September 10, 2024 • 28 mins
No matter where you are in your business journey, take your customers on that journey with you through a marketing funnel.
In today's episode of 10 Minute Marketing, Sonja Crystal Williams is joined by funnel strategist and owner of KMB Digital, Karrie Chariton. Karrie talks about the key fundamentals of building a marketing funnel and why every business focused on generating leads needs to have at least one funnel in place.
Karrie shares her expertise on the step-by-step process of building a profitable funnel, how to get more visibility to any funnel, and the responsibilities of maintaining a funnel post-launch. As Sonja and Karrie delve into why business owners need marketing funnels to grow their audience and brand, they also go over reasons why your traffic and conversions don't match up and some tactics you can use to improve it.
After listening to the podcast, you’re invited to get Karrie's free Flood Your Funnel with Traffic guide. Download the guide to discover over 50 proven strategies to drive traffic and boost conversions. You can never have too much traffic!
About Karrie Chariton and KMB Digital
Karrie is the owner of KMB Digital, a funnel-building agency for visionary women course creators & coaches. She's been in the online space for 8 years working as a PM, OBM, Tech Specialist, and Pinterest Ads Strategist. She is also a certified Launch Manager & Funnel Gorgeous Certified Master Marketer. She loves to learn new things and read personal development books. When her nose isn't in a book, she can be found with her family trying new restaurants or planning the next travel adventure.
Learn more about KMB Digital here, and follow Karrie on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Sonja Crystal Williams (00:07):
Hi everyone, welcome to today's
episode of 10 Minute Marketing.
I'm Sonja Crystal Williams,your host, and today joining me
I have Karrie Chariton, and sheis the owner of KMB Digital, a
funnel building agency forvisionary women, course creators
and coaches.
Welcome, thank you for beinghere, Karrie.
Karrie Chariton (00:27):
Hello, thank you for having me.
I'm so excited to be here.
Sonja Crystal Willia (00:32):
Absolutely .
So, I want to go back to yourbio, because it says funnel
building strategist, and I feellike funnel is one of those
words that, like, people hear alot but I feel like they don't
exactly know what that means.
I want to start-- or maybe theydo, but I don't know if they
(00:55):
understand the fullness of it,which is why I think it's really
great having you here today.
So let me start with the mostbasic of basic questions, Karrie
.
To you, what's a funnel andwhat's the value of any brand
having a funnel set up forthemselves?
Karrie Chariton (01:11):
Sure well, to put it simply, a funnel is just
like the journey you're takingyour customer through, from how
they meet you to, potentially, asale or booking a call.
You're in charge of the funnel.
Like you, you will reverseengineer it.
What's the thing?
Do you want a sale?
Do you want to call?
You know what's the end game,and so the way that I talk about
(01:36):
what a funnel is, I compare itto what it's not, because I
think most people know by nowwhat a website is.
You go to a website.
It's usually like three to fivepages.
There's tabs on the top likeAbout and Contact Me, and you
know all the things, andpotentially a blog.
(01:57):
So when you go to a website andthat could be a whole other
conversation about websitesversus funnels.
But basically, when you go to awebsite, you do try to do a
similar thing, you try to get asimilar outcome, but there are
so many places, as you'rereading down, to jump off.
It's like, ok, I came to thispage to really learn about Sonja
(02:24):
, for example.
And then it's like, oh well,she does Facebook Ads and she
has a blog, and you know, youhave, like all these options,
like oh here's a case study.
You know all the things, and soI may not get to where you want
me to get to, because it's likeyou know, we're all busy
scrolling with one intention.
Kid calls, husband calls, youknow something happens, and then
(02:47):
you leave, right?
And so nothing got accomplished, whereas a funnel is like
virtually the same thing, butwith no jump- offs.
It's like here's the thing, whydo you need it, why am I the
person to help you?
And like book the thing, buythe thing, whatever, and there's
like no place to go except totake action and it's the one
(03:12):
singular action.
And so that's it kind of worksfor comparison, like, what are
you looking at?
Cause you may be looking at afunnel.
I mean, there, a funnel has aURL.
You know it doesn't have to be"YourW ebsite.
com/ something" you know.
You can just buy a URL.
I had a Pinterest course so itwas like go to pinning
foundationscom and it's notthere anymore, but that was
(03:37):
sending them to a funnel and itwas like by the course, so there
are similarities in that regard.
But you may not even knowyou're on a funnel.
Sonja Crystal Williams (03:46):
Right.
Karrie Chariton (03:47):
Unless you're probably a marketer.
Sonja Crystal Williams (03:50):
Yeah, Like.
So the average person wouldthink of this, like I went to
this site and there's some kindof offer being flashed in front
of me and I click it and ittakes me to this webpage.
And, from our point of view asmarketers, you're now in my
funnel, Right, exactly so, and Ithink you kind of described it
(04:11):
like.
The value of having that funnelis it's directing your audience
where you want them to go,which could lead to a lead or a
sale.
Great point.
At what point does anorganization need that?
Like, when do I wake up and sayyou know what?
(04:36):
I've got this website, and Ialways call them like a brochure
style website.
It's great, it's informational,but it might not convert people
.
At what point does someone needto say I think I need a funnel,
or I need a lead magnet or anoffer or something in place
that's going to start to bringpeople into my funnel?
Karrie Chariton (04:48):
I would say that is even it should be the
very first thing, even before awebsite, because I know, when I
got started in business, Ididn't have a website, but I had
a LinkedIn profile.
You can always send peoplesomewhere, but the whole point
(05:10):
is that you need to grow anemail list that you can reach
out to, and so the best way todo that is what you had
mentioned is a lead magnet, andso, to get the lead magnet, you
create the lead magnet funneland so you know it's just send
someone to your funnel, sign up,get a thing whatever it is, you
know that shows your expertiseand your knowledge, and then go
(05:31):
to the next step.
So that was something that Iwish I had done sooner in my
business.
It took a while, but it'sdefinitely one of the very first
things that a business shouldhave.
