How to Create a Killer High-Ticket Sales Funnel That Converts

Spending more time chasing down qualified leads who are ready to invest in transformative change than you’re spending on actually helping your audience get results?

It’s time to ditch that time-sucking strategy and deploy a high-ticket sales funnel, an automated process designed to nurture potential prospects into high-paying clients.

In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn each of the essential steps to building a sales funnel that converts interest into lasting success.

What is a High-Ticket Sales Funnel?

From coaches and consultants to service businesses and online retailers, sales funnels have long been employed across a wide range of industries to provide an effective system for streamlining and automating the sales process.

When we talk about a high-ticket sales funnel, we’re essentially talking about taking this system, tweaking it, expanding it, and tailoring it to entice and convert clients for high-ticket items like coaching programs.

Why?

Simple.

A well-crafted sales funnel offers a powerful solution to the unique challenges of high-ticket selling.

Why Create a Sales Funnel for Your High-Ticket Items?

Sell a low-cost course or other product, and there’s very little perceived risk for your customers.

Even if things don’t work out and the item fails to provide the value they were expecting, those clients are down what? $50? $100? And that’s only until they get their refund.

This makes those items much better candidates for impulse purchases.

With high-ticket items, that’s simply not the case.

Here, you’re essentially asking clients to invest anywhere from three to six figures or more, so you need to work harder to earn their trust and demonstrate your value.

Make no mistake about it, high-ticket buyers are going to approach your offer with a healthy degree of skepticism, questioning every promise until you prove it’s worth such a significant investment.

Doing so typically means nurturing those clients through a well-crafted sales process, addressing fears and concerns, and delivering genuine value long before a client even takes their credit card out of their wallet.

While you could invest endless hours holding each client’s hand through this process until they’re ready to leap, that’s hardly the best use of your time.

This is where a sales funnel comes into play, providing you with a powerful, automated selling system that repeatedly guides your target clients from the curious to the fully committed.

Later in this guide, you’ll learn how to create a high-converting sales funnel for your big-money items, but first, let’s see how effective they can be by taking a look at some successful high-ticket sales funnel examples.

Top 3 Best High-Ticket Sales Funnel Examples

1. Alzheimer’s World Summit

Alzeimers and Longevity Coach Michael Morgan, one of our clients, hosts the Alzheimer’s World Summit.

This multi-day virtual event, focused on cutting-edge advancements in Alzheimer’s research and practical caregiving strategies, typically attracts 1,000s of registrants drawn to Michael’s expertise in this specific domain.

Michael established a sales funnel to segment those sign-ups and send targeted, post-summit email sequences, offering additional resources and ongoing support.

The insightful content and personalized follow-up emails Michael offered post-summit weren’t just informative, they were strategic trust-building blocks. This paved the way for a smooth transition to his targeted VIP program, a strategic upsell offer targeted to a highly engaged segment of the summit attendees.

Satisfied participants were then invited to an optional in-depth webinar and workshop, further solidifying their connection with the host and showcasing the impact of his coaching program.

Finally, qualified leads were offered to book sales calls, allowing Michael to directly address their concerns and demonstrate the personalized value of his high-ticket coaching program.

The end result?

Michael generated $100,000 for his coaching business with a single virtual event and high-ticket sales funnel.

2. Tesla

Remember the buzz surrounding Tesla’s Model 3 pre-orders?

Their landing page featured a simple form, promising early access in exchange for a $1,000 deposit.

Proving that limited availability and early access can be powerful motivators, the electric vehicle brand generated $14 billion in preorders, making it one of the all-time most successful examples of a high-ticket sales funnel.

The best part?

The funnel itself was incredibly straightforward.

Tesla simply generated a buzz about the upcoming Model 3 and invited people to sign up for a free webinar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4VGQPk2Dl8&ab_channel=Tesla

The webinar showcased the car’s launch and then, when it was over, viewers were redirected to an online order form where they could lay down their deposit.

If nothing else, this is a prime example of the power of virtual events to bolster the success of your funnel.

3. James Clear

James Clear’s Habit Building challenge is a prime example of how to use sales funnels for a high-ticket coaching program.

Targeting clients in the personal development space, Clear created a value-packed 30-day free course combining quizzes, a mini-course, and actionable suggestions delivered daily to participants’ inboxes.

At the end of those 30 days, Clear pitched his High-ticket Atomic Habits Academy, a premium upsell featuring training, exclusive content, and personalized coaching.

Not only does Clear note that his funnel brought in 200,000 new paying clients, it also helped his book, Atomic Habits, surpass 3 million in global sales.

