building a $20m sales funnel from scratch

A website is a brochure; a funnel is a step-by-step process that turns strangers into paying customers.

Websites convert 1-3 %, funnels routinely convert 10-25 %. Websites exist for credibility checks after people already know you; funnels are where the money is made.

Why: Websites overwhelm with choice; funnels remove friction and guide to a single call-to-action.

"a website is more like your brochure... it's almost like walking into a grocery store"

Ugly, text-heavy funnels outperform beautiful ones because they prioritize copy and clarity over visual polish.

Every attempt to beautify the $20 m funnel reduced conversions; scrappy pages packed with copy consistently win A/B tests.

Why: Clean design reduces word count and urgency; ugly pages signal authenticity and deliver more persuasive copy.

"the shittiest looking funnels we have tend to be the seven-figure funnels"

Funnels start with paid ads (Facebook, YouTube) or owned lists; organic website traffic is not the primary driver.

Ads are targeted at book readers, job titles, or video viewers; URLs are hidden from main site navigation to maintain focus.

Why: Cold traffic needs a controlled narrative; ads let you pre-qualify intent before the funnel even begins.

"step one is always either Facebook ads, meta ads or YouTube ads"

A single long-form training video (60-90 min) acts as both value delivery and sales pitch, unlocking only after email capture.

Viewers must watch ~15 min before CTA appears; non-watchers get the same content dripped via email, ending in call booking.

Why: Time investment creates commitment; education builds trust and qualifies high-intent leads.

"this one-hour long session... gives you a sense of what it actually would be like to get trained by us"

Add a qualifying Typeform when lead volume is high; remove it when volume drops to keep calendar full.

Survey asks budget, commitment, timeline; filters out low-budget prospects and reduces no-shows by limiting booking window to 3 days.

Why: Sales team time is finite; friction increases lead quality and show-up rates.

"we add this type form when our lead flow is too high... it's just a way to add friction"

Pixel every landing page to retarget non-converters with new offers across Meta and YouTube.

Even if email isn’t captured, pixel data allows sequential ads; email segmentation triggers different drip campaigns.

Why: Most visitors don’t convert on first touch; retargeting multiplies ROI from the same ad spend.

"this page has a Facebook pixel on it... we're going to be able to show that person ads"

A free or low-cost physical book is the highest-converting lead magnet; upsell a higher-ticket program immediately after checkout.

Book costs just shipping; next page offers a $2 k course while customer is in buying mode; physical item increases perceived value and social shares.

Why: Tangible goods trigger reciprocity; book buyers are pre-qualified buyers willing to spend.

"nothing is more effective... than holding a goddamn book in your hand"

Stack limited-time free gifts (MIFKE = Most Incredible Free Gift Ever) on top of core offer to spike conversions.

Used by AG1, Whoop, Endel; works for B2B by adding extra licenses or printed materials if deal closes before year-end.

Why: Scarcity + bonus value increases perceived deal size and accelerates decision-making.

"it's about stacking one-time free gifts onto a current offer... it works so well and dramatically increases conversion rates"