Why Your Low Ticket Offer Is Killing Retention

SUMMARY

Hosts Ryan Clogg and Josh Gavin discuss business strategies in online marketing, focusing on low vs. high-ticket offers, retention challenges, networking at events like Russell Brunson's, and scaling info products through SEO, AI tools, and sales funnels.

STATEMENTS

Russell Brunson and his team exemplify how a supportive, religious-influenced business culture fosters niceness and long-term success in internet marketing.
The ClickFunnels platform revolutionized internet marketing by simplifying funnel creation, enabling many influencers to build their careers.
Attending events like Offer Lab allows networking with behind-the-scenes experts, such as webinar consultants for major launches.
AI clip-on assistants that transcribe events in real-time enhance networking by capturing conversations without manual note-taking.
Language model SEO is emerging as a key trend, with tools optimizing content for AI-driven searches beyond traditional Google.
Reddit serves as a primary source for language model SEO, where providing value in threads builds authority and visibility.
Certifying agencies for technical SEO tools, rather than selling directly to consumers, avoids onboarding hassles and mirrors successful models like Go High Level.
Low-ticket offers on affiliate marketplaces like Offer Lab suit non-core products but risk idea theft for high-value ones.
Proximity to influencers at events provides tactical insights that can add significant revenue when scaled.
Investing in masterminds shifts from information acquisition to access to high-level networks once a business reaches maturity.
Client Ascension events attract agency owners transitioning to info products, highlighting the appeal of organic traffic models.
Front-end low-ticket offers sell processes, while back-end high-ticket offers provide certainty and implementation support.
In bizop spaces, ascension from low to high ticket involves done-with-you or done-for-you services to boost results likelihood.
Crazy guarantees from books like Hormozi's can backfire, leading to unmanageable fulfillment costs and business shutdowns.
Closing an info business requires planning for fulfillment wind-down, such as sunsetting access over months to avoid backlash.
Time-bound offers, like 90-day access, reduce fulfillment costs compared to perpetual access while emphasizing rapid results.
Health and physical offers naturally retain customers due to biological maintenance needs, unlike abstract bizop models.
Chiropractors use maintenance-problem-crisis loops to encourage ongoing visits, absolving responsibility for patient outcomes.
Communities as low-ticket upsells create disgruntled customers expecting full access, better suited as high-ticket down-sells.
Identity shifts, like exclusive titles or badges, drive ascensions by creating a divide between tiers.
Human setters outperform AI for call confirmations, achieving 80% show rates versus 20-30% for unconfirmed bookings.
Low-ticket funnels should pitch the highest offer first on calls, letting sales teams filter leads without complex follow-ups.
Conversion rates for low-ticket offers in major niches average 5-8%, down from 8-12% due to market saturation.
Lowering front-end prices to $7 or below reduces friction and boosts conversions without harming high-ticket ascensions.
Organic traffic for sales coaching relies on daily story series flexing commissions, objection handling, and calls-to-action.
Starting online from zero involves securing a job for stability, then building side income to replace it before quitting.
Quarterly self-assessments identify unwanted responsibilities, guiding hires or business model pivots for sustainability.
Setter calls in low-ticket funnels reaffirm purchases and qualify for high-ticket closer calls.
Info operators often lack ownership, acting as performance-based employees; offer publishers gain control through partnerships.
Launch models provide quick wins but inconsistency; scaling post-launch with ads ensures steady revenue.
Sales agencies like Josh Troy scale with dedicated teams, handling 20% commissions once revenue hits $100K monthly.
Downtime outreach respects legal time zones, focusing efforts during peak hours with automated reminders.

