Everything is difficult before it's easy and learning how to build a business with the right online business tools is no exception. Even something as crazy as a WordPress funnel builder or sales funnel builder. I mean, just WordPress can freak some people out.
On my blog I help people build an online business from scratch. To do that, I break down the biggest hurdles. And that's not only finding what three tools you need, but also finding the most cost-effective ones. A WordPress funnel builder just happens to be one of the tools.
Moreover, no matter what business you're in, you will need these three tools to successfully market and generate leads online.
I created this article to explain what those three tools are, the most effective ones to use and where to get them from. This is important, because buying the wrong tools or paying too much for them can break your bank.
More...
The 3 Best Online Business Tools
The 3 essential tools you'll need to begin marketing and generating leads are regardless of what you're doing online to make money:
- A Landing page or Funnel builder
- An Email List Manager (autoresponder)
- And a Link Tracker
#1 The Landing Page or Funnel Builder
Landing pages are no more than what it sounds like, a page you 'land on' after being redirected from a link. However, when it comes to online marketing the term still means a page you 'land on,' but with one goal. That goal is to convert traffic to leads that you capture on your email list. This way you can continue marketing to them whether they purchased something or not.
Multiple 'Landing pages' that take your audience on a journey of 'marketing checkpoints' is called a funnel. For example, In order to get prospects from your content to your email list, you attract them through what’s called a lead magnet, your first marketing checkpoint.
In layman’s terms, a lead magnet is something you’d use to bait your target audience with something they need or want (typically for free) in exchange for their email address. Again, keeping in mind that this is all happening through the mechanics of a funnel that every online marketer needs in order to run a successful business.
So, if your goal is to convert traffic then you will need to make sure your 'landing page' is free from distractions, such as ads, menus, other links, unnecessary graphics, comments, etc.
Moreover, you want to make sure your most important content is 'above the fold,' or what people see before they need to scroll further down your landing page. Above the fold meaning, you just hit the cover page of 'New York Times,' so make the most out of it.
The High-End Sales Funnel Builder
People spend money on things they don't want to do or don't know how to do. It's safe to assume they're simply trying to solve a problem. As long as people have problems, money will always be valuable. Bigger the problem, the more money people are willing to pay to get it fixed.
But how much more money? Or worse, what if they don't have the money. You following me?
Basically, when it comes to landing pages or funnel builders people would much rather buy one rather than figure out how to build it themselves. That's where programs like ClickFunnels and Leadpages come into the picture. Programs like that easily cost between $100 to $300 dollars a month. If you're an online beginner that amount can seem outrageous.
But what if I could show you how to build 'landing pages' yourself? ... 'Landing pages' that operated out of what you'd build a standard website with if you wanted to. ... "Landing pages for a fraction of what you'd pay Clickfunnels or Leadpages.
Well, I can and I do inside my training hub! For now, I'll tell how.
NOTE: Keep in mind that there is a steeper learning curve, which prevents most people from going the route I'm about to show you. Again, it's why most people rather pay more money for programs like Clickfunnels. They don't want to do it or they don't know how.
Using a WordPress Funnel Builder to Build Your Landing Pages
How cool would it be to leverage the same tool you use to create a website with to also create 'Landing pages and funnels?' You'd be able to drive your prospects to subscribe, or purchase whatever it is you have to offer on top of being able to build out a full-blown website at no extra cost.
Well, just like an email list is praised for your ability to own your leads instead of using social media or some third-party to build them you want to do the same with your 'Landing page builder.'
Introducing WordPress (.org) that currently powers 30% of the internet and growing at an alarming rate.
NOTE: Do not confuse WordPress’.org with their .com platform. The .org is WordPress’ self-hosted platform and .com isn’t.
Fortunately, by owning your own self-hosted WordPress, the WordPress funnel builder you'll use is yours! It’s the best way to monitor the impact your audience will have on your content while giving you the control and flexibility to:
- Add new content instantly with no coding or website knowledge
- Update your content frequently
- Change theme, look and feel customizations (free and paid)
- Manipulate content and template layouts with plugins (free and paid)
- Create logos, images, and colors
- Allow interaction from all over the world with its commenting engine
- Become your gateway to passive income
- And much more
WordPress Hosting, Setup, and Installation
Self-hosted providers are companies that serve and maintain files for your WordPress funnel builder. They are like shopping centers that contain several individual stores. If you want to open a store at the shopping center, you can lease space (but on web servers).
To self-host your website with WordPress, you’ll need to tell your hosting company your registered domain name (URL).
Finally, once you're inside your space, you'll design it with the 'landing page' funnel builder.
So first things first:
- Get a domain name (URL) that will direct people to your website
- Select your hosting company to install your website and house your home on the Internet
I use and love NameCheap to buy my domain names, because they are the most recommended and the longest tenured. Domains are super cheap. We're talking about $1 per month cheap.
I also live and die by the hosting company called WPX.net. This will cost you $20 a month. They are a little more expensive than most, but you want your home built on a solid foundation right? One that dosen't go down, includes regular back ups, and hosted on it's lightning fast CDN servers.
Then listen to me when I tell you to get WPX.net. It will beat all the headaches with chepaer companies you try to save money with.
Thrive Themes 'Landing Page' Builder
To complete your Landing Page or WordPress Funnel Builder setup you need to purchase your theme and plugins that you will use to design your pages.
I love and use Thrive Themes Suite Membership. It's absolutely the most important tool you'll need, because it's the tool that actually creates your landing page. It's $19 a month and highly recommended as it's used by several thousand influential online marketers and entrepreneurs.
Again, it's what I use and I'd never use anything else.
See for your self in their comparison article to Clickfunnels.
#2 The Email List Manager
Email marketing enters the picture as one of the most unique marketing strategies. Not only can it be used in addition to any other marketing strategy, but it complements any single strategy.
So, no matter what business you are in, email marketing compliments the audience you attract.
In its broadest sense, every email sent to a potential or current customer could be considered email marketing. You build an “email list.” It typically involves using email to send offers, request business, solicit sales, and/or to build brand awareness to your audience – paying you around the clock.
Moreover, after acquiring a lead from your WordPress funnel builder, your email list works as a holding tank to continue marketing to them, where they grow to know, like and trust you through your products and story.
The average list owner shoots for about $1 per subscriber per month. That means 1,000 subscribers per month can easily equal $1,000 dollars. If you ever hear someone say, "the money is in your list," that's what they are talking about.
Basically, anyone building a business online would be crazy to go without building an email list. They’d be cutting themselves short in one of the biggest ways to earn a passive income marketing online with little work.
There isn't a particular email manager that's necessarily better. I love and use Active Campaign.
#3 The Link Tracker
No matter what online business you're in, or what WordPress funnel builder used, you need to track your links using what’s called link tracking or a link management tool. You won’t need it to make initial sales, but you’ll need it to begin scaling your business.
For example, let’s say I have my autoresponder emails setup as a drip campaign for 30 days’ worth. In each email I used an affiliate link that sends my leads to the same affiliate offer.
What do you think happens if that affiliate offer’s website goes down right in the middle of my traffic campaign?
My leads will land on its error page and without a link manager I’d have to go into each email to change the link to a different offer. Think about how much time I’d be wasting opposed to being able to just switch out and replace one link by logging into my link tracker account.
Moreover, with a link tracker you are able to create tracking links that you can use to re-route all your links along with being able to see exactly where your traffic is coming from and going.
The amount of time you save using a link tracker makes this tool one of the essential 3.
I love and use Build Redirects.
