When most people hear the word funnel, they picture this hot mess…
Front-end offer → Upsell → Downsell → Upsell → Upsell → Random shiny thing they had on their hard drive from 2016.
That’s the Internet Marketing version… 🙄And while, yes, sometimes those funnels make money, most of the time they’re just a cash-grab that screams “I don’t actually care about you, I just want your money.”
Ewww… That’s slimy as hell!
Let’s get this straight… A funnel is not just a stack of sales pages duct-taped together that’s designed to throw everything you can pull out of your tail to put in front of people with a desperate hope that they’ll buy.
Please for the love of tacos DO NOT do that!
Instead actually help people and you will be repaid 100X over…
A Funnel Is the Journey
A funnel is the path your customer takes with you over time. It’s a relationship, not a one-night stand.
It’s built with:
1. Sales pages (yes, upsells and downsells still have their place)
2. Emails that keep showing up in their inbox long after the first purchase
3. Freebies and resources that actually help (imagine that)
4. Info that builds trust and gets people saying, “Dang, she knows her stuff”
5. And then, naturally, offers for the things you’ve got for sale
Now don’t freak out yet… This CAN be VERY simple. You’ve been lead to believe that it’s “tricky” and takes all kinds of tools and other “stuff” that comes with BIG price tags. Stick with me for a minute…
The Problem With “Cram-It-In” Funnels
When your whole funnel feels like an infomercial that never ends, people get turned off!
They don’t trust you, they don’t stick around, and they certainly don’t whip out their wallet again.
Quit thinking: “How can I squeeze every last penny out of this person right this second?”
Start thinking: “How can I guide them, serve them, and actually get them results?”
Because when you do that, guess what? The money WILL show up but so does loyalty, repeat buyers, and referrals!
And you are actually doing YOUR part!
What To Do Instead (With Real Examples)
1. Map the journey – Plan it out. Stop winging it!
Example: If you’re in the fitness niche, don’t just throw a $7 smoothie guide at someone and then randomly pitch them yoga mats.
Map the journey: Start with a free “7-Day Clean Eating Plan,” then guide them to your paid “30-Day Fitness Challenge,” and later roll them into your premium coaching. Step by step, like breadcrumbs leading them to the feast WHILE providing value and building your relationship with them.
2. Give value along the way – Not every touchpoint should be a sales pitch.
Example: In the productivity niche, send an email series where people get three actionable hacks, then a free “Morning Routine Checklist,” and then invite them into your paid “Time Management Bootcamp.”
They should walk away from almost every email with something useful, whether they buy or not.
3. Use your emails – Your funnel is not over after checkout.
Example: Someone buys your “Beginner’s Guide to Canva.” Over the next few weeks, you send design tips, shortcuts, and maybe a funny story about how you once spent three hours trying to line up a text box (we’ve all been there). Then you introduce your advanced template package. Natural. Seamless. No sleazy whiplash!
4. Make the promos fit naturally – Don’t sell them a dog grooming course right after they bought a cat training guide.
Example: If they grabbed your freebie on “Starting a Side Hustle,” don’t immediately pitch a $997 mastermind. First, offer them your $27 “Finding Your First Profitable Niche” workshop. Help them WIN at that! Then, once they’ve got traction, that’s when you introduce the bigger program. You’re not tricking them…you’re leading them and you look like a super hero. And you’ll be a well paid one!
The Bottom Line
Funnels aren’t supposed to feel like an airport kiosk trying to upsell you bottled water, headphones, a neck pillow, and a keychain all in 30 seconds.
Like I said… A funnel is a journey!
It’s how you prove you’re here for more than just the quick sale. It’s how you create buyers who come back again and again because they trust you, they like you, and they know you actually give a damn.
Build that, and you’ll stand out from the noise of the “funnel bros” shoving garbage into the world.
Now… I’ve got something super special coming soon that’s going to show you how to create ONE easy funnel that ONLY has four pieces and some added magic sauce and it’s everything you need to create a six-figure business! Just ONE funnel!
Keep an eye out for that and until then… Have questions? Leave them in the comments below…
That is so true because i dont buy from people who jam their up and down sell so full it turns my wallet off lol Thanks LIZ for being AWESOME!!!!
