April Holidays & Marketing Ideas to Kick Off 2nd Quarter 2024

, ,

The second quarter is upon us! As the seasons shift and consumer mindsets change, it’s the perfect time to refresh your marketing strategy. Whether you’re basking in the spring sunshine in the North or cozying up for fall in the South, this guide is packed with creative ideas to grab attention and kick off Q2 with a bang. 💥

Get ready to leverage seasonal trends, capitalize on key holidays and observances, and find inspiration to create marketing magic this April!

Consumer Behavior and Seasonal Trends for April: 

  • Northern Hemisphere (Spring): Consumers are feeling optimistic, ready for fresh starts, and open to trying new things. Highlight products or services that promote renewal, health, and outdoor activities.
  • Southern Hemisphere (Fall): Focus on cozy vibes, self-care, and products that enhance indoor living.

April is a Great Time to Focus On… 

Since the second quarter is underway, it’s a perfect time to assess your marketing strategy and identify areas for improvement. Here are some ideas to help you and your team level up your marketing game in April:

Refine Your Marketing Strategy:

Content Audit: Take stock of your highest performing social media posts and emails so you can hone in on the topics your audience is most interested in. What content is resonating with them most? What are they already engaging with? This will give you insight into the problems they need more help with in your content this month. Look at your best-performing blog posts so you can optimize them and get more traffic.

📌 Read: Get More Traffic to Older Blog Posts in 4 Easy Steps

Calendar Refresh: Revisit your content calendar for the year and make sure you’re repurposing and sharing your best performing content (and creating more related content). Add your favorite ideas from this post using our free Content Calendar Template & Planner to easily plan and organize your social media content. This template will help you stay on track and stay consistent. 💪

Level Up Your Marketing Skills & Knowledge:

The second quarter is a prime time to identify any skill gaps in your marketing. Here are a few of our most popular free resources you can download to help:

Test New Content Formats and Channels 

Once you’re able to maintain consistency with one content format or channel, you’re ready to start repurposing that content using different formats and marketing platforms to get more reach. For example, if you’ve got the hang of sharing posts to your IG feed, try turning them into short form videos for Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Facebook, and/or Pinterest. 

📌 Read: 4 Easy Ways to Turn Instagram Captions into Short Form Videos

⭐ Note: Below are social media post ideas in 6 of the content buckets we use in The Content Calendar System as well as major social media holidays and observances. For best results adapting the copy & paste caption templates for your niche, check out our tutorial for customizing content templates with the assistance of ChatGPT.

April Social Media Post Ideas

INSPIRE: Ideas to Inspire & Motivate Your Audience on Social Media this April 

Motivate your audience with uplifting quotes that resonate with the season’s themes using the prompts below.

INSPIRE CONTENT PROMPTS FOR MARCH:

  • Share a short mantra or quote that keeps you motivated.
  • Highlight a lesson learned from a recent experience.
  • Briefly describe someone who inspires you and their impact on you.
  • Post a powerful image that evokes a sense of inspiration (e.g., a sunrise, a mountain top).
  • Share a one-sentence reminder about the power of perseverance or starting small.

April Inspirational Quotes (Short & Uplifting)

  • “Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.” – Victor Hugo
  • “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
  • “Progress, not perfection.” – Unknown
  • “She who leaves a trail of glitter is never forgotten.” – Dolly Parton
  • “Every day is a chance to begin again.” –  Epictetus

Inspire Caption Template for April

📝 This month, I’m reflecting on the amazing people who’ve inspired me on my [niche] journey. Lately, I’ve been drawing so much motivation from [someone who [e.g., overcame a challenge, uses their creativity in a unique way, inspires you with their passion in your niche].

They [achieved something incredible (be specific!)] and showed incredible [strength/kindness/creativity] in [a challenging situation]. Their [actions/words] always encourage me to [action] and showed me the importance of [value].

This had a real impact on me because I learned the importance of [e.g., perseverance/ to never give up on my dreams/ that anything is possible with hard work].

How about you? Who inspires you to be your best self? 

#InspiredBy #MyInspirationHero #MotivationMonday [You can tag the person you’re writing about if their account is public!]

ASK: Ideas for Engaging on Social Media this April

Use questions like the ones below to encourage your audience to engage, share their experiences, and connect with your brand this April. 

ASK Content Prompts for April:

  • (April 1st) What’s the funniest prank you’ve ever pulled or had pulled on you for April Fool’s Day?
  • In one word, what’s your goal for April? (Fitness, learning something new, travel?) 
  • What’s your #1 favorite go-to resource for staying current on all things [niche industry]? 
  • Share your favorite morning beverage and ask: Coffee or Tea? ☕️ How do you start your day?
  • What’s your favorite way to add a little fun to your workday routine? 

Ask Caption Template for April

📝 What’s your focus word goal for April? [A few examples – e.g. Focus/Gratitude/Calm]? April is all about [your word – e.g. strength] for me!

I’m planning on [how you’ll achieve it – e.g. hitting the gym and finally mastering that handstand].

Let’s see how much progress we can make this month. Share yours in the comments! 

📌 If you want 730 more ideas like these organized into the 6 categories all businesses need to be sharing in one epic content library with pre-written captions you can adapt for your niche – be sure to check out our bestselling The Content Calendar System.

Connect: Ideas to Create Human Connections on Social Media this April

April offers a perfect opportunity to deepen your connection with your audience by sharing personal stories that resonate with the season’s themes. 

Connect Content Prompts for April

  • Share a recent learning experience or realization that shifted your perspective and how that “aha moment” has impacted you.
  • Describe a time you overcame a hurdle in your business or personal life. How did you persevere, and what lessons did you learn?
  • Express something you’re truly grateful for this month, big or small. Encourage your audience to share theirs in the comments!
  • Share your origin story and the values that drive you. What inspired you to create your brand or pursue your current path? 
  • Share a personal moment of vulnerability that resonates with your audience. This could be a time of fear, doubt, or overcoming a personal challenge. Show your human side and connect with your audience on a deeper level.

Connect Caption Template for April

📝Many of you know [Your Brand Name] focuses on [briefly describe your niche – who you serve and how you help them]. But did you know it all started from a desire to [describe the initial spark – e.g., solve a common problem/fill a gap in the market/pursue a lifelong passion]?

For years, I [share a brief story about your initial interest in your niche – e.g., noticed a frustration with current solutions/identified a growing need/cultivated my skills and knowledge]. Then, one day [describe the turning point when your goals became more serious – e.g., a lightbulb moment struck/an opportunity arose/I felt confident enough to take the leap]. That’s when [Your Brand Name] was born!

It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m so grateful to be able to [describe what you’re grateful for – e.g., share my passion with all of you/make a difference in the lives of our customers/build a team of passionate individuals]. Have any dreams you’ve always wanted to pursue? Share your stories in the comments below!

EDUCATE: Ideas to Build Your Authority on Social Media this April

April is a great time to educate your audience and establish yourself as a thought leader. Use the prompts below to share valuable content that resonates with the season’s themes and your brand expertise.

Educate Prompts for April

  • As tax season approaches, offer practical tips on organizing finances, reviewing spending habits, and streamlining budgeting strategies.
  • Address a common myth or misconception related to your field that may hinder your audience’s understanding or progress.
  • Highlight a new trend or development within your industry and analyze its potential impact on your audience. Share resources or tips for adapting to the change.
  • Cater to a new audience by offering a step-by-step guide or resource list for mastering the fundamental skills in your niche. 
  • Highlight the importance of a specific positive trait, like resilience, creativity, or adaptability, in achieving success in your field. 

Educate Caption Template for April

📝 Misconceptions can be like pesky weeds in your [niche] journey, holding you back from reaching your full potential. Today, we’re tackling a common one: [state the misconception clearly – e.g., in order to succeed, you need to outwork your competitors].

This is a very common myth that can easily lead you to [explain the negative consequences of the myth – e.g., burn yourself out, sacrifice quality for quantity, neglect other important aspects of your work or life] if you’re not careful. In fact, it’s a surefire way to leave you feeling [e.g., discouraged, disheartened, frustrated] and hinder your progress in [your niche].

But the truth is, by focusing on [e.g., strategic planning, optimizing your workflow, and developing your unique strengths] you can achieve [desired goal] in a sustainable way.

Here are some more actionable tips to help you [achieve desired goal]:

Tip #1: [Describe the tip]
Tip #2: [Describe the tip]
Tip #3: [Describe the tip]

Ready to learn more?  Head over to our link in bio and check out [mention a blog post/freebie] for even more strategies to help you [overcome common obstacle/get desired result]. 

CONVERT: Ideas to Generate Leads & Sales on Social Media this April 

Fuel your sales and conversions this April by inspiring your audience to take the next step on their journey to becoming your customer. 

Convert Content Prompts for April 

  • Describe the challenges or problems that inspired you to develop your process/program and invite people who have that challenge too to DM you. 
  • Host a live session where you answer audience questions about your expertise, products, or services. Invite those who participate to book a call after the session.
  • Highlight customer testimonials in a short video using Canva that showcases their experience and success with your product or service. 
  • Share your “why us?” story. Highlight a key difference between your approach and common industry alternatives. 
  • Create a “before and after” visual comparison showcasing a customer’s transformation using your product/service.  

Convert Caption Template for April 

📝 Ever feel stuck in a cycle of [challenge your program addresses – e.g. working out like a maniac but not losing belly fat]?

That was me too! After years of struggling with [specific examples – e.g. following every fitness guru’s advice and not getting results no matter how hard I pushed myself] and feeling [e.g. discouraged/confused by conflicting information], I knew there had to be a smarter way to approach [achieving desired goal].

That’s why I developed my “[name of your process/program],” a unique approach that combines [briefly mention key aspects of your solution – e.g., personalized workout plans, sustainable nutrition guidance, and a supportive community] to help people like you [desired outcome related to your program – e.g. achieve sustainable weight loss and a sculpted core, without feeling overwhelmed or restricted].

Are you tired of [consequences of the challenge – e.g. feeling frustrated and stuck, wasting time on ineffective workouts, constant yo-yo dieting]?

If so, I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to DM me and let’s chat about how my program can help you reach your [niche] goals.

EVERGREEN: Ideas for Sharing Timeline Content on Social Media this April 

Don’t forget to nurture your online presence with Evergreen content – these are the posts that keep giving! This timeless content consistently engages and educates your audience, building a strong foundation for your brand identity. Here are evergreen content prompts to share this April (and beyond):

Evergreen Content Prompts for April

  • Pull a few tips from your most recent or most popular blog post & invite your audience to visit your blog for more 
  • Repurpose a popular broadcast email as a sneak peek into valuable insights normally reserved for email subscribers. Encourage your audience to subscribe for even more exclusive content.
  • Share an excerpt from a free downloadable resource you offer. Tease the benefits and highlight key takeaways to entice viewers to download the full resource. 
  • Celebrate a company or personal milestone. This could be a business anniversary, reaching a follower goal, or achieving an industry award. 
  • Share a customer success story with a testimonial.

Evergreen Caption Template for April 

📝”We did it!”  That’s right, we just reached [milestone] and we couldn’t have done it without YOU! Your continued support means the world to us. [include a behind-the-scenes look at your journey using a captivating photo, carousel, or short video].

We’re incredibly grateful for this achievement and even more excited for what’s to come!  Stay tuned for some amazing new things on the horizon…

#MilestoneMania #ThankYou #GratefulCommunity

April Social Media Holidays & Special Observances

🇺🇸 🇨🇦 National Poetry Month (April): Unleash Your Inner Poetry 

  • Post Idea: Share a favorite poem (or an excerpt) that resonates with your brand or niche (e.g., a poem about creativity for a design agency, a poem about perseverance for a coaching business). If appropriate, share a poem you wrote or one that has personal significance. Briefly explain why this poem resonates with you and encourage followers to share what it means to them in the comments.
  • Inspirational Quote: “Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.” – Robert Frost 
  • Caption Template:  ✒️It’s National Poetry Month! We’re celebrating the power of words with one of our favorites: [Poem title] by [Poet’s name].  [Insert a short excerpt of the poem]. This piece always reminds us of [explain the connection to your brand or niche].  What poems inspire you? Share them in the comments! 
  • Hashtags: #nationalpoetrymonth  #poetrymonth #napowrimo #poet #poetry #poetrycommunity #poetsofinstagram #poetryisnotdead #poetryisart #poetrylover #poetryloving #poetryhive #poetryforthesoul #poetrycorner #poem #poetryaddict #mypoetry  #poetrylife #poetrylovers

April Fool’s Day (April 1st): 

Let the Shenanigans Begin! Get ready for some lighthearted fun and playful pranks.

  • Post Idea:  Share lighthearted prank ideas that your followers can try on their friends or family (avoiding anything messy, damaging, or potentially scary). Encourage followers to share their own favorite pranks or past April Fool’s Day experiences in the comments.
  • Inspirational Quote: “Fool me once, strike one. But fool me twice, strike three.” — Michael Scott
  • Caption Template:  Happy April Fool’s Day! Time to unleash your inner prankster!  We’ve got some fun ideas to get you started  [Insert a few brief prank ideas – e.g., put googly eyes on something unexpected]. What are your favorite pranks to play (or that have been played on you)? Share your stories in the comments below!  
  • Hashtags: #aprilfoolsday #aprilfools #aprilfool #aprilfoolsjoke #funny #aprilfoolsprank 

International Children’s Book Day (April 2nd): 

Celebrate the timeless joy of children’s books across generations.

  • Post Idea:  Encourage followers to share a book they loved as a child or their children’s favorite books. 
  • Inspirational Quote: “Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” – Roald Dahl 
  • Caption Template:  Happy International Children’s Book Day! Books have the power to transport us to different worlds and ignite our imaginations. What children’s book has made the biggest impact on you or your little reader(s)? Let’s help each other with great children’s book recommendations in the comments! 
  • Hashtags: #internationalchildrensbookday #childrensbookday #childrensbooks #childrensbookstagrammer #kidsbookstagrammer #kidsbooks #bookstagram #kidlit #booksforkids  #childrensliterature #kidsbookswelove 

National Pet Day (April 11th):

Celebrate the unconditional love and joy our furry friends bring into our lives.

  • Post Idea: Share a photo or video of your pet enjoying their favorite activity or simply being adorable. Encourage your followers to do the same!
  • Inspirational Quote: “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” – Anatole France
  • Caption Template: Happy National Pet Day! Our pets bring so much love and happiness into our lives. Share a picture or video of your beloved pet(s) and let’s spread some joy together! 🐾❤️ 
  • Hashtags: #nationalpetday #petsofinstagram #dogsofinstagram #ilovemydog #petstagram #catsofinstagram #doglovers #dogsofinsta #puppiesofinstagram #petday #catlover #ilovecatsanddogs

Arbor Day (April 26th)

Promote the importance of trees and encourage followers to plant a tree.