Sonja Crystal Williams (05:44):
So any business can do this.
If I'm doing it and I don'thave a website yet, like what
does a person use Even somepeople, if they have websites?
Like what are good softwares ortools or apps that people could
use to host their funnel?
Karrie Chariton (06:02):
Yeah, there's a couple different types of
software.
I mean one if you have awebsite.
Oftentimes you can have afunnel on a website page.
Sonja Crystal Williams (06:15):
Okay.
Karrie Chariton (06:16):
So that's using software that you already have.
There is specific funnelsoftware, Like there's so many
Carta, High Level, Systemio, Imean there's a gazillion out
there.
They make it a little biteasier to do a funnel and it may
(06:36):
be less overwhelming or lesscomplicated, Like if you're like
overwhelmed at the thought ofcreating, like, oh my God, I
have a website.
You can often do something.
You know, even a single funnelpage could be a website and you
can have like a single pagewebsite.
Sonja Crystal Williams (06:51):
But there's, so there's specific
funnel software.
Karrie Chariton (06:54):
And then the third place I would argue is an
email software OK form, likeConvertKit.
Ok, one of those things,usually platforms like ConvertK
it.
Okay, one of those thingsusually well, I don't want to
say usually, but, um, it doessimple, it usually does simple
funnels.
So it would be a great place todo like a lead magnet funnel if
(07:15):
you're just getting started.
Get an email software platformand then have an opt-in page.
That's usually.
I think that's kind of usuallywhere people start like kind of
they're dipping their toes intolike what I need to do, and then
when the whole world ofmarketing opens up, then it's
like then it leads to theoverwhelm.
Do I need funnel software?
Can I build on my website, etcetera.
(07:37):
So there's, there are a lot ofdifferent places, not
necessarily a right or a wrong,just sort of depends where you
are in your business and whereyou intend to go.
Sonja Crystal Williams (07:48):
Yeah, I think that's a good point
because a lot of people willhave MailChimp or ConvertKit.
I haven't used Constant Contactin a long time, but I know
that's a really popular one andthose are places where it's
usually starting out with alanding page to host whatever's
being offered and then, yeah,eventually you could get into
those softwares, but that's moremoney.
(08:11):
So if you already have an emaillist like, that's a great
starting point because you mightalready be paying for that
email software and then overtime, as your funnel gets more
sophisticated or you buildmultiple funnels, that shift can
start to happen.
So, Karrie, tell me where youcome in with your service.
At what point are you usuallyhelping business owners?
(08:32):
Is it building the funnel fromscratch?
Or is it people that have afunnel and they're like what do
I do?
I built this thing, I don'tknow what to do with it, because
I hear that a lot and you'relike the perfect person to step
in and say well, here's what youdo.
So where do you come in andhelp?
Karrie Chariton (08:50):
Yes, well, and I've had that too, like, oh,
I've built the thing, now whatdo I do?
And you know, "build it andthey will come Doesn't
necessarily work.
But I work with with all, likereally all levels of businesses.
I do have a soft spot and I dolike to work with beginners
because it's like they're likeyou know, they're sort of green,
(09:12):
like okay, I heard I need afunnel, this is what I want to
do.
Yeah, and I don't know the tech.
You know they might be likeoverwhelmed with it.
Do I?
Can I?
I have software, I have anemail list or something.
Can I start with that?
And so they, they just need alittle bit more handholding and
like reassurance and guidance.
And like I was there too, likeI mean, we were, I think we were
(09:33):
all there.
We weren't born learning how tobuild an email list on an email
software platform.
So typically I will start withthem a lot of them or I work
with established business ownerswho already have multiple
funnels in place.
They may have.
(09:53):
You know, sometimes businesseshave like a funnel builder on
retainer, like they're justbuilding funnels for like all
kinds of projects and thingslike that.
So usually I I have a soft spotfor beginners.
So I like to help beginners alot because we you know, we were
all there.
I know what it felt like to belike, overwhelmed with all the
(10:16):
tech and all the things.
So I work with beginners andlike holding them through the
process and and I work with likethe intermediate kind of
business owner.
It could be for a coupledifferent reasons.
One is, you know, it's kind ofthe evolution of business as we
(10:37):
start out maybe doing it allourself, and then it's like,
okay, I'm going to put the CEOhat on and start hiring a team.
So you know, I'll get hired tocome in and like be the funnel
strategist and like, let's, youknow, what are you doing, how
can I help, and then what can Ibuild?
And so usually that's where Ifit in.
(10:57):
It could be as a subcontractorfor agencies, or people will
just come straight to me as anagency and say, you know, we're
looking for someone to you know,fill this role in our business.
And so yeah, it just comes withtime and experience.
Sonja Crystal Williams (11:17):
Yeah, and I think you kind of started
to answer another question,which is like one like once a
funnel is in place, like who'sthe person responsible for
managing?
And yeah, it just looksdifferent for different
organizations, because I'll hearthat some people are ready to
really fully step up into thatCEO role and pass it along.
So there's the outsource method.
(11:39):
If someone's managing itin-house or in coordination with
the agency, like, who's usuallythe point person for managing?
Karrie Chariton (11:53):
It could be me, it could be.
If they have, like, a socialmedia manager, okay, it sort of
depends on, like, what theirstrategy is.
So oftentimes people start outorganically.
So they, you know, may have aVA that's like, hey, I'm just
going to post organically.
Then, okay, they may hire asocial media manager if it gets
to like, hey, we're going tojust put fire to this funnel and
(12:15):
get, like, lots of peoplecoming through and scale.
If they do it through ads, youcould have a Facebook Ads
manager, Pinterest ads manager,Google, LinkedIn, like all of
the ads managers.
Then in that that case,typically, like, my role is kind
of I say at the end, where it'slike, okay, now all the traffic
is coming through and I'm theone analyzing it, so like, are
(12:40):
you getting sales, why, or whynot?
