You’ve finally nailed a business idea. Check.
You’ve put together a website. Check.
Next up, is building an email list of potential customers. You barely have traffic, and yet you need to attract them onto your list and attract a lot of them quickly. Hmm…
*some head-scratching and staring blankly into space occurs*
Does this sound familiar to you?
You’re told to create an opt-in offer, so you start narrowing your ideas down and you have a handful of ideas which might make a good freebie.
You ask people in Facebook groups which one they think is the best and everyone picks a different idea and critiques the other ones. There is no clear winner and you’re left feeling more confused than before. (Ugh.)
You’re also thinking there are so many freebies out there already and, well, they’re all a bit generic.
You want your opt-in offer to stand out.
To make it stand out, you start thinking it needs to be ‘EPIC’!
Initially, it was just a little freebie opt-in, but now it’s turning into a massive project. It needs to be an ebook, or a list of 200 hacks (because someone has done the 100 list already), or 5+ hours of free webinars with worksheets and how-to’s...
ARRGHH!
Where does it end?! Is this worth the effort? And if we are being TOTALLY honest, there is probably another question lurking around the back of your mind that you’re a bit embarrassed to ask:
How do you offer HUGE value in an opt-in freebie without giving away the farm? Where do you draw the line and still make sure folks are getting what they need?
How much content do you put in your freebie? What is the best amount of content to add value, but also leave them wanting more?
Or do you just give it all away and trust they’ll come back to buy somehow?
Here is the problem with everyone telling you to offer highly valuable content in your freebie. How do you measure “value”? Valuable to whom? It’s so subjective. What’s valuable to one person is not to another.
While everyone is obsessing over value, I think something more crucial is being missed:
Do you even know if your opt-in idea will convert well?
Typically, industry averages for landing page opt-in conversion rates hover between 2.35% to 5.31% for the top 25% according to Wordstream. The top 10% have conversion rates of 11.45% or higher.
You might be surprised to hear that my opt-ins regularly convert at 70%:
And so do those of my students:
Just imagine how it would feel to get YOUR opt-in to convert at such high rates, building yourself a list of subscribers that are serious buyers, not just freebie hunters.
I’ve figured out a system of litmus tests that only takes about 30 minutes to inspect an opt-in idea to make sure it will convert at 50%+ even before I create it, and I want to share that system with you.
There are two key stages to creating a high-converting opt-in:
STAGE 1 is to come up with your opt-in idea. I have a formula to help you with this.
STAGE 2 is the most critical step that a lot of online entrepreneurs miss, which is to put your opt-in idea through 7 key litmus tests. These tests determine how well your opt-in offer will convert visitors to subscribers (aka your future buyers).
I’ll take you step-by-step through each of these stages to ensure your opt-in will convert at 50%+.
Let’s get started.
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STAGE 1: THE IDEA
What is Your Opt-In Offer?
Your Superpower
When someone asks “What is your opt-in?”, you can describe your idea in ONE sentence, so that they immediately know if it is for them or not and whom they should refer your way.
What’s the Goal?
The goal here is to crystallize the nebulous mass that is your opt-in idea into a crisp headline.
A good headline for your opt-in offer matters. It’s the first time that your ideal buyer decides whether or not you can help them solve their problem. Only then will they hand over their email to you.
If your opt-in shows it can help, you’ll have gained their trust and they’ll be open to pay you for a full solution, i.e., your courses and other paid products.
Steal My Formula
There are 4 component you need to think about when coming up with a new opt-in offer. Here’s the formula:
YOUR OPT-IN OFFER = WHO (your ideal buyers) + PROBLEM (Point A) + PROMISE (Point B) + WHAT (Your solution - i.e. what will get them from Point A to Point B).
WHO: Describe your ideal buyer. Name one individual you personally know who would make the perfect customer for this.
PROBLEM: Write down the problem that your opt-in offer will solve. It should be a problem that your ideal buyer is actively trying to solve.
I’m often asked by my students, “How do I create an opt-in around a problem my audience doesn’t know they have, but I as the expert know they need to fix?”
The answer is: you can’t. That’s not a good topic for an opt-in offer.