IDEAS

Mormon business owners' inherent niceness creates a competitive edge in networking, suggesting religions emphasize positivity for better collaborations.
Walls of awards in Brunson's office visually map the internet marketing ecosystem, revealing how one platform birthed multiple empires.
AI agents training VAs for Reddit interactions could automate personal branding in niche discussions, turning passive monitoring into proactive engagement.
B2B certification for SEO tools bypasses consumer churn, positioning experts as indispensable partners in a technical landscape.
Offer Lab democratizes affiliate marketing for beginners but exposes vulnerabilities for established players guarding secrets.
Hallway conversations at events yield million-dollar tactics, like Reddit SEO, undervalued compared to stage presentations.
Masterminds evolve from info dumps to access portals, where proximity to "big dogs" unlocks consulting opportunities.
Ascension ladders in bizop use bold claims upfront for traffic, then tiered fulfillment to match buyer readiness.
Sunsetting info businesses with phased access prevents chaos, turning potential liabilities into graceful exits.
Constraining offer timelines to 90 days sells urgency and results over endless access, halving fulfillment burdens.
Biological imperatives in health offers embed retention, unlike bizop where results feel intangible and fleeting.
Chiropractic pitches frame patient inaction as self-sabotage, innovating accountability in service models.
Positioning communities as VIP down-sells post-high-ticket fosters exclusivity, mirroring elite club dynamics.
Badges and table placements at events perform social proof, making high-ticket buyers feel elite while enticing others.
Human dialing for confirmations recaptures 30% of no-shows, blending AI efficiency with personal touch for hybrid scaling.
Diagnosing funnel bottlenecks via math—opt-ins, checkouts, ads—turns vague underperformance into actionable fixes.
$1 front-ends over free leads prioritize committed buyers, challenging the "free poisons quality" myth.
Swipe files from ad libraries and tools like Funnel of the Week accelerate idea generation for untested niches.
Prop-firm models for affiliates share risk via prepaid funds, mirroring trader incentives for steady media buying.
Burnout coaches as undervalued assets allow operators to acquire audiences organically, funding paid scaling without upfront capital.
Launch-to-scale transitions convert event spikes into ad-fueled continuity, avoiding the "one-and-done" revenue trap.
Dedicated sales teams in agencies ensure scalability, with shared managers optimizing activity without owner micromanagement.
Five-day video challenges chunk skills into milestones, bridging free opt-ins to paid implementations seamlessly.
Info publishing grants ownership by letting creators focus on passion—coaching—while handling backend grind.
Global masterminds like Iman's expose non-US markets, diversifying from saturated American info spaces.

INSIGHTS

Niceness as a cultural mandate in business builds unbreakable networks, proving relational capital outlasts tactical skills.
Platforms like ClickFunnels aren't just tools; they're ecosystems that amplify individual success through shared momentum.
AI-driven SEO shifts from keyword hunts to conversational authority, where Reddit's raw dialogues train models more than polished sites.
Certifying agencies over direct sales creates moats of expertise, turning complex tech into leveraged partnerships.
Low-ticket marketplaces thrive on visibility but demand gating for core IP, balancing exposure with protection.
Event proximity extracts hidden value, where informal exchanges compound into scalable revenue far beyond formal content.
Masterminds mark maturity: early buys info, later buys relationships that shortcut years of solo grinding.
Bold front-end claims lure volume, but tiered back-ends ensure profitable fulfillment by matching service to commitment.
Business closures in info demand ethical sunsets, reframing "forever access" as a planned legacy rather than liability.
Time constraints in offers weaponize psychology: urgency accelerates results, slashing costs while heightening perceived value.
Health niches exploit human biology for retention, embedding continuity where abstract fields must engineer it.
Absolving provider blame via client responsibility loops fosters long-term adherence, inverting typical service pitfalls.
Communities excel as rewards, not starters, preserving buyer trust by aligning access with proven investment.
Identity elevation through exclusivity turns purchases into transformations, bridging emotional gaps in ascension paths.
Hybrid human-AI confirmation maximizes show rates, revealing that tech augments but doesn't replace relational friction.
Funnel math demystifies growth: dissecting conversion layers exposes leverage points for exponential tweaks.
Ultra-low front-ends filter intent without quality loss, upending assumptions about price as a buyer commitment signal.
Undervalued creators as acquisition targets enable zero-down scaling, flipping burnout into backend opportunity.
Post-launch ad integration sustains launches' fire, evolving episodic wins into perennial cash flows.
Agency dedication via specialized roles scales sales predictably, freeing operators for strategic vision.
Chunked challenges demystify skills, creating momentum that naturally funnels toward deeper engagements.
Publishing models liberate creators, allowing passion-focused roles while monetizing hidden operational value.
Global exposure in events unveils untapped markets, where diverse crowds yield hybrid strategies for universal appeal.