A lot of people think ifthey're -- a lot of times as
business owners will pull like,"hey, I want like a you know
million dollar launch, right,and then they don't get it and
they're like you know why I, whydid it get that and it's like,
well, was that realistic in thefirst place?
So I'm usually like that personat the end of the funnel then
(13:01):
at this point, like analyzing asthe traffic has gone through,
and so then like, when you getto a larger team, then there's
typically like a online businessmanager or an ops manager or
somebody.
So it just kind of it evolvesreally and it depends on the
organization.
Sonja Crystal Williams (13:20):
That's a good point and evolves.
Evolving could take years.
Some people want this stuff tohappen overnight, but it doesn't
, don't we all?
Yeah, it just doesn't work thatway.
So the other piece is we talkedabout kind of like the intro of
(13:41):
the funnel, which is there's anoffer, it's sitting on a
webpage and then people aregoing to sign up for that offer
and that's the, I'd say, kind ofoftentimes the starting point,
like we might call it aconversion, but it's usually the
starting point, cause now thisperson's on your email list, in
many cases they might not make apurchase right away.
So that's one part of thefunnel.
(14:02):
Let's talk about the next partof the funnel, which is OK,
they're on my email list.
Now what?
What are the pieces that comeinto play once, because a lot of
people are great at that firststep where they create or come
up with some fun to offer.
Karrie Chariton (14:21):
I mean, well, I think even like stepping behind
that it's like, yes, you havethe offer, but you have to get
your offer seen.
So it's like really the wholelike-- they call it top of
funnel, like how to get yourfunnel in front of people, and
so that was sort of what wealluded to.
You build the funnel and likewhy is no one buying or why is
(14:42):
no one seeing it?
And a lot of times, likebeginners who are like, told you
need a funnel, they're like,okay, built the funnel, but who
am I going to sell to?
And so it to me like that's thevery beginning of like how do
you like, how do you get peopleinto your funnel?
And so that is, what I typicallysee is that it's usually not
(15:03):
your offer, it's usually not thefunnel.
Usually all that works it'syou're having a conversion
problem because you have atraffic problem, which means
that not enough people areseeing your offer, and that's
probably why you're not gettingas many sales.
Oh, if everyone goes to mylanding page or the page that
(15:24):
they're going to automaticallybuy, and so from a sales
perspective, I mean, then whatyou were talking about is like a
lead magnet funnel.
So it's like we have the leadon our email list.
They got our little freebiething, whatever that was.
Now what do we do with them?
And that is another thing, adrop off point, where it's like
(15:45):
I got you on my list, but thenif you don't have like regular
contact, I mean, so first itstarts like usually when someone
purchases, then there's likewhat they call the welcome
sequence, and so a lot of peoplethat see your funnel are
signing up.
We call them cold trafficbecause they may have never
heard of you before.
So now it's sort of like youknow you and I are meeting for
(16:08):
the first time.
What am I going to say?
Hey, Sonja, buy my thing right.
I mean you'd be like.
.
.
y ou know, what is that?
Sonja Crystal Williams (16:16):
I don't even know you, right.
Karrie Chariton (16:19):
So it's like, people equate it to dating.
It's like you're not like, hey,buy my thing.
Or you know, hey, let's worktogether.
People need to know each otherand so in that welcome sequence
is where you're sharing moreabout you, maybe your philosophy
, how you work.
(16:39):
You know like, I like to workwith women.
I'm a homeschool mom.
I usually work with parents,you know.
So it's probably in yourmarketing messaging to who
you're going to kind of likevibe with.
But you know it's a way to, atthat point, I mean, someone may
have jumped on your list andthen you're going to go through
your welcome sequence.
(16:59):
That's kind of like thatinformal, like dating and people
are like, "I don't know, sheseems like a little bit too much
.
Or yeah, you know she's someonethat I feel like I could trust,
like she's.
You know you share some of yourexperience.
You may want to share othercontent you've created as a way
to let people know about you andwhat you do, and so that's sort
(17:23):
of like that feeling thing,that relationship like okay, is
this someone who I can work with?
And so, as the business owner,you need to definitely have like
that welcome sequence but thenafter that you need to have a
regular email, like newsletter,or email cadence, like is it
(17:43):
once a week, is it once a month?
You know, set the expectation.
Usually it's one of two things.
At end of the welcome sequence, after we've kind of like
danced around and got to knoweach other, like what's next?
Like for me, as a serviceprovider, as a funnel builder?
It's you're, "hey, let you know.
Do you need a funnel?
(18:03):
You know, do you need a funnel?
Do you want to talk on a call?
" Or, you know, maybe you're,you're, maybe you're not at that
point yet in your businesswhere it's like you have a thing
"oh sell but tell them okay,you know, now you're, now you're
on my email list.
You know the welcome sequence isover, we've gotten to know each
other and you're going to hearfrom me like once a month or you
(18:26):
know, or once a week, so thatyou're, so that when you pop up
like I prefer like once a weekso that you know continuing to
stay in front of someone, but,like you know, I know it's hard
to be consistent.
And so then, like you know,tell them oh, I'm going to email
you, I have a monthlynewsletter, so that when you
show up a month later they'renot like oh yeah, who are you?
(18:48):
Right, they're expecting likeoh yeah, that's that Karrie,
what does she have to say," yeah, like that type of thing.
So that is the key too, becauseway too many people like
collect the leads but then theydon't do anything with them.
Sonja Crystal Williams (19:08):
Yeah, so OK.
So I kind of skipped a step.
Let's rewind.
We jumped to step three.
So step one offer in placesomething to get people into the
funnel.
Step two, which we're about totalk about we need to get
traffic there.
Step three, which you justtalked about okay, I have a lead
.
Now what and welcome sequenceis the starting to that answer?
So let's go back a step to thatmiddle part that you brought up
that a lot of people hear oh,you should have a funnel.
(19:31):
And then they build the funneland then it's like but no one's
signing up for my offer, noone's buying my course.
So what are some in yourexperience?
Just broadly, what are some ofthe most effective ways that
you've seen businesses start togenerate the traffic they need
to get their funnel seen more ortheir offer seen more?