However, it would work great as content in your follow up emails after they join your list. They’ll hear about the “diagnosis” (the real cause of their symptoms) for the first time from you, have an “aha moment”, and forever see you as an authority on the subject. (See Litmus Test #2 later in this post for more on this).
PROMISE: Write down the dream result your freebie opt-in promises them. What’s the transformation? This promise should be the “mirror image” of the problem.
WHAT: Write down a one-line description of WHAT your solution is. Your solution is the “path” that takes ideal buyer from Point A (their problem) to Point B (the promised result).
YOUR OPT-IN OFFER: Take these four ingredients and combine them into a headline. I have two templates you can use if you’re struggling to compose a headline:
Template 1: [WHAT] That Make You [PROMISED RESULT] for [WHO]
Template 2: (Evil Doppelganger Version): [WHAT] That Cause [PROBLEM] for [WHO]
Worked Example
Suppose you’re a stylist for female entrepreneurs.
You recently heard a client complaining: “I look so old in these hideous mom-jeans. We went to lunch with all these amazing 20-somethings from our mastermind. The waiter brought the bill directly to me because he thought I was the mom on duty!?”
How do we turn that pain point into an opt-in offer?
Step 1: Lay out all your ingredients on the lab table at 90-degree angles.
- WHO: women entrepreneurs (35+ with children)
- PROBLEM: “I look so old in these hideous mom-jeans.”
- PROMISE: Look 10 years younger without surgery
- WHAT (your solution): wardrobe makeover
Step 2: Throw them all in the cauldron with wild abandon - erhm, I mean carefully pour them in equal measure into the test beaker and stir. Your opt-in offer idea should coagulate in 5 seconds.
OPT-IN OFFER: 10 Everyday Outfits That Make You Look 10 Years Younger Without Surgery.
Now, as a bonus for being such an Evil Witc - that is, Good Samaritan - here is a trick I borrowed from Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde:
You can also flip this from “shed 10 years” to “mistakes that add 10 years” and do some good old-fashioned fear-mongering.
(The meek might inherit the earth, but fear-mongering mad scientists grab the emails.)
EVIL DOPPELGANGER OF YOUR OPT-IN OFFER: 10 Fashion Faux Pas That Add 10 Years to Your Face and 20 Pounds to Your Ass. Which ones are you guilty of?
Easy, right? Super smart too, no?
Now that you’ve figured out your opt-in idea and come up with a headline for it, the next stage is to put it through the litmus tests.
If you can’t think of a good opt-in idea just yet, I already have 1,500 carefully curated opt-in ideas spanning 25+ different niches that you can swipe for free. Use these ideas to help inspire or customize them into your own opt-in idea.
STAGE 2: THE LITMUS TESTS
Is This Opt-in Offer Capable of Converting Over 50%?
Your Superpower
By putting your opt-in idea through these litmus tests, you’ll know whether your opt-in offer will convert BEFORE you create the content.
What is a litmus test?
The Oxford dictionary defines a litmus test as “a decisively indicative test”. Our goal here is to apply 7 different litmus tests to see if your opt-in idea is likely to convert at 50%+ or not.
Why do you need these litmus tests?
- The litmus tests will tell you if your opt-in idea is a high converting one (i.e. 50%+) before wasting weeks creating it.
- You’ll know whether to develop or ditch the idea. Some ideas just aren’t capable of converting at 50%+, no matter how good the copywriting.
- Every test improves the odds of your opt-in idea converting at the highest rate.
In short, if your idea passes ALL of the litmus tests with an affirmative “YES”, then you have a winner. If it doesn’t, you get the chance to refine or ditch your idea completely.
I’m going to show you what each litmus test is about, why it works and how it works. I’ll also take one opt-in idea from my Opt-in Idea Bank and put the same idea through all 7 litmus tests to show you a complete worked example.
LITMUS TEST #1: THE “MORNING COFFEE” TEST
If I look at your opt-in page, for 3 seconds, before I’ve had my morning coffee, will I “get” what your opt-in offer is about?
Why it works
- The headline for your offer needs to be so simple that it can be understood in 3 seconds flat, otherwise you’re going to lose that person’s attention - i.e. you’ve just lost another subscriber.