  • Post Idea: Share a visually appealing photo of trees and showcase their benefits (e.g., air purification, shade provision, habitat for wildlife). Encourage your followers to plant a tree today or support an organization that plants trees.
  • Inspirational Quote: “He that plants trees, loves others besides himself.”  — Thomas Fuller
  • Caption Template: It’s Arbor Day! Let’s get our hands dirty and make a difference.   Planting a tree is a simple act with a lasting impact. Find out how you can get involved in your community or plant one in your own backyard!  Share your photos using #ArborDay and inspire others to join the movement.
  • Hashtags: #arborday #trees #planttrees #plantatree #treesofinstagram #arborweek #treestreestrees #treeplanting #arbordayfoundation  #lovetrees #treescape #arboristsofinstagram

Earth Day (April 22nd)

Raise awareness for environmental issues and showcase your commitment to sustainability.

  • Post Idea: Share a photo or video highlighting your sustainable practices. This could be anything from using recycled materials in your products to having a paperless office.
  • Engagement:  Write a compelling caption that emphasizes the environmental benefits of your products or services. Offer a discount code or special Earth Day offer to incentivize purchases.
  • Inspirational Quote: “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” – John Muir
  • Caption Template: This Earth Day, we’re celebrating sustainability by [insert your specific sustainability initiative (e.g., using recycled materials, supporting local farms)]. We believe in taking care of the planet, and we know you do too! Shop our Earth Day collection and enjoy [discount code] off all eco-friendly products. Let’s make a difference together!
  • Hashtags: #earthday #earth  #earthdayeveryday #happyearthday  #nature #climatechange #savetheplanet #environment  #sustainability #sustainableliving #ecofriendly #recycle #naturelovers #earthfocus #motherearth #mothernature #gogreen #zerowaste #planetearth #naturelover #savetheearth #globalwarming #plasticfree #saveourplanet #earthfriendly #climateaction #worldearthday 

World Book Day (April 23rd): Celebrate the Joy of Reading!

Promote the power of books and the magic of storytelling.

Social Media:

  • Post Idea: Prompt users to share the book that first ignited their passion for reading. Ask them to describe what made this book so special and why it holds a place in their hearts.  Encourage them to include the title and author in their comments.
  • Inspirational Quote:  “There is no friend as loyal as a book.” – Ernest Hemingway
  • Caption Template: Happy World Book Day!  What book sparked your love of reading?  Was it the captivating story, the relatable characters, or the magical world it created?  Tell us about this special book in the comments below! We can’t wait to hear your stories.  #WorldBookDay
  • Hashtags: #worldbookday #worldbookday📚 #bookstagram #booklover #bookday #bookworm #amreadingnow

Email Marketing & Promotion Ideas for April

📌 If you’re building your list but stuck on what you should be sending them, be sure to check out Activate Your List for 2 years of pre-written emails that keep your audience engaged and looking forward to opening your emails.

Broadcast Marketing Emails: 

Inspire: Share a story that inspired you to start your business, connecting with your audience on a personal level.

Subject Line: 🌟 The Story Behind Our Journey: What Inspired Us to Begin.

Ask: Gather feedback on what type of webinar or free course your audience is most interested in.

Subject Line: 💡 Help Us Help You! What Topics Are You Eager to Learn About?

Connect: Foster a deeper personal connection with your audience by sharing a story about the human side of your business like the biggest obstacle you had to overcome on your way to [milestone] or how working with a client/customer impacted your brand direction.

Subject Line:   💌The Customer Feedback that Transformed My Business Forever.

Educate: Provide a sneak peek of valuable content from your blog post or free resource, offering a taste of what’s to come.

Subject Line: 📢New Post! Learn the Secret to [Desired Result]

Convert: Host an “Ask Me Anything” session to encourage interaction and gather insights about your products or services.

Subject Line: 💬 Your Questions, My Answers! Let’s Chat About [Product/Service].

Evergreen: Share a curated list of top resources, tools, or apps related to your niche, helping subscribers stay informed and empowered.

Subject Line: 🛠️Boost Your [Niche] Toolbox! Our Must-Have Resources Inside.

National Pet Day (April 11th): Celebrate National Pet Day by sharing a photo of your pet and inviting subscribers to do the same.

Subject Line: 🐾 Happy National Pet Day! We’re Sharing Pictures of Our Furry Friends!

Promotional Emails

📌 Check out Monetize Your List Seasonal Sales Promo Builder to help you create email flash sales and special promotion with a system of 160 emails that work together to build customizable, high-converting campaigns.

April Fool’s Day (April 1st): Offer a surprise bonus item or bundle (a delightful surprise, not a prank!).

Subject Line: 🎉 This is not an April Fool’s Prank! Surprise Bundle Today Only

2nd Quarter Kick Off (Early April): Bundle your most popular products or services at a discounted rate to encourage subscribers to get their 2nd quarter off to the best start possible.

Subject Line: 🚀 Conquer your goals this quarter! Level Up Your [Niche] with this Exclusive Bundle!

Celebrate A Milestone (Any Time in April): Offer a discount or bonus for a limited time to celebrate reaching a specific business milestone (e.g., 1000th customer, 5th anniversary).

Subject Line: 🎊 We Did It! Celebrate with Us & Get [Special Offer]!

Product/Service Updates (Any Time in April): Reward subscribers with early access to a new or updated product or service.

Subject Line: 🆕 Early Access to [Product/Service Name] – Doors Open NOW!

Earth Day (April 22nd): Donate a portion of proceeds to an environmental charity for every purchase made during Earth Day week.

Subject Line: 🌍 Go Green & Give Back! Celebrate Earth Day with Us!

For oodles more ideas to make sales with email, download our 12-month email promo planner below: 

That’s a Wrap for April!

As we dive into the second quarter of 2024, it’s time to shake things up and infuse some fresh energy into your marketing efforts. From revamping your content strategy to engaging your audience with fun social media posts, we hope this has given you some inspiration to make marketing magic this April! 🌟

If you haven’t already, be sure to download our FREE content planner!

by

2024 Social Media Holidays + 12 Months of Marketing Ideas to Inspire You

, ,

Small businesses thrive during holidays and special observances and for good reason! The increase in consumer spending is a massive opportunity to cash in and enjoy a surge in sales.

And not just the major holidays either. “Social media holidays” are sometimes quirky, always fun, and give you a reason to celebrate and connect with your audience – and even to offer special sales when there’s no traditional consumer holiday like Black Friday in sight.

With a bit of planning and a touch of creativity, it’s easy to plan your marketing and promotions around these special occasions to help you meet your business goals and sales targets. 

To give you a jump start toward that end, we’ve pulled together 12 months of social media holidays, post ideas, email marketing promotions, seasonal marketing themes, and monthly marketing challenges to keep you inspired through all 52 weeks of 2024… let’s get started! 

January: New Year, Fresh Start ❄️🎉

In January, people are buying: health and wellness products, electronics, and home goods
Reasons: Post-holiday sales and resolutions to improve health and well-being

This month is all about fresh starts and new year’s resolutions, making it a great time to promote products and services that help your customers reach their personal and business goals.

Here are some more fun facts about consumer behavior in January… 

January Fun Facts

  • People are returning to their regular routines after a busy holiday season, so it’s a great time for businesses to offer products and services that help them in their day-to-day activities. 
  • Online engagement typically spikes due to more time spent indoors, so make the most of this by making sure you’re active on social media. 
  • Email open rates and engagement tend to be higher, so January is a great time to focus on email marketing campaigns and promotions. 
  • People are eager to start their year with something new which is why January is the most popular month for businesses to launch new offerings. 

Marketing in January

Themes: New Year’s Resolutions and Goal Setting

Motivate consumers to achieve their goals and embrace new beginnings.  Share inspiring stories of success and provide actionable tips. Highlight products or services that support personal growth, self-improvement, or lifestyle changes.

January Marketing Challenge: 

Establish your goals for the year and create a consistent social media posting habit: Decide on a social media posting schedule that you can realistically maintain throughout the year to increase your followers, subscribers and traffic in 2024.  Remember, slow and steady wins the “consistency” race! So focus on one platform at a time, such as Instagram or LinkedIn, to avoid spreading yourself too thin. Choose one content format (such as posts, stories, or short-form videos) to start. 

Recommended Tools & Tutorials: 

January 2024 Social Media Holidays & Post Ideas

🙏 National Thank You Month (month of January)
Express gratitude to your community with a heartfelt video or post.

🎨 National Hobby Month
Tell your audience about your favorite hobby and encourage them to share theirs with you.

🎉 New Year’s Day (January 1)
Reflect on your business highlights and lessons learned from the past year, express gratitude to your audience, and share your goals for the year ahead.

🚀 Science Fiction Day (January 2)
Share your favorite science fiction book, movie, or quote.

🗃️ Clean Off Your Desk Day (January 8)
Show your organized workspace and share tips for maintaining a clutter-free workspace.

🤪 Peculiar People Day (January 10)
Share a peculiar fact about yourself or your team.

✊ Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 15)
Share a quote or message from Martin Luther King, Jr. that aligns with your brand’s values.

🚮 Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day (January 17)
Encourage your audience to reflect on what truly matters to them by asking them to share one thing they genuinely want to focus on in the coming months.

🤗 National Hugging Day (January 21)
Send a virtual hug to your audience with a heartfelt and encouraging message.

🌟 National Compliment Day (January 24)
Start a compliment chain by complimenting a fellow business or follower, and encourage others to join in.

January Hashtags

#happynewyear, #NewYearsDay, #NewYearResolution, #newyearresolutions, #makethemostof2024 #byebye2023hello2024, #ImNotGoingToTakeItAnymoreDay, #ElvisBirthday #DavidBowieBirthday, #CleanOffYourDeskDay, #PeculiarPeopleDay, #MLKDay, #MartinLutherKingJrDay, #GetToKnowYourCustomersDay, #NationalHuggingDay, #NationalComplimentDay

January Email Promotions

January is a great time to launch something new or create a special bundle to help your subscribers achieve a business or personal goal in 2024!

From the Seasonal Sales Promo Builder

January Email Subject Lines

  • 🎉 New Year, New Deals: Kickstart 2023 with Exclusive January Savings!
  • 🥂 Cheers to Savings: January Exclusive Offers Just for You!
  • ❄️ Beat the Winter Blues with Hot January Deals!
  • ☀️ Winter Warm-Up: January Deals to Brighten Your Days!
  • 🤸‍♂️ January Jumpstart: 50% OFF Flash Sale Starts NOW! 

February: Love Is in the Air 💕🌹

In February, people are buying: Gifts, travel, apparel, dining out
Reasons: Valentine’s Day and tax refunds

This month is all about love and romance, making it a great time to promote products and services that allow your customers to express their affection for the people (and furry friends!) that matter most to them.

Here are some more fun facts about consumer behavior in February:… 

February Fun Facts

  • Men spend more on Valentine’s Day gifts – roughly twice as much as women do! Tailor your marketing messages accordingly and don’t sleep on offering gift recommendations.
  • The “winter blues” are in full swing – during the colder months, consumers often engage in “winter blues” shopping to lift their spirits. 
  • Gift purchases surge – February is synonymous with Valentine’s Day, and U.S. consumers alone spend an estimated $25.9 Billion on gift purchases.
  • People don’t just buy gifts for their love interests – They also give Valentine’s Day gifts to their parents, children, and even pets! 
  • Engagement levels on email and social media are still going strong – as people remain hunkered down indoors, spending lots of time online.  

Marketing in February

Themes: Love, Connection, and Appreciation

Emphasize the power of love, connection, gratitude, and shared experiences. Share social media posts centered on love and appreciation. Showcase products or services that foster relationships, express gratitude, or create lasting memories. 

February Marketing Challenge: 

Add a new content format to your social media strategy. Experiment with different social media content formats to keep your content fresh and expand your reach. If you primarily share Instagram posts, step outside of your comfort zone and start incorporating Instagram Stories or Instagram Reels into your routine. 

Recommended Tools & Tutorials: 

  • Canva is not only an awesome tool for creating graphics, you can use it to create just about any social media format around including stories, short-form videos, animated .gifs and more with minimal learning curve and design skills needed. 
  • Learn How to turn Instagram Captions into Short-Form Videos 

February 2024 Social Media Holidays & Post Ideas

✊ Black History Month (February)
Celebrate and honor the contributions of Black people throughout history by sharing stories, achievements, and quotes.

🐿️ Groundhog Day (February 2)
Playfully predict your business forecast for the upcoming weeks, just like the groundhog predicts the weather.

🏈 Super Bowl (February 11)
Share a post related to the event, whether it’s about team predictions, favorite snacks, favorite SuperBowl commercials or ideas for things to do for people who don’t watch.

🛠️ Inventors Day (February 11)
Highlight famous inventors or share interesting facts about inventions you appreciate most.

🐉 Chinese New Year (February 10)
Ring in the Chinese New Year by sharing well-wishes and info about the Year of the Dragon.

🎭 Mardi Gras (February 13)
Share interesting facts about the traditions, origins, and cultural significance of Mardi Gras.

❤️ Valentine’s Day (February 14)
Show your audience some love! Express gratitude for their support, host a special giveaway, or offer a gift with purchase exclusively for your followers and subscribers.

🤝 Random Acts of Kindness Day (February 17)
Share ideas for random acts of kindness and encourage your audience to participate.

🇺🇸 Presidents Day (February 19)
Share a quote from a president you admire or ask your audience about their favorite president.

🐾 Love Your Pet Day (February 20)
Share an adorable or funny picture of your pet and ask your followers to tell you about their pets in comments.

February Hashtags 

#ChineseNewYear, #YearOfTheDragon, #ValentinesDay, #LoveIsLove, #CoupleGoals, #DateNight #loveyourself. #GroundhogDay, #SBLVII, #InventorsDay, #RandomActsOfKindnessDay, #PresidentsDay, #LoveYourPetDay

February Email Promotions

February is a great time to share gift ideas and show your subscribers some love with special deals, discounts, and bundles! 

From the Seasonal Sales Promo Builder

February Email Subject Lines

  • 💘 Love is in the Air! Valentine’s Day Deals Inside
  • 💖 Sweetheart Savings: Unlock Valentine’s Day Discounts!
  • ❄️ Frosty February: Cool Deals Just for You!
  • 🏹  Cupid’s Countdown: Gift Ideas for Your Loved Ones
  • 🇺🇸 Historic Savings Inside: President’s Day Deals You Can’t Resist!

March: Spring Fever 🌷🌧️

In March, people are buying: Apparel, home décor, and vacation bookings
Reasons:  Spring break and tax season

This month is all about celebrating the beginning of spring, renewal, and fresh beginnings. Consumers are eager to declutter their homes and get back outdoors, making this a great time to promote products and services that help people get organized and get back outside. 

