us. Humour me.
List out everything that someone would get if they deposited $25000 into your bank today. You don’t have a choice, they’re putting that money in there and you better deliver.
List out everything you’d deliver. The results you’d get. How much time you’d spend with them. What they’d get at the end of it all. How long would the project last?
Inside that list are your splinter products. They’re hidden, but they’re there.
This exercise by the way, is called a reverse funnel. We’re starting with the end, final, high-ticket product in mind.
Once we’ve listed out what people get for our high ticket item, let’s see what someone gets for $10000.
So your next customer, loves what you did for $25000. But they only have $10000.
So what do they get? What do you have to remove from the $25000 package that someone could get for $10000?
List out again what they’d get and add anything or reduce things if you feel it’s necessary.
For example our $25000 package includes a week retreat and one on one coaching on their business.
It also includes building a funnel for their business and 12 months mentorship at 1 call a month.
For $10000, they’d get just the funnel and 6 months mentorship.
Once you’ve got a list for the $10000 and $25000 products. Make a list for the following price points.
Once you get to about $1000 it might just have 1 or 2 items.
$25000
$10000
$5000
$2000
$100 per month
One off $97
One off $47
One off $19
One off $9
Lead magnet free
Blog content
Hopefully you can see now how your splinter products filter into your core offer. It’s not about upscaling your lead magnet, it’s about cutting back from your core offer.
Maybe your core offer doesn’t immediately lend into a small one off sale.
We encourage you to think hard about splinter products though, as someone who has bought a small product is more likely to buy a larger product.
It might be that your splinter products are different delivery methods from your core offer. If you offer one on one coaching. Your splinter product could be recordings of your bestselling coaching.
Think creatively about getting customers the SAME results. Moving them from that same “before status” to an “after status”. It’s not the deliver that matters, it’s the results and benefits they get. It’s moving them from one place to another.
Direct sign ups to a thank you page
When someone opts in via a subscribe form, if they’re signing up to a lead magnet, common sense would dictate to send them straight to the content they’ve asked for.
Common sense is wrong on this one I’m afraid.
All your new sign ups, should be sent straight to a thank you page. It prevents spam sign ups, increases download and conversion rates and gives you a great platform to sell.
After someone signs up, there is an element of risk and fear that you won’t deliver the goods. Nothing is more frustrating than signing up to a cheat sheet or checklist, never to receive an email with the resource.
People might try again, to sign up. But what they need is literal confirmation that you’ve got their email and their resource is on the way.
A thank you page solves all these problems.
Sometimes, people will use spam or fake email addresses to fill out the form. They’re not keen on being marketed too, which is fine, but it means our email list gets filled with fake email addresses.
We combat this, NOT with double opt-ins (although your country might require a double opt-in by law), but by delivering the resource via email to the address supplied. Rather than redirecting them to the resource.
When users are redirected to a thank you page, we give 4 very clear messages.
1. We’ve received their email and their resource is on the way (it might take a few minutes)
2. We’ll send your resource to your email with the subject line “example” and from the address “name@email.com”
3. Check your spam folder, mark us as a safe sender
4. This is how we got those results even faster
So number 1, we confirm that their action has been acknowledged. There is a risk in filling out an email sign up form, but we’re telling people they’ve done the right thing. We thank them, tell them what’s going to happen next and what they can expect.
Next, 2nd, we tell them what email address we’ll be sending from and what the subject line is. We make it really clear that we’re sending the resource to the email address that we were given. This way, if they gave us a fake email address, they need to enter a real one to get the resource.
3rd, we remind them to check their spam folder and mark us as a safe sender.
4th and finally we position a sale in front of them (more on that later).
Thank you pages are easy to set up. They needn’t be complicated or have too much on them. Just acknowledge their actions and tell them what’s going to happen next.
Track TY page conversions with a pixel
Thank you pages also allow us to measure the success of our campaigns. Facebook, Google and even LinkedIn now allow you to measure a conversion via a pixel.
Very basically, we leave a small piece of code on a thank you page to measure where people have converted from.
If you’ve got 3 traffic campaigns running, LinkedIn ads, Outbrain and Google organic SEO. You put a pixel from each supplier (Google also can use goals within Google Analytics) on your thank you page.
When users sign up, depending on their traffic source, you’ll get accurate data on where the conversions are coming from.
Thank you pages are so powerful like that. Because we can now see how many conversions $500 from each traffic source gets us.
It might be that $500 got you 1000 clicks from Outbrain, but only 10 sign ups. A conversion rate of 1%. Each sign up cost you $50!
