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CONFUSED: Aweber Sales Funnel Question

by FormerWageSlave
14 replies
I need some guidance on how to set up a complex set of list and autoresponders.

I am setting up some ebook squeeze pages. Once they sign up, I want to deliver an autoresponder series. The first few emails in that series will deliver links to other ebooks, but they won't have to opt in to get those. (This is the expert status stage of the funnel)

However, those other ebooks will also have their own opt-in pages. This will make each auto-responder slightly different in regards to the order of that email series. Make sense? Multiple entrances to the sales funnel.

So I will have Ebook 1, Ebook 2, and Ebook 3

If you opt-in to get Ebook 1, you'll get #'s 2 and 3 in the coming days. But if you opt-in for Ebook 2, you'll get #'s 1 and 3 next.

If they happen to opt-in to more than one ebook, I don't want them to receive two sets of ARs, for obvious reasons.

What is the best way to set up the lists and autoresponders so that I do the least amount of work and insure that if someone signs up for more than one ebook, they are not put on another, similar autoresponder series?

Do I need to set up an Aweber list for each ebook AND it's own autoresponder?

Or can I do this with one list and create a custom autoresponder based on the book they opted in on... all while preventing someone from receiving multimple autoresponder series?


Does that make sense? Let me know if I can answer any questions to clarify.

Thank you... I appreciate the help here. :confused:
#aweber #confused #funnel #question #sales
  • Profile picture of the author writeaway
    I would use a separate AR series for each ebook. Don't mix them together. You'll lose credibility if you recycle content.
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    • Profile picture of the author FormerWageSlave
      I'm not using the same AR series or recycling content. That's not possible because I'm using multiple ebooks and offering them each as their own start to the funnel, which means the next few emails will need to be different.

      The question of multiples comes with the lists themselves and whether or not I can segment one list with multiple ARs?

      And eliminate duplicates being sent if the same person signs up more than once?


      Originally Posted by writeaway View Post

      I would use a separate AR series for each ebook. Don't mix them together. You'll lose credibility if you recycle content.
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  • Profile picture of the author onSubie
    Originally Posted by FormerWageSlave View Post

    The first few emails in that series will deliver links to other ebooks, but they won't have to opt in to get those. (This is the expert status stage of the funnel)

    I think you are falling into the trap of building a list of freebie seekers.

    For the "expert status" stage, I think it would be better to hit them with a series of $97 products.

    Your way:

    Wow more free stuff! He must be desperate for me to like him. I wonder if he knows what he is doing?

    The overpriced product way:

    Wow $97. I usually see stuff for $7 in the WF. This guy must be a guru. I can't afford it right now, but clearly I am on a pro's list.


    Even if you have 0% conversion on your $97 product, it wasn't any worse on your pocket book than giving away freebies. And your list thinks you are a guru who can charge $97. Rather than a newbie who has to give stuff away an a desperate attempt to be liked.

    By the way, I would not actually start right off hitting a list with $97 offers, but I think it would be a more effective way of making yourself look like an expert than giving away a string of freebies.

    The same with the perceived value. Especially in savvy niches like IM,everyone knows that freebies are enticements to eventual sales.

    Don't be afraid to sell to your list. They signed up with you. They expect it.

    You are worried that they may not think you are en expert, when in reality, they don't know that you are not an expert.

    Don't try to "prove" you are an expert. Simply act like one.
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    • Profile picture of the author FormerWageSlave
      Well, this is not an online sale. It's an online lead nurturing program to sell my offline service. But hey, I do appreciate the input.

      This is really an Aweber question for those who have experience. I'm new to Aweber and it seems they handle the List and segments a little differently than Mailchimp, so I'm seeking some knowledge.

      Thanks.


      Originally Posted by onSubie View Post

      I think you are falling into the trap of building a list of freebie seekers.

      For the "expert status" stage, I think it would be better to hit them with a series of $97 products.

      Your way:

      Wow more free stuff! He must be desperate for me to like him. I wonder if he knows what he is doing?

      The overpriced product way:

      Wow $97. I usually see stuff for $7 in the WF. This guy must be a guru. I can't afford it right now, but clearly I am on a pro's list.


      Even if you have 0% conversion on your $97 product, it wasn't any worse on your pocket book than giving away freebies. And your list thinks you are a guru who can charge $97. Rather than a newbie who has to give stuff away an a desperate attempt to be liked.

      By the way, I would not actually start right off hitting a list with $97 offers, but I think it would be a more effective way of making yourself look like an expert than giving away a string of freebies.

      The same with the perceived value. Especially in savvy niches like IM,everyone knows that freebies are enticements to eventual sales.

      Don't be afraid to sell to your list. They signed up with you. They expect it.

      You are worried that they may not think you are en expert, when in reality, they don't know that you are not an expert.

      Don't try to "prove" you are an expert. Simply act like one.
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      • Profile picture of the author onSubie
        Originally Posted by FormerWageSlave View Post

        Well, this is not an online sale. It's an online lead nurturing program to sell my offline service. But hey, I do appreciate the input.

