Steps to Start a Business
In today’s fast-paced business environment, unlocking your company’s maximum monetization potential can feel like an uphill battle. But what if there was a proven, straightforward system that simplifies the entire process? Drawing from extensive experience managing a portfolio generating over $250 million in revenue, this article breaks down a powerful four-step framework that puts business on “easy mode.” Whether you’re a new entrepreneur or an established business owner looking to scale, this guide will walk you through actionable steps to attract, engage, and convert customers efficiently.
Alongside the strategy, we’ll explore how GFunnel, an all-in-one business ecosystem, can seamlessly support each stage of the process, helping you automate, optimize, and grow your business with ease. Let’s dive in.
Step 1: Get the Ad – Capturing Attention with Precision
Every successful business begins with visibility. You must show your product or service to the right audience to generate interest. This is where advertisements come into play. Ads can take many forms:
Among these, paid ads stand out as the fastest way to scale because a single skilled individual can leverage the right creative and targeting to reach thousands or millions efficiently. The key is mastering the art and science of paid ads to maximize return on your investment.
Organic Plus CTA: Leveraging Content for Free Testing
One innovative approach to advertising that’s been a game-changer is the “Organic Plus CTA” method. Here’s how it works:
This method allows you to test multiple creatives at zero cost initially, using the platform’s algorithm to highlight winners. Then, by investing in paid promotion, you ensure consistent delivery while maintaining the authenticity and engagement of organic content.
GFunnel’s integrated ads management tools make it easy to track performance and seamlessly boost your organic posts with targeted paid campaigns, ensuring your best content reaches the right audience at scale.
Hook + Meat + CTA: The Classic Ad Formula
If you don’t have enough organic content or want to create ads quickly, the classic framework of Hook + Meat + Call to Action (CTA) is your go-to strategy:
The Power of the Hook
Hooks are powerful because they constitute roughly 80% of your ad’s success, despite their brevity. Short hooks are a blessing—they require less effort to consume but have outsized impact by stopping the scroll and drawing attention. For optimal results, develop at least 50 different hooks to give algorithms plenty of options to find the best performers.
Crafting the Meat with Four-Step Persuasion
The “meat” of your ad should persuade your audience by addressing four key angles regarding the desired action:
For example, signing up for a gym membership might mean more energy and better sleep, less brain fog, avoiding future health decline, and preserving joyful moments with family. This multi-angle approach makes your message resonate deeply.
Advanced Copywriting Tip: Think in Moments
Generic promises like “you’ll feel better” are ineffective. Instead, describe specific moments that illustrate the benefit. What does “feeling better” actually look like in someone’s life? Maybe it’s picking up a child with ease or tying shoes without discomfort. These vivid, relatable moments make your message compelling.
GFunnel’s copywriting and digital marketing courses provide additional insights and frameworks to help you master this art.
Step 2: The Opt-In – Creating Irresistible Lead Magnets
Once you’ve captured attention with ads, the next step is to get prospects to willingly share their contact information. This is typically done through a lead magnet—a valuable free resource offered in exchange for their email or other details.
Why Most Lead Magnets Fail and How to Fix It
Many marketers believe lead magnets are dead, but the truth is bad lead magnets don’t work. A great lead magnet solves a very specific, small problem completely and impresses the prospect. This builds trust and primes them to consider your broader offerings.
One of the best examples comes from the dating space: “How to know if a girl wants you to kiss her.” The lead magnet is a simple, actionable tip—try brushing her hair behind her ear and observe her reaction. It’s a tiny problem with a clear solution, which establishes credibility for addressing bigger challenges later.
Types of Lead Magnets
Lead magnets should align perfectly with your ideal customer avatar. If you’re unsure who your avatar is, GFunnel offers a free resource to help you define it clearly: GFunnel Avatar Guide.
Using GFunnel to Optimize Lead Capture
GFunnel’s ecosystem supports lead magnet creation, delivery, and tracking. You can easily set up opt-in pages, automate follow-ups, and segment leads based on their behavior and interests. This ensures the right message reaches the right audience at the right time for maximum conversion.
Step 3: Video Sales Letter (VSSL) – Warm Up and Convert Prospects
After capturing leads, the goal is to nurture and convert them efficiently. A powerful Video Sales Letter (VSSL) serves as a high-leverage sales aid, warming up prospects by answering their questions and objections before a sales call.