However LinkedIn might send you 250 clicks from $500, and 25 people signed up. Which is a 10% conversion rate and a sign up cost of $20 per lead.
Thank you pages can give you enormous insight into your marketing activities. The great part is that they keep working and measuring 24 hours a day.
Say thanks with a page. People like it. And it helps with sales.
Use thank you pages as an area to upsell
Finally, we can use the thank you page as an area to upsell to a splinter product.
If you’ve got a small $9 or $19 splinter product. Maybe a course or an eBook. Your thank you page is the perfect time to upsell from a lead magnet to your splinter product.
You know they’re interested in the subject, and this is the PERFECT time to ask “if you’re serious about [results] then you should see how we got [results] even faster”.
On your thank you page, use a VSL or Video Sales Letter to talk through your splinter product.
A VSL isn’t complicated or hard, it just requires a little time and writing. If you want an example, check out here.
All a VSL has to be, is a sales letter written out. Then each line is a new slide. You do a voice over of the slides talking through the text.
There is software such as EasyVSL which makes sales videos very quickly. Although all you really need is Powerpoint and some screen capture software.
When it comes to writing a sales letter, there are entire BOOKS written on just writing a sales letter.
However, at a high level, we can follow the same principles for our webinars and blog posts.
Headline that makes people WANT to read on
NAME, COMPANY, EMAIL
Headline and promise
Another catchy headline and we make a promise.
The most simple concept that your audience can understand. What are they going to walk away with?
The main problem
Let’s outline the main problem that your audience faces. Typically, it’s that they don’t generate enough cash.
But why don’t they generate enough cash?
For example, most businesses don’t generate ANY leads through their website. If you don’t have leads, you don’t grow your business.
Typical myth with solutions
What’s the current solution that people buy and why does it not work?
For example, on the website lead generation front. Most people will have a website built for them and then have a lot of SEO work done. SEO does not generate leads for businesses, through websites, as fast as other methods.
Scarcity and changes
What’s changing in the market?
Look at financially, technologically, sociologically and competitively. Make them understand that they need to be ahead of the curve.
The world is changing, you can help with that. Another cool idea is talking about how your solution won’t be around forever.
Maybe there’s limited stock, a time limit, or you’ve only got space for 2 more customers.
For example, with websites – 78% of internet browsing traffic is now done on smartphones and tablets. If your business doesn’t show people what they want via their mobile device, they don’t care what you’ve got to say.
Knife twist
Sounds gory, it’s supposed to be.
What makes the problem worse or what is the main thing that drives the problem.
For example with selling a website, the customer’s main problem could be that they don’t trust that the website will make money, yet alone pay for itself.
“Most websites are sold cheap but are then expensive as hell to run. How can we make sure that your website is an investment, not a cost?”
Solution
Super short solution presentation.
Don’t give the cost, just present the name and maybe a product shot.
Results
Talk about ONE BIG RESULT that you’ve got with your previous customers.
Don’t mention 3 or 4, just one big one.
%ROI on any previous projects, customer testimonials, screen shot, $ income value.
Benefits
Often, if there’s a brief, copy and paste what they want. Talk about why working with you makes their life better.
More time with family, their company makes more profit. The more obvious the better.
CTA 1 – act now
FINALLY! A call to action.
What’s the next step they need to take?
Email address, number, talk to you, URL, buy now.
Make it SUPER OBVIOUS that they need to do it NOW as time is running out/things are changing.
Our background
Talk about yourself and your business.
Tell a story, start with banging your head against a wall. Then say how you created this product, people love it and mention ONE BIG RESULT that your business has got.
Guarantee
If you’re not willing to guarantee your product, you need to seriously think about why you don’t trust your own product.
Go overboard, go nuts.
$/hr wasted, 200% refund, 30 day/60 day no nonsense.
If you’re not willing to make a promise about your own products and make a guarantee, you shouldn’t be selling it.
Cta 2 – safety and results
Explain how they’ve got the guarantee and they could have these results.
There is no reason not to buy.
“Look, we’ve laid out that we will refund you if you’re not happy. You could be seeing the results that we got for your own business. Go ahead and buy now.”
Pricing
Talk about the pricing model.
Offer a low version that doesn’t have any results, the version that you want them to buy and something WAY over their budget but with even more results.
-OR-
For one time products, talk about one price but upsell and compare
it to other products on the market. Don’t ever say you’re cheaper.
Is it the price of a meal out or a cup of coffee? Use that.
Fear – ego
No one likes to miss out and EVERYONE has an ego.
Use something that incites fear of not dealing with change.
