Ecommerce Empire Builders

The Problem With Shopify Dropshipping: What You Need to Know

by Peter PruNovember 11, 2020November 7, 2020ClickFunnels TrainingLeave a Comment

Welcome back, Empire Builders! If you’re thinking about getting started with Shopify dropshipping or you’re currently a Shopify dropshipper and aren’t getting the results you expected, keep reading. We’ll be going over the problem with Shopify dropshipping and why it’s difficult to be profitable on that platform. Then, we’ll discuss alternatives that can help you start making money right away.

Over the past few months, we’ve been creating a ton of dropshipping businesses and split-testing different approaches. Now that the results are in, we want to share what we’ve learned about starting your dropshipping business more profitably.

The Typical Problem With Shopify Dropshipping “Funnels”

The typical Shopify dropshipping “funnel” is where you’ll find the problem with Shopify dropshipping that stops so many sellers from making money. The word “funnel” is in quotes here because while it’s technically correct, it’s a very poor example of what a funnel should be. Let me show you what I mean.

This is what your typical Shopify dropshipping “funnel” looks like:

Ad→ Product Page→ Add to Cart→ Cart Page→ Checkout Page #1: Shipping Info→ Checkout Page #2: Billing Info→ Complete Purchase/Thank You Page

Each of those arrows is a step that customers must complete to make the purchase. They’re also opportunities for the customer to drop off and not come back to finish the transaction. That’s the most costly problem with Shopify dropshipping. Consider how many ads people see each day, how seldom they click them, and that, as humans, we have the attention span of goldfish. When we finally do get that click, we need to get to the money as quickly as possible before life gets in the way and customers don’t come back. The “funnel” shown above does not work!

Many will argue that influencers or popular companies make millions that way. You’re right — your competitors who have warm leads and dedicated followings are making money off their popularity, But that’s despite the flaws in their methods. You don’t have that luxury, and you have to compete with them. So that’s even more reason to optimize your funnel!

What Does a Good Sales Funnel Look Like?

We use ClickFunnels to build our sales funnels, but you can use different software if you like. We use ClickFunnels because they have all the tools we need to make our funnels as profitable as possible and have it up and running within the day.

Let’s compare ClickFunnels to Shopify. We’re going to say that the ad and the customers who click on it are identical. The funnel is the only thing that’s changed. Here’s the new funnel, done the right way:

Ad→ 2-Step Order Form→ Upsell→ Upsell→ Complete Purchase/Thank You Page

As you can see, the structure has a two-step order form right at the beginning. We get their name, email, billing, and shipping information right up front. That allows us to build our email list and follow up — whether they purchased or not. It also shows them our products and quantity break discounts, so they can choose what they want and how many they want. Then the rest of the steps are one-click upsells, usually including a subscription.

Real-Life Example of a Poorly Optimized Funnel

Screen grab highlighting multiple clicks as the problem with Shopify dropshipping

I saw an ad for a pet product and clicked it to see how many clicks it would take to complete a purchase. Here’s what I had to do:

Ad→ Add to Cart→ Checkout→ Continue to Shipping Info→ Continue to Payment→ Complete Purchase

It took six clicks! That’s three times as many as it should be! That gives customers more time to change their minds, get distracted, get frustrated, or any number of other possibilities.

Real-Life Example of a Well Optimized Funnel

Instead, you want to set it up so that when leads click on an ad, it sends them to a sales page that highlights one offer with features, benefits, and images. Right next to the offer on that same page is where the two-step order form should be. With this design, you get their information right away, and they turn into a lead on your email list. On most sites, menus and options are great. But for an ad landing page, you don’t want to give them a ton of places to click off and get distracted. It should be simple and to the point.

Most people – around 90% – won’t buy the first time they end up on your site. They’ll want more information and to get to know you better first. When you get the contact information quickly, you have what you need to make that happen. Growing your email list and using email marketing is like printing money. You already have the names. All you have to do is reach out to them.

Good Sales Funnels Solve the Problem With Shopify Dropshipping

Screen grab of a Shopify sales funnel diagram

The value of this funnel is in ensuring that more qualified leads make it to your order form. If they put in their billing and shipping information, they’re more likely to buy. That’s why these funnels convert about 10%, while the Shopify ones only convert 1.33%. That’s nearly ten times more by merely changing your funnel.

