Growing your business isn’t just about working harder—it’s about working smarter. The key is using the right strategies to attract visitors, convert them into subscribers, and turn them into paying customers. But before you dive into growth strategies, it’s essential to understand where you stand.
On Day Two, we discussed tracking your business metrics so you can make data-driven decisions. If you haven’t reviewed that yet, take a moment to do so before moving forward.
Now, let’s look at how you can use that data to grow your business strategically.
Step 1: Driving More Website Traffic
Traffic is the lifeblood of your business. But not all traffic is created equal—you need targeted visitors who are genuinely interested in what you offer. Here are some proven traffic strategies:
✅ SEO Optimization
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of improving your website’s visibility on search engines like Google. The higher you rank, the more organic traffic you get.
- Use relevant keywords – Identify what your audience is searching for using tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs.
- Optimize your meta descriptions & headings – Ensure your content is structured with clear H1, H2, and H3 tags and compelling meta descriptions.
- Improve website speed – Use Google PageSpeed Insights to check and optimize load times.
- Build backlinks – Guest post on industry blogs, network with influencers, and create high-quality content others will link to.
✅ Content Marketing
Content marketing helps attract and retain visitors by providing valuable, relevant content.
- Write problem-solving blog posts – Address your audience’s pain points with detailed guides and how-tos.
- Create pillar content – Long-form, comprehensive articles that can be repurposed into videos, infographics, or social posts.
- Use case studies – Real-world success stories build trust and authority in your industry.
✅ Social Media Marketing
Social media is a powerful tool for driving traffic, but it requires consistency and engagement.
- Post regularly – Use a scheduling tool like Buffer or Hootsuite to stay active.
- Engage with your audience – Respond to comments, join discussions, and use polls to boost interaction.
- Leverage hashtags & trends – Research trending hashtags to increase visibility.
✅ Paid Advertising
Paid ads can generate fast, targeted traffic when done right.
- Facebook Ads – Great for targeting specific demographics and interests.
- Google Ads – Best for intent-driven searches where people are actively looking for solutions.
- Retargeting – Show ads to people who have visited your site but didn’t convert, using tools like Google Ads Retargeting or AdRoll.
✅ Guest Posting & Collaborations
Expanding your reach through partnerships can significantly grow your traffic.
- Guest blogging – Write for industry blogs with a link back to your site.
- Podcast appearances – Share your expertise on relevant shows.
- Influencer collaborations – Partner with social media influencers for co-branded content.
Step 2: Growing Your Email List
Traffic is great, but if visitors leave without subscribing, you’re missing a huge opportunity. Here’s how to turn traffic into leads:
📌 Lead Magnets
A lead magnet is a free resource you offer in exchange for an email address.
- Examples: Ebooks, checklists, templates, video trainings, exclusive discounts.
- Example: “Download our free 10-step guide to doubling your website traffic!”
- Tools to create lead magnets: Canva (for PDFs & graphics), Beacon (for professional lead magnet templates).
📌 Optimized Opt-In Forms
Your email signup forms should be strategically placed and designed for conversions.
- Where to place forms: Homepage, blog posts, pop-ups, sidebar widgets.
- Use two-step opt-ins: Instead of showing the form immediately, use a button that triggers the form when clicked. This can boost conversions.
📌 Landing Pages
A landing page is a standalone page designed to capture leads.
- Keep it simple: A clear offer, compelling headline, and strong CTA.
- Example: A webinar registration page that highlights the key takeaways.
- Tools: Leadpages, ClickFunnels.
📌 Email Segmentation
Segmenting your email list ensures people get relevant content instead of generic messages.
- Segment by behavior: Who clicked on past emails? Who purchased?
- Segment by interests: What content have they engaged with most?
- Tools: ConvertKit, ActiveCampaign.
Step 3: Converting Subscribers Into Customers
Once you have traffic and subscribers, the next step is turning them into buyers.
🛒 Nurture Sequences
A nurture sequence is a series of emails that guide subscribers toward purchasing.
- Example sequence:
- Welcome email – Introduce your brand & mission.
- Value email – Share a free resource or case study.
- Offer introduction – Highlight a product that solves their problem.
- Scarcity email – Create urgency with a time-sensitive discount.
- Last chance email – Reminder before the offer expires.
🛒 Limited-Time Offers
Scarcity and exclusivity drive conversions.
- Examples: Flash sales, early-bird pricing, first-time customer discounts.
- Tools: Deadline Funnel (for expiring offers).
🛒 Strong Calls-to-Action (CTAs)
A CTA is the prompt that tells users what action to take.
- Best practices: Use action-oriented language (“Get started today!”), create urgency, and make the button stand out.
- Examples:
- “Start your free trial now!”
- “Claim your discount before it’s gone!”
🛒 Retargeting Ads
Only a small percentage of visitors buy on their first visit. Retargeting brings them back.
- Platforms: Facebook Retargeting, Google Display Network, AdRoll.
- Example: If someone abandoned a cart, show them an ad with a special discount.
Step 4: Strengthening Customer Loyalty & Referrals
Acquiring a new customer is expensive—so keeping them engaged is key.