How to Create a High-Ticket Sales Funnel That Works

1. Understand your target audience

Whether you’re selling a high-value course, one-to-one coaching, or a physical product, the first step to landing those big-money clients is to understand precisely who they are and what they want.

This means going above and beyond any basic audience research you may have done when you first started your business and diving deeper until you understand their pain points and friction factors even better than they do.

Here’s how to do that.

A. Fine-tune your niche value proposition

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of coaches practicing in the United States has grown by 54%, with over 109,000 coaches competing for a share of the $4.56 billion revenue generated by the industry each year.

Your job is to prove why you’re the one coach out of the thousands of others that is best suited to help clients with their particular challenges.

Even if you don’t run a coaching business, chances are you’re facing similar levels of competition, which means your priority should be to fine-tune your value proposition so that you have a crystal-clear idea of what sets you apart.

Ask yourself:

• What’s unique about your business, product or service?
• What do you offer that nobody else can?
• What transformative results can your clients expect that they wouldn’t get elsewhere?
• A great exercise to help you answer this question is to imagine a client talking to a friend about their experience of working with you.
• What words would they use to describe that experience?
• What reason would the client give their friend to explain why they chose to work with you?

B. Dive deeper into your customer profile

Now that your niche value proposition is as solid and finely-tuned as you could possibly ask for, the next step is to think about who that value proposition would most appeal to.

You can do this by asking:

• Who is your ideal customer? Are they 20-somethings in the early stages of building their career or 40-somethings stuck in a rut? Do they live in the city or the suburbs?The more you know about the basic demographics of your target customer, the more you can fine-tune each component of your sales funnel to speak directly to them.
• What is their level of income? A little knowledge of your ideal customer’s socio economic profile can go a long way in helping you make key decisions when it comes to putting price tags on your offer.After all, if that offer is more than your typical target client can afford, your sales are going to be limited at best.
• Where do they hang out online? Are your clients spending the majority of their social media time on Linkedin and X? Or are they more of a Threads and Instagram crowd?Knowing your audience’s online haunts means knowing where to go to find them so that you can begin bringing them into your sales funnel.
• How do they consume content? Will video resonate best with your audience (hint: it usually does), or are you more likely to increase click-throughs with a superior quality blog packed with valuable infographics and game-changing advice?
• What challenges do they have? Identifying your client’s specific struggles allows you to speak directly to their pain points and showcase how your offerings provide the perfect solution.
• What are their friction points? What might prevent them from becoming a paying client? Identifying potential pitfalls in your sales funnel gives you an opportunity to remove them before they cost you a sale.
• Whether it’s offering flexible payment options, addressing trust concerns, or streamlining the buying process, taking a proactive approach to addressing friction points can help transform hesitant leads into loyal clients.

2. Produce your lead magnet

Next, you’re going to take all those newfound insights into your ideal clients and use them to create a valuable resource that helps people begin to solve their problems or score results.

This resource will serve as your lead magnet, a powerful tool that potential clients can access in exchange for an email address which you can then use to guide them deeper into your funnel.

Here’s a few things you’ll need to consider:

A. The solution you offer

The goal here isn’t to give the whole game away but rather to give clients a taste of the success they can achieve by buying your high-ticket item.

For example, if you’re a business coach, you might consider creating a free virtual event on closing sales, while those of you selling high-ticket coaching programs in the weight loss niche might opt for a meal planning workshop or template.

Whatever you choose, this lead magnet should tie into the high-value product you’re selling.

It could even be a summary of the first chapter of your course or an exercise that produces results (for example, more income or pounds lost) on a smaller scale than clients could achieve by investing in your item.

Whatever you choose, it has to be something that demonstrates your value to potential clients and begins to build that all-important trust by showing that you can genuinely help your audience.

B. Your lead magnet format

Lead magnets come in all shapes, sizes, and formats.

Your job is to pick the one that is best suited to your business and your audience’s pain points.

The table below outlines some of the more common types of lead magnet formats, the creative assets you’ll need to produce for them, and example use cases:

C. Free vs. low-cost

While it’s not uncommon to see lead magnets in the form of low-cost premium downloads, you’ll grow your email list faster by giving yours away for free.

Given the choice between an eBook that costs $5 – $10 or an eBook that’s free, far more people will choose the latter.

However, while a free eBook lead magnet can attract a wider audience and build an email list fast, remember that paid leads often represent individuals with a higher degree of commitment and interest.

Those who invest $10 in your book have already demonstrated a willingness to learn from you and potentially spend more on your higher priced product. The key is to strategically balance both approaches to maximize your reach and conversion rates.

D. Guiding users to the next stage

Potential clients will have already given you their email addresses in exchange for this lead magnet, and you’ll certainly be using it later on in your funnel.

