Your Marketing Funnel

If I were to grade myself for planning in my business I would have told you I’m definitely deserving of an A. Not A+ but getting there. Now, a week later I can see I was really more of a C or D student in the planning department. What’s changed? Last week I spent a day with the NY Times Best Selling Author, Robert G. Allen. I went to his home (which was the most opulent home I’ve ever seen live or in a magazine!) with ten other infopreneurs. He began our day by wanting to hear about our business. He whipped out a blank form that he called “Your Money Funnel”. On his Smart Board he filled out each of our funnels as we told him how people find us and what products and services we offer. It was very eye opening! I have written down several marketing funnels over the years but with this coaching as well, as seeing everyone else’s funnels, I immediately saw where my gaps were . Ouch! Then he asked a question that will forever change the way I do business. “What’s your five year funnel?” Huh? I’m impressed that I have a one-year plan. Now you want five years out? I knew I couldn’t whip it out on the fly. I wanted to sit and ponder. I decided I’d do it on the plane ride from San Diego to Oakland. My intention was that I would make it easy, include my Inner Business Expert in the conversation and only write down things that felt super fun and exciting. He called it a money funnel, I call it a marketing funnel. Whatever floats your boat. But let me tell you, this was soooo different than visualizing my life five or ten years out. I was thinking very specifically about what I want to be offering and at what price points. On the screen of my mind I erased my current business model so I was creating from a blank canvas. This was going to be laid out as my dream business. If I had 100% confidence that I could create whatever the heck I wanted, what would I love to be doing? I whipped out that plan in about 30 minutes. I know exactly how I will reach my ideal customers. I know how the retreats, classes, coaching and adventures I want to offer will look. I got so pumped! The planning wasn’t over. Because my five-year plan is so juicy that I can taste it, I want to make some of it real right now! I came home and changed my plan for 2012! I changed some of my current pricing. I came up with a NEW concept (top secret at the moment!) that I’m going to launch. My team is going to do our joint venture partnerships differently. Is my excitement coming through your computer?? Because I’m bouncing off the walls with passion from the clarity this 5-year funnel has given me! If you want to start living the dream now, and plan for a future that includes the most joyous way of doing business you can imagine, then get your bootay in gear with inspired action.