Every coaching business has a marketing funnel.  The smoother your funnel runs, the more efficient and successful your business is.  Here is an example of how your funnel may look:

Notice that there are three levels - f'ree, paid and well-paid.  Many coaches skip the "paid" level entirely, and try to sell their high ticket items (coaching) to those who just requested f'ree information.  Other coaches don't have the "free" level in place, and wonder why their lead generation doesn't work well.

How does your marketing funnel look?  Here is mine:

You may have gaps or "holes" on any of three levels.  See if you can spot any "holes" in your funnel:

On "F'ree" Level:

• Signature at the bottom of your articles isn't effective enough. It talks about you instead of your giveaway or an exciting feature on your web site.
• You're submitting your articles to places irrelevant to your business. Instead of, or in addition to, generic article directories, be sure to submit to hand-picked highly targeted newsletters and web sites.
• Article topics are not quite relevant to your target audience or to your products. Don't write about your trip to Thailand and expect prospects to contact you about coaching. This rarely happens.
• You're not capturing traffic from your web site. Be sure to have a mechanism to ask for your visitors' contact information, or you lose a lot of potential customers.
• Your f'ree giveaway on the web site isn't enticing or relevant enough.  Make sure your f'reebie is worth at least $20 if they were to buy it.
• You're not following up wih people who request free information. Use autoresponders to send out a sequence of lessons, tips or articles.
• Your follow-up messages have no call to action. Be sure to invite people back to your web site, check out a product, sign up for a teleseminar, or enroll into a coaching program.
• Newsletter is not doing its job at bonding with your readers and developing a long lasting relationship.
• Your web site isn't content rich to generate outside links and referrals. Add more articles and resources to fix this "hole."

• Too many product offers on your web site dilutes the focus and overwhelms the potential buyer.
• Ineffective text copy on your web site may cost you a sale every time.
• No enticing bonuses for your products to increase the chance of a quick and easy sale from an excited customer.
• Pricing problems - too high or too low. Test different price points and check out what competition charges.

• Ineffective or no follow-up with customers who purchase your products. They may not even be aware that you're offering coaching and other services.
• Too many different coaching programs and options confuse and overwhelm potential clients.  Choose one or two main coaching options and focus your coaching page on it. List other options on a different page for those who're interested.
• Ineffective or too short sales copy for the coaching program or services.  Remember, the higher the price, the longer should your sales letter be.
• Coaching fees too high or too low. Ask your clients or customers what they think you should be charging, and check out your competition.
• Wrong target market, no money for high-ticket items. This one will cause your revenue to stay low no matter what else you do.

*****
Milana Leshinsky is a marketing coach to coaches, and the founder and principal  editor of ACCPOW.  Visit Milana's personal web site at http://www.richcoachpoorcoach.com.

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