However, you don’t have to wait until your follow-up email lands in a lead’s inbox to encourage them to continue their journey with you.

Including a clear and compelling Call to Action (CTA) in your lead-generating asset will pay dividends by converting curiosity into active engagement and, ultimately, into conversions.

Think about it.

A potential client has your resource right there in front of them.

They’ve used it to produce their desired outcome successfully and they’re feeling pretty good about it.

What better time to capitalize on that client’s positive sentiment towards you than right now?

With that in mind, consider including a CTA leading to a landing page or video overview of your high-ticket program, showcasing its benefits and demonstrating how it builds upon the information provided in the lead magnet.

E. How to tailor your CTAs to your format

• In PDFs: Embed CTAs strategically throughout the document, prompting users to download additional resources, sign up for workshops, or visit your website.
• In videos: Offer a bonus downloadable guide or checklist at the end, with a CTA requiring email sign-up.
• In apps and tools: Integrate seamless CTAs within the user experience, inviting them to unlock premium features or upgrade to a paid plan.

3. Build your landing page

With your lead magnet complete, you’re now going to create a landing page where clients can access it.

You might choose to build this as part of your existing website or you may prefer to opt for third-party tools purpose-built for creating conversion-optimized landing pages.

If you’re a WordPress user, for example, you’ll find the intuitive, drag-and-drop approach of SeedProd ideal for creating attractive, dynamic landing pages that integrate seamlessly with the rest of your website.

Elsewhere, Leadpages is another top landing page builder with over 250 expert-designed templates and a toolkit of conversion-generating features such as lead-generation forms, pop-ups, and more.

Whichever route you choose, there are a few key things you’ll need to incorporate:

A. Captivating headline

The quality of your headline can make or break the success of your sales funnel.

It needs to spark curiosity, ignite desire, and promise a transformation the visitor yearns for.

Pack that headline with powerful verbs and language that resonates with your audience’s aspirations, drawing them in and compelling them to find out more.

In the example above, you can see the headline on the landing page we created for our Million Dollar Virtual Summit program.

You’ll notice that it makes an impact right away, telling audiences exactly what they stand to gain (one million dollars in sales), while the clear call to action (partner with us) tells them precisely how to get it.

B. Benefits over features

Here’s the harsh truth.

Clients don’t care about you and your business, at least not as much as they care about their own interests.

Every time a possible lead lands on your page, they’re asking “what’s in it for me?”

As such, listing all the features of your coaching program or enterprise-level application as if it were a grocery list is not going to cut it.

Instead, link those features to tangible benefits, painting a vibrant picture of the kind of transformation clients will enjoy by working with you.

How will their business soar with your actionable strategies?

How will they approach things differently with a newfound sense of confidence or physical wellbeing?

Weave benefits into a compelling narrative that helps your clients see, feel, and truly believe in the incredible results that await.

C. Social proof

Unless you’re starting your own business from scratch, you should already have at least a handful of satisfied clients who can vouch for you.

Those clients can prove to be one of your biggest assets in ensuring the success of your high-ticket funnel.

After all:

• 92% of consumers search for reviews and testimonials before making a purchase.
• Positive reviews can generate as much as 62% more revenue per site visitor.
• 72% believe customer reviews and testimonials are more credible than the brand talking about their products.

So, showcase your past clients’ success, their testimonials, brand logos, and glowing reviews to build trust and credibility.

In this example, you’ll see how we’ve used video testimonials from genuine clients to build trust through real faces and voices.

D. Simple, accessible, and responsive design

Clutter is the enemy of conversion.

Think of your landing page as a minimalist, modern art gallery. Every element needs intention, and whitespace is as important as vibrant visuals. Guide visitors’ eyes effortlessly with a clear layout, focused copy, and strategically placed opt-in forms.

Remember, less is often more. Let the essence of your lead magnet shine through without distractions, leading potential clients down a smooth path to action.

Don’t forget about responsive design. No matter whether your clients access your landing page on a mobile, desktop, or laptop, that page should adapt seamlessly to their screen, delivering the same flawless user experience.

E. Conversion

You’ve hooked your audience with an attention-grabbing headline, you’ve given them hope for a better future, and you’ve even shown them other people who are already enjoying that future.

Now it’s time to seal the deal by getting that all-important conversion.

Here, you need a simple yet striking CTA that creates a sense of immediacy and urgency, making your audience eager and ready to sign up.

You can see how simple this can be in the example above from James Clear. It’s not only simple and to the point, but it’s also twinned with a very user-friendly opt-in form requiring nothing from users other than their email address.

At this stage, that’s all you really need. The less data clients have to hand over, the more likely they are to convert.