Karrie Chariton (19:57):
All the things work.
What really is the key is whatyou can commit to consistently.
Sonja Crystal Williams (20:05):
Okay.
Karrie Chariton (20:41):
Facebook ads, Pinterest ads, all of them do.
I mean that that is a way youknow people.
You either pay with time ormoney.
All of, you know, the ads Imean that that way you know
people.
You either pay with time ormoney, and so if you got money
do the ads.
If you got the time, you know,do go organic.
There's so many different waysand it's whatever it really the
(21:02):
thing is is one, people.
(21:39):
.
.
you know coming into yourfunnel and "oh know it's you
getting in front of people, nomatter which way that is.
And so, even even if you don'tthink a funnel is for you, I
mean like, let's you know, asyou're in business, you want to
send people somewhere.
So send them to.
You know a funnel page, websitepage, you're connecting with
people locally.
Hey, go, you know, go, get mything.
I mean it's just it's some placeto send people so that you can,
you know, grow your list.
And not everyone is no one arepeople listening, that can't
handle like, oh, I can pay likethousands of dollars in ads, but
if they got like thousands ofleads, they'd be like, oh my God
, I don't know what to do withit.
So I mean that that's sort ofup to you as well as like the
pace and the consistency.
And also, I mean people do havemultiple funnels so you can
(21:59):
have multiple offers and youknow kind of say--a nd depending
on what you do.
Sonja Crystal Williams (22:05):
Yeah, oh , such great points.
Well, Karrie, I want to thankyou so much for breaking it down
because I mean, I hope I hopeeveryone was listening I mean
just really some really greatwisdom and advice dropped in
there on how to approachcreating a funnel, or like just
making the funnel that youalready have even better.
Karrie, I always like to endevery episode with just a few
(22:28):
short questions.
I call this the lightning round, just to get to know you a
little better.
And so KMB Digital.
You've been in business for abit.
What would you say?
And I know you said like one ofyour happy spots is working
with beginners.
So if you were starting allover again, you were a beginner
(22:48):
and the Karrie of now wastalking to beginner Karrie,
what's the little bit of advicethat you would give beginner
Karrie or anyone in thatposition?
Karrie Chariton (22:59):
Well, besides getting an email funnel, lead
magnet funnel, whatever you wantto call it in place, talk about
it because, like the mistake Imade, was I exactly what I did?
I, like, built it, I put it onsocial media like a couple of
times and I thought the wholeworld had seen it and it was,
you know.
So once you build it and thentalk about it some more.
Sonja Crystal Williams (23:24):
Very good, sound, sound, sound advice
On a personal tip.
So you also mentioned yourprimary audience.
You work with a lot of women.
You also mentioned you're ahomeschool mom.
How do you balance theresponsibilities of being a mom,
running a business, like allthe things?
Like and I know that's a verybroad and loaded question, but
(23:45):
just if you were to summarizelike, how do I keep this
together?
Nine to five, Monday throughFriday, even nine to five?
Like what's the reality ofmanaging those things?
Karrie Chariton (24:00):
I don't even know how you homeschool and run
a business.
That's pretty amazing.
Well, it's funny.
I have to say that actually,like I have to take the
homeschooling hat off becausenow, just because we're
recording this, at the end ofAugust my last one, my last baby
, went to college.
So now it's like I'm not ahomeschooling mom anymore, but
(24:22):
like kind of going back to thebeginning as like a newbie.
It one of the things was likereally building your business
around your life and so, knowingthe limitations, like I had
already been homeschooling first, like I don't know if you can
(24:43):
like homeschool, start abusiness all at one time.
I think you need to do like onefirst and then the other, and
like just be realistic with yourtime, the type of business and
so when I started I was avirtual assistant and I had done
social media management.
So you know I was up-front.
I'm like homeschooling.
(25:03):
You're not going to get mebetween like 10 and two.
And you know I work in themorning, I work at night and
most people are like, well, Idon't care when you work, just
get the work done.
And like social media, you .
can plan it to go out anytime.
And so I knew that.
You know I was when I was upfront with my clients and you're
like you're either going tolove me and you're going to be
(25:23):
fine with that, or if you're not, then you're not my person.
And then you know just planning.
You know don't don't pick up acustomer service role answering
phones if you got kids likescreaming in the background.
So just like be realistic.
And then also, you know, justtry to and I say try to kind of
(25:45):
set parameters and outsource.
That would be my other thing: Buy your groceries online, you (25:46):
undefined
know start.
You know you don't have to havethe nanny and the cook, the
chauffeur and like all thethings like we think we would
like.
You know, but start small andtry to like delegate, give your
kids chores, like kids nowadays.
You know mom does everything,or it's, you know whatever it is
(26:09):
, but it's like it's not goingto hurt to have a kid to help
around the house, and so that'sprobably another conversation
for another day but another, butalso setting another type of
expectation and parameters, andit's just doing it with your
kids.
Sonja Crystal Williams (26:22):
I love this.
I went through this when I hadmy son, so I had my kids later
in life.
So I've got a eight and fouryear old but had to make a shift
in how I manage things and, toyour point, build the business
around my life.
Now my life is not built aroundthis business, so I really
really love that.
(26:43):
Thank you so much, Karrie.
So a couple of quick things aswe wrap up.
One you that people can kindof take away.
Where can people find that?
And for everyone, I'll dropthat into the description.
So look out for that link, but,Karrie, tell us a little about
it and where people can get it.
Karrie Chariton (27:02):
Sure, this is my Flood Your Funnel With
Traffic guide, and so this likegoes back to exactly what we
were talking about.
But this has like over 50 waysto get traffic to your funnel,
and so there may be thingsyou're like, oh well, what else
you know?
And so you' ve ways and itdoesn't have to be just one way,
(27:25):
so you could like implement acouple.
And so it was literally with aproblem that I saw.
It was like people would cometo me.
It was like people would cometo me and it's like my funnel's
not converting.