On the second page of the order form, they can select their product. I always provide multiple quantity break discounts to encourage them to buy for a better deal. Then I have what’s called an order bump. That’s the pre-purchase upsell, much like the candy aisle at grocery store checkouts. You see it, and it’s convenient and tempting, so you just toss it in while you’re already there.

Make sure your order bump is a no-brainer item that pairs with your original offer. This will increase your average order value (AOV). Then the next clicks take you to one-click upsells before completing the order. I like having a subscription upsell in there to let them sign up for monthly orders. With this option, you can get consistent sales every month without additional work.

Final Thoughts About the Problem With Shopify Dropshipping

Dropshipper building a more convenient sales funnel

I see many people mistakenly assuming that if they aren’t making big profits, the product must be bad. Usually, the product itself is fine. It’s the sales strategy that needs work. Another mistake I see is a focus on lowering their cost-per-purchase. Ad spend isn’t going down — it’s just not. Constantly trying to reduce it creates inconsistencies that cost you more money.

Instead, flip the issue. While your competition tries to lower costs, focus on increasing your AOV instead so you can afford better ads to bring in more leads and still make higher profits. If you use optimized funnels with the right upsells and subscriptions paired with list-building and simple automated email marketing, you can succeed. It’s not unusual to see an average cart value of over $30-$40 on a FREE+Shipping offer with the right funnel and upsells.

To learn more about dropshipping and strategic sales, sign up for my masterclass where I’ll teach you how I made a full-time income online with a 5-page funnel and without touching a product or building a site. You’ll also get my $100k funnel template FREE! Get ready to build your empire.

Tagged : Clickfunnels / how to use a sales funnel / Sales Funnel / Shopify / shopify trends

The 17 Dropshipping Secrets You Need to Know

by Peter PruNovember 2, 2020November 1, 2020Facebook Ads For Dropshipping / Systems & ProcessesLeave a Comment

Empire builders, you already know that building a successful ecommerce business takes serious work and continued effort. While hard work is a necessity, I have found some helpful dropshipping hacks throughout my years in the industry. If you want to find success faster, you need to start implementing the seventeen dropshipping secrets that I’m about to lay out in your dropshipping business today.

These secrets will help you achieve more, convert at higher rates, and earn more sales nearly the minute you start implementing them. Read on to learn more about these seventeen dropshipping secrets and how you can start using them for your benefit today.

The Ultimate List of Dropshipping Secrets

Over the last few months, my team and I have been doing a ton of research. We’ve been split-testing funnels, trying to find what works and what doesn’t. We’ve been through the learning curves already and can help you cut yours in half by providing you with our findings. If you don’t start utilizing the seventeen key dropshipping secrets we discovered through our research and testing phases, you are simply leaving money on the table. The following are the top seventeen dropshipping secrets that have proven useful in all of our ecommerce endeavors at Ecommerce Empire Builders.

1. Use Better Background Images

To bring legitimacy to your business and funnel, you need to be using high-quality background images. A few years ago, I would have told you that your funnel’s background doesn’t matter. However, the industry is changing, and you have to adapt your strategies to thrive. Through extensive testing, we have found that high-quality images increase conversions, especially with cold traffic. Implementing high-quality images in your funnels is a simple way to build an emotional connection with your potential customers. You can even use stock photos — just make sure they are copyright-free.

2. Don’t Sell Boring or Mundane Products

If you want to be successful in the dropshipping industry, then you can’t sell boring or mundane products. Your product has to stand out.

You also have to create a reason for a customer to buy from you instead of somebody else.

Remember, you can sell spatulas, but your spatulas have to have an element that separates them from the competition. Whether that’s a cool handle or a cool two-in-one kitchen gadget, you need something that separates your product and makes the customer feel like they just have to have it.

3. Implement an Order Bump

screengrab of a tip for position effective order bumps

Order bumps are a must in the world of funnels. Every one of your funnels should have a pre-purchase upsell available to the customer. Have the offer listed right above the checkout or ‘complete order’ button.

An order bump is simply an easy toss-in item that increases the order value. Think of persuasive offers like expedited shipping or information products when creating your order bumps.

