Every business needs exactly one funnel working before building a second. Choose the right blueprint based on where your prospect is in their awareness journey and what price point you're selling at.
Before building a funnel, map your Value Ladder. Each funnel serves one rung. See
value-ladder. The copy on each page comes fromcopy-frameworksorpastor. The offer on each page is designed usingoffers.
Funnel Selection Matrix
Use this to pick the right blueprint before touching a single page.
| If your goal is... | Traffic temp | Price range | → Use this funnel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get a buyer at break-even | Cold | $7–$47 | Tripwire Funnel |
| Sell with story/emotion | Warm | $97–$997 | VSL Funnel |
| Sell to readers | Warm | $97–$997 | Sales Letter Funnel |
| Sell mid-ticket via education | Cold or Warm | $297–$2,997 | Webinar Funnel |
| Build extreme hype + launch | Warm (email list) | $97–$997 | Product Launch Funnel |
| Sell with risk-reversal first | Warm/Hot | $97–$997 | Invisible Funnel |
| Qualify for premium services | Warm/Hot | $1,000–$25,000+ | Application Funnel |
Traffic temperature definitions:
- Cold: Don't know you, may not even know their problem
- Warm: Know the problem, may have heard of you, some trust
- Hot: Trust you, ready to buy, just need the right offer/moment
The 7 Funnel Blueprints
1. Tripwire Funnel (Sales Funnel)
Purpose: Turn a cold stranger into a buyer immediately with an irresistible low-cost product. Once they buy once, they are 5-7x more likely to buy again.
Traffic temperature: Cold
Price range: $7–$47 core, OTOs up to $297+
The flow:
[Traffic] → [2-Step Sales Page] → [Order Bump at checkout] → [OTO 1] → [OTO 2] → [Thank You]
Page-by-page:
| Page | Copy goal | Framework | Word count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Page (Step 1) | Name + Email form | Short hook | Minimal |
| Sales Page (Step 2) | Credit card + Order Bump | Value reminder | 200–400 words |
| OTO 1 | "More/Faster/Better" | PAS or AIDA | 500–1000 words |
| OTO 2 | Next problem solver | PAS or AIDA | 300–700 words |
| Thank You | Confirm + next steps | BAB (after state) | 150–300 words |
Order Bump rule: Must be "in addition to" the core product — not a replacement. Price = 25–50% of main product price.
OTO rules:
- OTO 1: "More, Faster, or Better" version of what they just bought
- OTO 2: Solves the next problem they'll have after using OTO 1
- Never send to Thank You until both OTOs are presented
Best for: Digital products, online courses, info products, tools, templates
2. VSL Funnel (Video Sales Letter)
Purpose: Use a 5–20 minute video to build a deep emotional connection through story, then close with an offer. For markets where video outperforms text.
Traffic temperature: Warm
Price range: $97–$997
The flow:
[Traffic] → [VSL Page] → [Order Form + Order Bump] → [OTO 1] → [OTO 2] → [Thank You]
Page-by-page:
| Page | Copy goal | Framework | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| VSL Page | Watch the video + CTA below | Hook (text above video) | Button hidden until 80% through video |
| Order Form | Confirm decision | Value reminder | Brief — they've already been sold |
| OTO 1 | Upgrade/expand | PAS or AIDA | 500–800 words or short VSL |
| Thank You | Reinforce + next steps | BAB after state |
VSL script: Use PASTOR or AIDA as the script structure. See pastor → references/webinar-script.md
for the long-form VSL script framework.
Button timing: Reveal the "Buy Now" button only after the offer is presented (minute 8-15). This forces attention and reduces impulse exits.
3. Sales Letter Funnel
Purpose: Long-form text sales page for readers or markets where video is less effective. The "Slippery Slide" — keep them reading until they're ready to buy.
Traffic temperature: Warm
Price range: $97–$997
The flow:
[Traffic] → [Long-Form Sales Page] → [Order Form + Order Bump] → [OTOs] → [Thank You]
Page-by-page:
| Page | Copy goal | Framework | Word count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Letter | Full conversion | PASTOR | 3,000–10,000 words |
| Order Form | Frictionless purchase | Value recap | Minimal |
| OTO 1 | Upgrade | PAS condensed | 500–800 words |
| Thank You | Confirm + orient | BAB | 200–400 words |
The sales letter: Use pastor skill + pastor/references/sales-letter-template.md.
Slippery Slide principle (Joseph Sugarman): Every sentence must make the reader want to read the next sentence. No paragraph is filler. No section stalls momentum.