It's like it's not a funnelthing, it's a traffic thing.
Here's your guide.
Go, go, find you know four orfive ways and, like you know,
chip away at getting filled withtraffic.
(27:47):
And so that is my free gift andI hope that it helps all
business owners.
Whether you're new or you're.
You know you've been inbusiness 20 years.
You know you need new people,new leads.
You know the different wayschange, but then they stay the
(28:08):
same.
You know it's one of thosethings.
Sonja Crystal Williams (28:10):
So Awesome, so everybody look out
for that in the description, aswell as how you can get in touch
with Karrie.
Karrie, thank you so much forbeing here.
For everyone else, we'll seeyou next time.
Karrie Chariton (28:21):
Oh my God, thank you so much for having me
All right.
Hi everyone, welcome to today's
episode of 10 Minute Marketing.
I'm Sonja Crystal Williams,your host, and today joining me
I have Karrie Chariton, and sheis the owner of KMB Digital, a
funnel building agency forvisionary women, course creators
and coaches.
Welcome, thank you for beinghere, Karrie.
Karrie Chariton (00:27):
Hello, thank you for having me.
I'm so excited to be here.
Sonja Crystal Willia (00:32):
Absolutely .
So, I want to go back to yourbio, because it says funnel
building strategist, and I feellike funnel is one of those
words that, like, people hear alot but I feel like they don't
exactly know what that means.
I want to start-- or maybe theydo, but I don't know if they
(00:55):
understand the fullness of it,which is why I think it's really
great having you here today.
So let me start with the mostbasic of basic questions, Karrie
.
To you, what's a funnel andwhat's the value of any brand
having a funnel set up forthemselves?
Karrie Chariton (01:11):
Sure well, to put it simply, a funnel is just
like the journey you're takingyour customer through, from how
they meet you to, potentially, asale or booking a call.
You're in charge of the funnel.
Like you, you will reverseengineer it.
What's the thing?
Do you want a sale?
Do you want to call?
You know what's the end game,and so the way that I talk about
(01:36):
what a funnel is, I compare itto what it's not, because I
think most people know by nowwhat a website is.
You go to a website.
It's usually like three to fivepages.
There's tabs on the top likeAbout and Contact Me, and you
know all the things, andpotentially a blog.
(01:57):
So when you go to a website andthat could be a whole other
conversation about websitesversus funnels.
But basically, when you go to awebsite, you do try to do a
similar thing, you try to get asimilar outcome, but there are
so many places, as you'rereading down, to jump off.
It's like, ok, I came to thispage to really learn about Sonja
(02:24):
, for example.
And then it's like, oh well,she does Facebook Ads and she
has a blog, and you know, youhave, like all these options,
like oh here's a case study.
You know all the things, and soI may not get to where you want
me to get to, because it's likeyou know, we're all busy
scrolling with one intention.
Kid calls, husband calls, youknow something happens, and then
(02:47):
you leave, right?
And so nothing got accomplished, whereas a funnel is like
virtually the same thing, butwith no jump- offs.
It's like here's the thing, whydo you need it, why am I the
person to help you?
And like book the thing, buythe thing, whatever, and there's
like no place to go except totake action and it's the one
(03:12):
singular action.
And so that's it kind of worksfor comparison, like, what are
you looking at?
Cause you may be looking at afunnel.
I mean, there, a funnel has aURL.
You know it doesn't have to be"YourW ebsite.
com/ something" you know.
You can just buy a URL.
I had a Pinterest course so itwas like go to pinning
foundationscom and it's notthere anymore, but that was
(03:37):
sending them to a funnel and itwas like by the course, so there
are similarities in that regard.
But you may not even knowyou're on a funnel.
Sonja Crystal Williams (03:46):
Right.
Karrie Chariton (03:47):
Unless you're probably a marketer.
Sonja Crystal Williams (03:50):
Yeah, Like.
So the average person wouldthink of this, like I went to
this site and there's some kindof offer being flashed in front
of me and I click it and ittakes me to this webpage.
And, from our point of view asmarketers, you're now in my
funnel, Right, exactly so, and Ithink you kind of described it
(04:11):
like.
The value of having that funnelis it's directing your audience
where you want them to go,which could lead to a lead or a
sale.
Great point.
At what point does anorganization need that?
Like, when do I wake up and sayyou know what?
(04:36):
I've got this website, and Ialways call them like a brochure
style website.
It's great, it's informational,but it might not convert people
.
At what point does someone needto say I think I need a funnel,
or I need a lead magnet or anoffer or something in place
that's going to start to bringpeople into my funnel?
Karrie Chariton (04:48):
I would say that is even it should be the
very first thing, even before awebsite, because I know, when I
got started in business, Ididn't have a website, but I had
a LinkedIn profile.
You can always send peoplesomewhere, but the whole point
(05:10):
is that you need to grow anemail list that you can reach
out to, and so the best way todo that is what you had
mentioned is a lead magnet, andso, to get the lead magnet, you
create the lead magnet funneland so you know it's just send
someone to your funnel, sign up,get a thing whatever it is, you
know that shows your expertiseand your knowledge, and then go
(05:31):
to the next step.
So that was something that Iwish I had done sooner in my
business.
It took a while, but it'sdefinitely one of the very first
things that a business shouldhave.
Sonja Crystal Williams (05:44):
So any business can do this.
If I'm doing it and I don'thave a website yet, like what
does a person use Even somepeople, if they have websites?
Like what are good softwares ortools or apps that people could
use to host their funnel?
Karrie Chariton (06:02):
Yeah, there's a couple different types of
software.
I mean one if you have awebsite.
Oftentimes you can have afunnel on a website page.
Sonja Crystal Williams (06:15):
Okay.
Karrie Chariton (06:16):
So that's using software that you already have.
There is specific funnelsoftware, Like there's so many
Carta, High Level, Systemio, Imean there's a gazillion out
there.
They make it a little biteasier to do a funnel and it may
(06:36):
be less overwhelming or lesscomplicated, Like if you're like
overwhelmed at the thought ofcreating, like, oh my God, I
have a website.