4. Create your email sequence

Once you’ve captured leads with your compelling lead magnet and landing page, it’s time to nurture those relationships and guide them toward your high-ticket program through a carefully crafted email sequence.

For this, we recommend using an email marketing tool like MailChimp or ConvertKit so that you can put your entire sequence on autopilot.

This sequence could take any number of formats, though the following outline is ideal for high-ticket sales funnels.

Email 1: Welcome and value delivery

Your initial email is an opportunity to introduce yourself, reinforce the value clients will receive, and express gratitude for their interest.

Don’t be afraid to show off your warm, friendly personality here. It will go a long way to developing further trust and building more meaningful relationships with your leads.

Email 2: Added value

Before you go in with your sales pitch, your next task is to pile on the added value.

Use this email to help your email subscribers uncover the root causes of their pain points and the potential consequences of inaction.

Share valuable insights, tips, and strategies that align with their interests and demonstrate your authority in the field.

This will prove invaluable in showing people that you really do know your stuff and are in a unique position to help them.

Email 3: The soft sell

You still want to hold off on the high-ticket offer for now, but there’s no reason you can’t use one of your follow-up emails to pitch a low-ticket product such as a workshop, or go in with a soft-sell for your services.

Email 4: Even more value

Here’s another opportunity to demonstrate how uniquely equipped you are to guide users towards their desired outcomes.

Here, you can provide more actionable suggestions and solutions through a unique piece of content, an exclusive video, or perhaps an invite to an online webinar.

Email 5: Social proof

Remember how important social proof is?

You can use your next email to share more success stories.

This could be in the form of a case study featuring a client with a familiar problem your audience can relate to and the outcome they aspire to.

Email 6: The high-ticket sales pitch

Finally, it’s time to pitch your high-ticket program.

Clearly explain what it offers, how it works, and the transformative results it can deliver while highlighting unique selling points and addressing any points of friction.

Remember to make it easy for leads to take the next step by providing a direct link to your sales page or free consultation call booking page.

Email 7: Incentivize

Those who didn’t take you up on your offer in Email 6 are far from a lost cause.

You have another chance to entice them with your next follow-up email, especially if you continue to provide valuable content and build momentum toward a decision.

You’ll also find it beneficial to incentivize action with limited-time offers, bonuses, or early-bird discounts to nudge leads toward enrollment.

5. Launch Your Lead Magnet

Now, it’s time to put all the pieces together and start bringing potential clients into your high-ticket funnel by promoting your lead magnet.

The best place to start is with the list of online hangouts you generated in step 1 of this process.

Head to the social media platform your audience engages with the most and reach that audience through a combination of targeted paid advertising and high-quality, organic content.

Elsewhere, you might want to consider:

• Guest blogging on relevant websites that will allow you to link to your lead magnet.
• Appearing on relevant podcasts as an interview guest. If you take this approach, remember to provide genuine value to the podcast’s audience rather than simply shilling your product.
• Collaborating with other entrepreneurs and related businesses to cross-promote one another’s lead magnets.

The goal here is simple.

Meet your ideal clients where they are and entice them into your high-ticket funnels, where the power of your landing page, lead magnet, and automated email sequence will do most of the hard work in boosting interest in your offer.

6. Consult with potential clients

Though you can use your lead magnets and follow-up emails to drive clients straight to a sales page, you’ll get better results from first asking them to book a call with you.

This isn’t a sales call, nor is it a free session.

It’s a no-pressure conversion that allows you to build rapport, address concerns, and answer questions while allowing your leads to discover if your offer is genuinely a good fit for them.

Assuming it does, you can wrap up the call by welcoming your new client on board and giving them the link to your payment page to finalize the deal.

Creating a High-Ticket Sales Funnel: Your Key Takeaways and Next Steps

You’ve navigated the essential components of building a high-ticket sales funnel that attracts premium clients and converts them into loyal devotees of your expertize.

From crafting targeted lead magnets to designing persuasive landing pages, you’ve learned to nurture leads through compelling email sequences and craft sales calls that resonate with their deepest desires.

Armed with these actionable strategies, you now possess the blueprint for attracting high-quality clients who invest in your transformative potential. Remember, your funnel is an ongoing process of value, trust, and conversion.

Keep refining your approach, testing different tactics, and measuring results to consistently optimize your journey towards high-ticket success.

But if you crave a little extra guidance, a handy checklist brimming with practical tips and expert insights to build your own high-ticket sales funnel, then download our free Virtual Summit Checklist and unlock the power of this dynamic event format to generate high-ticket leads. Learn how to curate high-value content, captivate your audience, and transform summit attendees into paying clients, propelling your high-ticket funnel into a sales machine.