4. Offer Deals and Discounts

Every high-performing funnel has a deal or discount available to the customer. You need to grab the customer’s attention and give them a reason to buy from you. Think about creating offers like “Free Plus Shipping” deals or 50% off discounts.

5. Invest in Testing

If you want to gain traction in the ecommerce industry, then you have to be willing to put a little skin in the game. You need to invest in testing. This means you need to allocate around $250 (or more) to ads on whatever new offer you come up with.

You will use this budget to create split tests and run multiple ads on the same offer for at least a five-day period. This will allow you to test out different audiences and discover where the sweet spot is with the new offer.

6. Have Upsells in Your Funnel

Having upsells in your funnel is a must, no matter what type of software you’re using. Don’t overcomplicate the upsell strategy. If you’re selling fishing lures in your front-end offer, don’t try to sell the customer a fishing rod as the upsell. Offer more fishing lures as the upsell because you already know this is an item that the customer is interested in purchasing.

7. Automate Your Orders

I always see too many people wasting time on fulfilling orders. A simple way to give yourself more time to create better offers and higher converting funnels is to automate your order fulfillment. Always look to outsource parts of your business to give yourself more time to work on the things that really matter. Investing in Dropton or some other way of automating your orders would be a wise investment.

8. Integrate Paypal into Your Funnel

You need to have PayPal or some easy and reputable payment system integrated into your funnel. Having the PayPal logo on your funnel automatically increases your credibility to the customer. Funnelish is a great resource when it comes to integrating PayPal into your funnel.

9. Utilize Funnel Cloning Software

Funnel cloning software is another must-have for every ecommerce business. Super Cloner, a software tool that allows for funnel cloning, helps you find proven funnel templates that work. This is an easy and efficient way to build your own funnel — just start borrowing elements from funnels that have already proven to be successful. You can find a template you like and then put in your own copy, images, and offers.

10. Use the Facebook Ad Library to Your Advantage

screengrab of a tip for how to use Facebook Ad Library

Before you run ads to any of your funnels, make sure to use the Facebook Ad Library to your advantage. Go to the ad library and see what kinds of ads your competition is already running. This will give you a good indication of the types of ads that are already working with your ideal customer. You can also take inspiration from these ads and create your own.

Remember, don’t plagiarize these ads. I recommend reading the book Steal Like an Artist to understand how to properly take inspiration and create your own winning ads.

11. Show Multiple Products in Your Ads

Another great strategy to implement in your ads is showing multiple products in one ad. By this, I mean showing the same product being used by multiple people in the same ad. Creating ads that show friends or family all using the same product creates a reason for your customer to buy multiple units of the same product once they enter your funnel.

12. Show Multiple Products in Your Landing Pages

It will also be to your benefit to show multiple units of the same product on your landing pages. Keep your landing pages congruent with your ads, and give the customer a reason to purchase multiple units.

13. Use the Word “Free”

The word “free” is very powerful in marketing. This word needs to be in your funnel. It doesn’t matter whether you create “Free Plus Shipping” offers or free information products — you just need to have something in your funnel that is FREE to the customer. This will automatically result in higher conversions within your funnels. Check out the book Words That Sell by Richard Bayan to understand all the proven marketing words that lead to higher conversions time and time again.

14. Put Testimonials on Your Order From

Placing customer testimonials on your order forms is a simple way to add legitimacy and quality assurance to your business and products. Highlight other people finding success with your products, and use that as a selling point for other potential customers.

15. Provide Deep Discount Offers

Remember that if you have a high ticket item, you need to offer free shipping or deep discount offers with that product. You need to give customers an incentive to go ahead and purchase that higher ticket item today.

16. Enable HTTPS/SSL on Your Funnel Pages

Dropshipper ensuring that their sales funnel is secure

The best way to make your funnel and ecommerce business be seen as more legitimate is to enable HTTPS/SSL on your funnel pages. If a customer gets a notice that your website is not secure, then there is no way they are going to buy from you. This is a simple switch that will yield big results for your business.

17. Use a Simplified Design Within Your Funnels

The last of our dropshipping secrets that you need to utilize is to have a simplified design within your funnel. Never overwhelm the customer. Tell the customer what they want by providing a simple offer with a simple design. Simplicity will bring high conversions to your ecommerce business.