QUOTES

"Mormon business owners are the best. All right. They're just religiously like they are required to be nice which I think all religions should be."
"This is the modern day like revolution of internet marketing like the from ClickFunnels and the ability how easy it got."
"Reddit is the biggest thing. And so he told me like one take away from me was go on like have the tool set up or make a bot or use a tool that flags me every time someone says like low ticket."
"He doesn't want to build a front-facing software company where he's like having to teach newbies how to use it, everything."
"Anyone who has a big offer, they don't really want to put them on an affiliate market place because uh people come and steal your stuff."
"At a certain point, you stop paying for information and you start paying for access."
"Your front-end offer, you're like, so you have your front end offer, which gives them like each of the process, the back end, you're selling certainty."
"Nobody teaches you how to close one. Everyone's saying grandfather them into this, offer this fulfillment, do this and that. But no one thinks about the end point."
"You either exit your business or you go out like on a stretcher."
"It's not about having the access and the coaching for a year. Like that's a benefit this way. But what they're the whole reason they're paying you is for the results."
"Imagine the customer you're creating. So, the thing about Youth Info, you give them the do-it-yourself. Hey, we're going to give you support in our community calls this and that. And then you try to upsell them high ticket afterwards. And they're like, 'But I thought I had everything for 97 a month.'"
"You're on one side of the Red Sea, you got to get to the other. I can split the Red Sea for you, but you need to pay me."
"Those show at like 80% plus like all day good. Of the ones that do not confirm, so they just like literally ghost and never respond. Those unconfirmed show at like 20 to 30%."
"5 to 8% is a range like and then and then when you're at that, if you're at 5% but then economics still seem whack, try to figure out, okay, is it can I where do I need to increase it?"
"Would you rather be on the phone with somebody who's maybe consume your VSSL but is giving you zero dollars or someone who's paid you $1."
"I just got an application. He doesn't like doing a sales team. No, he likes doing a sales team. He does sales teams."
"Figure out what you do and don't want to be responsible for. The only way you figure that out is by doing a bunch of stuff."
"Info operators you're just like inside someone's business. You don't have ownership or control."
"They actually want to help people. They want to get paid by it. Then they got in and realized, shoot, to do this, I have to be sales manager, marketing manager, this manager, uh, all these things."
"Only do a launch game with like a big creator you know it's be a bag and if you can roll it into something else because it's just a mess."

HABITS

Attend industry events like Brunson's Offer Lab to network with webinar experts and influencers for unexpected collaborations.
Use AI clip-on devices at conferences to transcribe discussions, ensuring no insights are lost during conversations.
Monitor Reddit threads via tools or bots for niche keywords, responding with value to build SEO authority.
Train VAs to handle flagged Reddit interactions, scaling personal engagement without constant oversight.
Invest in masterminds only for access to key people, prioritizing in-person vibes over course content.
Quarterly review personal responsibilities, outsourcing disliked tasks or pivoting business models accordingly.
Diagnose funnel performance by breaking down opt-in, checkout, and ad metrics to identify quick fixes.
Maintain swipe files from ad libraries, collecting active low-ticket offers for inspiration.
Flex commissions and handle objections daily via IG stories to drive organic traffic to coaching links.
Secure a stable job first when starting online, using after-hours to build side income without financial stress.
Film organic content that doubles as ad creatives, minimizing production while maximizing reach.
Partner with burnout coaches, handling backend marketing so they focus solely on content and support.
Use human setters for post-purchase confirmations, dialing to achieve high show rates on calendars.
Outsource sales to agencies once hitting $100K monthly, paying 20% commissions for hands-off scaling.
Chunk free training into 5-day video challenges, guiding users toward paid implementation calls.
Hammer outreach during peak working hours, using automations for legal reminders outside those times.
Sunset products gradually with extended access phases, communicating transparently to retain goodwill.
Position physical offers with maintenance loops, scheduling at-home exercises to enforce accountability.
Delay CTAs on high-ticket upsells to prevent sticker shock, allowing buyers to review pricing.
Build dedicated sales teams with shared managers, ensuring constant hiring pipelines for growth.