Here are some more fun facts about consumer behavior in March… 

March Fun Facts

  • People experience a surge in energy and mood – As the winter weather subsides, the days grow longer, and the first signs of spring appear, people often feel a boost in their mood! 
  • Time for a change – Studies have shown that people are more prone to making impulsive buying decisions during the onset of spring because they’re ready to switch things up.
  • A focus on lifestyle upgrades – With the arrival of spring, people focus on purchases related to home decor, gardening supplies, fitness equipment, and outdoor activities.
  • Renewed commitments – March often sparks a renewed commitment to health and wellness and investment in related products and services.
  • Adventure planning – As the weather becomes more inviting, people start planning and booking vacations and outdoor adventures. 
  • Spring cleaning – As the winter months come to an end people instinctively focus on deep cleaning and decluttering.

Marketing in May

Themes: Growth, Renewal, and Spring Awakening

Tap into the cheery energy of spring! Share inspiring tips for getting organized, your favorite vacation destinations, and outdoor spring activities. Showcase products or services that help consumers organize their homes, refresh their wardrobes, and boost their mood. 

Marketing Challenge for March

March is a great time for a digital declutter. Organize and streamline your marketing processes,  update outdated content, dig into your analytics to evaluate what’s working, or create a Repurposing Bank for your content.  

Recommended Tools & Tutorials

  • Click the graphic below to download our FREE Notion Blog Post Optimizer template 
  • Watch Sandra’s Tutorial on how to create a Content Repurposing Bank

“The

March 2024 Social Media Holidays & Post Ideas

🙌 National Employee Appreciation Day (March 1)
Share a post expressing your gratitude for your team’s contributions.

🚫📱 National Day of Unplugging (March 1)
Share tips for a digital detox, and ask followers to share what they enjoy doing when they unplug.

📣👥 National Be Heard Day (March 7)
Shout out a small business you think deserves more visibility and recognition and encourage your followers to shout out their favorite small business too.

👩‍🦰💪 International Women’s Day (March 8)
Share an inspiring story or quotes from your favorite influential woman.

😴💤 World Sleep Day (March 15)
Share the importance of getting sleep and your favorite tips. Give your audience permission to make sleep a priority!

🍀 St. Patrick’s Day (March 17)
Share a selfie of you wearing something green or ask ChatGPT to generate a list of St. Patrick’s Day quotes and share your favorite.

😅 Awkward Moments Day (March 18)
Share a lighthearted post or story related to your most awkward/funny/embarrassing moment you’ve had in your business.

🌸 First Day of Spring (March 19)
Share a vibrant photo of blooming flowers and celebrate the arrival of spring!

😊 International Day of Happiness (March 20)
Share a photo of a moment that brought you joy and happiness and the story behind the picture.

😂 National Let’s Laugh Day (March 19)
Post a funny meme, joke, or a humorous anecdote.

🐰 Easter Sunday (March 31st)
Share your favorite Easter traditions with your audience.

March Hashtags

#EmployeeAppreciationDay, #NationalDayofUnplugging, #NationalBeHeardDay, #InternationalWomensDay, #WorldSleepDay, #StPatricksDay, #AwkwardMomentsDay, #FirstDayofSpring, #InternationalDayofHappiness, #NationalLetsLaughDay, #EasterSunday

March Email Promotions

March is an awesome time to celebrate the longer days and renewed energy your subscribers are feeling with mood-boosting special offers!

From the Seasonal Sales Promo Builder

March Email Subject Lines

  • 🌷 Spring into Savings: Exclusive March Deals are Here!
  • ☘️ Luck o’ the Savings: St. Patrick’s Day Deals Inside! 
  • 🕰️ Time to Spring Forward: Daylight Savings Deals For You
  • 🌺 March into Savings with Fresh Deals!
  • 🌈 Spring Fling: Shop Now and Get Up To 50% Off!

April: Spring Forward 🌼☔

In April, people are buying: Easter gifts, gardening, and outdoor activities.
Reasons:  Warmer weather and holiday weekends

This month is all about shedding the chill of winter and enjoying the longer days of spring. Consumers are eager to shed their heavy coats and boots and step into the fresh air, making this a great time to promote products and services that help people get out and enjoy the outdoors. 

Here are some fun facts about consumer behavior in April… 

April Fun Facts

  • Consumers spend nearly $6B  dollars on St. Patrick’s Day
  • Easter is the 7th biggest spending holiday with Americans spending $24 Billion
  • Earth Day brings a focus on sustainability, and businesses aligned with eco-friendly practices can capitalize on this trend.
  • Home improvement and gardening interest peaks in April.
  • Springtime wardrobe renewal & prom season: Website traffic for dresses is 16% higher in April than in summer months! 
  • Tax prep, college prep: Related products and services enjoy peak interest in April.  

Marketing in April

Themes: Rejuvenation, Sustainability, and Earth Day

In honor of Earth Month, emphasize the importance of sustainability and environmental responsibility. Share educational content about sustainable living and encourage consumers to make conscious choices.Showcase products made from recycled materials, promote eco-friendly practices, and support organizations dedicated to environmental protection.

April Marketing Challenge: 

Generate Leads and Accelerate Growth – Start turning your social media into a lead generation machine. Create a lead magnet you can link to in your bio and reference it in your posts. This could be a checklist, a worksheet, a free training or course, or a how-to guide. 

Recommended Tools & Tutorials: 

April 2024 Social Media Holidays & Post Ideas

🤪 April Fool’s Day (April 1)
Share a playful prank your audience can pull on their friends, family, or coworkers today (keeping it light and harmless).

🎉 International Fun at Work Day (April 1)
Share a post about the most fun aspect of your work or a team bonding tradition.

👫 National Siblings Day (April 10)
Share a heartwarming post featuring your siblings or a team member who’s like family.

🐾 National Pet Day (April 11)
Share photos or videos of your pets, it’s always a crowd-pleaser!

🌙 National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day (April 16)
Share a photo of you or your team working in pajamas.

🔍 Get to Know Your Customers Day (April 18)
Engage with your audience by asking fun and insightful questions. Create polls, quizzes, or interactive content to get to know your customers better.

🖐️ National High Five Day (April 18)
Share a post shouting out a customer or colleague who has achieved a milestone or reached a big goal.

🌍 Earth Day (April 22)
Share tips for sustainable living, eco-friendly practices, or highlight your business’s commitment to environmental responsibility.

🦸 National Superhero Day (April 28)
Celebrate everyday heroes! Spotlight individuals in your community or team who demonstrate acts of kindness, courage, or generosity.

🔄 Pay it Forward Day (April 28)
Share ideas about simple acts of kindness your audience can do to celebrate the sentiment of the holiday.

April Hashtags

#Easter, #SpringBreak, #Celebrate, #Family #springintoaction, #easterweekend, #outdooradventures, and #homeimprovement. #AprilFools, #InternationalFunatWorkDay, #NationalSiblingsDay, #NationalPetDay, #WearYourPajamasToWorkDay,  #GetToKnowYourCustomersDay, #HighFiveDay, #EarthDay, #SuperheroDay, #PayItForwardDay

April Email Promotions

April is a great month to share email promotions centered around new beginnings and eco-friendly offerings with your subscribers. 

From the Seasonal Sales Promo Builder

April Email Subject Lines

  • ☔ April Showers of Savings: Special Deals Inside!
  • 🌼 April Awakening: Uncover Exclusive Spring Deals!
  • 🌷 Big Savings are in Bloom: April Deals Just for You!
  • ♻️ Unearth Eco-Fabulous Deals Today
  • 🌍 Celebrating Earth Day with Eco-Friendly Savings For You!

May: Cultivate Community and Celebrate Togetherness 🌸🌞

In May, people are buying: Flowers and other Mother’s Day gifts, graduation gifts, home improvement
Reasons:  Mother’s day, Memorial Day sales and graduation celebrations

This month is all about transitioning into summer, a time for relaxation, outdoor activities, and longer days. Consumers are eager to embrace the warmer weather and make plans for the upcoming season, making this a great time to promote products and services that help them get into the summer spirit.

Here are some more fun facts about consumer behavior in May… 

May Fun Facts

  • A popular trend for Mother’s Day gifts is a focus on personalized experiences such as spa treatments, weekend getaways, concert tickets and gifts that extend beyond Mother’s day like subscription services. 
  • May is “graduation month” – Popular purchases include electronics, gift cards, and items related to travel or the next phase of life.
  • Memorial Day is a significant shopping weekend, and consumers take advantage of discounts on various products, including appliances, furniture, and electronics.

Marketing in May

Themes: Connectedness and Community

As the weather warms, people emerge from their winter hibernation with a desire to connect with others. Share stories of community impact and encourage acts of kindness and compassion. Host virtual or in-person events or offer discounts or promotions that support community initiatives. 

May Marketing Challenge

Build authority with your content – Long form content (such as a blog post) is the best way to build trust and credibility with your audience and to drive traffic back to your website.  Aim to write at least one super valuable blog post this month and promote it on social media. 

Recommended Tools & Tutorials: 

May 2024 Social Media Holidays & Post Ideas

🌸 May Day (May 1)
Share traditions, spring-themed content, or ask your audience about their favorite May Day activities.

🚴‍♂️ National Bike to Work Day (May 17)
Share a post about biking to work or the benefits of cycling.

🌌 Star Wars Day (May 4)
Share Star Wars-themed content, quizzes, or poll your audience to find out their favorite Star Wars character.

🎉 Cinco De Mayo (May 5)
Share content related to Cinco De Mayo such as recipes and cultural insights.

📜 National Limerick Day (May 12)
Share a lighthearted limerick related to your business or industry. (ChatGPT can help!)

👩‍👧‍👦 Mother’s Day (May 12)
Share heartwarming stories, quotes, or a special promotion for Mother’s Day.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 International Day of Families (May 15)
Share a story about a treasured family tradition.

💰 National Be a Millionaire Day (May 20)
Share a post about aspiration or success stories related to your business.

🇺🇸 Memorial Day (May 27)
Share a respectful Memorial Day post, honoring those who have served. Consider sharing patriotic content, quotes, or participating in community initiatives.

😊 National Smile Day (May 31)
Share a cheerful post, a funny meme, or encourage your audience to share what makes them smile.

May Hashtags

#MayDay #BiketoWorkDay2024 #StarWarsDay #Maythe4thBeWithYou #CincoDeMayo #LimerickDay #NursesDay #MothersDay #FamilyDay #MillionaireDay #MemorialDay  #NationalSmileDay

May Email Promotions

May is a great month to share gift recommendations and discounts over Memorial Day weekend for your subscribers.

From the Seasonal Sales Promo Builder

May Email Subject Lines

  • 🌸 Mother’s Day Magic: Pamper Mom with These Exclusive Deals
    🎁  Mom’s Special Day: Gift Ideas & Discounts Inside
  • 🇺🇸 Memorial Day Salute: Honoring Heroes with Exclusive Offers
    🇺🇸 Salute and Save: Memorial Day Deals Inside!
  • 🧹 Dust Off the Deals: Spring Cleaning Specials Just for You!

June: Summer is here! 🏖️🌊

In June, people are buying: Apparel, travel, entertainment, and home improvement
Reasons: Summer vacation, wedding season, Pride month

This month is all about summertime fun and outdoor adventures. Consumers are eager to soak up the sun and enjoy the warm weather, making this a great time to promote products and services that help them enjoy summer to the fullest. 

Here are some more fun facts about consumer behavior in June… 

June Fun Facts

  • 36% of Americans plan to take a trip to a beach or outdoor destination in June.
  • 63% of LGBTQ+ consumers are more likely to purchase from brands that support LGBTQ+ causes.
  • 72% of LGBTQ+ consumers are willing to pay more for products and services from brands that align with their values.
  • LGBTQ+ consumers are more likely to engage with brands on social media during Pride Month.

Marketing in June

Themes: Adventure, Fun, and Summer Vibes

Highlight products or services that cater to outdoor activities, travel experiences, and support for the LGBT+ community. Share inspiring content about travel destinations, adventure activities, or personal development. Offer discounts or promotions related to summer fun.

June Marketing Challenge

Focus on driving traffic to your website. Direct visitors from social media platforms to your website to explore your offerings and learn more about your brand. Promote your blog posts on social media to generate organic traffic. Include links to your website in your bio, captions, and stories. Run social media contests or giveaways with website-specific entries to encourage website visits.

Recommended Tools & Tutorials: 

  • Metricool Autolists (affiliate link) is a feature that allows you to “set it and forget it” when promoting your blog posts on Facebook and Twitter. Metricool will recycle and reshare your links on a schedule you control so you don’t seem “spammy” but you’re ensuring people who miss your links the first time will see them the next time they’re (automatically) shared. 
  • Download our FREE Boost Blog Traffic Guide. 

June 2024 Social Media Holidays & Post Ideas

🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ Pride Month
Share posts throughout the month recognizing Pride Month. Highlight LGBTQ+ voices, stories, or organizations. Show support without hashtags.

🌈 Say Something Nice Day (June 1)
Encourage your audience to share something nice about each other, your brand, or the community.

👋 Leave The Office Early Day (June 2)
Share a post promoting the importance of leaving the office early for self-care and share your plans for enjoying the extra time.

👫 Best Friends Day (June 8)
Share a post featuring your best friends or team members who are like family.

👨‍👧‍👦 Father’s Day (June 16)
Share heartwarming stories, quotes, or special promotions for Father’s Day.

☀️ First Day of Summer (June 20)
Share content related to the season, such as summer-themed products, activities, or tips.

🐾 Take Your Dog to Work Day (June 21)
Share a post about bringing dogs to work or showcase your office pets.

📷 National Selfie Day (June 21)
Encourage your audience to share selfies related to your brand or a fun theme. Host a selfie contest or showcase team selfies.

🏢 Micro-, Small-, & Medium-Sized Enterprises Day (June 27)
Share posts highlighting the impact of small and medium-sized enterprises. Encourage your audience to shop local and share their favorite small businesses.

📱 Social Media Day (June 30)
Share a post about the importance of social media for your business. Encourage your audience to connect on various platforms and share their favorite social media tips.

June Hashtags

#PrideMonth, #SaySomethingNice, #LeaveTheOfficeEarlyDay, #BestFriendsDay, #FathersDay, #SummerSolstice, #FirstDayofSummer, #TakeYourDogtoWorkDay, #NationalSelfieDay, #MSMEDay, #SocialMediaDay

June Email Promotions

June is a great month for running promotions related to Father’s Day, hot summer deals and earlybird 4th-of-July sales for your subscribers.  