Consult With the Pros

Implement any one of these seventeen dropshipping secrets in your ecommerce business today to yield some serious results. If you feel like you need more guidance on implementing these secrets into your business or if you’re looking for more help on setting up your own profitable ecommerce business, then feel free to reach out to us today.

At Ecommerce Empire Builders, we can help you build, launch, and scale your own profitable dropshipping business. To get the ball rolling, sign up for access to our exclusive free webinar today. Be sure to check our YouTube channel for even more free resources and insights into the dropshipping and ecommerce industries. Remember, your empire starts now!

Tagged : dropshipping business growth / dropshipping tools / how to start dropshipping / how to use a sales funnel / upselling tips

How to Fix Failing Facebook Ads and Boost Sales

by Peter PruAugust 26, 2020August 12, 2020ClickFunnels Training / Facebook Ads For DropshippingLeave a Comment

Empire builders, have you been trying to crack the code on how to fix failing Facebook ads? Facebook ads can only get you so far on their own, and sometimes they simply won’t work at all without a good sales funnel in place. Here we’ll go over how you can analyze your sales funnels and fix those broken ads while improving your sales funnels to finally get the sales you want. The following steps will work best for Facebook ads, but you can also apply them to Instagram campaigns.

Identify Issues by Looking at the Data

When looking at your own data, we recommend that you do what you can to remain as emotionally detached as possible and analyze the data objectively.

It helps to look at your business as an entity and yourself as an investor. Many business owners tend to look at their business through the subjective lens of a parent with a child that they’ve created and nurtured, and that’s the wrong approach. It’s a lot easier to get frustrated and distraught with your store’s performance if emotions get in the way. That could make it harder to pick yourself up after those low moments.

Keeping this in mind, we’ll go through what might go wrong and how you can fix failing Facebook ads to increase sales.

1. Look at Your Customers’ Purchases First

When looking at your data, the first item to look at is the purchases. You’ll want to look at the purchases made over a three-day period, which is the same period you should allow for each type of data. It could also be as long as five days, but the important thing is to give your campaigns enough time to perform and determine whether they’re working or need some tweaking. Otherwise, you could be making decisions before your campaigns really have enough time to take effect.

In this example, let’s say you’ve been running Facebook ads for around two to three days. A couple of things have happened in your ad sets, one of which is a complete lack of purchases made within the three-day period. Now that you know what’s going on with the purchases, it’s time to go deeper.

2. Check the Click-Through Rate

screen grab of Ali's flowchart for how to fix failing Facebook ads with a CTR below 2%

If you notice that you’re not making a single purchase with your ads, the next item to examine is the click-through rate (CTR). To view your CTR in Facebook ads, you will need to go into your customized columns and select this metric manually.

When looking at your ad sets’ CTRs, you will specifically want to determine if it’s greater than or less than two percent. (FYI: two percent is the industry standard for the CTR that the average Facebook ad will get.) If your CTR is greater than two percent, it’s best to leave the ad set running for either another two to three days or at two to three times the cost of the product.

For example, say you’re selling a product for around $10 and your CTR is at around three percent or higher. If that’s the case, then wait until you’ve spent at least $30 before choosing to continue or stop the campaign. Doing so can help give Facebook ad sets more time to generate traffic to your landing pages. You can potentially gain more traction and increase your odds of breaking even.

If your CTR is under two percent, you’re better off leaving the ad set running for two more days or twice the cost of the product, which can give it a chance to reach or exceed two percent. If the ad set still fails to perform after running for two more days or twice the product cost, you will need to fix one of two things: the ads, or the targeting.

How to Fix Failing Facebook Ads: Either Change Your Creative or Your Copy

The most effective way to boost CTR is to change the creative elements of your ads. Changing the copy can also help if you develop an appealing headline and body text or offer that speaks to your audience. But if you want quick favorable results, then your best bet is to change the creative.

How to Fix Failing Facebook Ads: Change the Ad’s Targeting

If you’re happy with your creative and copy but your ads still aren’t performing the way you want them to, then it’s time to look at the targeting. Make sure your ads are targeting and reaching the right audience, which can also improve CTR.

Once your CTR increases, leave your ad sets running for another two to three days to allow them to gain hold.

3. Look at the Opt-In Page

If your ads are still failing to perform with a CTR above two percent and you’re not seeing any increase in sales, the next step is to find out what’s wrong with the opt-in page.

