What if getting rich isn’t about selling expensive items but smaller, affordable ones?
This is the core idea behind the Automatic Clients funnel, created by marketing experts Alen Sultanic and Robert Nikalios.
Their approach flips traditional sales wisdom on its head.
Instead of focusing on high-price products, they believe you can make millions by selling accessible items that generate lots of daily sales.
The beauty of the Automatic Clients funnel lies in its simplicity and accessibility.
It’s a model that thrives on low upfront costs, allowing businesses to attract hundreds of new customers daily without the need for a colossal advertising budget.
With as little as $50, you can kickstart a process that grows a community and email list by the hundreds.
But it’s not all about the numbers.
This strategy avoids the pitfalls of constant TOFU content creation, invasive marketing tactics, and the dreaded under-delivery of value.
It promises an upfront, honest, and straightforward path to converting a $5 customer into a $5,000 client within a week.
This approach pays dividends in both customer satisfaction and business growth.
As we delve deeper into the Automatic Clients funnel, we’ll provide an unbiased overview, critique its components, and explore tools that can help implement this strategy effectively.
We’ll cover:
- Tactical Execution: From identifying the perfect ‘front-end’ product to engineering the subsequent offers that turn satisfied customers into high-value clients.
- Psychological Levers: Understanding how consumer behavior aligns with each step of the funnel to ensure a cohesive, profitable customer journey.
Who Can Benefit?
Whether you’re a seasoned marketer, a small business owner, or just starting, this innovative approach can redefine your sales process and lead to substantial growth and success.
Join us as we explore how the Automatic Clients Funnel can transform your business, offering a straightforward, budget-friendly path to a thriving customer base and impressive sales conversions.
What is the Automatic Clients Funnel?
AC stands for Automatic Clients.
It’s a type of funnel that focuses on acquiring customers through a low-priced “front-end” product and then ascending them to your higher priced offers (a concept Alen refers to as “competing on economics”).
Alen Sultanic from Nothing Held Back has popularized a particular strategy based on the success of AutomaticClients.com (called the AC funnel).
The initial product introduces your business and covers your advertising costs, making customer acquisition self-sustaining.
This makes acquiring new customers a self-sustaining process, akin to a self-liquidating lead generation funnel.
This means the initial sale offsets customer acquisition costs, making your marketing efforts essentially cost-neutral.
But the journey doesn’t stop with just one sale.
The AC Funnel Structure:
- Front-End Offer:
- Objective: Start a relationship and cover initial advertising costs.
- Description: A low-cost, high-value product designed to attract new customers and introduce them to your business.
- The Upsell Pathway:
- Objective: Add more value and guide customers to higher-priced offers.
- Description: A series of strategic upsells that address customer needs, smoothly leading them from one offer to the next.
- High-Ticket Conversions:
- Objective: Turn engaged customers into high-paying clients.
- Description: Premium offers, personalized consultations, and tailored solutions that strengthen the business-client relationship.
- Backend Strategy:
- Objective: Retain customers and maximize their lifetime value.
- Description: Focus on long-term relationships, community building, and recurring revenue.
- Scaling and Optimization:
- Objective: Improve reach and conversion rates.
- Description: Fine-tune ad spend, improve offer alignment, and ensure a smooth customer experience to maximize success.
How the AC funnel works
This funnel isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution; it’s a flexible framework that can adapt to different businesses and markets.
Each phase builds on the previous one, creating a smooth and effective path that aims to boost customer satisfaction and business revenue.
Phase 1. Crafting the Front-End
This phase is the entry point for potential customers, and your initial offer must be irresistible.
Typically, it’s a low-cost product, but it should still provide significant value.
This front-end product should be good enough to give a quick win to the customer, establishing trust and building your brand’s credibility.
Think of it as the hook that grabs your target audience’s attention.
It could be a valuable eBook, an introductory course, or a tangible product that meets an immediate need.
The goal isn’t to make a big profit but to start a relationship with the customer. Offer so much value that the purchase is a no-brainer.
This strategic pricing is not just about affordability; it’s a calculated step in “competing on economics,” as Alen Sultanic puts it.
By offering your front-end product at a lower price point, you’re not just capturing leads; you’re creating a base of customers who have already expressed willingness to invest in your solutions.
And since the cost covers your advertising spend, every sale keeps the funnel moving, creating a self-sustaining cycle of customer acquisition.
Phase 2: The Upsell Pathway
After the initial purchase, the journey is far from over.
The true strength of the AC funnel lies in its ability to guide customers through a calculated series of upsells.
These aren’t random offers thrown at the customer in hopes of a quick sale; they are strategic, logical steps that build on the value already received.
As customers see the worth in their initial purchase, they become more open to subsequent offers.
These upsells are designed to complement the front-end product, expanding on the solutions provided or offering tools to implement them.
This is where your business starts seeing profit, not from the initial sale but from the deeper engagement facilitated by upsells.
The upselling process is not a hard sell but a natural progression.