🎯 Loyalty Programs
- Example: Offer rewards points for repeat purchases (e.g., Starbucks Rewards).
- Tools: Smile.io, LoyaltyLion.
🎯 Referral Programs
- Example: “Refer a friend and both get $10 off.”
- Tools: ReferralCandy, Post Affiliate Pro.
🎯 Community Building
- Example: Exclusive Facebook groups or private Slack communities for customers.
- Tools: Circle.so (for private communities).
Step 5: Leveraging Webinars for Engagement & Sales
Webinars are an excellent tool for building authority, educating potential customers, and driving sales. They allow you to engage with your audience in real time, answer questions, and provide value before making an offer.
🎤 Why Webinars Work
- Build Trust – When people see and hear you live, they are more likely to trust your expertise.
- Educate Your Audience – Webinars allow you to teach concepts that showcase your product or service’s value.
- Increase Conversions – Live interactions and time-sensitive offers create urgency, leading to higher sales.
📌 How to Host a Successful Webinar
- Pick a Compelling Topic – Choose a topic that solves a pressing problem for your audience. Example: “How to Triple Your Email Conversions in 30 Days.”
- Choose the Right Platform – Use tools like WebinarJam, Zoom Webinars, or Demio to host your webinar.
- Promote Your Webinar – Use email sequences, social media, and ads to get sign-ups. Tools like ConvertKit help with automated email reminders.
- Engage With Your Audience – Keep the session interactive with Q&A, polls, and live chat.
- Include a Strong CTA – End with an irresistible offer, such as a discount or bonus for attendees.
📈 Measuring Webinar Success
- Attendance Rate – How many registrants actually showed up?
- Engagement Level – How many attendees stayed until the end?
- Conversion Rate – How many attendees purchased your product or service?
By hosting regular webinars, you can educate your audience, build credibility, and drive more sales in a structured way.
Webinars are a great way to educate, build trust, and convert leads into customers.
- Pick a relevant topic – Focus on solving a key problem for your audience.
- Use an engaging format – Combine slides, Q&A, and live demos.
- Promote in advance – Advertise through email, social media, and partnerships.
- Include a CTA – Offer an exclusive discount or bonus for attendees.
Tools: WebinarJam, Zoom Webinars.
Step 6: Creating a Sales Funnel for Automated Conversions
A sales funnel is a systematic process that guides your prospects from initial awareness of your brand all the way to making a purchase. The key is to automate the steps to create a seamless journey for your leads, reducing the need for manual intervention and increasing your efficiency. Here’s how you can build a sales funnel that works for your business:
🎯 Awareness
At the top of the funnel, your goal is to drive awareness and attract traffic. This can be done through a combination of content marketing, SEO, paid ads, social media, and collaborations. You want to introduce your brand and offerings to as many relevant people as possible.
Example: You could run a Facebook ad campaign linking to a blog post or a free guide. The key here is to bring people into your funnel.
🎯 Interest
Once visitors land on your website, it’s crucial to capture their interest and get them to take the next step: providing their contact information. This is where lead magnets and optimized opt-in forms come into play. Use tools like landing pages and pop-ups to convert visitors into subscribers.
Example: Offer a free eBook or checklist that addresses a common pain point for your target audience.
🎯 Consideration
At this stage, the prospect is evaluating whether your solution is the right fit for them. This is where nurture sequences, email marketing, and retargeting come in. You’ll send a series of value-driven emails to keep your audience engaged and educate them about your products.
Example: You might send a sequence of emails that provide valuable tips related to your niche, followed by case studies or testimonials showcasing the success others have had with your product.
🎯 Decision
In this phase, your leads are ready to make a decision. This is where a limited-time offer, scarcity tactics, and strong calls to action (CTAs) can push them toward a purchase. The goal is to create urgency and make it clear that your offer is valuable and time-sensitive.
Example: “Only 10 spots left at this price! Don’t miss out—get your special offer today.”
Tools for Creating Sales Funnels:
- ClickFunnels: A popular tool for building sales funnels from scratch, offering drag-and-drop functionality for easy setup.
- Kartra: Another funnel-building tool that combines email marketing, membership sites, and landing page builders into one platform.
Step 7: Using Affiliate Marketing to Grow Sales
Affiliate marketing can exponentially grow your sales by leveraging others to promote your products in exchange for a commission. It’s a performance-based marketing strategy that allows you to tap into new audiences through partnerships with affiliates. Here’s how to set up and manage an affiliate marketing program:
🎯 Find Affiliates
The first step is to identify potential affiliates—these could be bloggers, influencers, or other businesses within your niche that already have an established audience. Here’s how to find them:
- Search within your niche: Start by searching for keywords related to your business. Look for bloggers, influencers, or content creators who are already discussing topics that align with your products.
Example: If you sell digital marketing tools, search for top digital marketing blogs or influencers who regularly discuss the latest tools in the industry. - Join affiliate networks: Platforms like ShareASale, PartnerStack, ClickBank, JVZoo, and WarriorPlus allow you to find pre-vetted affiliates who are already looking to promote products. You can browse through their directories to find partners in your niche.