“The world needs hard workers too, that don’t make money”
Ask them why they want their business to keep doing what its doing?
CTA – next steps
Final CTA.
Big and obvious. Ask if people know what to do next.
Do’s and don’ts
Finish with a list of do’s and don’ts.
It’s a really nice finish to make sure that people see you
delivering value over an invoice.
Keep a URL/CTA at the bottom.
Deliver the lead magnet content via email after the VSL has finished
If you can, set your autoresponder software to send the lead magnet, via an email, after the VSL has finished.
All you need to do, is tell MailChimp or Active Campaign or whatever you use, to send the email # minutes after they sign up. However long the VSL is, send the content after that length of time.
This is so, if someone signs up to your lead magnet and buys immediately, you don’t want to send them follow up emails selling them the splinter product. You want to put them into a new autoresponder sequence that treats them differently.
As long as you always tell people that it’ll take a few minutes to send their content to their email, they’ll be fine if they don’t buy.
If they’ve bought a splinter product, redirect them to a delivery page of the SP
“Always have an upsell” I’ve heard this over and over, but when we’re starting out, the easiest thing to do, when someone buys is redirected them to the splinter product page.
If it’s a download page, or access page etc. Whatever it is, make sure you can take people straight there.
If you can include the original lead magnet too, that’s even better.
Why don’t we use a thank you page for splinter products? The truth is, you can. Treat it more as an upsell page and get people to purchase the next product.
But we’ve got their contact information now. We’ll have their name, email address and maybe even their real address. There’s no need to protect your list now.
They’re also now a customer. They’re not a lead, they’ve bought from you. So you can exceed their expectations and develop that relationship further.
Inside a content silo. It looks a lot like a factory silo. But it’s not
Stop the send of the lead magnet delivery if they’ve bought
As we mentioned, if they signed up and bought, you don’t need to send the lead magnet via email.
You can send it, combined with their purchase, in another email. Or send it again later on after they’ve purchased. But the main thing is to stop the upsell email automation sequence.
If they haven’t bought, send a welcome email
If your lead hasn’t bought a splinter product, call them up and demand to know why.
Joking. Don’t do that.
If they haven’t bought, after the lead magnet is delivered, send a welcome email.
Welcome them to your list, your community and your business. Tell them a little about who you are, a bit of background and how they can reach out to you.
This is a good time to tell them about your private Facebook group or follow you on Twitter.
It might sound dumb, but welcome emails are really important. It’s recognising that your new lead isn’t just an email address. You’re saying hello and you want to help them
Send 3 emails, one day after the other with more blog content from that silo (value stack)
The fastest way to grow your trust and authority with your new lead, is to send them free, valuable content.
One day after the other (that’s right, 3 emails over 3 days), send them content within the subject or topic of the lead magnet they signed up to.
“Won’t they see that as spam?!” Well, are you planning on sending spam?
Here’s the deal with email marketing, spam and content. If you received an email every day from a company, and it deposited $1 into your bank account, would you open those emails?
Goddam right you would, you’d open those emails EVERY DAY!
On the other hand, if I sent you one email a month, every month, but it was just a sales letter telling you to buy from me. That’d probably get pretty annoying.
Spam has nothing to do with the amount you send. It’s about not providing value to your list. If you aren’t comfortable with sending your content out every day, if it’s not valuable every day, you probably shouldn’t send it at all.
Can you say that you content is worth at least $1? Are your emails helping people? Are people going to enjoy reading them? They should do. Because otherwise you have a problem with the quality of your content and not sending it isn’t going to make it any better.
So after someone signs up, place them in an auto responder sequence within that topic that sends them more content. Send them useful information based on what you know about them.
Show them that you’ve got plenty of helpful stuff related to what they want to know.
Send 3 sales emails offering the splinter product over 2 weeks
After sending your value stack emails. Give a bit of a break and over the next week or two, start sending up to 3 sales emails for your splinter products.
You can use the same copy from your VSL and written sales letters.
You can even direct them to sales pages with the same written content or VSL on your thank you page. The easiest method for writing sales emails, is to write with emotion.
Purchasing and buying is an emotional decision.
Talk about how their life will be after they buy. Or how they’ll feel if they use your product.
You can even use a story-type arch of the first email introducing the product, the second email asking if they are crazy because they’re ignoring you and the final email telling them you won’t email them about this product again.
If you’ve got offers, limited stock or other scarcity factors, be sure to use them too.
I want to show you how we build entire marketing funnels
If you’re serious about connecting more of your audience to scalable products, you’ll want to build marketing funnels.
We’ve got a free webinar recording (no waiting),