You can often do something.
You know, even a single funnelpage could be a website and you
can have like a single pagewebsite.
Sonja Crystal Williams (06:51):
But there's, so there's specific
funnel software.
Karrie Chariton (06:54):
And then the third place I would argue is an
email software OK form, likeConvertKit.
Ok, one of those things,usually platforms like ConvertK
it.
Okay, one of those thingsusually well, I don't want to
say usually, but, um, it doessimple, it usually does simple
funnels.
So it would be a great place todo like a lead magnet funnel if
(07:15):
you're just getting started.
Get an email software platformand then have an opt-in page.
That's usually.
I think that's kind of usuallywhere people start like kind of
they're dipping their toes intolike what I need to do, and then
when the whole world ofmarketing opens up, then it's
like then it leads to theoverwhelm.
Do I need funnel software?
Can I build on my website, etcetera.
(07:37):
So there's, there are a lot ofdifferent places, not
necessarily a right or a wrong,just sort of depends where you
are in your business and whereyou intend to go.
Sonja Crystal Williams (07:48):
Yeah, I think that's a good point
because a lot of people willhave MailChimp or ConvertKit.
I haven't used Constant Contactin a long time, but I know
that's a really popular one andthose are places where it's
usually starting out with alanding page to host whatever's
being offered and then, yeah,eventually you could get into
those softwares, but that's moremoney.
(08:11):
So if you already have an emaillist like, that's a great
starting point because you mightalready be paying for that
email software and then overtime, as your funnel gets more
sophisticated or you buildmultiple funnels, that shift can
start to happen.
So, Karrie, tell me where youcome in with your service.
At what point are you usuallyhelping business owners?
(08:32):
Is it building the funnel fromscratch?
Or is it people that have afunnel and they're like what do
I do?
I built this thing, I don'tknow what to do with it, because
I hear that a lot and you'relike the perfect person to step
in and say well, here's what youdo.
So where do you come in andhelp?
Karrie Chariton (08:50):
Yes, well, and I've had that too, like, oh,
I've built the thing, now whatdo I do?
And you know, "build it andthey will come Doesn't
necessarily work.
But I work with with all, likereally all levels of businesses.
I do have a soft spot and I dolike to work with beginners
because it's like they're likeyou know, they're sort of green,
(09:12):
like okay, I heard I need afunnel, this is what I want to
do.
Yeah, and I don't know the tech.
You know they might be likeoverwhelmed with it.
Do I?
Can I?
I have software, I have anemail list or something.
Can I start with that?
And so they, they just need alittle bit more handholding and
like reassurance and guidance.
And like I was there too, likeI mean, we were, I think we were
(09:33):
all there.
We weren't born learning how tobuild an email list on an email
software platform.
So typically I will start withthem a lot of them or I work
with established business ownerswho already have multiple
funnels in place.
They may have.
(09:53):
You know, sometimes businesseshave like a funnel builder on
retainer, like they're justbuilding funnels for like all
kinds of projects and thingslike that.
So usually I I have a soft spotfor beginners.
So I like to help beginners alot because we you know, we were
all there.
I know what it felt like to belike, overwhelmed with all the
(10:16):
tech and all the things.
So I work with beginners andlike holding them through the
process and and I work with likethe intermediate kind of
business owner.
It could be for a coupledifferent reasons.
One is, you know, it's kind ofthe evolution of business as we
(10:37):
start out maybe doing it allourself, and then it's like,
okay, I'm going to put the CEOhat on and start hiring a team.
So you know, I'll get hired tocome in and like be the funnel
strategist and like, let's, youknow, what are you doing, how
can I help, and then what can Ibuild?
And so usually that's where Ifit in.
(10:57):
It could be as a subcontractorfor agencies, or people will
just come straight to me as anagency and say, you know, we're
looking for someone to you know,fill this role in our business.
And so yeah, it just comes withtime and experience.
Sonja Crystal Williams (11:17):
Yeah, and I think you kind of started
to answer another question,which is like one like once a
funnel is in place, like who'sthe person responsible for
managing?
And yeah, it just looksdifferent for different
organizations, because I'll hearthat some people are ready to
really fully step up into thatCEO role and pass it along.
So there's the outsource method.
(11:39):
If someone's managing itin-house or in coordination with
the agency, like, who's usuallythe point person for managing?
Karrie Chariton (11:53):
It could be me, it could be.
If they have, like, a socialmedia manager, okay, it sort of
depends on, like, what theirstrategy is.
So oftentimes people start outorganically.
So they, you know, may have aVA that's like, hey, I'm just
going to post organically.
Then, okay, they may hire asocial media manager if it gets
to like, hey, we're going tojust put fire to this funnel and
(12:15):
get, like, lots of peoplecoming through and scale.
If they do it through ads, youcould have a Facebook Ads
manager, Pinterest ads manager,Google, LinkedIn, like all of
the ads managers.
Then in that that case,typically, like, my role is kind
of I say at the end, where it'slike, okay, now all the traffic
is coming through and I'm theone analyzing it, so like, are
(12:40):
you getting sales, why, or whynot?
A lot of people think ifthey're -- a lot of times as
business owners will pull like,"hey, I want like a you know
million dollar launch, right,and then they don't get it and
they're like you know why I, whydid it get that and it's like,
well, was that realistic in thefirst place?
So I'm usually like that personat the end of the funnel then
(13:01):
at this point, like analyzing asthe traffic has gone through,
and so then like, when you getto a larger team, then there's
typically like a online businessmanager or an ops manager or
somebody.
So it just kind of it evolvesreally and it depends on the
organization.
Sonja Crystal Williams (13:20):
That's a good point and evolves.
Evolving could take years.
Some people want this stuff tohappen overnight, but it doesn't
, don't we all?
Yeah, it just doesn't work thatway.