Example: You can search for affiliates on platforms like ShareASale, PartnerStack, ClickBank, JVZoo, and WarriorPlus based on categories like health, tech, or education. - Reach out to influencers: Find influencers on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok who align with your brand and whose audience would benefit from your product. You can use tools like BuzzSumo or Influence.co to identify the right influencers.
Example: Use BuzzSumo to find top content creators and influencers in your niche and see which ones have the most engagement. - Look at your competitors: See who is promoting products similar to yours. If affiliates are already working with your competitors, they might be a good fit for your brand as well.
Example: Check your competitor’s product pages or marketing materials for any affiliate disclosures or promotional links. - Use social media: Engage with communities on platforms like Facebook Groups, Twitter, and LinkedIn. You can directly connect with individuals who are active in your niche and might be interested in partnering with you.
Example: Search for “affiliate marketing” or “collaboration” groups within your niche and reach out to active members. - Offer incentives: To attract quality affiliates, offer incentives like higher commissions for top performers or bonuses for achieving specific milestones, such as generating a certain number of sales in a month.
🎯 Create Tracking Links
Tracking links are essential for monitoring the performance of your affiliates. These links help you track which affiliate drove a sale and ensure they’re paid the correct commission. Here’s how to create them:
- Use an Affiliate Platform: If you’re using an affiliate network like ShareASale, PartnerStack, ClickBank, JVZoo, or WarriorPlus, these platforms automatically generate tracking links for your affiliates once your program is set up. Each affiliate gets a unique link, such as
www.yoursite.com/?affid=12345
, that tracks sales and conversions made through their promotion. - Create Custom Tracking Links with UTM Parameters: If you’re running your affiliate program independently (without an affiliate network), you can manually create custom tracking links using UTM parameters. UTM parameters are added to the end of your URLs to track where your visitors are coming from. For example, you could have a link like
www.yoursite.com/product?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=affiliate123
. This link helps you identify which affiliate referred the traffic and how it was promoted (like through email or social media).- utm_source: The affiliate’s name or website.
- utm_medium: The method they used to promote it (e.g., email, social media).
- utm_campaign: The specific affiliate campaign or promotion.
You can use tools like Google’s Campaign URL Builder to make this process easier.
- Use a Link Management Tool: To make the tracking links more manageable and professional, you can use tools like Pretty Links. These tools allow you to create shorter, branded links that are easier to share. They also track clicks, so you can see how well each affiliate is performing.
- Use Affiliate Management Software: For more advanced tracking and management, affiliate software platforms like Refersion or Post Affiliate Pro can help. These tools help you not only generate tracking links but also manage your affiliate program and generate detailed reports on affiliate performance. Additionally, if you’re looking to manage both memberships and affiliates, AMember is a great option. AMember allows you to integrate affiliate programs directly into your membership site, making it easier to track affiliate sales and manage commissions.
🎯 Offer Attractive Commissions
To motivate affiliates to promote your products, you need to offer a commission structure that’s attractive. Consider offering a higher commission for top performers or a tiered system where affiliates earn more as they generate more sales.
Example: Offer a 30% commission on each sale, with the potential for a 40% commission for affiliates who generate over $10,000 in sales within a month.
🎯 Provide Resources and Support
To make it easy for your affiliates to promote your products, provide them with marketing materials like banners, email templates, and social media copy. The easier you make it for them, the more likely they are to successfully drive traffic and sales.
Example: Give affiliates access to a media kit with pre-made email copy, product images, and promotional videos that they can easily use to advertise your product.
Tools for Managing Affiliate Marketing:
- ShareASale: A platform that connects merchants with affiliates and provides tracking, reporting, and payment services.
- PartnerStack: A platform designed for managing affiliate and partner relationships, offering easy integrations and automated processes.
Implementing Your Growth Strategy
Now that you have a comprehensive plan in place to increase your traffic, subscribers, and customers, it’s time to take action. The strategies outlined in these steps will help you systematically attract more visitors, convert them into loyal subscribers, and turn those subscribers into paying customers. But remember, success doesn’t happen overnight—it requires consistent effort, testing, and refinement.
By creating a streamlined sales funnel, optimizing your affiliate marketing program, and continually measuring your results, you’ll be able to scale your business effectively and sustainably.
Action Step for Today:
Choose one strategy from the steps above and start implementing it today. Whether it’s creating a lead magnet to grow your email list, setting up a retargeting campaign, or reaching out to potential affiliates, every small step you take brings you closer to your goals. Keep refining your process, track your results, and continue building momentum.
Tomorrow, we’ll discuss how to work backwards to achieve your business goals. Stay tuned! Let’s keep the momentum going!
Want to learn to start taking massive action? My mentor, Connie Ragen Green has a free challenge she calls the Action Habits Challenge. And did I mention it’s FREE???
I’m online entrepreneur Richard Rawlings (Rick) Smith. Who else wants to join me in creating an online business that allows them to enjoy the lifestyle they want and deserve?