- Think of the opening headline as your elevator pitch. It has to be attention-grabbing and understandable in one simple sentence.
- If it doesn’t convey that right away and you need more than the headline to explain what the offer is, then it could be one of the following problems:
a. The headline isn’t clear or concise enough (or your headline is trying to be too clever)
b. Your idea is too complex to be opt-in offer
How it works
STEP 1. Write down your opt-in idea (i.e. the headline you created in Stage 1).
STEP 2. Put it through the “Morning Coffee” test.
If I look at your opt-in page, for 3 seconds, before I’ve had my morning coffee, will I ‘get’ what your opt-in offer about?
If “YES”, continue to next litmus test.
If “NO”, let’s check it for the following problems:
Is your headline trying to be too clever and not conveying your idea fast enough?
- If yes, then simplify your headline and try re-writing it.
- If no, check for the next problem below.
Is your opt-in idea too complex? i.e. Your reader will look at it and say, “nah, doesn’t sound like the problem I have.” (Even if, in your expert opinion, it’s exactly the right solution for them).
- If yes, then take a step back and identify a symptom that your customer is painfully aware of and wants to get rid of. Hint: What would they write if they were posting this problem on a forum?
- Now that you identified a symptom, try re-writing that headline using this template:
“WHAT That Removes [symptom of PROBLEM] and Gets You [Dream Result].
If you’ve fixed these two problems and your answer to this litmus test has changed to a ‘YES’ then proceed to the next litmus test.
If it’s still a ‘NO’, it’s time to start over again and find a new opt-in idea. The good news is that it’s early days and you’ve saved yourself a ton of time and heartache.
Worked example
Let’s take the opt-in idea for someone who’s a dating coach for men and put it through the “Morning Coffee” test:
- The opt-in idea: “Small Talk Bible: 100 Authentic Conversation Openers for Introverts”.
- If I look at your opt-in page, for 3 seconds, before I’ve had my morning coffee, will I ‘get’ what your opt-in offer about?
The answer is “YES” because this headline very clearly states what the opt-in offer about.
Let’s do a comparison, to see what a “NO” answer would look like.
If the opt-in offer had the headline, “How to Exude Confidence when Meeting New Women”, within 3 seconds, could you tell what this opt-in offer is about? Is it about advice on clothes, body language, conversation or something else? Who knows?! I can’t tell and so, this particular headline would fail the first litmus test.
If you’re scratching your head and struggling to think of a new idea with a clear attention-grabbing headline, I have 1500 carefully curated opt-in ideas spanning 25+ different niches that you can swipe for free and get started with. Each idea comes with the all the paid solutions that particular opt-in can lead to. Use these ideas to help inspire or customize into your own opt-in idea.
LITMUS TEST #2: THE “SYMPTOM vs DIAGNOSIS” TEST
What is this test?
Does your opt-in offer provide immediate relief for a symptom that your ideal customer complains about? Or is it focused on solving the underlying cause that you’ve diagnosed as the expert (but your customer doesn’t realize he or she has)?
Why it works
At the opt-in stage, where you’re trying to attract your ideal customer to subscribe, you’re an apothecary, not Dr. House. Your opt-in offer should be over-the-counter medicine for whatever symptom is bothering your ideal customer the most.
Your opt-in says: “Coughing? Here you go: Lozenges to stop that dry cough.”
Your autoresponder emails say: “I’m afraid that cough was a symptom of a more serious illness. My expert diagnosis is that you actually have problematitis.“
Your paid offer says: “Want that cough to go away forever? Here is the prescription you need to buy.”
How it works
STEP 1. Write down your opt-in idea (i.e., the headline you created in Stage 1).
STEP 2. Put it through the “Symptoms vs Diagnosis” test:
Does this offer relief to a symptom that your ideal customer complains about?
If “YES”, continue to next litmus test.
If “NO”, let’s work on this. Focus your message on the symptoms, not the “underlying cause”, which only you as the expert can see.
- Write down a symptom of your customer’s problem.
- Rewrite your headline using this template:
“WHAT That Removes [symptom of PROBLEM] and Gets You [Dream Result].