4. Webinar Funnel (Event Funnel)
Purpose: 60–90 minutes of education-based selling. The most powerful funnel for mid-ticket offers. Builds trust, delivers value, and closes in one session.
Traffic temperature: Cold or Warm
Price range: $297–$2,997
The flow:
[Traffic] → [Registration Page] → [Confirmation Page] → [Indoctrination Emails]
→ [Webinar Room] → [Sales Page / Checkout] → [OTOs] → [Replay Page]
Page-by-page:
| Page | Copy goal | Framework | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration | Sign up for webinar | AIDA condensed | "3 Secrets + Date/Time" headline |
| Confirmation | "Mark your calendar" | BAB (what's coming) | Add teaser video |
| Indoctrination emails | Pre-frame before the event | PAS per email | 3–5 emails (see emails) |
| Webinar Room | Deliver + sell | PASTOR structure | See pastor/references/webinar-script.md |
| Replay Page | Last chance | Urgency + AIDA | 24–48 hour deadline |
| Checkout | Purchase | Value recap | Minimal friction |
| OTO 1 | Upgrade or expand | PAS or short VSL |
Webinar headline formula:
"How to [Desired Outcome] Without [Common Obstacle] — [Specific Mechanism] Revealed"
+ 3 bullet promises for the 3 Secrets
Live vs. Automated: Run live 3–5 times to validate conversion rate, then automate as an "evergreen webinar."
5. Product Launch Funnel (Event Funnel)
Purpose: Build extreme anticipation, social proof, and scarcity over 5–10 days before cart opens. Based on Jeff Walker's Product Launch Formula.
Traffic temperature: Warm (existing email list required)
Price range: $97–$997 (or higher)
The flow:
[Email list] → [Launch Video 1] → [Launch Video 2] → [Launch Video 3] → [Cart Open Video 4]
→ [Sales Page / Checkout (open 5–7 days)] → [Cart Close Email + FOMO]
Video sequence:
| Video | PASTOR mapping | Goal | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video 1 — The Opportunity | P + A | Show the problem and the new opportunity | 10–15 min |
| Video 2 — The Transformation | S + T | Case studies and how-to | 10–15 min |
| Video 3 — The System | T (deeper) | Show ownership experience | 10–15 min |
| Video 4 — The Close | O + R | Cart opens, offer, urgency | 15–20 min |
Email sequence during launch: 3 emails per video (before, during, after),
plus 5–7 cart-close emails as deadline approaches. See emails skill.
Scarcity mechanism: Genuine limited-time window (cart closes on specific date/time). Never fake urgency.
6. Invisible Funnel (Event Funnel)
Purpose: Value-first selling. Invite prospects to a 2-3 hour training at no upfront cost. They enter their credit card but are only charged after the event if they found it valuable. Ultimate risk reversal.
Traffic temperature: Warm/Hot
Price range: $97–$297 (small enough to feel low-risk)
The flow:
[Traffic] → [Registration Page (credit card collected, not charged)] → [Live Training]
→ [Post-event: charged if they stay, refund if they leave] → [OTO (attendees only)]
Psychology: 100% risk reversal removes purchase friction entirely. "If you don't love it, you don't pay." Attendees who stay convert at extremely high rates to the OTO.
Best for:
- Workshops, live training sessions
- High-expertise services (consulting, coaching previews)
- Trust-building with skeptical markets
7. Application Funnel (High-Ticket)
Purpose: Qualify leads for $5,000–$25,000+ offers. Since you can't sell high-ticket with a button, the funnel filters for committed, qualified buyers before a sales call.
Traffic temperature: Warm/Hot
Price range: $5,000–$25,000+
The flow:
[Traffic] → [Case Study / VSL Page] → [Application Survey] → [Scheduling Page]
→ [Homework Page] → [Sales Call] → [Close]
Page-by-page:
| Page | Copy goal | Framework | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Study/VSL | Show the result → create desire | AIDA or short PASTOR | 5–10 min video or 1,500-word page |
| Application | Filter by budget + commitment | Neutral questions | Ask about goal, income, timeline, commitment |
| Scheduling | Book the call | Minimal | Embed Calendly or equivalent |
| Homework | Pre-frame + pre-sell before the call | BAB | Video + reading that primes them for the call |
| Sales Call | Close | Consultative PASTOR | Not a script — a framework |
Application questions (filter, not gatekeeping):
- What's your primary goal in the next 90 days?