        This is really an Aweber question for those who have experience. I'm new to Aweber and it seems they handle the List and segments a little differently than Mailchimp, so I'm seeking some knowledge.

        Thanks.
        Ahh, okay. So all the squeezes are ultimately directed to the same offer you have offline.

        I thought you were building multiple lists for different purposes but sharing the freebies.

        I use Aweber that way. I have multiple lists but I keep them separate. If I cross-promote a squeeze page I offer another opt-in. Duplicate emails across lists are set to skip in Aweber.

        Do you need the entire autoresponder seeries to be different for each list, or only the emails and links of the initial follow-ups?

        You could do the follow-up emails for each squeeze and when the series is complete move the emails to a master list.
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        • Profile picture of the author FormerWageSlave
          What you've written sounds promising. Let me see if I can sort this out...

          There are multiple stages here. Stage 1 is the entrance, the opt in. Stage 2 is the expert building stage where i share great info and prove I am an expert, by sharing 2-3 ebooks. Stage 3 goes on to build anticipation. Then 4, 5, etc.

          It is Stage 2 that is different from the rest of the Autoresponder series really. Stage 2 varies because for each Opt-in, the remaining books will be different, since the Opt-in was the lead generator. All the other stages are identical really.

          It seems like in Aweber I can build a different list for each ebook and a separate AR for each list/ebook and if that is what I have to do, then ok.

          But maybe there is some hope in Aweber Automation where I can create Stages 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 once, and then create a couple different Stage 2s and point them to the right Stages?

          Does that help at all? Thank you onSubie!


          Originally Posted by onSubie View Post

          Ahh, okay. So all the squeezes are ultimately directed to the same offer you have offline.

          I thought you were building multiple lists for different purposes but sharing the freebies.

          I use Aweber that way. I have multiple lists but I keep them separate. If I cross-promote a squeeze page I offer another opt-in. Duplicate emails across lists are set to skip in Aweber.

          Do you need the entire autoresponder seeries to be different for each list, or only the emails and links of the initial follow-ups?

          You could do the follow-up emails for each squeeze and when the series is complete move the emails to a master list.
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  • Profile picture of the author joseph7384
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    • Profile picture of the author FormerWageSlave
      Yep, that's exactly what I've outlined above.

      There is one scenario however, where I may run into an issue, and that is, visitor signs up for Ebook 1, but before they receive the email for Ebook 2, they land on the squeeze page for Ebook 2 and opt-in again.

      In this scenario I don't want to start the AR again for them.

      This could happen because each squeeze page will be linked to from my site on a ebook resource page, like HubSpot does, here: Marketing Whitepapers & Ebooks

      Is it possible to tell Aweber to NOT send the AR, if they opt-in for a second time?

      Thank you.

      Originally Posted by joseph7384 View Post

      Normally you would segment your freebie list member to a buyers list once they have purchased a product from you. Since e-book #1, #2, #3 are all freebies, after someone opts-in for book #1, just send them to a download page for book #2 or #3 and they can avoid the squeeze page for those books.
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      • Profile picture of the author onSubie
        Originally Posted by FormerWageSlave View Post

        Is it possible to tell Aweber to NOT send the AR, if they opt-in for a second time?
        I the opt-ins add the user to the same list, then opting in on a different squeeze wil bring up the "You are already subscribed" and they won't reach the download page.

        You could make a short leader AR series for each squeeze, say 4-6 emails, just enough to get the other downloads then move them off that list onto a master leads list of people who have already opted in and been offered all teh supplemental downloads.

        It would take a bit of work to set up each series, but once done, all leads will end up on your single master list.

        Then as you add new squeeze pages, all you have to do it create the short AR series for that squeeze, then migrate the users to your master list.

        Aweber makes it a bit awkward but you could probably set up a rule to do this.

        EDIT: Ahh, I see what you mean. So series would be email1 -> email(2a,2b,or 2c) depending on the list -> email3, etc. Yeah, I'm not sure if you can or how you would have a variable message in the series.
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        • Profile picture of the author FormerWageSlave
          That sounds very promising. I will look into that.

          Do you know, when I move them to the Master List, can that start another AR series?

          Thank you for your advice. Much appreciated.

          Originally Posted by onSubie View Post

          I the opt-ins add the user to the same list, then opting in on a different squeeze wil bring up the "You are already subscribed" and they won't reach the download page.

          You could make a short leader AR series for each squeeze, say 4-6 emails, just enough to get the other downloads then move them off that list onto a master leads list of people who have already opted in and been offered all teh supplemental downloads.

          It would take a bit of work to set up each series, but once done, all leads will end up on your single master list.

          Then as you add new squeeze pages, all you have to do it create the short AR series for that squeeze, then migrate the users to your master list.