From the Seasonal Sales Promo Builder

June Email Subject Lines

  • 👔 Dapper Dad Deals: Celebrate Father’s Day with Exclusive Savings
  • 🎉 Cheers to Dad: Father’s Day Toasts with Exclusive Discounts
  • ☀️ Summer Unleashed: Dive into June with Sizzling Savings
  • 🌴 Sun-Kissed Savings: June’s Hottest Summer Deals Inside
  • 🌊 Wave Hello to Summer: Exclusive Deals for You!

July: Midsummer Momentum 🌞🌴

In July, people are buying: Travel, dining out, and entertainment
Reasons: Peak summer travel season and holiday weekends

This month is all about celebrating outdoor festivities. Consumers are eager to gather with friends and family for barbecues, fireworks displays, and backyard parties, making this a great time to promote products and services that help them host memorable celebrations and enjoy the long daylight hours and warm weather.

Here are some more fun facts about consumer behavior in July… 

July Fun Facts

  • Consumers spend $4.4 billion on ice cream in July 
  • The warm and sunny weather means increased spending on leisure goods and services like barbecue grills, pool accessories, travel packages, and outdoor apparel.
  • Consumers are more likely to indulge in luxury purchases in July
  • July is a time for people to focus on relaxation and self-care, making it a great time to promote spa treatments, wellness products, or stress-reducing activities.

Marketing in July

Themes: Independence, Patriotism, and Summer Bliss

Promote products or services that enhance leisure activities, creative pursuits, and personal enjoyment. Share engaging content related to hobbies, entertainment, or creative expression. 

July Marketing Challenge

Engage your email subscribers – Don’t leave your email subscribers hanging! Start sending out weekly emails to keep your brand top-of-mind and to nurture your audience. Invite your subscribers to read your blog posts, offer them some exclusive tips and insights around the topics they’re interested in, and ask them engaging questions to find out what they need help with.  

Recommended Tools & Tutorials: 

  • Activate Your List is a system of broadcast emails to connect and engage with your audience. Adapt the templates for your niche and never run out of things to say to your subscribers! 

July 2024 Social Media Holidays & Post Ideas

🍦 Ice Cream Month
Poll your audience to find out their favorite flavor of ice cream.

😂 International Joke Day (July 1)
Share a joke related to your industry (use ChatGPT if you need help!).

🇺🇸 Independence Day (July 4)
Share a post featuring a patriotic quote or your favorite 4th of July traditions.

🍫 World Chocolate Day (July 7)
Share posts dedicated to the love of chocolate.

🎁 Give Something Away Day (July 15)
Host a giveaway or share posts about giving back to your community.

😄 World Emoji Day (July 17)
Poll your audience to find out which emojis reflect their current mood.

🌍 Nelson Mandela International Day (July 18)
Share posts reflecting on Nelson Mandela’s legacy or sharing a quote that aligns with your brand’s values.

🤝 Get to Know Your Customers Day (July 18)
Poll your audience to find out what they need help with most as it relates to your niche.

🤣 Tell an Old Joke Day (July 24)
Share an old joke or create a post inviting your audience to share their favorite classic jokes. Use ChatGPT to generate ideas!

👫 International Friendship Day (July 30)
Share a post honoring friendships and tag your friends.

July Hashtags

#icecream, #jokeday, #4thofJuly, #IndependenceDay, #WorldChocolateDay, #GiveSomethingAwayDay, #MandelaDay, #GetToKnowYourCustomersDay, #TellAnOldJokeDay, #InternationalFriendshipDay

July Email Promotions

July is a great month to celebrate summer with special offers for Independence Day or you can “create your own holiday” and run a flash sale that helps your subscribers take action on something they’ve been procrastinating on because of the warm weather. 😉 

From the Seasonal Sales Promo Builder

July Email Subject Lines

  • 🌞 Open Up for Sizzling Summer Savings!
  • 🏖️ Heat Up Your July with Hot Discounts
  • 🇺🇸 Independence Day Blowout: Dive into Summer Savings!
  • 🔴⚪🔵 Red, White, Blue and Discounts Too!
  • 🌡️ Beat the Heat with Cool July Deals – Shop Now!

August: Relax & Revitalize 🍉🍦

In August, people are buying: Apparel, dining out, and home entertainment
Reasons: Back-to-school shopping and summer celebrations

This month is all about winding down from the summer rush and preparing for the return of fall. Consumers are eager to catch up on rest and relaxation, making this a great time to promote products and services that help them unwind, recharge, and then gear up for the change of season. 

August Fun Facts

  • August is one of the most popular months for online shopping. This is likely due to the fact that many people have more leisure time in August and are looking for ways to entertain themselves and their families. 
  • Consumers are more likely to make impulse purchases in August, as they are feeling more relaxed and carefree. 
  • August is also a popular month for home improvement projects, as people are looking to make their homes feel more comfortable and inviting after a long summer. 

Marketing in August

Themes: Relaxation, Back to School, and End-of-Summer

Emphasize the start of a new school year, personal growth goals, and learning opportunities. Share content that inspires creativity, academic success, and personal development. Offer discounts or promotions on back-to-school essentials.

August Marketing Challenge

Review key sales and marketing targets you set in January and set your goals for the fall – time to make your plans to end the year strong! What do you need to learn, do, or create to hit your goals? Take advantage of the easy-breezy month of August to level up your skills and prepare for the change of season… it’ll be here before you know it! 

August 2024 Social Media Holidays & Post Ideas

🎒 Back to School Month (August)
Create engaging content, such as back-to-school tips or checklists, and share a post featuring relevant products or services for the upcoming school year.

🌐 World Wide Web Day (August 1)
Share a post about the significance of the World Wide Web, its impact on your life/business, or highlight your favorite internet achievements.

😺 International Cat Day (August 8)
Share a post featuring your office or team cats or cute cat content.

📚 Book Lover’s Day (August 9)
Share a post about your favorite books or your best reading recommendations in different genres.

😴 National Lazy Day (August 10)
Share posts promoting self-care, relaxation tips, or humorous content related to taking it easy.

🧘 National Relaxation Day (August 15)
Share a post featuring calming content, relaxation techniques, or special promotions for relaxation-related products or services.

😄 National Tell a Joke Day (August 16)
Create a humorous post, share a joke related to your industry, or host a joke contest.

📸 World Photography Day (August 19)
Share visually appealing content, highlight photography tips, or showcase your team’s photography skills.

🐾 National Dog Day (August 26)
Share a post featuring your office or team dogs, dog-related products, or heartwarming dog stories.

♀️ Women’s Equality Day (August 26)
Share a post celebrating women’s achievements, quotes, or discussions on gender equality.

August Hashtags

#BacktoSchool, #WorldWideWebDay, #InternationalCatDay, #NationalBookLoversDay, #LazyDay, #NationalRelaxationDay, #NationalTellAJokeDay, #WorldPhotoDay, #NationalDogDay, #WomensEqualityDay

August Email Promotions

August is a great month to promote exclusive summer offers to help your subscribers gear up for the change of season and get back to school and business-as-usual. 

From the Seasonal Sales Promo Builder

August Email Subject Lines

  • 🌅 End-of-Summer Deals Are Here!
  • 🎒 Back-to-School Bonanza: August Essentials On Sale Now!
  • 🌞 Last Call for Summer Fun: Dive into August Savings!
  • 👋 Wave Goodbye to Summer with August Exclusive Deals
  • 🛍️ Shop & Save: August End-of-Summer Retail Therapy

September: Back to School & Business ✏️📚

In September, people are buying: Back-to-school supplies, apparel, electronics, and of course, pumpkin spice lattes 🎃
Reasons: Labor Day sales and preparations for fall

This month is all about bidding farewell to summer and embracing the crispness of autumn. Consumers are eager to prepare for the upcoming holiday season and indulge in cozy comfort, making this a great time to promote products and services that help them transition into the fall season.

Here are some more fun facts about consumer behavior in September… 

September Fun Facts

  • Labor Day rivals the 4th of July and Memorial Day in barbecue-related purchases. 
  • 25% of people plan to get out of town to enjoy the last long weekend of summer. 
  • Many businesses launch new products in September, capitalizing on the start of the new school year and the return to routines.
  • September is a popular month for community events and fundraisers, it’s the second-highest fundraising month, surpassed only by December. 

Marketing in September

Themes: Transition, Preparation, and Autumn Beginnings

Encourage productivity, goal setting, and personal achievement. Share content that provides tips, strategies, and success stories related to work, personal goals, or hobbies. Host webinars or workshops on productivity and personal development.

September Marketing Challenge

4th Quarter is coming up fast and there is no time like the present to start planning your promotional campaigns to end the year strong. 

Recommended Tools & Tutorials:

September 2024 Social Media Holidays & Post Ideas

🛠️ Labor Day (September 2)
Share a post honoring your team’s dedication.

📚 Read a Book Day (September 6)
Share a post featuring your favorite books, reading nooks, or literary recommendations.

👵👴 Grandparents Day (September 8)
Share a post featuring stories or photos of grandparents, promote intergenerational activities, or offer special deals for grandparents.

🇺🇸 National Day of Service and Remembrance (September 11)
Share a post commemorating the events of September 11, promote acts of service, or highlight charitable initiatives.

🤝 National Day of Encouragement (September 12)
Share a post with words of encouragement, motivational quotes, or stories of resilience.

👩‍💼 National Business Women’s Week (September 15-21)
Share a post featuring successful businesswomen, share stories of achievements, or offer support and resources for women in the workplace.

☮️ International Day of Peace (September 21)
Share a peace-themed inspirational quote.

🍂 First Day of Fall (September 22)
Share a post featuring fall-themed products, décor, or activities.

❤️ World Heart Day (September 29)
Share a post promoting health tips, exercises, or heart-healthy recipes.

🎙️ International Podcast Day (September 30)
Share a post highlighting your favorite podcasts or encourage your audience to share their go-to podcasts.

September Hashtags

#LaborDay, #ReadABookDay, #NationalGrandparentsDay,, #NeverForget911, #DayofEncouragement2024, #BusinessWomensWeek, #PeaceDay, FirstDayofFall, #WorldHeartDay, InternationalPodcastDay 

September Email Promotions

September is a great month to help your subscribers get back into routine with special deals and discounts for the back-to-school and back-to-business season. 

From the Seasonal Sales Promo Builder

September Email Subject Lines

  • 🍂 Fall Essentials: Discover Smart Savings this Week Only! 
  • 🍁 Autumn Arrival: Welcoming Fall with Exclusive Deals!
  • 📚 Smart Starts: Back-to-School Deals for All Ages
  • 🌆 Launch into Fall: Back-to-Business Flash Sale!
  • 🌻 Fall in Style with Autumn Discounts!

October:  Cozy Vibes and Fall Feels 🎃🍂

In October, people are buying: Halloween costumes, apparel, and home décor
Reasons: Halloween festivities and fall break

This month is all about celebrating the changing seasons and indulging in fall festivities. Consumers are eager to deck their halls with autumnal décor, gather with friends for pumpkin carving and bonfires, and enjoy the delicious flavors of the season.

Here are some more fun facts about consumer behavior in October… 

October Fun Facts

  • Americans consume an average of 1.4 billion quarts of popcorn during the month of October, primarily due to the popularity of Halloween movie marathons and parties.
  • The Halloween candy industry generates over $2.5 billion in sales annually.
  • Americans consume an estimated 50 million pumpkin pies during the month of October
  • Businesses invest the most in continuing education in the month of October

Marketing in OCtober

Themes: Cozy Comfort, Fall Feels, and Halloween Excitement

As the fall season arrives, foster creativity, storytelling, and imagination. Share engaging content related to holidays, traditions, or creative activities. Organize costume contests or giveaways on social media. Showcase products that encourage imaginative play, storytelling, or spooky adventures. 

October Marketing Challenge

Are you ready? It’s time to prepare for your upcoming email promotions for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday. Create your checklist and break down your to-do list into weekly milestones. Stay consistent on social media and engaged with your email list to keep building trust and connection with your audience. 

October 2024 Social Media Holidays & Post Ideas

🎗️ Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October)
Share a post celebrating strength, feature inspiring stories of survivors, or host a pink-themed giveaway to spread awareness.

☕ International Coffee Day (October 1)
Share a post celebrating the love of coffee, feature your favorite brews, or host a coffee-themed giveaway.

🌮 National Taco Day (October 4)
Share a post showcasing your favorite taco recipes or host a poll for which restaurants make the best tacos in your area.

😊 World Smile Day (October 4)
Share a post with uplifting content, funny memes, or stories that bring a smile.

🌍 Do Something Nice Day (October 5)
Share a post highlighting acts of kindness, share your company’s charitable initiatives, or encourage followers to do something nice for someone else.

🧠 World Mental Health Day (October 10)
Share a post promoting mental health awareness, resources, or self-care tips.

🧩 National Train Your Brain Day (October 13)
Share a post with brain teasers, puzzles, or interesting facts.

🌎 Columbus Day (October 14)
Share a post featuring your most recent “discoveries” – favorite podcasts, YouTube channels, tools, or creators to follow.

🍰 National Dessert Day (October 14)
Share a post showcasing your favorite dessert or recipe.

🍲 World Food Day (October 16)
Share a post featuring your favorite dishes or recipes from around the world.

👔 National Bosses Day (October 16)
Share a post expressing gratitude for your boss or leadership team, highlight their achievements, or share inspiring leadership quotes.

✅ Checklist Day (October 30)
Share a post with a helpful checklist related to your niche.

🎃 Halloween (October 31)
Share a post featuring your Halloween-themed products, host a costume contest, or share behind-the-scenes looks at your festive decorations.

October Hashtags

#PinkOctober, #BreastCancerAwareness, #CoffeeDay, #InternationalCoffeeDay#NationalTacoDay, #WorldSmileDay, #DoSomethingNiceDay, #WorldMentalHealthDay, #ColumbusDay, #DessertDay, #WorldFoodDay, #BossesDay #NationalBossDay, #ChecklistDay


October Email Promotions

October is a great month for promoting spooky savings and “just because” deals to celebrate cozy fall vibes. 

From the Seasonal Sales Promo Builder

October Email Subject Lines

  • 🎃 October Delights: Fall into Savings This Week Only! 
  • 🍂 Cozy Up to Savings: October’s Best Deals Inside
  • 🌙 Spooky Good Deals: October Savings Are Here!
  • 🕸️ Trick or Treat Yourself: October Deals Inside
  • 🍭 Sweet October: Treat Yourself to Irresistible Deals!

November: Practice Gratitude 🦃🍁

In November, people are buying: Thanksgiving groceries, entertainment, apparel, and holiday gifts
Reasons: Thanksgiving and Black Friday sales

This month is all about celebrating the harvest season and preparing for the upcoming holidays. Consumers are eager to stock up on seasonal produce, indulge in comforting meals, and prepare for the festivities that lie ahead. 