- What's your current [revenue/situation]?
- What's your investment budget for solving this?
- What's held you back from solving this before?
- On a scale of 1-10, how committed are you to changing this now?
Qualification criteria: Budget fit, problem fit, commitment level, timeline. Disqualify early and kindly — bad clients at high-ticket are expensive.
Technical Architecture
For the full mechanics of every page in a funnel (Two-Step Order Forms, Order Bumps, OTO logic, Downsells, Thank You page), see: references/funnel-anatomy.md
Cross-Funnel Principles
These apply to all 7 blueprints:
1. One funnel, one goal Every page in a funnel has exactly one action to take. No navigation menus. No external links. No distractions.
2. Hook-Story-Offer on every page
Even the Thank You page. See value-ladder for the HSO model.
3. The Soap Opera Sequence
Every funnel needs a follow-up email sequence for non-buyers. 5-7 emails that use story
to rebuild connection and re-present the offer. See emails skill.
4. Traffic temperature determines entry point Cold traffic → Lead Funnel or Tripwire first (never straight to Core Offer) Warm traffic → any funnel except Application Hot traffic → Application or direct to Core Offer checkout
5. Test before automating Run any funnel live (with manual or semi-manual delivery) before automating. Validate conversion rates at each step before scaling traffic.
Funnel Metrics — What to Track
| Metric | Formula | Target (good) |
|---|---|---|
| Opt-in rate | Opt-ins ÷ Page visits | 30–60% (lead magnet) |
| Sales page conversion | Purchases ÷ Unique visitors | 1–5% |
| Order Bump take rate | Bumps taken ÷ Purchases | 20–40% |
| OTO 1 take rate | OTO 1 purchases ÷ Main purchases | 15–35% |
| OTO 2 take rate | OTO 2 purchases ÷ OTO 1 declines | 10–25% |
| Webinar registration → show rate | Attendees ÷ Registrants | 20–40% (live) |
| Webinar show → purchase rate | Purchases ÷ Attendees | 5–20% |
Optimize the lowest-performing metric first, not the highest-traffic step.
Quality Checklist
Before launching any funnel:
- Funnel type matches traffic temperature and price point (selection matrix above)
- Each page has exactly one CTA
- Hook-Story-Offer executed on every page
- Order Bump is "in addition to" (not a replacement for) the main product
- OTO 1 solves the next problem created by the main purchase
- OTO 2 solves the problem after OTO 1
- Soap Opera email sequence ready for non-buyers
- Conversion metrics being tracked (opt-in rate, sales conversion, OTO take rate)
- Funnel maps to the correct rung on the Value Ladder (
value-ladderskill) - Copy for each page sourced from correct skill (
copy-frameworksorpastor)
Gotchas
- Building complex multi-step funnels before validating the core offer: Trying to build OTOs, downsells, and webinars before checking if anyone wants the basic product. Start simple (e.g., a simple landing page and checkout) and add upsells later.
- Fake urgency/scarcity: Using timers that reset on refresh or pretending a digital product has "limited stock". This destroys trust when customers notice. Urgency must be real (e.g., actual cohort start date, limited bonuses, or real price increase).
- Mismatched traffic temperature and offer price: Sending cold traffic directly to a $2,000 application funnel or sales letter without warm-up, or asking hot traffic to opt-in for a free PDF before they can buy.
- Poor order bump alignment: Offering a bump that is completely unrelated to the main purchase (e.g., offering a fitness guide with a coding book). Bumps should be an impulse buy that makes the main product easier or faster to use.
- Ignoring the downsell: If a customer declines an OTO, sending them straight to thank-you without a downsell option (like a payment plan or a lighter version) misses out on converting up to 10-15% of buyers.
Related Skills
- value-ladder ⭐ — Map which rung of the Value Ladder each funnel serves before building
- storybrand-marketing — BrandScript drives the copy on every page in the funnel
- pastor — Sales letter, webinar script, and VSL copy
- copy-frameworks — Short-form page copy (registration pages, OTO pages, thank you pages)
- offers — Offer design for the core product + OTOs (Hormozi Grand Slam in
offers/references/) - emails — Indoctrination emails (Webinar Funnel) and Soap Opera Sequence (non-buyer follow-up)
- lead-magnets — Lead funnel offer design (the bottom rung of the Value Ladder)
Reference Files
- Funnel Anatomy — Full technical architecture: Two-Step Order, Order Bump, OTO, Downsell, Thank You