So the other piece is we talkedabout kind of like the intro of
(13:41):
the funnel, which is there's anoffer, it's sitting on a
webpage and then people aregoing to sign up for that offer
and that's the, I'd say, kind ofoftentimes the starting point,
like we might call it aconversion, but it's usually the
starting point, cause now thisperson's on your email list, in
many cases they might not make apurchase right away.
So that's one part of thefunnel.
(14:02):
Let's talk about the next partof the funnel, which is OK,
they're on my email list.
Now what?
What are the pieces that comeinto play once, because a lot of
people are great at that firststep where they create or come
up with some fun to offer.
Karrie Chariton (14:21):
I mean, well, I think even like stepping behind
that it's like, yes, you havethe offer, but you have to get
your offer seen.
So it's like really the wholelike-- they call it top of
funnel, like how to get yourfunnel in front of people, and
so that was sort of what wealluded to.
You build the funnel and likewhy is no one buying or why is
(14:42):
no one seeing it?
And a lot of times, likebeginners who are like, told you
need a funnel, they're like,okay, built the funnel, but who
am I going to sell to?
And so it to me like that's thevery beginning of like how do
you like, how do you get peopleinto your funnel?
And so that is, what I typicallysee is that it's usually not
(15:03):
your offer, it's usually not thefunnel.
Usually all that works it'syou're having a conversion
problem because you have atraffic problem, which means
that not enough people areseeing your offer, and that's
probably why you're not gettingas many sales.
Oh, if everyone goes to mylanding page or the page that
(15:24):
they're going to automaticallybuy, and so from a sales
perspective, I mean, then whatyou were talking about is like a
lead magnet funnel.
So it's like we have the leadon our email list.
They got our little freebiething, whatever that was.
Now what do we do with them?
And that is another thing, adrop off point, where it's like
(15:45):
I got you on my list, but thenif you don't have like regular
contact, I mean, so first itstarts like usually when someone
purchases, then there's likewhat they call the welcome
sequence, and so a lot of peoplethat see your funnel are
signing up.
We call them cold trafficbecause they may have never
heard of you before.
So now it's sort of like youknow you and I are meeting for
(16:08):
the first time.
What am I going to say?
Hey, Sonja, buy my thing right.
I mean you'd be like.
.
.
y ou know, what is that?
Sonja Crystal Williams (16:16):
I don't even know you, right.
Karrie Chariton (16:19):
So it's like, people equate it to dating.
It's like you're not like, hey,buy my thing.
Or you know, hey, let's worktogether.
People need to know each otherand so in that welcome sequence
is where you're sharing moreabout you, maybe your philosophy
, how you work.
(16:39):
You know like, I like to workwith women.
I'm a homeschool mom.
I usually work with parents,you know.
So it's probably in yourmarketing messaging to who
you're going to kind of likevibe with.
But you know it's a way to, atthat point, I mean, someone may
have jumped on your list andthen you're going to go through
your welcome sequence.
(16:59):
That's kind of like thatinformal, like dating and people
are like, "I don't know, sheseems like a little bit too much
.
Or yeah, you know she's someonethat I feel like I could trust,
like she's.
You know you share some of yourexperience.
You may want to share othercontent you've created as a way
to let people know about you andwhat you do, and so that's sort
(17:23):
of like that feeling thing,that relationship like okay, is
this someone who I can work with?
And so, as the business owner,you need to definitely have like
that welcome sequence but thenafter that you need to have a
regular email, like newsletter,or email cadence, like is it
(17:43):
once a week, is it once a month?
You know, set the expectation.
Usually it's one of two things.
At end of the welcome sequence, after we've kind of like
danced around and got to knoweach other, like what's next?
Like for me, as a serviceprovider, as a funnel builder?
It's you're, "hey, let you know.
Do you need a funnel?
(18:03):
You know, do you need a funnel?
Do you want to talk on a call?
" Or, you know, maybe you're,you're, maybe you're not at that
point yet in your businesswhere it's like you have a thing
"oh sell but tell them okay,you know, now you're, now you're
on my email list.
You know the welcome sequence isover, we've gotten to know each
other and you're going to hearfrom me like once a month or you
(18:26):
know, or once a week, so thatyou're, so that when you pop up
like I prefer like once a weekso that you know continuing to
stay in front of someone, but,like you know, I know it's hard
to be consistent.
And so then, like you know,tell them oh, I'm going to email
you, I have a monthlynewsletter, so that when you
show up a month later they'renot like oh yeah, who are you?
(18:48):
Right, they're expecting likeoh yeah, that's that Karrie,
what does she have to say," yeah, like that type of thing.
So that is the key too, becauseway too many people like
collect the leads but then theydon't do anything with them.
Sonja Crystal Williams (19:08):
Yeah, so OK.
So I kind of skipped a step.
Let's rewind.
We jumped to step three.
So step one offer in placesomething to get people into the
funnel.
Step two, which we're about totalk about we need to get
traffic there.
Step three, which you justtalked about okay, I have a lead
.
Now what and welcome sequenceis the starting to that answer?
So let's go back a step to thatmiddle part that you brought up
that a lot of people hear oh,you should have a funnel.
(19:31):
And then they build the funneland then it's like but no one's
signing up for my offer, noone's buying my course.
So what are some in yourexperience?
Just broadly, what are some ofthe most effective ways that
you've seen businesses start togenerate the traffic they need
to get their funnel seen more ortheir offer seen more?
Karrie Chariton (19:57):
All the things work.
What really is the key is whatyou can commit to consistently.
Sonja Crystal Williams (20:05):
Okay.
Karrie Chariton (20:41):
Facebook ads, Pinterest ads, all of them do.
I mean that that is a way youknow people.
You either pay with time ormoney.
All of, you know, the ads Imean that that way you know
people.
You either pay with time ormoney, and so if you got money
do the ads.
If you got the time, you know,do go organic.
There's so many different waysand it's whatever it really the
(21:02):
thing is is one, people.
(21:39):
.
.
you know coming into yourfunnel and "oh know it's you
getting in front of people, nomatter which way that is.