Specifically, you’ll want to look at the opt-in rate. It should be in or greater than the 20 to 30 percent range. If the opt-in rate is lower, the best way to increase this metric is to change the way the offer is displayed. People may have clicked through the ad because of the offer’s initial appeal. But you need to figure out how to maximize the proposed value of the offer and prove that it’s worth the customer’s investment.

How to Fix Failing Facebook Ads: 2 Quick Ways to Improve Your Offers

Two key steps can help improve the performance of your opt-in offers:

Hide the price
Use the best possible offer stack image

You can also add more customer testimonials, change the headline, or increase the offer.

4. Modify the Order Form

dropshipper following a tested process for fixing their online order form

If you’ve made all the above changes and your opt-in rate is at or exceeding 20 to 30 percent but you’re still not making any sales, the next phase would entail looking at your order forms.

When it comes to gauging your order forms’ performance, you’ll want to look at the order rate. You should try to aim for an order rate of greater than 10 percent. If your order rate is low even with a high opt-in rate, this indicates a broken ordering process.

How to Fix Failing Facebook Ads: Test the Funnel and Fix the Offer

To boost the order rate, the first step to take is to test the funnel. If the funnel is still working well and there doesn’t appear to be a reason for a lack of orders at this point, you’ve either:

Priced the offer too high.
Priced the offer incorrectly.

If the offer is priced too high, consider dropping it down slightly to increase acquisitions. If the price is incorrect, this could mean that people think that the offer promises an entirely free product, only to feel like they’ve been misled and have to pay for shipping or other costs. Change the order form to reflect the costs of shipping and handling or other expenses.

What to Do If the Ads Are Working (But Not Well Enough)

If you’ve finally made one or more sales, look at the cost per purchase (CPP). A CPP less than the average customer purchase (i.e., the cost of the cart) is a good sign of success.

If your CPP exceeds the average cart cost, here are some steps you can take to tip the scales and increase the average cart:

Add upsells.
Include quantity breaks that give a discount for buying two or more of an item.
Create or further optimize the order form.
Add an order bump.
Add products to the “Thank You” page.
Improve continuity by encouraging customers to subscribe and maximize their lifetime value.
Send emails reminding people to continue their purchases after abandoning their carts.
Add buyer automation that keeps customers coming back for upsells and repeat purchases.

Remember, give your campaigns time to perform and stick. If your ad sets still fail to perform after you make changes, you can proceed to dig deeper. Find out where the issues lie and optimize your campaigns accordingly. Ultimately, this will help you win with highly effective Facebook or Instagram influencer marketing and maximize acquisitions to boost sales.

Consult With the Experts

screen grab of the flow chart for how to fix failing Facebook ads

Now that you know how to fix failing Facebook ads, it’s time to keep growing. To learn more about how to take advantage of sales funnels and grow your ecommerce business with ease, sign up for the free dropshipping webinar with Ecommerce Empire Builders today. You can also pick up more tips and insights on my YouTube channel.

Tagged : ad strategies / Facebook ads / how to use a sales funnel / marketing strategies / order forms

How to Convert a Shopify Store Into a Clickfunnels Sales Funnel

by Peter PruAugust 19, 2020August 5, 2020ClickFunnels Training / Dropshipping Case StudiesLeave a Comment

Empire builders, have you been struggling to make sales on your Shopify store? You know you have a winning product or idea, but you just haven’t been able to capitalize on it quite yet. Alternatively, maybe you’re not struggling, but still want to find a way to increase and optimize your monthly sales. If either of these scenarios sounds like you and your business, I have some exciting news for you! The simple key to optimizing your ecommerce business and obtaining more monthly sales is to convert your Shopify store into a Clickfunnels sales funnel. Read on to learn more about sales funnel optimization and how you can easily convert a Shopify store into a more profitable sales funnel today.

Why You Need to Convert Your Shopify Store Into A Sales Funnel

a couple seeing an engaging product offer on a sales funnel

I’ve been banging on about the importance of utilizing a sales funnel in your ecommerce endeavors, but don’t just take my word for it. Numbers and data are the bread and butter of any successful business. The numbers simply speak for themselves when it comes to the benefits of using a sales funnel.