It’s like a guide leading travelers further down a path they’ve already chosen to walk, offering additional aids for the journey ahead.
Each offer is a stepping stone toward the ultimate goal: converting a buyer of a low-cost product into a high-paying client.
To make the upsell process smooth and relevant, it’s crucial to understand the customer’s journey and challenges.
Align your upsells with the customer’s growing awareness of their needs so each new offer feels like a timely solution, not an intrusive sales pitch.
Success in the upsell phase relies on a deep understanding of customer behavior and preferences.
By using data and feedback from the front-end sales, you can tailor your upsell offers to resonate with your audience, increasing the likelihood of conversion.
This step is where the customer’s commitment to your brand strengthens, and their lifetime value increases exponentially.
Phase 3: High-Ticket Conversions – The Peak of Customer Value
After moving through the upsell pathway, customers who still find value in what you offer will be ready for high-ticket conversions.
These are your premium products or services, where your business can make significant profits.
At this stage, your detailed profiling and customer nurturing pay off as you present offers that closely match their needs and willingness to invest.
This phase requires a nuanced approach since you’re dealing with customers who already trust your brand.
High-ticket offers should include elements of exclusivity or personalized service, giving customers a sense of privilege and uniqueness.
Sales strategies might include personalized consultations, custom solutions, or exclusive membership benefits.
Phase 4: The Backend Strategy – Securing Long-Term Loyalty
After selling high-ticket items, the focus shifts to maintaining and increasing each customer’s lifetime value.
This involves cross-selling, community building, and creating loyalty programs. The goal is to turn one-time buyers into long-term, repeat customers.
A successful backend strategy includes consistent customer engagement, excellent support services, and offering complementary products and services.
This approach ensures sustained revenue from existing customers while reducing the cost of acquiring new ones.
Phase 5: Scaling and Optimization – Maximizing Funnel Efficacy
With the funnel running smoothly, the final step is to scale and optimize the system.
Scaling involves expanding the reach of your front-end offer to attract more customers into the funnel.
Optimization focuses on improving conversion rates at each step of the upsell pathway and beyond.
Data is crucial in this phase, guiding decisions on ad spend, product tweaks, and refining the customer journey.
Continuous testing, feedback analysis, and performance monitoring are essential to ensure the funnel remains dynamic and responsive to the changing needs of both the business and its customers.
Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing the Automatic Clients Funnel
Implementing the AC funnel into your business strategy requires meticulous planning, keen attention to detail, and a focus on customer experience.
Follow this step-by-step guide to set up a system that not only attracts a consistent flow of customers but also maximizes their lifetime value.
Step 1: Market Research and Target Customer Identification
Before creating your front-end offer, you need to analyze your market thoroughly.
Understand who your customers are, what challenges they face, and what solutions they are seeking.
Clearly define your target audience’s demographics, interests, and purchasing behavior to ensure your offers are perfectly aligned with their needs.
Step 2: Designing Your Front-End Offer
Craft a high-value, low-cost product that addresses a specific problem or need for your target customer.
Make sure it’s easily accessible and provides immediate value.
This could be a digital product, a physical item, or a service offering.
The key is to make it so appealing that it effectively draws people into your sales funnel.
Tip: Quiz funnels are excellent in this phase. They engage potential customers by addressing their specific needs and immediately offering personalized solutions, making them a powerful tool for attracting and converting leads.
Alen Sultanic has also developed an excellent framework for quiz funnels. If his approach resonates with you, be sure to explore his work along with our implementation guide to get the most out of your funnel.
Step 3: Building the Upsell Sequence
Develop a series of upsells that complement and enhance the value of the front-end offer.
Each upsell should logically follow from the last, creating a natural progression for customers to continue their journey.
The upsells should increase in value and price, guiding customers towards the higher-ticket offers.
Step 4: Creating High-Ticket Offers
Determine what your high-ticket offers will be.
These could include premium services, advanced product bundles, or personalized experiences.
These offers should promise transformative results or experiences, justifying the higher investment required from customers.
Step 5: Establishing a Backend Strategy
Develop a backend strategy to maintain customer engagement after the initial sales process.
Plan for email marketing campaigns, loyalty programs, and opportunities for community engagement to keep customers connected to your brand.
Step 6: Setting Up Technical Aspects
Choose the appropriate technology stack for your funnel.
This includes landing page builders, ads, email marketing automation, CRM systems, payment processors, and tracking analytics.
Ensure that all technical aspects work seamlessly together for a smooth customer experience.
Step 7: Launching Your Front-End Offer
Once everything is in place, launch your front-end offer to your target audience.
Utilize various marketing channels such as social media, PPC campaigns, SEO, and content marketing to drive traffic to your offer.
Step 8: Testing and Refining Your Funnel
After your funnel is live, closely monitor its performance.
Use A/B testing to try different versions of your landing pages, sales copy, and email campaigns.
Analyze the data to identify bottlenecks or drop-off points and refine your funnel for better conversions.