Here are some more fun facts about consumer behavior in November… 

November Fun Facts

  • Online shopping generates nearly 20% of all retail sales in November 
  • Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year, with an estimated $9.7 billion in sales in 2022.
  • Cyber Monday follows closely behind, with an estimated $10.7 billion in sales in 2022.
  • November is the second-highest month for charity donations, due to Thanksgiving and the holiday spirit.
  • Americans donate an average of $263 to charity in November.
  • Food banks, homeless shelters, and children’s charities are the recipients of the most donations in November.

Marketing in November

Themes: Gratitude, Thanksgiving, and Early Holiday Cheer

Emphasize the spirit of gratitude, generosity, and community during the holidays. Share content that celebrates traditions, family togetherness, and charitable initiatives. Offer discounts or promotions related to holiday gifting or giving.

November Marketing Challenge:

This month is all about executing your seasonal sales so stay focused on hitting your deadlines and sales targets – this is make-it-or-break it time for many small businesses! 

November 2024 Social Media Holidays & Post Ideas

📚 National Authors Day (November 1)
Share a post featuring your favorite authors and recommend books to your audience.

🕰️ Daylight Savings Time Ends (November 5)
Share a post with tips on how to make the most of the time change, promote cozy products, or host a “fallback” giveaway.

🇺🇸 Veteran’s Day (November 11)
Share a post expressing gratitude for veterans or offer special discounts for veterans.

🌍 World Kindness Day (November 13)
Share a post with acts of kindness, encourage followers to perform random acts of kindness, or share stories of kindness within your community.

👩‍💼 National Entrepreneurs Day (November 19)
Share a post highlighting your entrepreneurial journey, offer business tips, or showcase local entrepreneurs.

🦃 Thanksgiving Day (November 28)
Share a post expressing gratitude, share Thanksgiving recipes or traditions, or host a Thanksgiving-themed giveaway.

🛍️ Black Friday (November 29)
Share a post with Black Friday promotions, exclusive discounts, or limited-time offers.

🛒 Small Business Saturday (November 30)
Offer special Small Business Saturday discounts or encourage your audience to shop small and share their favorite local finds.

🌍 World Kindness Week (November 11-17)
Share posts throughout the week highlighting different acts of kindness, or host a kindness challenge for your followers.

🌐 Global Entrepreneurship Week (November 18-24)
Share posts featuring entrepreneurial success stories, offer business advice, or host a virtual networking event.

November Hashtags

#NationalAuthorsDay, #DaylightSavings, #VeteransDay, #WorldKindnessDay, #WKD, #EntrepreneursDay, #Thanksgiving, #GiveThanks, #BlackFriday, #ShopSmall, #SmallBusinessSaturday, #WorldKindnessWeek

November Email Promotions


November is the biggest month of the year for email promotions and seasonal sales. Customers are ready to hear about your Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday deals. Good luck! 🤞💸

From the Seasonal Sales Promo Builder

November Email Subject Lines

  • 🦃 Gobble Up HUGE Savings This Thanksgiving Weekend!
  • 🖤 Black Friday Discount Mania: Your VIP Pass Inside!
  • 🛍️ Shop Small, Save Big: Small Business Saturday Deals!
  • 🌟 Give Back, Get More: Exclusive Giving Tuesday Offer Today Only!
  • 🌐 Cyber Monday Spectacular: Dive into the Best Deals!

December: Festive Cheer, Holiday Celebrations, and Gift-Giving 🎄🎁

In December, people are buying: Gifts, dining out, and holiday decorations
Reasons: Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s Eve celebrations

December is a peak time for gift-giving. Leverage this by offering special promotions or limited-time bundles to boost your end-of-year sales. This month is all about embracing the joy of the holiday season and spreading festive cheer. Consumers are eager to gather with loved ones for gift-giving, festive parties, and holiday traditions.

December Fun Facts

  • December is the busiest month for retail sales, generating over $1.5 trillion in sales in 2022.
  • December is one of the highest volume months for B2B sales as companies are looking to close deals before the end of the year
  • December is the most popular month for charity giving
  • 64% of U.S. consumers say they’re likely to buy gift cards as holiday gifts 

Marketing in December

Themes: Festive Joy, Celebration, and Year-End Reflection

Capture the magic of the holiday season with festive content, gift guides, and promotions. Share stories of joy, generosity, and holiday traditions. Organize virtual holiday events, contests, or collaborations.

December Marketing Challenge:

Review 2024 – how did it go? Get organized for the new year and enjoy the holiday season. This is a great time to reflect on the year you’ve had and start thinking about your goals for 2025.  

2024 December Social Media Holidays & Post Ideas

🎁 Cyber Monday (December 2)

Share posts with exclusive promotions, online discounts, or limited-time offers.

🤝 Giving Tuesday (December 3)
Share posts supporting a charitable cause, host a donation drive, or pledge a percentage of your sales to a nonprofit.

🍪 National Cookie Day (December 4)
Share posts showcasing your favorite cookie or cookie recipe.

💌 Christmas Card Day (December 9)
Share a post with your favorite Christmas card designs or DIY card-making tips.

🚚 Free Shipping Day (December 14)
Share a post promoting free shipping on orders or offer a special free shipping code.

🍪 Bake Cookies Day (December 18)
Share a post with your favorite cookie recipes and baking tips.

🎁 Super Saturday (December 21)
Share a post with special Super Saturday discounts, promotions, or gift ideas.

❄️ First Day of Winter / Winter Solstice (December 21)
Celebrate the winter solstice by sharing your frosty photos and favorite winter traditions.

🌟 Christmas Eve (December 24)
Wish your followers a Merry Christmas or share your favorite Christmas Eve tradition.

🎄 Christmas Day (December 25)
Share heartfelt holiday wishes or showcase Christmas morning moments.

🕎 Hanukkah Begins (December 25)
Share a post honoring the start of Hanukkah or feature Hanukkah traditions.

🎉 New Year’s Eve (December 31)
Countdown to a new year! Share posts reflecting on the year or share your resolutions. Encourage your audience to share their hopes for the upcoming year.

December Hashtags

#CyberMonday #ExclusivePromotions #OnlineDiscounts #LimitedTimeOffers #GivingTuesday #CharitableCauseSupport #DonationDrive #NonprofitPledge #NationalCookieDay #Cookies #CookiesOfInstagram #CookieShowcase #ChristmasCardDay #CardMakingIdeas #ChristmasCardDesigns #DIYCardTips #FreeShippingDay #FreeShipping #ShippingPromo #SpecialCode #BakeCookiesDay #CookieRecipes #BakingTips #HomemadeCookies #SuperSaturday #SuperSaturdayDiscounts #Promotions #GiftIdeas #WinterSolstice #Winter #FirstDayofWinter #FrostyPhotos #ChristmasEve #Christmas #ChristmasTime #MerryChristmas #ChristmasTime #ChristmasDay #ChristmasTimeIsHere #HolidayWishes #Hanukkah #HanukkahBegins #HappyHanukkah #HanukkahTraditions #NewYear2024 #NewYear #HappyNewYear #Reflections #Resolutions #NewYearHopes

December Email Promotions

December is a great month to raise money for charity, help your audience find the perfect gift, and get them ready for the new year with special gift guides, offers, and promotions! 

December Email Subject Lines

  • 🎁 Give Back, Get More! Exclusive Giving Tuesday Offer Inside
  • 🔔 Jingle all the way to HUGE savings 
  • 🎅 Ho, Ho, Ho! Our Holiday Gift Guide is Here!  
  • 🎄🥂 Cheers to Our Best Christmas Specials – Open up!
  • 🎉 Countdown to Savings:  Early Access to New Year’s Best Deals

So… Are You Ready to Rock Your Marketing in 2024? 

We hope so! We hope you found some inspiration in this post and are ready to make 2024 your best year ever. 

Keep your chin up if roadblocks get in your way, keep going, and adapt as needed. Remember that consistency is the key that unlocks the door to success and that means doing your best to maintain a regular social media presence, nurture your email list, and keep taking steps to keep your brand stays front and center throughout the year. You might not see the impact right away, but if you keep at it, it’s a guarantee that you’ll be in a completely different and better place this time next year. 🙂

We know you can do it and wish you the very best of luck. Have a wonderful 2024!

by

Create a Value Ladder of Offers to Scale Your Service Business

, , ,

So you’ve been hearing all the buzz about “value ladders” and wondering whether you need one? Or how to set one up? Well, you’re in the right place my friend, we’re going to walk you through all of that and more! But first, a definition:

What is a value ladder? A value ladder is a lineup of offers that increase in price and value in order to meet people where they are on their journey to become a customer: from initial awareness to their final decision to buy your premium offerings. It’s an effective way for you to build trust and maximize the lifetime value of each customer.

The way it works in a nutshell: you start off by offering something of value for free and then increase the price and value with your subsequent offers.

Table Of Contents
  1. Why You Need A Value Ladder
  2. The Benefits of a Value Ladder
  3. How to Create a Value Ladder
  4. Variations to Your Value Ladder

They’re usually discussed in the context of sales funnels and it can sometimes sound like: “get as much money out of ’em as possible for as long as you can!”

But a business’s first imperative is to get and keep customers, and when you do that, the revenue will follow. So when you’re planning your value, be sure to make your customer’s experience the primary focus.

A value ladder, when executed correctly, is actually interlinked with your brand strategy.  Your lineup of offers is used to build trust and ultimately, inspire brand loyalty. In other words…

You use a value ladder to get and keep customers

Before we get into the details about how to create a value ladder, let’s first take a look at how this all works from the perspective of your customer.

Why You Need A Value Ladder

It’s easy to forget that most of your customers who see your marketing messages aren’t going to sign up instantly. There’s no magical formula that can persuade someone to whip out their credit card and purchase a premium offering if they’re just not ready.

Enter… the value ladder.

It’s a way to meet people where they are in their decision-making process and readiness to commit to a purchase. So let’s talk about what that looks like…

Your customer’s decision-making process to make a purchase

The goal of your brand strategy should be to communicate the reasons why customers should choose you instead of all their other options.

Along the way, your job is to provide value and earn their trust in order to help them make that decision.

(Also known as marketing.)

From your customer’s perspective, the journey looks like this…

When businesses forget that potential clients are going through this process, they do things like drop a bulleted list of capabilities on their services page with a “get a quote” button and call it good.

Which, for all of the people who are just beginning to become aware that they maybe-possibly need help, sounds like this:

“MAKE A DECISION NOW! DO YOU WANT TO HIRE ME? YES OR NO!!!”

Kind of awkward on a first encounter, right?

A value ladder, in contrast, takes prospective clients by the hand from the very first interaction and walks side by side with them as they grow to trust you.

A value ladder guides your clients toward purchasing your premium offers by providing them with smaller offers along the way

Visually, then, it looks something like this…

Customer decision-making process & offers that meet them where they are.

Now, their journey and your offers aren’t always going to line up perfectly like this. For example, people in the consideration phase may sign up for a free offer. But here’s the key takeaway:

Having different offers at various price points means there’s something for everyone.

A little sneak preview for ya here (I’ll get into more detail when we talk about how to create a value ladder), but what we’re essentially going to do now is take the idea of creating different offers as part of the customer journey, and then rotate the customer journey funnel onto its side. And voila! Now it looks like a ladder.

Neat, right? 🙂

A Basic Value Ladder

The ladder is a great metaphor because as you can see, now we can visualize how we’re going to create offers that will increase in price and value and naturally lead from offer one to the next.


The Benefits of a Value Ladder

A value ladder focuses on solving a problem your client is grappling with and gives them options to solve that problem based on their readiness to commit and their budget.

Because you’re the expert, you’ll design service offerings that give them the outcome they desire.

This approach is very different than reacting to a potential client who rolls up and tells you what they think they need and asks you for a quote. They’re not steering the ship here, you are, which is why figuring out what to include in your offers takes a bit of upfront work.

But the advantage is that for you, there’s no recreating the wheel figuring out what each and every potential client wants and preparing time-costly proposals–instead, you’ll be identifying the problem(s) in advance and have solutions to offer them all ready-to-go.

Because it’s your process, and because you’re presenting it like a product (you’re selling whatever is needed for them to get that outcome), you’ll be perceived as the go-to expert rather than an order-taker. And when you do that, it’s easier for people to understand. They’ll come to you to follow your process because you’re offering the outcome they want. Make sense?

Have The Flexibility to Upsell and Downsell Your Offerings

Once you have the steps of your ladder in place, you’ll upsell along the way.

For example, when people buy your low-priced INTRO offer (also known as a tripwire), you can pitch your LEAD offer as a next step. Then, you can present your BULLSEYE premium offer and so on.

You can also experiment with the order!

For example, you might offer something for free — let’s say a webinar — and then pitch them on your highest-ticket offering.

For those customers who don’t buy your high-ticket offer, you can “downsell” by offering them an INTRO or LEAD offer instead. (Which can be set on autopilot with automated follow-up email sequences.)

By having different offerings at varying degrees of value, you’ll have something to offer people based on what they need and how much they’re willing to spend.

Earn The Trust of Hesitant Customers

A tripwire or low-cost offer helped me win clients who were interested in my premium 1-1 services.

I found that 10% of the people who purchased a low-price offer (a $30 eBook) went on to sign up for thousands of dollars in services. In those cases, they were interested in hiring me (closer to the “decision” phase), but they wanted some final reassurance that if they trusted me with their dollars, I’d deliver value.

So they grabbed one of my low-priced offers to “vet” me. Interesting, right?

Here’s where it gets even more interesting…

The price of that product was $30.

When I calculate the lifetime value of a customer who does 1-1 work with me, it works out to about $3,600 per customer. (Some are a few hundred bucks one-and-done and some are tens of thousands over years.)

So for a small investment in my time to create a simple eBook, I’m able to shortcut the time and effort it normally takes to earn the trust of a complete internet stranger and potentially for life. Which is far more than $30, it’s more than 100 times that! (Results will vary of course, but I did want you to see the big picture.)

Not only that…

A Value Ladder Extends The Lifetime Value of a Customer

Because you’re incorporating different offerings into your lineup, you have the potential to extend that lifetime value.

An introductory or low-price offer (which should be a digital product of some kind) can actually be quite profitable and generate an evergreen passive income stream.

A lead service (which I’ll get to in a sec) can help you recapture all the time that slips through the cracks pitching your services to people who are just kicking tires and are never going to get there.

The way I like to think of these initial steps in your ladder is they’re a way to monetize your sales and marketing and leverage your time (so you have more of it to fine-tune your processes and make passive income products!)

You can also extend your premium services by creating “loyalty” offers!

Hopefully, by now you’re chomping at the bit to get started, so let’s get into it…

The Value Ladder

How to Create a Value Ladder

There are many ways to go about it, but here’s a formula you can use to create a basic value ladder. Some value ladders have three steps and some have eight, it really all depends on what you’re offering.

