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The fast five funnel recipe your UX freelance business need today

Oct 5, 2024 | Offer Clarity

Fast five funnel recipe

Why this funnel works for UX freelancers

As a UX freelancer, you juggle design, research, and client management. A simple, five-step funnel ensures you don’t lose leads in the shuffle. It guides prospects from discovering your portfolio to becoming long-term clients through targeted actions at each stage. Let’s break it down.

Stage 1: attract

Draw in your ideal clients with targeted content and outreach. Share case studies on LinkedIn, write a short blog post on Medium, or post design tips with relevant hashtags on Twitter. The goal is to appear in front of decision makers, product managers, startup founders, or marketing leads looking for UX expertise.

Stage 2: capture

Once they’re interested, collect their contact info. Add a simple lead magnet, like a free UX checklist or a one-page heuristic review template, behind a Mailchimp signup form. Embed the form on your personal site or portfolio so visitors trade an email address for immediate value.

Stage 3: nurture

Send a short email sequence (2–3 messages) to your new subscribers. Start with the promised checklist, then follow up with a one-minute video explaining how you solved a common UX problem. End the sequence with a clear call to action: “Reply to this email to schedule a free 15-minute UX audit.” Automate this in ConvertKit Free or Mailchimp’s free tier.

Stage 4: convert

When a prospect books your audit call, using Calendly Free, you’re ready to close. Deliver a concise audit, highlight quick wins, then propose a paid engagement. Use a simple proposal template in Google Docs with scope, timeline, and pricing so you can generate professional quotes in minutes.

Stage 5: delight

After project delivery, exceed expectations. Send a personalized summary of results in a Trello board or Notion page. Offer a small bonus, like a 30-minute follow-up call, to ensure they see ROI. Satisfied clients refer others and often become repeat customers for new features or iterations.

Tools and extensions to use

  • Mailchimp Free Tier
    For lead capture forms and basic email automation.
  • ConvertKit Free
    For simple nurture sequences and tagging subscribers.
  • Calendly Free
    To automate booking your audit and discovery calls.
  • Google Docs templates
    For quick proposal and checklist creation.
  • Trello or Notion Free
    To deliver results interactively and track client feedback.

Measuring and optimizing your funnel

  • Opt-in rate
    Percentage of site visitors who subscribe for your UX checklist.
  • Email engagement
    Open and click rates on your nurture sequence emails.
  • Audit booking rate
    Number of leads who schedule a call via Calendly.
  • Conversion rate
    Percentage of audit calls that convert into paid projects.
  • Referral rate
    How many clients refer you after being delighted.

This fast five funnel recipe gives your UX freelance business a clear, repeatable path from first touch to loyal clients. Which stage will you implement first to simplify your operations and boost your win rate?

How can you refine each step of this funnel to match your unique UX expertise and audience?

Funnel marketing: a beginner’s guide.

Sep 29, 2024 | Price & Package

Funnel marketing: a beginner’s guide for pricing

Why funnel marketing matters for pricing

Funnel marketing helps you understand how prospects move from first hearing about you to making a purchase. By tailoring pricing and offers at each stage, awareness, interest, decision, and loyalty, you ensure that potential clients see the right price point and value proposition at the right moment. This prevents underpricing, confusion over package tiers, or leaving money on the table by not capitalizing on customer readiness.

Stages of a marketing funnel

A typical funnel has four main stages:

  • Awareness: Prospects discover your brand through content, ads, or referrals.
  • Interest: They engage with educational material, blogs, webinars, or social media posts, to learn about your solutions.
  • Decision: Prospects compare options, review pricing, and consider buying. This is where pricing clarity is critical.
  • Loyalty: After purchasing, satisfied clients can become repeat buyers or brand advocates.

Aligning pricing with funnel stages

Your pricing strategy should match prospect expectations at each stage:

  • Awareness stage offers
    Provide free or low-cost resources, ebooks, checklists, or mini-courses. These “tripwire” offers introduce value without a big commitment, warming prospects up to higher-priced packages later.
  • Interest stage pricing
    Offer entry-level services or low-tier packages. For example, a low-cost consultation or group workshop. The goal is to convert curious leads into engaged prospects who see your expertise firsthand.
  • Decision stage offers
    Present your core packages with clear benefits and ROI. Use comparison tables or case studies to justify price differences. Offer limited-time bonuses or payment plans to reduce friction.
  • Loyalty stage upsells
    Provide higher-tier or subscription options, ongoing coaching, premium support, or exclusive content. Loyal clients are more likely to invest in advanced packages when they’ve already experienced success.