Step 9: Scaling Your Offers
When your funnel is optimized and running efficiently, look for opportunities to scale up.
This could involve increasing ad spend, extending to new markets, or adding more products and services to your funnel.
Step 10: Long-Term Management and Optimization
Finally, adopt a continuous improvement mindset.
Stay updated with market trends, customer feedback, and technological advances.
Regularly update your offers, touchpoints, and marketing tactics to keep your funnel fresh and relevant.
By following these steps, you can build an Automatic Clients funnel that not only attracts a steady stream of customers but also nurtures them through a journey that maximizes their value to your business.
AC Funnel Examples
The true potential of the Automatic Clients funnel comes to life when we see it in action.
These examples will inspire you, and provide you with actionable insights, and demonstrate that success with the AC funnel is not only possible but replicable.
1. Aim Higher Academy
Aim Higher Academy provides a systematic course that teaches this method along with several included resources such as pre-built high-converting appointment funnel templates, copy templates, ad templates, email templates, and community access.
The course claims to enable clients to book hundreds of appointments for less than $3 each, streamlining the client acquisition process and allowing business owners to focus on growing their businesses and enjoying their lives.
2. 2 Hour Agency
The 2 Hour Agency is offering a digital book for a promotional price of $2.97, which is a time-sensitive offer that includes a 365-day money-back guarantee.
This book details a system for creating an automated digital agency that requires minimal personal involvement, aiming to generate clients and deliver services largely without the entrepreneur’s direct effort.
3. Strategic Parenting
A comprehensive collection of over 100 practical parenting checklists designed to help parents deal with common parenting challenges for children aged 2 to 18.
Created by parenting coach and best-selling author Marko Juhant.
The bundle includes additional resources like e-books and scripts, and it is being offered at a special price of $97 (down from the list price of $187).
The page highlights the benefits of the bundle, such as becoming more confident and effective as a parent and fostering a more connected, loving, and happy family. It also features testimonials from satisfied customers and a 90-day money-back guarantee.
Automatic clients funnel pros and cons
The Automatic Clients (AC) funnel promises to streamline the process of customer acquisition while enhancing the value offered at each stage of the sales pipeline.
Below, we’ll provide an unbiased review, including the pros and cons of this approach.
Pros of the AC Funnel Model
- Speeds up trust building:
- The AC funnel starts with a low-cost offer that provides substantial value, which helps in building trust and establishing a positive relationship with customers from the onset.
- Cost-Efficient Customer Acquisition:
- The front-end product is designed to cover the costs of acquiring a new customer, making the sales process self-funding and potentially allowing for unlimited scaling.
- Upsell Opportunities:
- The model strategically guides customers through a series of upsells, which can significantly increase the average lifetime value of each customer.
- High-Ticket Sales Potential:
- By progressively offering higher-value products or services, businesses can effectively move customers towards premium offers, increasing revenue potential.
- Automation:
- The funnel encourages the automation of sales processes, which can reduce the need for continuous manual effort and oversight, providing business owners more freedom.
- Data-Driven Insights:
- Continuous testing and optimization of the funnel using analytics can lead to improved performance and conversion rates over time.
Cons of the AC Funnel Model
- Complex Setup and Maintenance:
- Building and managing a multi-level funnel system can be complex, requiring significant upfront effort and ongoing optimization.
- Quality Content Requirement:
- The success of the funnel relies heavily on the value and appeal of the front-end offer, which must be high-quality to encourage further engagement.
- Risk of Offer Saturation:
- Customers may become overwhelmed or fatigued if faced with too many upsell offers, potentially leading to higher drop-off rates.
- Customer Lifecycle Management:
- Sustaining customer interest and engagement across the lifecycle of the funnel can be challenging, especially after the initial sale.
- Market Saturation:
- As more businesses adopt similar funnel models, standing out in a crowded market may require increasingly innovative strategies.
- Dependency on Advertising Spend:
- While the front-end offer is meant to self-fund customer acquisition, the initial ad spend can still be a barrier, especially for businesses with limited budgets.
Our unbiased Review
The AC funnel model is a powerful approach for generating and nurturing leads effectively.
Starting with low-cost initial value is a great way to build positive customer relationships. Its strength lies in guiding customers through a natural value ladder, increasing revenue without hard selling.
However, creating and maintaining such a funnel is complex.
It requires careful planning, understanding customer behavior, and regular backend content creation.
Upselling must be balanced to avoid overwhelming customers or seeming too transactional.
Overall, the Automatic Clients funnel model is highly effective for automating sales and maximizing customer value.
It suits entrepreneurs willing to invest time and resources into creating a seamless customer experience from start to finish.
With proper execution and maintenance, the AC funnel can significantly boost business growth and profitability.
For a comprehensive understanding, read “Automatic Clients” by Alen Sultanic.
This book delves into the model’s nuances, offering insights on crafting a funnel that attracts and nurtures leads into high-value clients.
