Book Funnel Optimization: Convert Leads to pay-per-viewers -
The last update was October 5, 2022
E-book authors often think of their books as their final products and believe the sales funnel ends when the book is purchased.
However, for an author who is marketing-savvy, the book itself is just an acquisition channel. It's a method to get the attention of readers, build an association with them and create an audience that regularly purchases the books.
"Every book I write isn't random," says Lise Cartwright Author of 32 books, including Better Book Funnels: Strategies to Connect with your readers and Make More Sales. "I write a book with an end-to-end goal clearly that I want to convey to my readers, but I need to ensure that I'm directing them to an area of my business that is like a next level for the person who reads it after reading the book."
What is the method by which Cartwright as well as countless other successful authors do this? Through the creation and implementation of book funnels. Read on to learn ways to implement the same and transform your books into a business.
What is a Book Funnel?
Book funnels are an approach to marketing for authors which can generate leads or customers, for your business regardless of whether you're in the business of writing books.
Book funnels focus on the conversion. Conversion could mean a reader opting in to your email list buying your entire collection of books, or even signing up to consult.
"It can be as simple like grabbing the free gift from the front of my book, or perhaps more intricate through an online webinar or a training session at the end of my book," Cartwright says. "Either approach, the funnels were designed to draw people into my email list."
The method to get that conversion is by funnelling viewers through a set of actions.
The content of your book - - which is usually given away at no cost (more on that in the coming days) -- is an attraction for readers that draws your potential customer. As they read your book and consume the other material you provide you, they'll be guided through the steps of your book funnel. Along the way you'll provide them with valuable offers and invitations to engage with you in a deeper way, turning the reader who was a once-in-a-while reader to the long-term client.
What does a Book Funnel Have to Look Like?
What your book funnel looks according to your products, company, and goals. Fiction authors can sell their books as their only product, while nonfiction authors might offer courses, books, consultations, case studies webinars, and case studies.
A book funnel looks much like a funnel if you've had the pleasure of seeing one in marketing. It follows the same steps from awareness to curiosity to the decision-making phase to. The steps, however, apply to the book, which is illustrated in the following.
A customer may initially discover one of Raimondi's cookbooks because they follow her on YouTube and this is the awareness stage. The customer is now eager to learn more, so they join Raimondi's weekly newsletter. This is an attraction stage. After reading the newsletter The customer then makes the decision to purchase a cookbook and then is presented with an invitation to take action in the book inviting them to consult directly with Raimondi to help them transition to a more raw and vegan way of life. When they purchase that session the book, they've already completed the action. Raimondi was able to achieve her conversion as well as an long-term relationship with an satisfied customer, who is likely to buy more in the future.
But, it's only an example of how a customer may go through the author's funnel. Below is a graphic of another.
Cartwright and an executive coach has designed marketing strategies for every book she writes that eventually lead customers to the courses she offers and her personal consultation sessions. Her book funnel usually starts by generating awareness of her book via posting a blog.
In return, she gives a book for free with the request of the email address. Then, she can continue her relationship with the customer in a consistent mannerat first, she begins the drip email campaign, a series of emails automatically that are sent out to customers and we'll look at in more detail later.
How to Design Your Book Funnel
Now that you understand the basic principles of a book funnel take a look at the various components of it, in order that you can design one that converts your visitors to repeat buyers.
1. Craft Your Book Funnel Entry
To start your customers down the journey of your book funnel, you first need to create awareness of your book.
This can happen organically; a customer could stumble upon your book via Amazon or be suggested by a friend or by a friend. In general, however, you have to take steps to help customers discover your work.
Authors can do this by promoting their creations via social media platforms, as user Lynn Seddon does in the communities she's created on Instagram. Or they may craft an article on their blog about their book, post a video of the book on their YouTube channel, post ads on Facebook, or one of many other ways to promote the book.
Although there's a myriad of possible entries in the funnel, the goal is the same: to capture the attention of a person reading it, and so they'll want to engage with increase the quality of your content.
2. Make an effective opt-in
Once the reader has become familiar with your work It's the time to grab their curiosity. Why? So you can get their email address, and start an association with them.
To do this for this, you'll require an opt-in like a landing page, squeeze page setup subscription form, or pop-up as the one below by Raimondi.
You could even alter the redirection to only occur after a buyer makes a purchase on a certain item.
