People either do what you want. Or they don’t.

That doesn’t mean you can’t do anything about it, though. It doesn’t mean you can’t choreograph it ahead of time.

Almost every single customer interaction presents an IF/THEN scenario. They either choose to do one thing, do the opposite, or do nothing at all. And each option means you should react in a slightly different way.

The good news is that you can do it in advance. You can determine what happens before it happens, so the message they receive next is always the right one.

Here’s how to get this insight and react in real-time to give people exactly what they want, when they want it.

1. Start by setting objectives

You need to collect various data points, so you understand context. So you ‘get’ what someone wants before they want it.

Creating a strategy comes starts with two moves:

1. Identifying someone’s potential end game, and then
2. Reasoning backwards to figure out how they get there.

That way, you can see what’s coming. Only when you know where someone is trying to go can you create scenarios for how they might get there.

Some people come to your site to buy. But not most. Only a tiny slice ready to hit the Product Tour and Opt-in page before reading “Thank You.”

Others want pricing. Some want insights. And still more want information.

The trick is to start here. Without determining who wants what, you can’t figure out how to get them there the fastest and easiest.

Marketing is a series of IF, THEN statements. Conditional statements that show how people get from A->B, and then somehow to Z.

Z is what you want. Z is where you purchase. But people don’t start with Z.

“Then” is when stuff happens. It’s your response.

Product companies are relatively simple. People check out a product but don’t buy. So you follow-up with retargeting efforts.

Not so easy for services. The sales process takes months instead of weeks. It takes nurturing instead of discounts.

For services, it could be a 1-on-1 conversation to start the ball rolling. Next, you work backwards. You set-up the sequence to determine how someone is going to get from A->B.

Automation workflows can help you map this out. For example, if someone looks at the services page but doesn’t convert, do this next.

“This” could be “send new email.” Perfect.

Now do it again. This email goes out. Do they click on the CTA link?

Yes or no.

If yes, but they don’t sign up for your offer, it’s a no. Or it might as well be. So respond accordingly.

These sequences repeat ad nauseam.

2. Segment new leads

How do people get to your site?

Directly typing the URL? Through a link on Twitter? Google ad?

These are not just channels. It’s saying you much more:

• The direct website visit? Brand-aware. Been to your website multiple times before. Probably transitioning from stranger to lead.
• Twitter? New visit. Stranger. Needs more info to develop brand recognition.
• Google search ad? Also not brand-aware. But problem-aware. Probably solution-aware. Show them why you’re better.

Now, keep them separate. Don’t treat them the same. Create different flows. Create different segments for each.

3. Nurturing & re-engagement

Eventually, someone opts-in.

On the one hand, it’s great. You’re one step closer. Except on the other, it changes everything. You need to update things. You need to evolve the conversation.

You need to remove people from previous sequences because their status has changed.

Some may show an initial interest but then stop engaging. Nothing happens for a long time.

No problem. IF, you saw this coming. IF, you have a scenario planned out for them.

Typically, you want to get them to ‘reengage’ here. So new emails go out. Each, with different links like this next one.

Let’s say someone clicks on the fifth option down: “Optimizing Your Website.” That indicates they’re interested in, well, updating their website.

Perfect. Tag them accordingly, put them in a new segment, and start the new sequence, for that very specific topic. You can send them more relevant offers that they’re more likely to take you up on.

Which puts you one step closer.

4. Sales qualification

Ecommerce is easy. Someone buys or they don’t. Most customers are ‘good,’ as long as they’re paying.

Services ain’t easy. Most leads and prospects won’t become customers.

Worse yet, out of those who will want to work with you, you will not want to work with most of them. You want the best customers. You want those that will be the best fit. The ones that ideally also have the longest lifetime value.

Which means you need to qualify. Which means you need to plan for this in advance.

You know many people who fill out your form won’t be a good fit. So you add a couple qualifying questions to the bottom of your form.

“Annual Revenue Range” can tell you a few things. It can tell you, right off the bat, if they can even afford you. Not worth jumping on the phone if they can’t.

It also helps you logistically. The person or division doing $100,000 websites will be different than the one doing $1,000,000 ad campaigns. So they need to be routed appropriately, too.

Now, think of your process and workflow. Each little decision or potential answer has another trickle-down effect. It influences everything that happens afterward.

You need filters and branches and IF/THEN statements along the way. That way, you can take all of the various possibilities into account.

Before they happen. So you know exactly how to respond. When it eventually does.

Conclusion

Congratulations. You’ve made it this far.

You’ve sold a new deal. Closed a new account. Brought in a few bucks.

But a new customer isn’t the end of the process, so much as it’s the beginning of a new one.

“Marketing” doesn’t just mean advertising, after all. Onboarding is crucial. Customer service is key.

Retention is your job, too. Keeping that account longer means more money in your pocket. Easier money than bringing in a new deal.

Which means you’re not done. Which means there are more scenarios to account for. More sequences to create.

Marketing isn’t isolated. It’s not one-and-done. It’s systematic. It’s a process. It’s a series of IF/THEN sequences.

People do what they want. They decide or click or opt-in or don’t. You can’t control that.

You can only control how you react and respond. Or how you lead them to do what you want.

Low Sales? Here’s How to Read Minds to Close More Deals

PS. IF you click this link THEN you will see a funny gif.
(Revealed! Finally learn who is writing and sending you all these newsletters)