If you offer more than one service line–for example, say you offer web design services and social media management, you would create a separate value ladder for each.

The Value Ladder

Step #1 Free Offer

Definition: The purpose of the free offer is to generate sales leads. Once you’ve identified your ideal client’s problems, you’ll demonstrate your expertise (you’re the one to solve it) by helping them solve their problem (5-10% of the way) with a free offer.

Ground rules: It has to be valuable. Your free offer is going to take the place of you getting on a sales call with them to demonstrate you’re trustworthy and an expert at solving this problem. Just because it’s free doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be valuable, quite the opposite.

Examples: Blog posts, a free e-book, checklists, swipe files, worksheets, how-to videos, audio exercises, a free introductory course, a webinar, etc.

This is how you’re going to get people to your website, but keep in mind that as people are going through their decision-making process and figuring out whether you’re the one to trust, it may take interacting with your brand 10-15 times or more before they’re ready to commit.

Having free content as an incentive to interact with you isn’t a magic sales bullet, it’s used to build trust. Make it valuable and focus on solving their problems, and when they’re ready to commit with dollars, you’ll be the one they turn to…

This is called reciprocity.

The idea is that when you’re providing value for free, your audience will begin to feel grateful for your help and even indebted to you. When deciding who to choose, they’ll be much more likely to go with you because you’ve already helped them solve their problem part of the way for free.

Step #2 Intro Offer

Definition: An intro offer is a low-priced offering that solves the problem a little bit more than your free offering

Ground rules: Again, it must be valuable. You’re still nurturing trust and establishing yourself as the go-to expert. Make sure it solves a specific problem and you’ve clearly articulated the outcome they can expect when they purchase it. The price should be set somewhere between $7-$49. Important: it should not require your time working 1-1 with clients.

Examples: eBook, paid workshop/webinar, an email challenge, a mini-course

Your intro offer isn’t designed to make a profit, but rather, to offset the costs of creating it and promoting it. The goal is to create a customer as quickly as possible so you can lead them to the next step, which is…

To learn more, we have an entire blog post devoted to setting up an intro offer (or tripwire) right here.

Step #3 Lead Offer

Definition: Your lead offer requires a larger financial commitment but it includes a much greater value. Here, you can begin offering 1-1 services that require your time, or, if you’re selling digital products, it will be a higher-priced offering than your tripwire but still less than your high-ticket offerings. This offer should be designed to be profitable.

Ground rules: Focus your lead offer on a specific outcome or “quick win” you can give your clients.

It must solve a problem and not create one. For example, if you’re designing a 1-1 service, an “audit” creates problems (“here are all the things you need to fix, have fun!”) whereas a road mapping or strategy session solves one (“here are your biggest opportunities and next steps”).

You should strive to create a service that allows you to replicate the process you’ll guide your clients through (no re-creating the wheel). This way, you can become better (more expert at solving this problem) and more efficient (and more profitable) the more you do it.

Things to consider:

  • What aspects of your process are you currently doing for free that you can monetize instead?
  • Is there an aspect of your larger high-ticket services you can “break apart” as a first step?

Examples: Road-mapping session, a done-for-you playbook or strategy, an introductory course, 1-1 coaching/consulting to achieve a specific result

Step #4 Bullseye Offer

Definition: A bullseye offer (or a “core offer”) is something we go into more detail about in The Bullseye Offer Formula, but basically this is where you pull out all the stops and do whatever you need to do to solve your customer’s biggest problem.

Ground rules: It should be priced based on the value of the outcome and really, the sky’s the limit. It’s your process and ideally, should utilize your zone of genius, the expertise you want to become known for. It must also be something your dream clients already know they need.

Examples: This is a high-priced offer–either a more comprehensive course or done-for-you 1-1 services.

Guiding people to a bullseye offer is where most people call it good, but to maximize the lifetime value of a customer, you can also create a…

BONUS (Step #5): Loyalty Offer

Definition: A loyalty offer extends the value of your signature offer by offering ongoing or ancillary services and digital products that continue to help them solve their problems.

Ground rules: Your loyalty offer provides you with ongoing revenue and allows you to create an ongoing relationship with your customers. These may be priced lower than your signature offer, but extends value over time.

Examples: Ongoing done-for-you services, a mastermind group, weekly group coaching calls, private paid Facebook group or slack channel, a membership site, subscription-based content, additional digital products, and courses to help them continue on their problem-solving journey, annual workshops or retreats.

Variations to Your Value Ladder

Again, the above is just an example to get you thinking about offering value along your customer’s journey. Every business is different and you may find that creating three steps is enough: maybe a freebie offer, an introductory offer, and a premium or signature service offering.

Maybe you’ll want six or seven steps in your ladder. You might decide to create two or three signature offers and a value ladder for each. Maybe you won’t have a signature service at all, maybe it makes more sense for you to create multiple introductory offers and then get people right into a loyalty offer.

Inside our course, we walk our students through the four key steps of the value ladder as a starting point, starting with the Bullseye Offer. Once you know where you’re leading people to, it becomes a “no-brainer” to create a logical, related line-up of offers that lead people to your premium 1-1 services.

Value Ladder
Create a bullseye offer first, then your lineup of offers

In summary

A value ladder helps make marketing your services easier. It allows you to earn trust, scale your business by increasing the lifetime value of a customer, and move away from selling your services like a commodity.

A commodity has no differentiated qualities; a brand is the opposite of a commodity and focuses on the value you can provide your customer. So in a way, the value ladder is just a framework for you to build your brand.

By creating different degrees of value-based offers corresponding where your customers are at in the decision-making process, you’re not only better positioned to get and keep clients but to maximize profit and lifetime customer value as well.

If you have any questions, hit us up in the comments and be sure to grab our FREE value ladder planner below!

by

How to Create a Tripwire Funnel & Sell Digital Products With Your Blog

, ,

“Tripwire” is one of those jargon terms that make even our most hardcore marketing friends cringe, but there’s no denying they’re a powerful tool for creating sales funnels that convert.

If you’re interested in building a list filled with eager-to-buy customers rather than just freebie-collecting subscribers, and if you’re looking for a way to add passive revenue streams to your business, stick around as we walk through how to use tripwires to do just that.

But first, if you’re wondering, “What is a tripwire?”  let’s start by breaking down some basic definitions in real-human lingo…

Table Of Contents
  1. What is a Tripwire Funnel?
  2. Why You Need A Tripwire (No Matter What You Sell)
  3. The Role A Tripwire Plays in Your Larger Marketing Strategy
  4. A Tripwire Builds Trust & Brand-Loyal Customers
  5. The Benefits of Using A Tripwire
  6. What Makes a Great Tripwire?
  7. Examples of Tripwire Digital Products You Can Create
  8. 3 Simple Tripwire Marketing Funnels You Can Try

What is a Tripwire Funnel?

A tripwire is an irresistible low-cost offer (usually a digital product priced at $49 or less) that’s designed to turn a member of your audience into a customer quickly.

Irresistible because the perceived value is much greater than the price and it solves a painful problem for your customer.

At ConversionMinded, we stick to a rule of “$49 or less” but often our tripwires are priced much lower in the $7-$22 range. For our B2B audience, this fits squarely into the “impulse purchase” price range.

If the price is less than the value of having that problem solved, there’s very little anxiety around their decision to buy without doing a ton of research and taking time to consider, so they’re more likely to take action the moment they see the offer.

Say you offer a coaching package or digital course priced at $2,000. That’s a pretty big financial commitment (especially for people who don’t know what it’s like to be your customer yet). Your customer will need to compare all their options, do a bit of digging to figure out exactly what to expect, and psychologically process all of their objections before feeling confident about spending that money.

A product that’s priced very low is a less-risky first step. So maybe for you, that first offer comes in the form of a $25 workbook that helps your target audience inch closer toward their goals as they relate to your coaching program.

Once your customer “converts” (makes that initial purchase), you can continue to nurture the relationship with them through automated email sequences, webinars, and other marketing tactics to guide them toward your premium offers. But now, after getting a sample of the value they can expect when they give you money, they know they can trust you if they make another purchase.

A tripwire is the first step in a larger funnel that guides customers toward an additional or larger purchase. It’s about getting a cold audience to take a leap of faith and to put it crudely, “pull out their wallets.”

Because the decision to trust you with their money has already been made, you can also offer them something else that will help them solve this problem even more during the checkout process. Your second offer might be an “upsell” to a complementary product or an “upgrade” to a larger package.

Or, if you’re selling services or high-ticket programs and courses, your “pitch” might happen after you nurture the relationship with emails and other content so they can get to know you and your approach a little better first, but you want to do this immediately by automating your follow up emails because this is when they’re going to be most engaged and will be actively looking for solutions.

Think of it like “stacking” one offer on top of another in a way that helps your customer solve a specific problem or achieve a desired outcome.

Either way, if your tripwire is hyper-relevant to your other offerings, it’s a very effective way to attract the right people into those funnels.

Why You Need A Tripwire (No Matter What You Sell)

When someone makes a purchase there is an exchange of value (their money in exchange for your solution) and that changes the relationship. That psychological shift is the key to understanding the purpose of a tripwire.

Once someone trusts you with their cold, hard cash and you deliver value in return, they’re no longer a total stranger, they’re a satisfied customer.

And a satisfied customer is exponentially more likely to take you up on another offer (even a much more expensive offer!) than someone who has never made a purchase before.

In other words, a tripwire fast-tracks the customer journey.

For that reason, it’s a good idea to use a tripwire to introduce your brand to new customers whether you’re selling services, courses, digital products, or even physical goods online.

The Role A Tripwire Plays in Your Larger Marketing Strategy

Let’s talk about the “value ladder” — more marketing lingo, I know, but this is a goodie because it’s a visual metaphor for exactly what you’re aiming for, so it’ll help you remember it and put it into practice.

Avalue ladder is simply a series of offers that guides people from complete internet strangers (“who are you again?”) to loyal customers and raving fans.

The idea is that each of your offers will increase in price and value so you can meet your audience where they are in their decision-making process (to hire you or make a purchase).

As we’ve covered, when they first encounter you, it’s highly unlikely they’re going to be ready to commit to a high-ticket purchase. They’re just starting to become aware of the problem they’re experiencing and options to solve it.

The customer decision-making phases

At the awareness stage, they’re probably only willing to invest a bit of their time to read a blog post. Then, if the blog post was valuable to them, they’ll likely be willing to give you their email in exchange for a free offer. And deeper into your marketing funnel they go…

A Tripwire is a Bridge Between Your Free Content and Your Marketing Emails

Now, what most people do at this point (after your audience subscribes to your list) is to start sending out newsletters to “stay in touch” hoping someday, eventually, their subscribers will be ready to take the next steps. And that’s fine, we do that too, but we all know the chances are very likely that this person will be one of the 75-80% who, on average, doesn’t even open your emails.

Enter the tripwire.

By making an irresistible offer right away, a percentage of those people who sign up for your list will become a customer immediately. And that’s magical because a customer is something entirely different than a random person who doesn’t know or trust you who just signed up for your list to grab a freebie.

Now, before you start getting dollar signs in your eyes…

A Tripwire Builds Trust & Brand-Loyal Customers

Yes, you can make money selling tripwires. (Some people make a lot.) But always remember that the most valuable role your tripwire plays is to earn trust. So come at it from that angle and make that your primary goal. You might even think of the revenue it generates as the cherry on top.

Always remember “if they don’t trust you, they ain’t buyin'” so establishing trust and credibility is crucial for larger ticket sales, repeat business, and customer loyalty.

If you offer some flimsy cheapo thing that doesn’t have a whole lot of value, they might not be too upset if they didn’t pay a lot for it. But be careful here because if the value doesn’t exceed the price they paid for it, you’ve blown your chance to retain a customer for life and maximize revenue in the long run.

Because it’s exponentially cheaper to keep a customer you have than acquire a new one, tripwires are a great way to build a list of buyers. Once you’ve established trust with a customer, they’re exponentially more likely to buy something else (even a high ticket offer).

So you want to be thinking in terms of your lifetime value of a customer, not a one-off low-ticket sale.

In the following value ladder illustration, I’m calling the tripwire an “intro offer.”

This offer represents the first time you’re putting a price tag on the value you provide –it’s higher in value than your free offers (blog posts, freebies, webinars, etc.) but less than your high ticket programs, products, courses, or 1-1 services.

It needs to be a digital product of some kind (not a discounted consultation or service) so you’re able to scale and make the best use of your time. That is, it needs to be a 100% automated and passive thing working for you in the background.

Where the tripwire offer fits into your value ladder

Want some help launching your first (or next) digital product? Grab our Digital Product Launch Blueprint! ?

Get the Digital Product Launch Blueprint from ConversionMinded

The Benefits of Using A Tripwire

Tripwires Help You Build A More Target Emal List

Because you’re taking a shortcut in the customer journey by turning them into a customer right away, that means you’re able to more easily build a list of customers rather than a list of anonymous strangers who are just there to consume your free content and peace out.

Tripwires Provide a Way for Hesitant Customers to Vet You Before Investing More Money

This is an unexpected surprise I learned about tripwires after implementing them to make a bit of extra passive income…

I figured people would buy them as part of the natural flow of a very simple marketing funnel: blog post > opt-in freebie > tripwire offer.

But what I didn’t expect was that people who were considering me for my higher-priced 1-1 services were purchasing my low-cost digital products as a way of sussing me out. My tripwires were intel for them!

I know that because time after time, I’d get on a sales call and the person on the other end would kick things off with, “So I read your ebook!”

Sometimes what they purchased had nothing to do with what they wanted to hire me for. They just wanted to know if they gave me money they’d get value in return.

I realized they had been eyeing the top rung of my value ladder (my premium services) and decided to skip back down to the low-priced offer as a way to overcome final objections and lingering doubts.

And that? Makes sense. Whatever works. 🙂

You Can Use Tripwires to Gauge Interest in Larger Offers You’re Thinking About Creating

You can get creative with tripwires and use them to validate other ideas you have for larger product or service offerings. That is, create the tripwire first and then create more offers for your funnel if it works out.

Say you have an idea to create a product about branding and you outline all the things people need help with when they’re doing their own branding project.

What you can do to “test the waters” of interest in your course or product is to create a smaller digital product that relates to it and solves a very narrow, specific problem.

To get ideas you’ll start by brainstorming all those problems…

“How do I come up with my brand name?”
“What colors should I use for my branding?”
“What fonts should I choose for my branding?”
“How do I create a logo?”
“Do I need a tagline? What even is a tagline?”

From this list, you might choose the problem of selecting great fonts to use in a branding project. Cool. But that’s still a pretty broad topic, right? That is, you don’t want to create a typography course, that would be solving the problem too far and you don’t want to get too carried away. ?