A customer, however, isn't willing to give you their email address just since you're polite. It is necessary to have magnets for readers to draw the reader to sign up.
3. Provide incentives
You must now give your readers an incentive to bring them to their inboxes. But to get the readers to make a choice to engage with them further, you need to offer them something to exchange.
The incentive, also known as a reader magnet, is often the form of a free book. Most likely, you've seen this in the case of an author who invites readers to "Get the next book gratis when you sign-up to join my email list."
Although you aren't required to distribute the book at no cost, Cartwright says a permanently unrestricted book can be a hugely effective. Businessman Russell Brunson's accomplishments in giving away a free book provides a compelling argument in favor of the freebie. Brunson claims to earn the equivalent of $238 from every book that he offers to the public.
What is it that makes offering something no cost attract so many to change their mind?
In one way, it lowers the entry barrier. That is customers are more likely to purchase the book when it's for cost-free because it's risk-free for them.
Reader magnets like this is also a good example of the psychological principle of reciprocity. We see this in action whenever we are compelled to give a present to someone who's gifted something to us. Another instance is a business offering a complimentary product or trial before asking the customer to make an purchase.
Giving something away at no cost is a sign of value. The reader thinks "If you give free this amazing content free, imagine what the premium content would be."
What can authors do to be their reader magnet?
Fiction writers can give away their best-selling book, the first book in a series, the prequel novella, or an audiobook.
The incentive does not have to be a free book, especially for nonfiction writers. When an author gives an ebook that is the beginning of the series of nonfiction They can also lure users with an array of products, such as cases studies, workbooks lists, recipes, chart and webinars to mention a few.
4. Convert the reader
Now, you've offered your customer an opportunity they cannot refuse. They'll take action to purchase the product that you're selling, and you'll have to provide it. Depending on your setup your item will automatically download. You can redirect the customer to a different page for them to make their payment, or you can deliver it by an email.
Regardless, you've captured their email and they have officially become a lead, or potential customer, for you. If they fail to take action to download the file, that's okay. They've got their email address for any future advertising efforts There's still an opportunity to get people to download.
Once you've got the contact details, however, you need to start talking to them.
"Once you sign up someone to your email list, it is important be sure to treat them like a new friend," tells Cartwright she estimates she gets 5-10 new subscribers from each of her books. "Talk to them, give them stuff, ask questions. This is an ongoing conversation and ensuring that the sequences are set lets you continue to nurture automatically."
For Cartwright, this communication begins immediately with a drip campaign she has set up. we'll explore more below.
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5. Determine where to send readers the next time
Like we said before, there's not a standard approach to how a book funnel is supposed to look. Based on your product and your business, you can choose to do anything to spur your reader to do more.
Make an autoresponder sequence or drip-campaign. As soon as Cartwright receives a signup, the reader goes through a meticulously designed 5-day welcoming sequence. In the next week, readers begin receiving Cartwright's newsletter each week.
Once someone joins your list, you kickstart conversations and keep them moving.
"Make sure that you continue to speak to those readers through email," Cartwright says. "Thirty days are all you need for your email list to become cold, and no one is opening your email messages. If no-one's opening your emails, then no-one's seeing your posts, whether in any way, whether free or otherwise."
Make compelling in-text calls to actions. Your books don't necessarily have to contain CTAs However, they're definitely efficient tools to get your readers to connect with you further.
Cartwright's works feature CTAs in them, and Raimondi is in the process of making changes to her book in order to include CTAs as well. The author and personal financial advisor Ramit Sethi uses this method in his books.
With the upgrade discount feature, you can offer customers discounts on other products after they've made a purchase, as demonstrated below.
Additionally, cross-selling lets you promote other products to customers in exchange for discounts.
Book Funnels Are About Relationships
A funnel for books' purpose is to get customers to complete a particular step that allows you to continue your relationship with them, even after they've read the book.
"Books are one of the best ways to get to your desired audience," Cartwright says. "Just ensure that you've got clearly defined calls to action to join your email list. Then, be sure to continue with those who are on your list by email."
While book funnels may sound like just another marketing tactic, successful ones can be so much more since they enable authors to connect with their readers. And this consistent engagement fosters communities that both the writer and the reader can benefit from.
"I set a goal to be present on a regular basis and engage with my readers," Seddon says. "We have an authentic community and we're especially active on Instagram, where we talk about the joy of raising our children to have passion for nature and the environment around them."