And so, even even if you don'tthink a funnel is for you, I
mean like, let's you know, asyou're in business, you want to
send people somewhere.
So send them to.
You know a funnel page, websitepage, you're connecting with
people locally.
Hey, go, you know, go, get mything.
I mean it's just it's some placeto send people so that you can,
you know, grow your list.
And not everyone is no one arepeople listening, that can't
handle like, oh, I can pay likethousands of dollars in ads, but
if they got like thousands ofleads, they'd be like, oh my God
, I don't know what to do withit.
So I mean that that's sort ofup to you as well as like the
pace and the consistency.
And also, I mean people do havemultiple funnels so you can
(21:59):
have multiple offers and youknow kind of say--a nd depending
on what you do.
Sonja Crystal Williams (22:05):
Yeah, oh , such great points.
Well, Karrie, I want to thankyou so much for breaking it down
because I mean, I hope I hopeeveryone was listening I mean
just really some really greatwisdom and advice dropped in
there on how to approachcreating a funnel, or like just
making the funnel that youalready have even better.
Karrie, I always like to endevery episode with just a few
(22:28):
short questions.
I call this the lightning round, just to get to know you a
little better.
And so KMB Digital.
You've been in business for abit.
What would you say?
And I know you said like one ofyour happy spots is working
with beginners.
So if you were starting allover again, you were a beginner
(22:48):
and the Karrie of now wastalking to beginner Karrie,
what's the little bit of advicethat you would give beginner
Karrie or anyone in thatposition?
Karrie Chariton (22:59):
Well, besides getting an email funnel, lead
magnet funnel, whatever you wantto call it in place, talk about
it because, like the mistake Imade, was I exactly what I did?
I, like, built it, I put it onsocial media like a couple of
times and I thought the wholeworld had seen it and it was,
you know.
So once you build it and thentalk about it some more.
Sonja Crystal Williams (23:24):
Very good, sound, sound, sound advice
On a personal tip.
So you also mentioned yourprimary audience.
You work with a lot of women.
You also mentioned you're ahomeschool mom.
How do you balance theresponsibilities of being a mom,
running a business, like allthe things?
Like and I know that's a verybroad and loaded question, but
(23:45):
just if you were to summarizelike, how do I keep this
together?
Nine to five, Monday throughFriday, even nine to five?
Like what's the reality ofmanaging those things?
Karrie Chariton (24:00):
I don't even know how you homeschool and run
a business.
That's pretty amazing.
Well, it's funny.
I have to say that actually,like I have to take the
homeschooling hat off becausenow, just because we're
recording this, at the end ofAugust my last one, my last baby
, went to college.
So now it's like I'm not ahomeschooling mom anymore, but
(24:22):
like kind of going back to thebeginning as like a newbie.
It one of the things was likereally building your business
around your life and so, knowingthe limitations, like I had
already been homeschooling first, like I don't know if you can
(24:43):
like homeschool, start abusiness all at one time.
I think you need to do like onefirst and then the other, and
like just be realistic with yourtime, the type of business and
so when I started I was avirtual assistant and I had done
social media management.
So you know I was up-front.
I'm like homeschooling.
(25:03):
You're not going to get mebetween like 10 and two.
And you know I work in themorning, I work at night and
most people are like, well, Idon't care when you work, just
get the work done.
And like social media, you .
can plan it to go out anytime.
And so I knew that.
You know I was when I was upfront with my clients and you're
like you're either going tolove me and you're going to be
(25:23):
fine with that, or if you're not, then you're not my person.
And then you know just planning.
You know don't don't pick up acustomer service role answering
phones if you got kids likescreaming in the background.
So just like be realistic.
And then also, you know, justtry to and I say try to kind of
(25:45):
set parameters and outsource.
That would be my other thing: Buy your groceries online, you (25:46):
undefined
know start.
You know you don't have to havethe nanny and the cook, the
chauffeur and like all thethings like we think we would
like.
You know, but start small andtry to like delegate, give your
kids chores, like kids nowadays.
You know mom does everything,or it's, you know whatever it is
(26:09):
, but it's like it's not goingto hurt to have a kid to help
around the house, and so that'sprobably another conversation
for another day but another, butalso setting another type of
expectation and parameters, andit's just doing it with your
kids.
Sonja Crystal Williams (26:22):
I love this.
I went through this when I hadmy son, so I had my kids later
in life.
So I've got a eight and fouryear old but had to make a shift
in how I manage things and, toyour point, build the business
around my life.
Now my life is not built aroundthis business, so I really
really love that.
(26:43):
Thank you so much, Karrie.
So a couple of quick things aswe wrap up.
One you that people can kindof take away.
Where can people find that?
And for everyone, I'll dropthat into the description.
So look out for that link, but,Karrie, tell us a little about
it and where people can get it.
Karrie Chariton (27:02):
Sure, this is my Flood Your Funnel With
Traffic guide, and so this likegoes back to exactly what we
were talking about.
But this has like over 50 waysto get traffic to your funnel,
and so there may be thingsyou're like, oh well, what else
you know?
And so you' ve ways and itdoesn't have to be just one way,
(27:25):
so you could like implement acouple.
And so it was literally with aproblem that I saw.
It was like people would cometo me.
It was like people would cometo me and it's like my funnel's
not converting.
It's like it's not a funnelthing, it's a traffic thing.
Here's your guide.
Go, go, find you know four orfive ways and, like you know,
chip away at getting filled withtraffic.
(27:47):
And so that is my free gift andI hope that it helps all
business owners.
Whether you're new or you're.
You know you've been inbusiness 20 years.
You know you need new people,new leads.
You know the different wayschange, but then they stay the
(28:08):
same.
You know it's one of thosethings.
Sonja Crystal Williams (28:10):
So Awesome, so everybody look out
for that in the description, aswell as how you can get in touch
with Karrie.
Karrie, thank you so much forbeing here.
For everyone else, we'll seeyou next time.
Karrie Chariton (28:21):
Oh my God, thank you so much for having me
All right.
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