This might sound like a repeat of litmus test #1, but it isn’t. Why? While your headline might have been easily understood, you might not have been offering the immediate relief that your customer seeks.
The relief that your opt-in idea provides should immediately soothe your customer and, most importantly, earn their trust in you to help them with their problem.
By having that initial trust in place (which means they’ll want to stay on your email list), you can now develop your relationship with your customer and move them towards the bigger paid solution that can truly help them with the root cause of their problem.
Worked example
Let’s take the same opt-in idea from the previous litmus test, “Small Talk Bible: 100 Authentic Conversation Openers for Introverts” and put it through the “Symptom vs Diagnosis” litmus test:
Does this offer relief to a symptom that your ideal customer complains about?
The answer is “YES”. How to get a conversation started is a major pain point (aka symptom) for an introverted man.
The bigger issue is the whole challenge of attracting and dating women. The cause for their ability to get dates might actually be lack of self-confidence or other mindset issues stemming from their childhood. You would solve the bigger issue (and the underlying cause) in a paid offering which you would introduce later, once they’ve had a chance to use and see results from your free opt-in offer.
LITMUS TEST #3. THE “BUYING INTENT” TEST
What is this test?
Does your opt-in offer solve a problem that your ideal customer would gladly pay to get rid of?
Why it works
You need to target a problem which your ideal buyer would happily pay to solve, so they’ll be delighted to get it for free.
The wording here is deliberate. I’m asking: “Is this a problem your ideal buyer would gladly pay to get rid of?” NOT: “Could you charge money for this freebie?”
Therefore, answering “I put so much content into this, I could have charged $100 for it” misses the point, because you’re basing the monetary value on how much work you’ve put into the freebie opt-in, whereas your ideal buyer would pay only if they think it will solve their problem. They’re not paying because of how much content you’ve put in.
How it works
STEP 1. Write down your opt-in idea that you’re giving away for free.
STEP 2. If that freebie is the solution, what is the problem?
REALITY-CHECK #1: Is the problem and the solution mirror-images of each other - or have you introduced a cognitive leap here which might not be obvious to your ideal buyer?
REALITY-CHECK #2: Is that the same problem you identified in Stage 1? Or has your headline run away from you?
STEP 3. Is this a problem your ideal buyer would gladly pay to get rid of?
If “YES”, continue to next litmus test.
If “NO”, let’s work on this. See the worked example below, which demonstrates buying intent.
Worked example
Again, using the opt-in idea, “Small Talk Bible: 100 Authentic Conversation Openers for Introverts”, let’s put it through the “Buying Intent” test.
Is this a problem that an introverted man would pay for?
I’d say “YES”, because you’ve saved him a lot of time, headache and potential embarrassment trying to figure out some good conversation starters himself. Without this opt-in offer, he may not even attempt to talk to a woman he’s attracted to. So yes, this opt-in is a solution he would pay for.
So the takeaway in this litmus test is this:
You’re not making your opt-in idea amazing just so that people think it’s an amazing piece of work. Your opt-in idea is actually solving a problem that your ideal buyer would want to pay for, just like you’d pay for some painkillers to take away your headache. Offering pillows, a comfy sofa all sounds great, but you wouldn’t pay for that and trust it’ll take away your headache.
LITMUS TEST #4. THE “FOCUS” TEST
This particular litmus test could be an entire blog post of its own. It is crucial that your opt-in offer passes this particular test, as the “focus” of your opt-in will naturally lead your ideal buyers towards your paid products.
The added bonus of this test is that within minutes you’ll also get a clear picture as to which of your ideal buyer’s problems are best solved through a mini course, premium course or, ultimately, your flagship course.
What is this test?
Does your opt-in offer focus on either (a) the very first step or (b) the most emotionally uncomfortable part of a particular, nagging problem?
Why it works
Raise your hand if any of these sound like you:
“I can’t decide which lead magnet I should use for my [product]. My niche is xyz. Should I do a webinar or create a checklist instead?
“It turned into this MAMMOTH project. Like, huge. Initially I thought it might be an opt-in (even though social media isn’t really my thing), but now it’s grown to way way way beyond an opt-in. A large eBook, maybe. Or 5+ hours of webinars with worksheets and how-to’s.”