So think about…

How can you offer a quick win? What kind of tool or training could you create to help your audience quickly choose fonts for their branding project?

This is the exact process I went through when I came up with the idea for The Font Personality Swipe file, one of my very first tripwires. I included 75 Google Font combinations categorized by brand personality and I priced it at $7.

I just offered a quick win for one very specific problem. People struggling to choose brand fonts can use this swipe file to find options that will work for them.

I knew that if people gobbled that up? I could continue solving their problem further. That little $7 download sold really well so I invested a bit more time in creating a larger product – the Brand with Confidence Toolkit which, no surprise, also sold really well and continues to. Because the tripwire sold well I knew there was a pretty good chance solving that problem further would be a winner.

Tripwires can be a great way to understand your audience and what they need help with and they shouldn’t cost you a lot of time to put together.

Plus, even if a tripwire flops, chances are good you’re going to make some sales to offset the costs of creating it. You would be surprised how helpful even a $7 product can be for your bottom line when you give it enough time. (As my accountant mama used to say when I’d ask her for money, “It all adds up!”)

Tripwires Can Be Repurposed As Bonus Incentives For Larger Offerings

Once you’ve created a tripwire, if it naturally relates to another product or service you offer, you can easily throw it in as a bonus. People LOVE bonuses and it helps you to create the perception of higher value without lowering your prices when you offer something extra for a limited time.

Over time, you can even build up an inventory of low-cost digital products to use as tripwires and limited-time bonuses in email promotions to help you create a sense of urgency.

Tripwires Are The Easiest Way To Make Passive Income

And last but not least, one of the biggest benefits of adding a tripwire to your marketing mix is to make extra passive income.

If you’re considering creating a larger course and that’s new territory for you, I’d encourage you to try creating a tripwire funnel as a first step — they take much less time to create and test.

You’ll learn a LOT about how much time, money, and effort it takes to set up sales funnels and automate the sales process, and then you’ll be able to apply what you learn to a larger offering. (The higher the price, the more complicated the marketing will be but this is a great way to get started with the basics.)

While it’s possible to make oodles of money with low-cost digital products, “how much” largely depends on the size of your audience and how aggressively you promote them.

Be realistic because passive income is a long game, it takes time to gain momentum. But if you consider the money you make as a way to offset marketing costs and the time/expenses it takes to create them, you’ll be more likely to keep adding to your inventory of digital products.

If your tripwire converts really well you can lean into that and focus on getting more traffic to it, even running paid traffic (advertising), and adding more offers to your funnels (upsells, downsells, etc.).

When I was just starting out many years ago I had a relatively small audience and wasn’t getting rich selling tripwires, but every week I’d get a paycheck and it amounted to a few extra thousand bucks per year in additional revenue with virtually no overhead. It may not seem like a lot, but consider that even years later, those products still sell without any additional efforts and negligible overhead costs.

What Makes a Great Tripwire?

TLDR; it’s all about value, value, value.

At this point, I want to mention a common mistake people make based on my experience coaching clients through setting up their first funnel…

As we’ve established, a great tripwire is a low-cost offer ($49 or less) but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be incredibly valuable. In fact, it should provide much more value than the price you put on it and that can feel painful when you’re just getting started.

What a lot of beginners do is consider all those hours they spent creating their digital product and calculate the value of their time. That is, if they’re a freelancer charging $100 per hour and it took them 20 hours to create, they’re thinking that was a $2,000 opportunity cost (so, they’d better price it pretty high).

You might be tempted to think that a tripwire that’s priced at $10 means you’ll have to sell 200 before you “break even.”

But selling digital products is not the same as selling your time. It’s not an opportunity cost, it’s an investment, and the payoff won’t happen instantly like it does when you send an invoice for services.

And remember, your first goal isn’t to generate revenue, it’s to earn trust and to attract people who are good candidates for your other (higher priced) products and services. You can even think of creating a tripwire as a marketing investment.

A great tripwire helps your customer solve their problem a little bit of the way (toward your other solutions) and gives them a quick win. If must relate to your other paid offerings (see value ladder above) in order for it to be a win for you as well.

Quick example. My first digital product was an eBook/workbook written with my ideal client in mind. I priced it at $47 and made less than $1000 in sales the first year. Not awesome, right? ?

I had no idea what I was doing and no clue how to even get my product in front of the right people. But, I had created something I knew would be valuable to the people I wanted to work with 1-1. When I crunched the numbers I realized 10% of them went on to become a client and those clients paid me thousands of dollars for my services.

So think about…

  • What problems do you solve? (With your 1-1 services or higher-ticket products/programs.)
  • What problems do your customers have as they relate? (Brainstorm a big old list!)
  • What’s the ultimate outcome or transformation they want? (Really take the time to get clear about the big picture.)

Then think about…

  • How can you break this problem down and solve one specific aspect of it?
  • How can you give them a “sample” of your larger offerings without giving away too much?
  • What can you create that’ll be useful to them (for example save them time or money, or help them achieve an immediate goal)
  • What do you need to include in your product to give them a standalone solution? (In other words, they win whether they make another purchase or not.)

The key to a great tripwire is that it solves a specific problem. Be ready to define exactly what that is and what outcome they can expect when they buy.

Note: don’t go wild and start solving all of the problems your dream customers have. Just make it hyper-relevant to your other products and services in your value ladder and aim to give them a quick win.

Examples of Tripwire Digital Products You Can Create

Since we’re talking digital products here, we’re talking about content and that can come either as…

  • Written content
  • Audio content
  • Video content
  • A combination of all three (like a small course)

Once you have an idea for what you can create, play to your strengths and choose the format that will be most useful to your audience.

  • It might be an interactive .pdf workbook or an eBook or guide, a calendar, a swipe file, templates, a spreadsheet or a combination of digital documents
  • An audio guide or an audio series is great if your audience includes people on-the-go – they can listen in their car, on their commute, while doing chores, or at the gym
  • Maybe it’s a video masterclass or tutorials
  • What about a bundle or toolkit that combines different options from the list above?

Brainstorm some initial ideas and then ask yourself:

  • What is the outcome my customer will get when they’ve used this product?
  • Are there any gaps that will prevent them from getting that outcome? (Fill those in!)
  • What can I include that will make it even easier for them?
  • How can I save them time in achieving this outcome?
  • What would make this even more valuable to them?

PDF Workbooks, Swipe files, eBooks, and other Digital Documents

You don’t need special software or design skills to create a digital document. It can be as simple as hopping on Google Docs or Canva and creating a document as you do, then, save it as a .PDF, and voila!

But as a former professional designer, I know first-hand that good design can elevate the perception of value so my advice is to create a nice cover and mockup and make sure your documents are well-formatted. You might even find a freelance designer or virtual assistant with design skills to help if that’s not your cup of tea.

Or, check out our Make it Sell it Toolkit which we created for digital product creators for this very reason. We put together an epic collection of Canva templates for creating documents to sell (plus matching landing pages and sales pages for WordPress).

Audio Guides

Admittedly, I’m no audio expert so if you’re a podcaster or have experience with this, just fast forward, nothing to see here. ?

I keep it cheap and easy by using QuickTime (already installed on my computer) to record audio. I don’t have a fancy-pants microphone (yet) and I don’t think you need to to get started… but, you do want to make sure your audio is clear and free from background noise. Customers will forgive a lot if you’re working on a budget but not bad audio.

I either use earbuds that have a microphone built-in or a lavalier mic. If you’re “one of those people” and only top-shelf will do, a top tip I have for you is to look in the description box for your favorite YouTube podcaster, they usually link to the equipment they’re using.

For editing, check out Audacity. 

To sell an audio file, you can use something simple like Gumroad.  Just sign up for an account. You can use the free plan to start (they just take a bigger cut of any sales) and upgrade when you’ve got money coming in.

Video tutorials, workshops, masterclass, small drip course

If you can teach something that’s better presented in video format, you could create a video presentation or a series of smaller videos to be delivered as a “drip course” (for example one short lesson delivered each day for a fixed number of days).

Setting that up can be as simple as hosting your videos as “unlisted” on YouTube and then creating an automated series of emails that link to the videos with a tool like MailerLite or ConvertKit.

Both email tools make creating automated sequences easy but my preference is MailerLite if you’re just getting started with something like this because it’s free until you hit 1,000 subscribers.

The easiest way I know how to host and sell videos, though, is to set them up in a digital product hosting service like Podia. You simply upload the videos directly into the lesson and they handle all the hosting for you, you can even set it as a “drip” course.

It’s also extremely user-friendly for people who are consuming your content and works on all devices. If you have supplemental text, checklists, or workbooks, or documents, you can upload them as well. Easy-peasy.

Side note: I know there are lots of great membership sites and digital product e-commerce solutions out there that I’m not mentioning. I’ve done tons of research and have used lots of technologies for different projects. But, I use these in my own business and I’m a huge fan of choosing the easiest solutions to start — my feeling is, tech headaches and frustrations are not a good use of time until the revenue justifies it.

3 Simple Tripwire Marketing Funnels You Can Try

Once you’ve created your low-priced digital product, you can’t just stick it on a “products” page on your website and expect people to buy it. Some may, but most people will miss it. The idea is to present them with an offer they can’t resist at exactly the right moment.

Remember that your tripwire is the bridge between your free offers and your email marketing content.

Free content > Free opt-in incentive > Tripwire > Email marketing

Your tripwire sales page needs to be shown to them immediately when they sign up for your email list. That’s when they’re most engaged and actively looking for solutions. Presenting your tripwire offer can be done in one of two ways:

  1. It’s presented on the “thank you” page that you redirect people to after they opt-in to your email list
  2. And/or, it’s offered in your delivery welcome email

👉 Note: the easiest and most effective way to offer a free opt-in incentive from your blog is to create a Content Upgrade, so be sure to check out this post if you need help with that step. You can also create a landing page to direct traffic from social media and Pinterest. You can grab templates to help you set that up here.

There are lots of ways to go about setting up a tripwire funnel but here are just a few ideas for you. Just remember that the purpose of the tripwire is to create an offer that’s so attractive it’ll wow your audience so much they’ll want to buy it on impulse.

1. The One Time Offer Funnel

The “one-time offer” (or “OTO”) is a very common funnel used by bloggers and digital product creators. To set it up you’ll need:

  • Relevant blog post(s) that relate to your tripwire product
  • A content upgrade (a freebie + an opt-in form within your post)
  • A landing page to redirect the user to after they fill out the form with a “one time offer” for a limited time
  • A follow-up sequence of emails that guides them toward your next or more premium offer
Tripwire marketing funnel

How this works is immediately after they sign up for your mailing list, you’ll send them to a “thank you” page. Most email service providers have this functionality (we use ThriveLeads to create our forms and redirects).

But instead of just a simple “thank you” message, you’ll also present a special offer… you might call it:

  • An exclusive offer that’s not available anywhere else
  • A one time offer that won’t be made again
  • A limited time offer for new subscribers

To give you a visual, it looks something like this…

STEP 1: Create a landing page

A landing page is different from a normal web page because you’ll remove all distractions with the exception of your offer. That means it should have no header navigation, no footer, no links to other things, no “follow me on social media” — just the offer.

I recommend learning how to set up landing pages on your own domain because to me, committing to using a third-party landing page service (which are usually not cheap) is a monthly expense that’s not worth it when you’re just getting started.

The WordPress theme I prefer to use to create landing and sales pages is Divi – it’s as simple as choosing the “blank page” template. Then, I just use their visual drag-and-drop editor to set up the page.

Visual builders like Elementor or Thrive Architect are also great tools that allow you to do basically the same thing.

(You can check out our toolkit that includes pre-designed sales pages and landing pages for all three builders with copy prompts and mockup templates to set these pages up quickly.)

STEP 2: Integrate a countdown timer

I know you’re probably thinking “Oh no, those cheesy things?” but without them, there’s no real urgency to take action. But here’s the thing… you mustn’t just put a countdown timer that doesn’t really expire the offer.

You need to use one that legitimately offers it for a limited time and if they don’t buy, the page should expire.

An affordable option I use and have been pretty happy with is Countdown Dynamite. It’s a simple plugin that integrates with WordPress and is easy as pie to set up. You just turn it “on” on any page where you want it to appear, tell it how long you want the timer to run (e.g. 15 minutes) and then the page redirects to a page of your choice once that timer runs out. For around $10 bucks it’s a bargain and definitely gets the job done.

The ONLY thing you need to be aware of is that when your countdown timer runs out, it runs out for YOU too, and if you’re working on the page, it’ll tell you time is up and redirect you! ? Either work fast or just be aware you need to turn it off while working or go into your post to clear cache and restart the timer.

2. The Tripwire Upsell Funnel

Another way to go about it is to drive traffic to a landing page with a freebie and for that, you’ll need:

  • Traffic (ads, seo, social media, etc.)
  • A landing page with a freebie and opt-in form
  • A sales page with tripwire offer to redirect them to after they sign up
  • An upsell offer right within your checkout process to add to their order

Once people opt-in to your freebie, you would then redirect them to a sales page with your irresistible offer. Once they begin the checkout process, you can invite them to add an additional purchase to the order.

How you price your upsell all depends on the price sensitivity of your audience and what you’re selling, but generally these aren’t super high ticket offers (those take more nurturing, usually with emails, sales calls, free trainings and webinars, etc.) but to just give you an idea, most of our upsells are under $200.

Note: this is not a hard-and-fast rule, it’s just an example:

Tripwire upsell funnel

These are just two simple examples and if you’re wondering… Yes, you can totally mix and match these ideas or edit your funnels in a way that makes sense.

For example, you might drive traffic right to your tripwire page and skip the freebie landing page step. Or you might add an upsell to the “one-time offer” funnel that starts with a blog post and content upgrade. Visuals always help us but it’s really just to get you started thinking about the possibilities.

Take out a piece of paper and sketch out the path that guides your target audience to your offer and then test, test, test to see what works best!

Note: It usually takes a bit of experimenting because some top-of-funnel content (blog posts, freebies, etc.) will work better than others and you’ll want to create multiple paths for your audience to find your offer too.

Whichever way you go, it’s important to create a sense of urgency.

If it’s just a low-priced offer that they can get any old time any old where they are unlikely to take action and become a customer quickly (the goal).

To create urgency for something that really isn’t scarce (a digital product can be sold an infinite number of times), the OFFER must be scarce and/or time-sensitive.

For that, you’ll need a couple of tools to create a limited-time offer. There are all kinds of expensive funnel products out there but with a bit of creativity you can easily set this up yourself to just get started with it.

3. The Email Tripwire Offer

The other way to do this is after they’ve signed up for your email list, to make them a limited-time offer and put the countdown timer right in the email itself. For that, you’ll need something like Deadline Funnels.