Steps to build your first funnel

  1. Define your audience and goals
    Identify who you serve and what problem you solve. Set a clear goal for your funnel, generate leads, book consultations, or sell a course.
  2. Create a lead magnet
    Develop a free resource that addresses a specific pain point. This can be a downloadable guide, a webinar registration, or a quiz. Promote it on social media and your website.
  3. Build an opt-in page
    Use a simple landing page that highlights the lead magnet’s benefits and captures email addresses. Keep the form minimal, name and email suffice.
  4. Set up an email sequence
    Craft a nurture sequence that delivers the lead magnet, shares valuable tips, and gradually introduces your paid offers. Include one low-cost service offer in the sequence to gauge interest.
  5. Design a sales page
    Create a dedicated page for your core packages. Clearly list features, benefits, testimonials, and pricing. Use a comparison chart to help prospects choose the right package.
  6. Implement payment and scheduling
    Use a payment gateway, Stripe or PayPal, and integrate a booking tool like Calendly for service calls. Ensure the process is frictionless: a single checkout button and an easy scheduling link.
  7. Follow up for upsells
    After purchase, automatically send a thank-you email offering an advanced package or subscription service. Highlight the extra value loyal clients receive.

Tools and platforms to get started

These free or affordable tools help you create and manage funnels without high costs:

  • Mailchimp Free Tier
    Build signup forms, landing pages, and automated email sequences. Up to 2,000 contacts are free, which is ideal for beginners.
  • ConvertKit Free
    Create simple funnels with forms and email sequences. The free plan covers up to 1,000 subscribers and basic automations.
  • Elementor Free (WordPress plugin)
    Design landing and sales pages using drag-and-drop. Customize templates for lead magnets and pricing pages without coding.
  • Stripe
    Accept payments for courses or services. Integrate Stripe checkout into your sales page for a seamless experience.
  • Calendly Free
    Allow prospects to schedule calls or demos directly. Embed scheduling buttons on your sales pages and emails.
  • Trello
    Manage funnel tasks, content creation, page design, email drafts, and follow-up reminders, using simple boards and cards.

Best practices for beginners

  • Keep offers clear and simple
    Avoid confusing package tiers. Limit to three tiers, basic, standard, premium, with distinct features and price points.
  • Focus on value first
    Your lead magnet and low-cost offers should solve an immediate problem. Demonstrating value early builds trust and justifies higher prices later.
  • Use strong calls to action
    Each funnel stage should guide prospects, download now, sign up for a free call, or choose a pricing plan. Clear CTAs reduce decision fatigue.
  • Test continuously
    A/B test landing page headlines, email subject lines, and pricing tiers. Small tweaks can yield significant conversion improvements.
  • Segment your audience
    Tag email subscribers based on their interests or actions, webinar attendees, ebook downloaders, to send more relevant offers and pricing options.

Measuring success and optimizing your funnel

Track these metrics to know if your funnel and pricing strategy work:

  • Lead opt-in rate
    Percentage of landing page visitors who submit their email. A higher rate means your lead magnet resonates.
  • Email open and click rates
    Monitor how many subscribers open your nurture emails and click through to offers. Use these insights to refine copy and timing.
  • Conversion rate
    Percentage of leads who purchase a low-cost offer or core package. Comparing rates across stages reveals where drop-offs occur.
  • Average revenue per customer
    Calculate total revenue divided by number of customers. Use this to adjust price points or introduce upsells if revenue is lower than expected.
  • Customer lifetime value (CLV)
    Track revenue from repeat buyers or subscribers over time. Higher CLV indicates successful upsells and retention strategies.

By following this beginner’s guide, you’ll build a funnel marketing system that aligns pricing with each stage of the customer journey, giving you a powerful edge in your pricing strategy. Which funnel stage will you optimize first to see immediate improvements in your conversions?

How can you refine your funnel and pricing offers to give prospects the right value at the right time?

How automation helps you get freelancer leads.

Sep 14, 2024 | Get Clients

How automation helps freelancer lead gen

Why automate lead generation

Freelancers often juggle client work, self-marketing, and administrative tasks. Manual outreach and follow-ups can eat into billable hours and lead to missed opportunities. Automation ensures that every new visitor, email inquiry, or social media comment triggers a preset sequence, capturing contact details, sending a welcome message, and scheduling follow-up tasks. This consistent, automated process not only expands your reach but also builds credibility through timely, personalized communication.

Key automation strategies

Implementing automation for lead gen involves several interconnected tactics that work together to attract, qualify, and nurture prospects:

  • Lead capture forms and landing pages
    Automated forms collect visitor information and trigger email sequences. Rather than manually checking form submissions, automation sends a personalized welcome email with resources or a scheduling link immediately.
  • Email nurture sequences
    Once a prospect subscribes, a series of prewritten emails delivers value, case studies, free templates, or tips, while guiding them toward a discovery call. Automated drip campaigns keep you top of mind without repetitive manual emailing.
  • Chatbots and messenger automation
    Embedding chatbots on your portfolio or blog answers common questions, qualifies leads by asking a few custom questions, and collects contact details before handing off to you for a deeper conversation.
  • Social media scheduling
    Automate content posting on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook so you maintain a regular presence without spending hours each day. Consistent posting attracts new followers, who then enter automated funnels via your profile links.
  • Customer relationship management (CRM) automation
    Use a CRM that automatically tags new leads, assigns follow-up tasks, and updates deal stages based on prospect behaviors, like clicking an email link or booking a meeting, so you never lose track of a lead’s status.