“How do I offer HUGE value in an opt-in, while not giving it all away? Where do I draw the line?”
“How much content do I put in my lead magnet? What is the best amount of content to add value, but also leave them wanting more?
“I’m great at seeing what other people “should do”. I can easily see a pain point they would be excellent at solving, what lead magnet they should use, what niche they should be in…but I can’t do the bloody same thing for myself!?”
This litmus test is the answer. This test is particularly important; not only does it help you create a clearly-defined offering, it also stops you from packing so many things into the opt-in offer that it confuses (read: turns off) your ideal buyer.
This is truly a case when more does not equal better.
If you find yourself asking any of the above frequently asked questions, your opt-in offer probably doesn’t make sense in the architecture of your business and you need to restructure your product portfolio into a “value ladder”.
To know whether your topic is too big for an opt-in offer or not, consider the journey that your ideal buyer is taking.
Ideal Buyer’s Hell to Heaven Journey:
Your business is a bus that takes your ideal buyer all the way from Hell to Heaven.
Hell (Point A) is where they are when they come to you - i.e. the BIG problem your business solves.
Heaven (Point B) is where they will be, when your work together is done - i.e. the promised result.
Think of Point A to B as your whole business.
If there is also a Point C, your ideal buyer needs to “hop off” your bus and take the train to that Ultimate Destination.
My rules of thumb:
- Your flagship course is the full ride. It picks your ideal buyer up from the 9th Circle of Hell and drops him off at the Pearly Gates of Heaven.
- There are 3-5 “bus stops” (sub-problems) on that ride from Hell to Heaven (the whole ride being the BIG problem). Each leg of that journey is a separate premium course. Ideally, the Point B of each course naturally leads to (or is) the Point A of your next paid course.
- Any isolatable issues that your ideal buyer encounters in a particular leg of the journey are great topics for mini-courses. An isolatable issue is a “crisp” issue or symptom that can be treated in isolation. My friend Bushra Azhar’s Crisp Test = Does your mini course realistically solve a particular, nagging problem fully or offer complete relief of ONE symptom?
- Your opt-in offer should focus on (the very first step) or (emotionally uncomfortable part) of that isolatable issue.
How it works
STEP 1: Answer the following questions:
What is Point A for your ideal buyer? (The starting point of where they are when they come to you. This is the main problem your business solves.)
What is Point B for your ideal buyer? (Where they will be when they leave you. The “happily ever after” end result.)
Point C (where they are eventually heading; their bigger picture vision)
What’s the “FLAGSHIP COURSE” that solves your buyer’s main problem (Point A)?
What other COURSE(S) can you create to solve the sub-problems?
Sub-problem #1
Course idea #1
Sub-problem #2
Course Idea #2
Sub-problem #3
Course Idea #3
STEP 2: Pick one sub-problem to focus on.
STEP 3: Brainstorm 3-5 isolatable issues within that sub-problem.
STEP 4: Pick one isolatable issue to focus on from that list.
Then identify (a) the very first step of the solution and (b) the most emotionally uncomfortable part of that issue.
For example:
Sub-problem: Guest posting for health coaches
Isolatable Issue within the sub-problem: How to land guest posts on high profile blogs
First Step: “I need an idea for a guest post” - i.e. a headline to pitch
Opt-in offer to solve this first step:
52 Headline Hacks: A “Cheat Sheet” for Writing Guest Posts That Go Viral
Uncomfortable Knot: “The blogger just told me to get lost” - i.e. rejection
Opt-in offer to solve this uncomfortable knot:
Jedi Mind-Trick: How to turn a “No” into a “Yes” if your guest post is rejected
STEP 5: Now that you’ve identified a first step and an uncomfortable knot in your isolatable issue, focus on only one of these to use as your opt-in offer.
Write your new opt-in offer headline.
SIDE NOTE: After completing these steps, you may also need to update your answers in Stage 1 (see beginning of this post) to reflect the insights you gained from all the litmus tests.
- Who is your ideal buyer? (still the same or has it changed?)