Yeps…. You’re a perfect example… You’ve bought a ton of my stuff and I never have more than one upsell. We’ve built a real relationship. I’d even call you a friend because well… you’ve been around so long and support me just like a friend does. 🤷🏼♀️ And I provide you with value. That’s what you’ve GOT to do to actually help people and get those people paying you!
Hey Liz, it’s so refreshing to see someone taking a moment to explain what the hell is a funnel and why do they exist in the first place.
And also, a fantastic reminder that it shouldn’t be actually that hard either, if all you’re doing is helping someone else with your experience in doing something.
I’ll definitely be paying attention to what’s coming, as I’m one of those that don’t neccessarily over complicate everything, but more of the ones that see how complex something can get and then just freeze and do nothing about it (or keep on learning the subject forever).
A lot of people teach this and make it super hard. Then we have people like you and me who think about things way too much which makes it even harder. We need something simple. I’ve got it and as long as you don’t over think it, I KNOW you can take this and use it. Hold tight…
Thank you Liz,
This needed to be said – most funnels now are ridiculous. In the past I’ve purchased a product that I thought would be useful but then when I found I had to wade through 10 or 20 upsells to get to the download page I’ve asked for a refund.
Like you say, it becomes obvious they are just trying to squeeze every last penny out of you.
If it’s OK with you, I’d like to post a short summary of this on my Skool community with a link back to here.
Kind regards,
Trevor
Spot on, as always. I purchased a little something about a week ago and was kinda blindsided by the 4+ upsells which followed (I clicked out before they ended). Irritated the heck out of me, so much so that I almost wanted to refund the initial purchase. If the seller thought I needed all that additional crap to make the product worth it’s while .. I didn’t want it anymore.
When I build my course and funnels, they’re going to be direct and honest.
Thanks, Liz, for such a defining post. I agree that funnels are one of the most misunderstood components to an online business.
I too lose interest to the point of requesting a refund, when a funnel drags me through 10 – 20 up and downsell offers, especially when many of them don’t even relate to the initial product.
Your article serves as a great checklist for what people need to aim for when creating their funnels. I intend to make it part of my game plan for future funnels.
Have a great week everyone,
Helene
Hi Liz, I am guilty of both.. when I first started out I grabbed everything I could to try and get that first sale. Then when I thought I was proficient I cobbled together a Horror of a Funnel ®️ that left a bad taste in moy mouth so nevermind what the customer felt. Lately I’ve been on the serving journey and your right it feels better for your soul.. sorry getting emote!! But what I’m trying to say is that what you described resonates with a lot of genuine SoloPreneurs and Id urge them to take a note… Can’t wait to see what you create next . Big Fan
Yeah, I know exactly what you’re talking about when it comes to typical sales funnels. You see them all over the place on Warrior Plus. And may I also add a suggestion? On the sales pages, that is; the front end offer, you should let your buyers know what the sales funnel is, what’s in it and how much everything in the funnel costs. That way, you’re not hiding anything from your customers.
They will at least know what’s coming up in the funnel. However, that is for a typical sales funnel, but I think the type of sales funnel you’re talking about is of the type that runs over time with the customer, instead of a quick shot at cash like those funnels on Warrior Plus. Those Warrior Plus product funnels are pretty much all the same. You get an offer anywhere from $12 to $17 as the front end, and then when you purchase that front end product, that’s when the funnel begins with one upsell or down sell right after another until finally you get to your download or member’s area. That’s the typical funnel that most people are familiar with, and quite frankly, I believe that these types of funnels are really nothing more than cash grabs.
Hi Liz. Great content as always.
Appreciate all you do inside PLR Profits Society!
Great insight.
It’s true, there are too many in the MMO space that seem to think that you have to have a million upsells to have a successful product launch. They fail to understand a simple concept.
Let’s use retail sales as an example. Retail sales isn’t about selling, it’s about customer service. As you know, I was an auto tech for 20 years and currently work part time at an auto parts store. I spend a lot of time with the customers I am helping. I don’t just sell them what they ask for.
I ask what is going on with their vehicle. I make sure they are asking for what they need and if they haven’t had something checked that could also cause the symptoms, I suggest they do so first.
I have had reports that customers have called the store asking for me. Because I look out for them. You NEED to do the same thing with your online business.