          Aweber makes it a bit awkward but you could probably set up a rule to do this.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bill Hugall
    Wow that is quite the sequence. Just provide download pages for each book or all or whatever the goal is. You can link each page to the corresponding follow-up email then delay the sequence for whatever time frame you want. I hope that helps. I always do a map on pen a paper first so I can see the whole thing including pages and all, but I prefer the broadcast message after about 3 follow-ups.
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  • Profile picture of the author FormerWageSlave
    onSubie,

    Your suggestion was pretty helpful. Thank you. I think I can accomplish what you were talking about with automation, specifically, the subscribe when subscribed feature.

    Each ebook gets its own list and AR. The AR is set to run x number of days. When they opt-in to the ebook list, I use automation to subscribe them to the master list at the same time. The master list has it's own AR, the back end of the funnel, that is set to start running right after the initial ARs are to finish.

    That would save me a fair amount of work in setting up all 8 stages of the automated sales funnel in Aweber.

    Anyway, just thinking out loud here in hopes that it helps someone else looking for similar solutions.
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  • Profile picture of the author TipTopMarketer
    Hi I can see what you're trying to do.

    You have 3 eBook to give away.

    If they opt-in for eBook #1, they receive eBook #1 straight away, and eBooks #2 and #3 on upcoming days.
    If they opt-in for eBook #2, they receive eBook #2 straight away, and eBooks #1 and #3 on upcoming days.
    If they opt-in for eBook #3, they receive eBook #3 straight away, and eBooks #1 and #2 on upcoming days.


    But you don't want your subscribers to be on 2 or 3 lists because that will skew your data and become messy for the end user.

    So what I'd do is create 3 different squeeze pages with 3 different opt-in forms, 1 for each eBook.

    Then I'd have 3 different download pages, 1 for each eBook.

    And you'd also have 3 different lists within Aweber.

    List #1 for eBook #1
    List #2 for eBook #2
    List #3 for eBook #3

    You'd then add your auto-responder sequence into each list - but customize them to only hand out the correct eBooks at the right time as mentioned above.

    Each autoresponder sequence would link directly to the download page (or directly to the PDFs) so that your subscribers doesn't opt-in twice, yet still gives you the benefit of multiple entrances to your sales funnel.

    I understand that you're trying to cram all the emails into 1 list and have a custom setup to deliver the right email to subscribers based on what they opt-in in for, however there's not enough features on Aweber to do this so the best way is to have 3 different mailing lists.

    If you're worried about subscribers who have opted in for eBook #1 and might opt in for eBook #2 before the AR sequence was delivered, then you should hide all 3 eBooks from each other so they can't be found together. Unless you state on the sign-up form or in the first auto-responder sequence that they'll receive the other 2 eBooks in the upcoming days/weeks that will prevent them from signing up again for something else.
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    • Profile picture of the author FormerWageSlave
      Thanks for your input, it gives me a lot to think about. Much of what you've laid out here is in my original plan. It's too bad that Aweber isn't more flexible.

      Do you know of any other email providers that could handle this?

      I do think I could create 3 short lists/ARs for the 2nd Stage emails and then a Master list for the remaining identical stages, but keeping a subscriber off of numerous ARs would be nice.

      And yes, I could hide the ebooks, but it's not super practical as these ebook opt-ins will be all over the site in blog posts using Magic Action Box, among other places.


      Originally Posted by TipTopMarketer View Post

      Hi I can see what you're trying to do.

      You have 3 eBook to give away.

      If they opt-in for eBook #1, they receive eBook #1 straight away, and eBooks #2 and #3 on upcoming days.
      If they opt-in for eBook #2, they receive eBook #2 straight away, and eBooks #1 and #3 on upcoming days.
      If they opt-in for eBook #3, they receive eBook #3 straight away, and eBooks #1 and #2 on upcoming days.


      But you don't want your subscribers to be on 2 or 3 lists because that will skew your data and become messy for the end user.

      So what I'd do is create 3 different squeeze pages with 3 different opt-in forms, 1 for each eBook.

      Then I'd have 3 different download pages, 1 for each eBook.

      And you'd also have 3 different lists within Aweber.

      List #1 for eBook #1
      List #2 for eBook #2
      List #3 for eBook #3

      You'd then add your auto-responder sequence into each list - but customize them to only hand out the correct eBooks at the right time as mentioned above.

      Each autoresponder sequence would link directly to the download page (or directly to the PDFs) so that your subscribers doesn't opt-in twice, yet still gives you the benefit of multiple entrances to your sales funnel.

      I understand that you're trying to cram all the emails into 1 list and have a custom setup to deliver the right email to subscribers based on what they opt-in in for, however there's not enough features on Aweber to do this so the best way is to have 3 different mailing lists.

      If you're worried about subscribers who have opted in for eBook #1 and might opt in for eBook #2 before the AR sequence was delivered, then you should hide all 3 eBooks from each other so they can't be found together. Unless you state on the sign-up form or in the first auto-responder sequence that they'll receive the other 2 eBooks in the upcoming days/weeks that will prevent them from signing up again for something else.
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