- What is their problem? (Point A of your opt-in offer)
- What is the promise you’re giving? (Point B of your opt-in offer)
- What is your opt-in offer? (the solution that will take your ideal buyer from A to B)
STEP 6: In light of the above, is your idea the right size for an opt-in offer? Yes/No
If you’ve completed step 1-5 correctly, then naturally the answer in step 6 should be yes. If not, go back and see if you’ve narrowed down your sub-problems or defined the isolatable issue clearly enough.
Worked example
Using the same opt-in example, “Small Talk Bible: 100 Authentic Conversation Openers for Introverts”. Let’s check if it passes the “Focus” test of either focusing on (a) the very first step or (b) the most emotionally uncomfortable part of a particular, nagging problem?
What’s the isolatable issue? How to ask someone out on a date.
What’s the first step? I need help on how to approach them in the first place, without coming across like some pick up artist.
The opt-in offer, “Small Talk Bible: 100 Authentic Conversation Openers for Introverts” clearly focuses on helping them with their first step of solving their issue and your paid mini-course would solve all the other puzzle pieces of the same issue.
What’s the uncomfortable knot? Being rejected.
In this case, another opt-in offer would be developed to focus on handling or avoiding rejection.
LITMUS TEST #5. THE “SILVER BULLET” TEST
What is this test?
Is your opt-in offer the silver bullet to slay a recurring, nagging problem?
Why it works
An opt-in offer is a “one problem, one solution” kind of thing. Think: “silver bullet”.
Solving many problems or offering many solutions at once may sound great in theory, but the reality is that your opt-in offer runs the risk of becoming generic or confusing and ends up helping no one because you’re trying to be all things to all people.
The “silver bullet” test helps you avoid these two mistakes:
Mistake #1: Multiple problems, one solution. Panacea # silver bullet.
NOT THIS: “5-Minute Herbal Mask to Slay Adult Acne, Clear Brain Fog, and Cure Impotence”
Your opt-in offer is a silver bullet, not a panacea. It should only slay a werewolf, not every denizen of the House of Horrors.
Mistake #2: One problem, multiple solutions. Listicle # silver bullet.
NOT THIS: 20 Styling Secrets That Flatten the Appearance of Your Tummy
THIS: The “Cotillard Retouche” Trick - The Parisian Secret to Flattening Your Tummy (Without Dressing Like a Tent)
A great opt-in offer sounds proprietary. It should be (or sound like) something they can only get from you, by handing over their email. If your ideal buyer thinks they can get the same solution elsewhere, they’re not going to opt in.
How it works
STEP 1: Write down your opt-in idea (the “evolved” version from the previous litmus test).
STEP 2: Does this sound like the “silver bullet” to slay a recurring, nagging problem?
If “YES”, continue to the next Litmus Test.
If “NO”, you need to narrow it until it becomes a “silver bullet”. Refine your opt-in to make it a “one problem, one solution” offer.
Worked example
Taking our example, “Small Talk Bible: 100 Authentic Conversation Openers for Introverts”, we can see it passes the “Silver Bullet” test because this opt-in offers one solution (conversation openers) to address the recurring, nagging problem (how to get a date).
LITMUS TEST #6. THE “STUPID SMALL” TEST
What is this test?
Can your ideal buyer consume and implement your opt-in offer under 30 minutes (ideally 15 minutes)?
Why it works
You want to make your solution so “stupid small” that your ideal customer will take action on the spot instead of putting it off.
Remember:
Action + instant gratification = testimonials = social proof for your opt-in page = higher opt-in rates!
The action that your ideal buyer needs to take to implement your solution should seem effortless.
If they feel overwhelmed at the thought of implementing your advice, they won’t take action, they’ll procrastinate, which means they won’t reap any benefits and you will quickly be forgotten. You’ll have lost another customer. That’s why you keep it “stupid small” instead.
How it works
STEP 1: Write down your opt-in idea.
STEP 2: Can your ideal buyer consume AND implement your opt-in offer under 30 minutes (ideally 15 min)?
If “YES”, continue to the next Litmus Test.
If “NO”, what can you do to make your opt-in smaller? Write your revised opt-in idea.
