How to find a happy medium between research and getting ...

How to find a happy medium between research and getting things done when working on your lead magnet funnel. PhotobyDANNYGonUnsplash Aguideforexpertprocrastinatorsandtoo-busy-to-researchbusinessownersWhetheryouareaskilledprocrastinator,oryouliketocrushyourto-dolistwithoneespresso-fueledsprint,yourleadgenfunnelcanbehardtogetjustright.Procrastinatorsinevitablygetstuckinthe“myleadmagnetmustbeperfect”cycle.Action-orientedbusinessownersmaymissasteportwointheir“betterdonethanperfect”blitzHere’showtomakesureneitherofthosethingshappenstoyou.3(huge)stepstowinatfunnelcreationYoumaycringewhenyouhear“checklists”or“processes”,buttheycanhelpyougetworkdone.  3not-so-surprisingstagesoffunnelplanning(alsoapplicabletoanywritingproject)[1]Planning+research[2]Writing[3]ExecutionStickingtothesestagescanhelpbothperfectionistsandsprintersgettheirleadgenfunnelsasclosetorightaspossiblethefirsttimearound.Thisiswhathappenswhenyoudon’tfollowthestages.Ifyou’relaunchingyourleadmagnet,like,yesterday,you’regoingtoskipplanning&research.Result:sincepiecesofcontentarenotreallyconnectedtoeachother,funnelendsuplookingmorelikeasieve.Startingalloveragain=agianttimesuck.Whatabouttheprocrastinators?Gettingmiredinresearchonstage[1]isonlyhalfoftheproblem.Withoutplanning(asin,zoomingoutanddecidingwhattheleadmagnetshouldbeabout+what’sthefollow-upoffer),it’seasytodecidethatmoreresearch/adifferentleadmagnet/atotallynewformataretheanswertothefearofshipping.Forthesakeofargument,I’mgoingtoassumethatyouknowwhatyouwanttowriteabout,whoyou’rewritingitfor,andwhatyouwanttogetoutoftheleadmagnet.(Ifnot,whyareyoureadingthis?Goforthandexplore!).Oncewe'vedoneourplanning,wegothroughthefunnelcreationprocessstepbystep,makingsurewegeteachofthemdoneright.Step[1]:Planning+research[1.1]Creatingastructure:mappingoutallofthefunnelpiecesFirst,mapoutthesequenceofcontentthat’llbebringinginandconvertingyournewprospects.Thiscanbeassimpleas:SocialmediapostsLandingpageLeadmagnetEmailsequenceOreven:SqueezepageLeadmagnetSalespagewithaspecialofferAlternatively,youmightbesettingupadigitalmonsterwithFacebookads,retargetingads,upsellpagesandfollow-upemails.Ifthat’sthecase,it’sevenmoreimportanttoknowhowallofthesepiecesaregoingtoworktogether,andwhathappensateachstage.Onceyouhavealeadgenskeletonready-eitheronapieceofpaper,orasadigitalmindmap,it’stimetostartfleshingitout.[1.2.]SettingupgoalsforeachofthepiecesNextstep:clarityongoalsforeachstageandoncallstoactionforeach.Here’swhyit’simportant:thishelpswithmessagematching(ifyoupromiseX,andyourleadmagnetorsalespagehaveacompletelydifferentheadlinealongthelinesofZ,alotofpeoplearegoingtobecomequiteconfusedanddropoff)andwithkeepingyourselffromgettingdistractedduringthewritingstage.[1.3]DoingtheresearchYouknowwhatyouwant.Youknowthegoalofeachofthecontentpieces.Youarereadytowrite…notyet.Whataboutyouridealaudience?Doyouknowwhattheyneedtohear?Thisiswhenthebestpartoftheproject(purelysubjectiveopinionhere)starts:customerresearch.Sourcesofinformation:customerconversationsyou’vehadinthepastcustomerinterviewsreviewminingsocialmediasleuthingsurveys…...andsomuchmoreDoingtheresearchisgoingtogiveyouthisinformation:StageofawarenessPainpointsrelevanttotheproblemyou’retryingtosolveWhattheyaretryingtoachieve,intheirwordsDescriptionsoftheproblemtheywanttoovercomeInformationonhowtheproblemisperceived(beliefsaboutthemselvesorthecircumstances)ResultsAtthispoint,you’vegot:AllcontentpiecesmappedoutGoalsforeachcontentpiecesetYourcustomers’wordsdescribingwhattheythought,felt,hopedfor,worriedaboutateachstageofawarenessResult:youknowwhattosay+howtosayittoattracttheirattention&achieveyourgoals.Andnowit’stimetostartwriting!Step[2]:WritingThebestpartaboutwriting*after*doingplanningandresearchisthatthere’sdrasticallylessexistentialdread,andsignificantlymoreclarityonwhattowrite&why.Drafteachofthecontentpieces,keepinginminditsgoalandalloftheinformationabouttheaudienceyou’veassembled.Oncethedraftsareready,makesurethatthecontentpiecesarestillalignedwiththeplannedgoalsandareclearlyconnectedtoeachother,helpingyourleadsmovealongmerrily.Forextrabonuspoints,checkthefinalcopyagainstyourmasterresearchfile,toseeifthere’sanythingyou’vemissed.Step[3]:Execution:settingupyourfunnelThehardestpartofleadgenfunnelcreationisover!Atthispoint,allyouneedtodoissetuptheleadgenfunnel.Makesurethattheleadgenfunnelpiecesareworkingtogetherastheyshould,notthrowingyourpotentialbuyersoffbysendingthemtoa404pagesomewhereonyourwebsite,andpreparetorecorddataonconversions.Neverhurtstoknowhowyourmasterfullyplannedfunnelisdoinginreallife,andtoseehowitcanbeimprovedevenfurther.***Strugglingwithmakingsenseofallcontentpiecesandhowtheyworktogethertobringinnewleads?Mymindmapshavebeencalled“inspirational”and“exciting”.Togetoneofthose,getintouchhere. 2 Like Comment Share Tovieworaddacomment,signin Tovieworaddacomment,signin 3factorsthatimpactcredibilityofyourcasestudies Mar8,2021 WhystartupsshouldrunawebsiteauditbeforelaunchingonProductHunt Feb8,2021 “Businessasunusual”: transitioningtoonline-firstmarketingandsales May14,2020