Free and affordable tools to use

Several cost-effective tools let freelancers set up lead-gen automation quickly. Here are some top picks:

  • Google Forms
    Create simple lead capture forms and embed them on your site. Responses go straight to Google Sheets, where you can use add-ons like FormWebhook to trigger email notifications or Zapier actions.
  • Mailchimp Free Tier
    Build automated email sequences that send to new subscribers. Up to 2,000 contacts and basic automation workflows are free, making it ideal for freelancers just starting out.
  • Zapier Free Plan
    Connect apps like Google Forms, Gmail, and Slack to automate tasks, such as sending a notification to Slack when a new form response arrives or adding new contacts to Mailchimp.
  • HubSpot Free CRM
    Capture lead details, track email opens, and schedule follow-up tasks automatically. HubSpot’s free plan includes forms, contact management, and deal pipelines.
  • tawk.to
    A free live chat app that lets you embed a chat widget on your site. Set up automated greetings or fallback messages that ask qualifying questions and collect emails.
  • Slack Free Tier
    Use Zapier or Incoming Webhooks to post new lead notifications directly into a channel, ensuring you respond quickly.
  • Buffer Free Plan
    Schedule up to a limited number of social posts across multiple profiles. Consistent posting drives traffic back to your site’s lead capture forms.

Steps to set up your automation workflow

Follow these steps to create a repeatable, automated lead-gen process:

  1. Create a lead magnet and capture form
    Design a valuable resource, a checklist, template, or short guide, and host it behind a Google Form or a free WordPress plugin like Crate. Collect name and email before delivering the download link.
  2. Set up email nurture
    In Mailchimp or HubSpot CRM, build a simple drip sequence: send the lead magnet, follow up with a case study, then invite the lead to book a call via a calendar link (e.g., using Calendly Free).
  3. Qualify leads via chatbot
    Install tawk.to on your site and configure an automated welcome message, “Hi there, are you interested in [service]? Let me know your email and I’ll send you a free sample.” When visitors respond, Zapier can add them to your CRM or email list automatically.
  4. Automate follow-up reminders
    Use Zapier to create a “Zap” that triggers when a new row appears in Google Sheets (from form submissions). Set it to send a Slack notification or an email to yourself reminding you to reach out if the automated email sequence hasn’t gotten a reply in seven days.
  5. Schedule social posts
    Use Buffer to pre-schedule content promoting your lead magnet or blog posts. Every post should include a link back to your capture form so new audiences enter your automated funnel.
  6. Track CRM activity
    In HubSpot CRM, create a deal pipeline with stages like “New Lead,” “Nurturing,” “Qualified,” and “Proposal Sent.” Use automation to move deals to the next stage when a lead clicks a specific email link or books a meeting.

Best practices for automated lead gen

  • Keep your messaging personal
    Even though emails are automated, use merge tags, “Hi {{FirstName}}”, and reference the lead magnet they downloaded. Small touches maintain engagement.
  • Test and optimize sequences
    A/B test subject lines, email copy, and call-to-action buttons in Mailchimp or HubSpot. Compare open and click rates to refine your approach.
  • Monitor deliverability
    Check bounce rates and spam complaints in your email platform. High bounce rates can hurt sender reputation and reduce the effectiveness of your automation.
  • Don’t over-automate
    Include manual check-points, like reviewing form submissions weekly to personalize follow-up or pause a sequence if a lead responds.
  • Provide clear next steps
    Each automated email should include a single, clear call to action, download a resource, reply with a question, or book a call.

Measuring success and optimizing your approach

Evaluate the performance of your automated funnel by tracking these metrics:

  • Form conversion rate
    Percentage of site visitors who submit the capture form. A higher rate means your lead magnet and CTA resonate.
  • Email open and click rates
    Monitor how many prospects open and click links in your nurture emails. Use these insights to tweak subject lines and content.
  • Chatbot engagement rate
    Number of chat interactions versus total site visits. High engagement suggests your chatbot messaging is effective at starting conversations.
  • Lead-to-meeting ratio
    Percentage of leads who book a call after entering the funnel. If this is low, review your call-to-action or scheduling process.
  • Proposal win rate
    Deals closed versus proposals sent. A strong win rate indicates your qualification and nurturing process brings higher-quality leads.

By leveraging free and affordable automation tools, freelancers can build a consistent lead-generation system that captures, nurtures, and qualifies prospects while you focus on delivering value. Which part of this automated workflow will you implement first to start attracting more clients?

How will you use automation to ensure no potential lead slips through the cracks and every opportunity is nurtured?