Worked example
Our opt-in example, “Small Talk Bible: 100 Authentic Conversation Openers for Introverts”, passes this “stupid small” test because it’s a short easy read and the content (the conversation openers), can be used right away. Even though “100 openers” seems like a big number, it actually won’t take that long to “browse” through the scripts for inspiration. There’s no overwhelming 10-step process that he has to take in order to implement this opt-in.
LITMUS TEST #7. THE “INSTANT GRATIFICATION” TEST
What is this test?
Is it an immediate fix or does Dreamy have to wait to see results after implementing your opt-in offer?
Why it works
Your opt-in should provide a “quick win”, so your future buyer can immediately feel the benefits. If it’s a problem that doesn’t offer instant gratification, it’s not the best topic for your opt-in offer.
Giving your customer some instant gratification translates into instant trust in you. Having to wait to see results from you opt-in idea may result in them thinking your advice does not work. Even worse, because some time has lapsed, they could end up attributing the positive results to something other than your opt-in.
If your ideal buyer has to wait to see the results after he implements your solution, that should be a paid course, not a free opt-in.
How it works
STEP 1: Write down your opt-in idea.
STEP 2: Is that an immediate fix or does your ideal buyer have to wait to see results after implementing your solution?
If “YES”, continue onto next steps, below.
If “NO”, revise your opt-in offer to one which can provide immediate results your ideal buyer.
Worked example
Taking the same opt-in idea one last time, “Small Talk Bible: 100 Authentic Conversation Openers for Introverts”, we can see it’s an immediate fix because we’re providing the conversation openers that he can use right away.
He doesn’t have to rack his brain trying to figure out what topics would be good for starting a conversation. Instant gratification felt and a whole lot of stress taken away.
In contrast, an opt-in offer containing a series of exercises to practice conversation skills would take more time to produce results (i.e., no instant gratification) and maybe uncertainty starts creeping in, “I’m not sure this solution works”. You risk losing another potential buyer right from the get go. Save this idea for your paid courses instead.
If “YES”, continue onto next steps, below.
If “NO”, revise your opt-in offer to one which can provide immediate results your ideal buyer.
For more inspiration and examples, check out the 1,500 opt-in ideas I’ve put together and see for yourself, how each opt-in idea provides instant gratification in 25+ different niches. How does your idea stack up against these? Is there room for you to refine and improve your current idea?
So now we’re near the end of this process, let’s reflect and summarize what we’ve done so far:
STAGE 1: Come up with an opt-in idea
STAGE 2: Put it through all 7 litmus tests and refined or revised the opt-in idea, where needed.
NEXT STEPS
Did your idea pass all the litmus tests?
If the answer is “YES”, then congratulations! You’re one rare bird with an opt-in idea that is capable of converting at 50%+. Here’s what you need to do next:
- Write an opt-in page that makes your target buyers dream, drool and hand over their email address.
- Create the opt-in offer content in a way that gets your target buyers a quick win, creates hunger for your paid offer, and primes them for the sale.
- Create a feedback loop that will automatically get you testimonials and buyer insights every time someone goes through your opt-in offer.
[By the way, if you’re interested in getting help with any of these steps, check out my entire system contained in one easy-to-follow course called FAST50. It shows you how to craft an opt-in that converts at 50%+ in 48 hours.]
If the answer is ‘NO’, then not to worry. Very few opt-in ideas pass all 7 litmus tests.
Coming up with a high converting opt-in idea can be tough, but if you’re like me, being able to see lots of other examples can definitely help spark ideas for you. I’ve spent over 83 hours researching high converting opt-in ideas and pulled together the world’s largest Opt-in Idea Bank of 1500 ideas spanning 25+ different niches to help you get started.
Get all these opt-in ideas for free and see the paid solutions that each opt-in can lead to. Use these ideas to develop or customize into your own high-converting opt-in idea.
Sign up and I’ll also add a workbook that guides you through all 7 litmus tests. The workbook is a simple fill-in-the-blanks format, to help you quickly test your opt-in idea and get you on your way to building that big email list.
EXCLUSIVE BONUS: Click here to get your Opt-in Idea Bank