Keep in mind that when people opt-in to your mailing list, they’re MOST engaged in the initial emails you send them. When you send them a welcome email, you can make them a limited, one-time exclusive offer there.

Or, you might set up a welcome sequence where you build interest for your tripwire, warm them up to the idea, maybe offer it first without a timer, and then offer a “last chance at this price” email with a timer.

There are a lot of ways to go about this and I’d experiment a bit… if one method isn’t working, try another! That’s what conversion optimization is all about: testing and tweaking until you get a certain % of people raising their hands for the offer.

Then, once you get that sorted out, it’s just a matter of getting more people to that offer. (Another story for another day!)

I hope you found this helpful! Please let me know if you have any questions in the comments. Have fun with creating your tripwire marketing funnel, and before you go be sure to grab our Digital Product Launch Blueprint to help you create your irresistible offer!

Get the Digital Product Launch Blueprint from ConversionMinded
by

The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Sales Funnel for a Service Business

,

Are you a coach, consultant, creative professional, or any type of freelancer? Then there’s no doubt you know this story…

One day you’re so swamped with client work you can’t even think about where you’re going to find your next client. Then when things slow down, you realize there’s no work lined up → PANIC! → then finally, a bunch of work comes in again → PHEW! → and the cycle starts all over again.

This is known as the “feast or famine cycle” and it happens when you don’t have a system for attracting clients while you’re busy serving the ones you have. 

But just imagine being able to relax into your day-to-day work knowing that consistent interest in your work is always flowing toward you on autopilot.

In this post, we’re going to show you exactly how to get there! ?

Table Of Contents
  1. What is a Sales Funnel for a Service Business?
  2. 3 Reasons Why Service Providers Need A Sales Funnel
  3. The Easiest Way to Plan A High-Converting Sales Funnel
  4. 9 Components Of An Ideal Service Business Sales Funnel
  5. Putting it All Together 

What is a Sales Funnel for a Service Business?

While we usually talk about “sales funnels” in the context of selling products, the income and work consistency all service providers crave is exactly why you need them too. For you…

A sales funnel for service businesses is simply a series of steps that guides people from becoming aware of you to booking your services.  

Even though we like to believe it’s a straight shot from discovering we exist to getting booked for a gig, you’ve probably already discovered first-hand that it just doesn’t work like that.  It all comes down to timing.

A sales funnel gives people the information and nurturing they need and when they need it until they’re ready to hire you. 

It keeps you top of mind, helps inspire trust, and can even position you as a go-to expert so when the time is right, it’s a no-brainer for them to take the next steps with you (there can be no substitute – it has to be YOU).  

And because a funnel is largely automated, it works in the background for you 24/7/365 to generate leads and line up future work — even when you’re booked, busy, burned out, or heck, just want to take a week off. #treatyourself

Not only that, you can use your funnel to create financial leverage with passive income! 

Offering a low-cost digital product to customers who are going through your funnel is a great way for service providers to offer a low-risk first step. It also provides an option for people who can’t afford your 1-1 services and gives you a source of revenue if you do experience a slow period.

Right then. Before we get into the steps and components you need to set up your funnel, let’s peek behind the curtains of your new “client attraction system” to see how it’s going to change the game for you. If you raise your hand to any of the following problems, you definitely need a funnel… 

3 Reasons Why Service Providers Need A Sales Funnel

#1. You’re attracting clients who don’t want to pay you what you’re worth, don’t respect your time and process, and blow up your phone with non-urgent requests on the weekends ?

If you find yourself saying “yes” to projects and clients you’d really rather say “no” to, it’s probably due to “famine anxiety” — because you never know when the money might stop flowing, it’s hard to turn any work down.

Not only does this scarcity mindset zap the joy from your work, it puts all the power into your customers’ hands. In other words, if you don’t have the power to say, no, you’re at their mercy — and how your business is going to go for you depends entirely on them. 

But check this out…

A well-structured funnel allows you to attract and qualify higher-quality clients, focus on the work that’s most fulfilling and profitable for you, and even make passive income along the way. 

You can design your funnel to attract only the types of clients you want to work with doing the type of work you’re meant to be doing (rather than all that other stuff you say yes to only because you need the cash). It’s your funnel and you can use it to steer your business in the right direction. Now that’s what we call taking your power back! ?

#2. You don’t have time to market your business strategically and consistently (you’ll get around to that once you get your client projects are under control?) 

Has it been a while since you’ve dusted off your Instagram account? Been a hot minute since you’ve emailed your list? When you have a free hour to work on marketing tasks, do you stare at your screen wondering where the heck to even start? 

When you’re busy serving clients It’s understandable that you need to put marketing on the backburner, we all have bills to pay and marketing takes time — time you just don’t have. We get it. 

But marketing is the only way to create leverage in your business and line up future work so you can feel in full control of what you do, for whom, and even how much you can charge. 

The truth is, there’s never going to be a convenient time for you to put your business in the #1 spot on your priorities list rather than your clients’, but that’s exactly what you need to do in order to break the feast or famine cycle. 

The good news is…

The more you can create and automate up-front by creating a sales funnel, the easier it will be for you to create a marketing routine that doesn’t take up much of your time to maintain. 

Once it’s set up, you’ll mostly just focus on getting new people into your funnel (e.g. via social media) and let your funnel take care of the rest. 

(Be sure to check out our Content Calendar System if you need help with what to post and what to say on social media in order to be consistent and get people into your funnel – it’s a huge, huge time-saver!) 

#3. Potential clients take their sweet time about their decision to move forward but you’ve got bills to pay today

Your potential client’s readiness to start work is rarely in sync with your financial needs. You can’t convince people who aren’t ready to buy something to buy it – just think of the last time you were “sold” something you didn’t want or need at that moment… it just doesn’t happen.

But if you understand what’s happening from their perspective, you can get head of timing frustrations…

Fortunately, the process your clients go through before they decide to hire you is predictable, and we can use that to our advantage when planning a funnel.  Your sales funnel educates, positions you as the best solution, and provides so much value along the way that when they are ready to buy, they choose you. 

In other words, you’re not really “selling” them something they’re not in the market for today, you’re giving them lots and lots of reasons to buy from you when they are.

So let’s look at this predictable process in more detail: 

  1. First, they need to be aware they have a problem and that you (the problem solver) even exist
  2. Then, they need time to research and compare their options
  3. Once they’ve done that, they start to consider whether you’re absolutely positively the best option
  4. When they’re satisfied your solution is the best choice for them, they decide to move ahead! 

Along your customer’s journey, you want to be sure you’re providing them options for ‘next steps’ that make sense for them today and depending on where they’re at. 

If you’ve got a website and you’re relying exclusively on that to book work, and if the only options they see are…

? “Hire me”
? “Let’s work together!”
? “Schedule a discovery call”

…if they’re in the early stages of this process, you’re asking them to take a HUGE step – one they’re just not ready for. It’s kind of like asking someone to marry you on the first date.  

At this point they’re not a “yes” or a “no”… they’re a “maybe” and you’re asking them to skip over several steps…

..

Your “maybe someday” audience is busy today. This isn’t a priority. They have time to explore their options. You’re in a rush to book them NOW but that’s not their problem.

When you ONLY give them a binary choice:
1. Hire you
2. Click away

… you’re missing the opportunity to nurture a relationship with people who’d love to hire you – just not today. That’s where your funnel really shines, so now let’s look at what you need to set it up: 

The Easiest Way to Plan A High-Converting Sales Funnel

The first thing you want to do is decide WHAT you’ll be offering (or what service you’ll “pitch”) in your funnel. 

Here you can really dream big and decide how you want your business to be – who is the ideal customer you want to target? What service offerings do you want to become known for?

We always start at the end and work backward. So think about… 

What’s the FINAL destination?

What’s your “bullseye” service? What problem are you solving for your dream customer and who are they? What does your service include, how much does it cost, and how long does it take?

Once you’ve figured out where you’re ultimately taking people, you’ll want to “break apart” that solution to solve it a percentage of the way at each step of your funnel. So now it looks something more like this… 

By providing free value and low-risk solutions that relate to your bullseye service, you’ll get the right people into your funnel and keep them hooked. 

If we rotate this funnel-shaped graphic, now it looks like a ladder – neat right? This is a value ladder. If you’ve ever wondered what that is, a value ladder is just a series of offerings that increase in price and value. 

.

? Click the image below to grab our free Value Ladder Planner that goes into more detail about what to include.?

Now let’s put all of these ideas together and see how your funnel will look: 

Sales Funnel for a Service Business

Traffic > Free offer > Intro Product > Lead Service > Bullseye! 

While this may feel like a lot of things, chances are you already have at least some of these components already and others really don’t take that long to set up! You’ve got this. ?

Now let’s take a look at the components of your funnel….

9 Components Of An Ideal Service Business Sales Funnel

#1. Landing Pages

The standard service provider website usually consists of a home page, about page, services page, and contact. 

The problem is, these pages typically have lots and lots of options for your website visitors to choose from and that can lead to “analysis paralysis” and that binary choice we talked about – “yes or no!” when most of your site visitors are “maybes.”

Your site visitors need to know EXACTLY what to do next if you want them to take action and if they’re not ready to hire you, they need a SMALL, low-risk step.

[Note: We’re not saying you shouldn’t have these common website pages – they’re especially useful for people who are super close to making a purchase and just have a few remaining questions and they need to know how to take the next steps to hire you.]

For your funnel, you want to start thinking about your website as a series of “landing pages” that you can link to from any content you create and social media (at the top of your funnel) and in your emails (the middle of your funnel).

A landing page is one page with one goal, that’s it. It makes it crystal clear what the visitor is supposed to do next (sign up, book a call, buy now, etc.) 

#2. A Useful & Relevant “Lead Magnet” (Free Offer)

This should NOT be something that takes you a lot of time to create – it just needs to give your audience a “quick win” as it relates to your service offerings.

Think worksheet, 10 tips, a template, a cheat sheet, or a checklist.

(Check out Lead Magnet Mastery to learn how to create killer freebies that’ll get the right people into your funnel.) 


#3. A Social Media “Home Base”

Figure out where your dream clients are most likely to be and focus on building your audience there – you don’t need to be everywhere, consistency is what matters. As you get the hang of that, you can branch out and master other channels.

❗Important: you’ll want to spend a % of your time promoting your free opt-in and getting people into your funnel. Don’t worry about being spammy! If you’re mixing it up with value posts you’re good. Remember that most of your audience will miss most of your messages most of the time.

#4. A Strategy to Drive Traffic to Your Landing Pages

OPTION 1: Free traffic – If your audience is on Pinterest, that’s a GREAT place to promote your freebies and get people into your funnel. If you have a blog, a YouTube channel or a podcast – always add a “call to action” that invites people to get your freebie and onto your mailing list. Plaster links to your opt-in landing pages everywhere and every chance you get.

OPTION 2: Paid traffic – You can also run ads to your freebies on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc. — this is a good option for you especially if you don’t have time to create content. 

(And of course, you can do both!)

⚠️ CAUTION: What you don’t want to do is just run ads to your website because as we’ve established, people won’t understand their next step and they’re likely to just click away without taking the action you want them to. But if you run ads to a landing page with a free offer or even a low cost digital product, you’ll be getting the right people into your funnels. Essentially, you’re paying for leads and if you have a low-cost product, that will help offset your advertising costs. And, you may even turn a profit! It took time, but we’ve transitioned completely from serving clients to just selling just digital products!

#5. An Email Service (Autoresponder)

You’ll need to set up automated nurturing email sequences you write in advance to deliver your freebie, introduce them to your digital product(s), and provide value so you can earn their trust. 

After your audience has a chance to get to know you a little bit (we call this a “warm audience” – they’re warming up to you and the idea of purchasing from you), you can do a hard pitch to get them on a sales call or purchase your service package or program.

If you’re new to email marketing, MailerLite is a great place to start and is free for up to 1,000 subscribers.

#6. Automated Email Sequence(s)

Your email engagement is going to be highest when people first sign up (their problem is top of mind) so over the next 5-7 days after they sign up, you want to send out valuable emails that relate to their problem and the services you offer.

Then, once you’ve established the know, like, and trust factor with your super helpful emails – you’re ready to make your pitch! 

This next step is a really powerful way to turn a member of your audience into a customer while they’re still in the research and consideration phases and that is to offer… 

#7. A Low-Cost Digital Product (Optional but Recommended) 

This is a GREAT way for you, as a service provider, to start creating passive income but it also helps you earn trust with people who are considering hiring you. 

What you want to do here is relate it to the service you’re leading them to and help them solve the problem they have part of the way (in order to go further, they need to take the next step and hire you!). 

If they find your product valuable, you’re establishing trust and staking your claim as a go-to expert. This step provides more value than your free offer but less than your done-for- or done-with-you services. 

#8. A “Conversion Tool” (Optional but Recommended) 

If you really want to create a banging funnel, you can add in a super valuable resource to really demonstrate your expertise and value. 

These take more time to create than your “quick win” freebies so it’s perfectly okay to circle back around to this when you have time. But the idea here is, you’re giving them so much value they won’t even think about hiring your competition.

Examples include webinars, a free course, or a series of training videos. 

❗IMPORTANT! When you’re just getting started, do NOT hold things up until you create a digital product or a conversion tool. Start with a simple funnel that includes a freebie and a series of emails. Then, add more to the funnel as you have time to work on these more robust components. 

#9. A Pitch

By now, your audience has warmed up to you because you’ve been delivering value and it’s time to call them to action. 

This could be to book a discovery call or to a purchase a lead service. (A lead service is essentially paid discovery but you’ll package it as a roadmap, success path, blueprint, etc. – a clear deliverable with standalone value.) 

Let’s see how all of these components work together now! 

Putting it All Together 

In Summary

When it’s all set up, your sales funnel will look like this:
>>> Traffic
>>> Opt-in landing page with a freebie
>>> Thank you page (you can offer your digital product here if you have one)
>>> Freebie delivery and nurturing email sequence
>>> Pitch
>>> Continue nurturing and optimizing your funnel as you have time

…that’s it! Set it and forget it!

Now you can focus on planning AHEAD rather than finding a client during a desperate famine phase. Whoo hoo! ? 

Of course, there are many ways to go about this, but this is a great foundation funnel to put lead generation on autopilot… but really, this is just the start and the sky’s the limit from here. You can continue to add to your funnel by testing different freebies, layer on additional email sequences, offer additional products, add more “conversion tools,” etc.

You can test different things in your funnel too to get it converting even higher – things like adding urgency (special pricing for a limited time), exclusive subscriber bonuses, and so on.

The important thing is that you get started and there’s no time like RIGHT NOW to break that dreaded feast or famine cycle for good!

We hope this was helpful! Will you be setting up a funnel for your service business? Let us know in the comments below! 

by
/6 Comments/