The average Shopify store converts at less than 1%. This means that, out of 100 people that visit your store, only one is likely to buy from you. The bottom line is that this is a terrible way to run a business. In comparison, a Clickfunnels sales funnel converts at over 13%. These numbers alone give you a much better chance of creating a profitable ecommerce business.

If you love Shopify, that’s great. You can keep utilizing the platform. But I have seen firsthand how integrating the Shopify and Clickfunnels platforms generate massive results. You take your winning products that are already selling well on your Shopify store, plug them into a sales funnel, and generate huge profits.

I recently did a case study of this concept after stumbling across a Shopify ad on YouTube that had over 13 million views. The product was a simple magnetic phone adapter, but the dropshipper had created a great ad for the product. I clicked on the ad and was taken to a typical Shopify store with too much white space, predictable countdown timers, and generally poorly formatted pages. Utilizing a sales funnel will let you overcome these predictable Shopify store mistakes. This article explains more of the different options you have with Shopify vs. Clickfunnels.

How to Convert a Shopify Store and Make a Profitable Funnel

Now don’t get me wrong. The owner of the Shopify store in this case study is killing it with this product. However, they could be raking in even more profits if they convert their Shopify store and showcase their already winning product through a sales funnel. The problem with Shopify stores is that they present too many options to the customer, leaving them feeling overwhelmed and more likely to leave the page before making a purchase. A sales funnel lets you make the offer very clear to your potential customer. It also allows you to essentially hold their hand through the buying process.

In my case study, I took this winning magnetic phone adapter product and built a sales funnel for it. The key to creating profitable sales funnels is to build a funnel that looks like the traditional online store but removes all the distractions.

Typical distractions on a Shopify store are links to multiple products or outside sources before the customer has even committed to an initial purchase.

The basic sales funnel I created and that you can use to optimize sales on your winning products is a three-page, add-to-cart type funnel. The three pages in this funnel are the squeeze page, the order form page, and the order confirmation page.

The Key Steps to Setting Up a Killer Squeeze Page

screen grab showing the start of how to design an appealing sales funnel page

Now, when you first convert a Shopify store into a sales funnel, the squeeze page is the most important element of the entire funnel. The squeeze page is where potential customers land after clicking on your ad. Here, you need to wow customers with your offer — give them a solid reason to buy from you and not Walmart or Amazon. To have a killer squeeze page that generates real results, you need to incorporate four basic elements. These four elements are an exciting offer, a good logo, appealing images, and an opt-in button.

1. An Exciting Offer

Customers come to your page for the offer, so you need to make it a good one. The offer needs to be enticing on the squeeze page, and the description on the page needs to be exciting. For this product, something like, “THE LAST CHARGER YOU WILL EVER NEED,” should work well as an exciting initial description. You can give a more detailed description on the squeeze page, too, but remember not to overwhelm the customer with a ton of information. Overwhelming customers makes them more likely to leave the page before opting in or making a purchase.

2. A Good Logo

Having a good logo is a must on a sales funnel. This logo gives your page legitimacy and makes it look more like the traditional online store. However, don’t put too much time into curating the perfect logo, as it’s not what customers care about once they land on your page.

3. Appealing Images

Using high-quality and appealing images is another crucial element in creating a killer squeeze page. It’s ideal to have 2-3 high-quality images on your squeeze page. Try to avoid white background images as they seem to make the product less exciting.

4. Opt-In Button

Finally, you need to incorporate the opt-in button into your squeeze page. Ultimately, the opt-in button is the most important element of the entire page. For my opt-in button, it read, “Add to Cart for 50% Off.” This is the button that customers click before being taken to the order form.

You can also make it so that clicking this button prompts a pop-up to appear. This pop-up will require customers to provide their email address before moving on to the order form. Collecting this email before a purchase doesn’t just allow you to build up your email list. It also allows you to retarget customers who left the page before making the purchase. This is an element that Shopify simply lacks.

Consult With the Pros

woman taking notes as she learns about dropshipping

If you’re ready to take your ecommerce store to the next level, you need to start integrating sales funnels into your business model. If you want to know more about how sales funnels can help optimize your ecommerce endeavors, feel free to reach out to us today.

Tagged : Clickfunnels / converting to a sales funnel / how to use a sales funnel / Sales Funnel / squeeze page