#107: Free Plus Shipping Book Funnel Generates $250k in Backend Sales with Aurora Winter

A free plus shipping book funnel is a powerful marketing strategy that allows you to generate leads, build your authority, and grow your business. In this blog article, we'll break down the process of creating a successful free plus shipping book funnel, drawing insights from an interview with Aurora Winter, a successful entrepreneur and book publishing expert.

What is a Free Plus Shipping Book Funnel?

A free plus shipping book funnel is a marketing strategy where you offer a physical book for free, with the customer only paying for the shipping and handling costs. This low barrier to entry encourages people to sign up, providing you with valuable leads. The book then serves as a lead magnet, nurturing the relationship with potential customers and positioning you as an expert in your field.

Aurora Winter's Success Story

Aurora Winter, founder of Same Page Publishing, shared her experience of implementing a free plus shipping book funnel with great success. She wanted to test the demand for a new business venture focused on helping entrepreneurs with their messaging, marketing, and book publishing.

Winter leveraged an existing relationship with the director of coaching for Tony Robbins to conduct a one-hour interview on these topics. She transcribed the interview and turned it into a book titled "Marketing Fastrack," which she then offered to her email list of 12,000 people for the cost of shipping ($4.77).

This strategy resulted in $250,000 in new business within 90 days. Although she lost about a dollar per book due to printing and shipping costs, Winter emphasized that she would gladly pay that amount for a high-quality lead, as those leads were likely to invest in her higher-priced backend offers.

Key Components of a Free Plus Shipping Book Funnel

• A Compelling Book: Your book should provide valuable content that resonates with your target audience and addresses their pain points. It doesn't need to be an exhaustive resource; even a short book can be effective.
• Irresistible Offer: The free plus shipping offer makes your book easily accessible, enticing people to opt-in and become leads.
• Strategic Backend Offer: Your book should lead to a high-value backend offer, such as coaching, consulting, or a premium course. Winter suggests having a lifetime customer value of at least $10,000 to justify the upfront investment in the free plus shipping model.
• Clear Call to Action: Your book should include a clear call to action, guiding readers to your backend offer and outlining the benefits they'll receive.

Testing and Optimization

Thorough testing is crucial for maximizing the effectiveness of your book funnel. Winter stresses the importance of testing various elements before launching the book, including:

• Title and Subtitle: Utilize services like PickFu to gather feedback on potential titles and subtitles from your target audience. You can also leverage AI tools like ChatGPT to brainstorm ideas.
• Cover Design: Test different cover designs to identify the most appealing option for your target market.
• Content: Enlist beta readers to provide feedback on the book's content, clarity, and flow.
• Marketing Materials: Test different marketing messages and ad copy to optimize your conversion rates.

The Power of Storytelling

Winter highlights the importance of incorporating stories into your book and marketing materials. She cites a study where adding a story to an object increased its perceived value by 27 times.

Use stories to:

• Connect with your audience on an emotional level.
• Illustrate the value of your book and backend offer.
• Make your content more engaging and memorable.

Investment and Returns

Winter recommends budgeting around $5,000 for a successful Amazon bestseller launch, which includes costs associated with testing, beta readers, marketing, and advertising. While this represents a significant investment, the potential returns are substantial, especially when paired with a high-value backend offer.

Beyond the Book Funnel

Your book can serve as a springboard for various other income streams and opportunities, including:

• Public Speaking: Becoming an author increases your credibility and makes it easier to secure paid speaking engagements.
• Media Coverage: A well-written book can attract media attention, further boosting your visibility and authority.
• Legacy Building: A book allows you to share your knowledge and experiences, leaving a lasting impact on your readers.

A free plus shipping book funnel is a powerful marketing strategy that can help you generate leads, build your authority, and grow your business. By following the steps outlined in this guide and incorporating the insights from Aurora Winter's experience, you can create a successful funnel that drives meaningful results. Remember to focus on providing value, test and optimize your approach, and leverage the power of storytelling to connect with your audience and maximize your impact.