Why Adding Friction Works
Contrary to popular belief, adding friction—such as requiring prospects to watch a video or answer qualifying questions—improves conversion rates. Most buyers consume hours of content before purchasing. By facilitating this upfront, you reduce the number of calls needed and increase the likelihood of closing.
GFunnel’s funnel builder allows you to embed VSSLs, track engagement, and automate follow-ups, effectively “microwaving” cold prospects into hot leads ready to buy.
Two Effective VSSL Structures
Handling FAQs and Objections
Include a dedicated FAQ section in your VSSL that addresses common questions and concerns in the prospect’s own language. For example, if a prospect says “I’m really busy,” provide a specific response different from “I’ve got a lot going on,” even though both are timing objections. This personalization builds trust and preempts objections effectively.
Pricing Transparency in VSSL
Deciding whether to include price in your VSSL depends on your business context. If demand exceeds your sales capacity, including pricing upfront adds friction that filters out unqualified leads. If your sales team is underutilized, you might choose to exclude price to attract more prospects. Over time, sharing comprehensive information upfront, including pricing, tends to improve efficiency.
Step 4: Qualify Before the Sale – The BAND Framework
Before investing time in sales calls, it’s critical to qualify leads using the BAND criteria:
GFunnel’s CRM tools and application forms can automate this qualification, ensuring your sales team talks only to serious, ready-to-buy prospects. This dramatically increases close rates and saves time.
Microwaving Prospects: Accelerating the Buyer’s Journey
Think of your sales process like a plane taking off. The plane represents your prospect, and the runway is the amount of information they need to decide to buy. If your plane is large (i.e., the prospect requires a lot of information), you need a longer runway (more content and nurture) to gain lift-off (conversion).
Traditionally, prospects accumulate this information over months or years, consuming short content pieces here and there before buying. The four-step process aims to “microwave” this journey by delivering the equivalent of hours of content compressed into days:
This approach accelerates sales cycles and maximizes revenue potential.
Long-Term Nurture: Turning No’s into Yes’s
Not every lead will be ready to buy immediately, even after consuming your content and engaging with your offers. For these logical prospects, implement a long-term nurture strategy:
GFunnel’s automation features allow you to set up sophisticated nurture sequences, while its community tools help you build engaging spaces for prospects to learn and interact.
Building a Brand: The Foundation for Sustainable Growth
While the four-step process can generate revenue quickly, building a strong brand is essential for long-term success and scaling beyond initial limits. A brand is the cumulative effect of providing consistent, valuable information over time that shapes how people perceive you and your business.
Think of your audience as a pyramid:
To grow the top, you must expand the base. This is the essence of brand building. GFunnel’s platform supports brand growth by enabling you to:
Learn more about how GFunnel helps build and scale brands here: GFunnel Home.
Summary: The Four-Step Blueprint to Business Success
Additionally, implement long-term nurture sequences and brand-building activities to grow your audience and sustain growth over time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Are paid ads really the fastest way to scale a business?
Yes. Paid ads allow you to quickly reach large, targeted audiences with precise messaging. While organic content builds trust over time, paid ads provide immediate traffic that can be optimized and scaled effectively. GFunnel’s ad management tools help simplify this process.
What makes a good lead magnet?
A good lead magnet solves one small, specific problem completely, providing immediate value to the prospect. It should be easy to consume and directly relevant to your product or service. Avoid generic or overly broad lead magnets that dilute your offer.
How long should a Video Sales Letter be?
VSSLs typically range from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on your industry and offer complexity. The goal is to provide enough information to answer all common objections and questions upfront, reducing the number of sales calls needed.
Should I include pricing in my VSSL?
It depends on your business context. If you have more demand than sales capacity, including pricing upfront helps qualify leads and saves time. If you have spare sales capacity, you may choose to withhold pricing to attract a broader audience.
How does GFunnel support these business steps?
GFunnel offers an all-in-one platform to manage ads, create funnels, capture leads, automate nurture sequences, qualify prospects, and build communities. This integrated approach streamlines your marketing and sales processes, saving time and increasing conversions.
Can I automate the qualification process?
Absolutely. GFunnel’s CRM and booking tools let you design application forms and sales funnels that screen for budget, authority, need, and timing automatically, ensuring your sales team focuses on the most promising leads.
How do I nurture leads who aren’t ready to buy yet?
Use email sequences, community engagement, and ongoing content delivery to provide value over time. GFunnel’s automation and community modules help you keep prospects engaged until they’re ready to purchase.