FACTS

ClickFunnels has hosted awards from influencers like Walt, Jason Flatlin, and Hermozi, many facing FTC cases.
Language model SEO tools cost around $50 and prioritize Reddit as the top data source for AI training.
Go High Level grew significantly after shifting to agency white-labeling instead of direct business sales.
Client Ascension events draw agency owners launching info products, emphasizing organic strategies.
A company hit $10M annually but spent over $1M closing due to unfulfilled guarantees and customer demands.
Becker's course still offers lifetime access five years after discontinuation, with groups dwindled to prevent lead gen abuse.
Chiropractors use MPC (maintenance-problem-crisis) frameworks to justify recurring visits based on patient logs.
Human-confirmed bookings show at 80% rates, while unconfirmed ones hover at 20-30%.
Low-ticket conversions in wealth, health, relationships niches average 5-8%, down from 8-12% three years ago.
A recipe niche funnel achieves high conversions due to low competition and cheap clicks in sub-markets.
Performance Golf generates hundreds of thousands monthly via niche courses and catalog upsells.
Annual recurring upsells cannibalize backend potential, as seen in a $10M ARR business regretting the structure.
Sales agencies require $100K+ monthly revenue before onboarding, taking 20% of closed deals.
Bravado recovers failed payments via human account managers, charging only commissions on successes.
Dialer.io and Nooks enable predictive dialing, while SendBlue limits to 50 new SMS contacts daily per line.
Iman Gadzhi's events attract global non-US info operators, focusing on launches and organic margins.
Jeremy Haynes' masterminds emphasize paid high-ticket and growth operators in tactical rooms.
Cole Gordon's groups target offer owners outside internet marketing, blending diverse expertise.
A solo piano course generated $4M in sales, highlighted in Boring Cash Cow newsletter.
Riverside FM pulls live chats for on-screen display during recordings, aiding real-time Q&A.

REFERENCES

Russell Brunson and ClickFunnels platform for funnel building and events like Offer Lab.
Webinar consultants McCall, her husband, and Tanner for Russell's launches.
AI clip-on transcription assistants for event recording (around $50).
Language model SEO tool (unspecified, certifies agencies, integrates Reddit bots).
Go High Level for agency white-labeling software.
Allan Sultanic's Automatic Clients and Nothing Back programs for low-ticket funnels.
Hormozi's $100M Offers book, especially guarantee chapter, and his $29 to $18,000 ascension.
Dan Kennedy's consulting methods for enforcing accountability in offers.
Performance Golf for niche course catalogs and high-volume sales.
Josh Troy and Rob Quinn sales agencies for done-for-you closing.
Funnel of the Week for ad spy and funnel breakdowns (free and paid tiers).
Ad Library (Facebook/Meta) for searching low-ticket keywords like "$7" or "$27".
Mark Builds Brands' Get Hooked tool for info product ideas.
Boring Cash Cow newsletter for obscure money-making ideas like piano courses.
Bravado (Jordo from DropFunnels) for payment recovery services.
DropFunnels for membership sites (WordPress-based, faster than ClickFunnels).
Dialer.io, Nooks.ai, SendBlue, and Link for outbound calling and SMS.
HubSpot for tracking speed-to-lead metrics and cohorts.
Vidalytics for video hosting over Wistia.
Riverside FM for podcast recording with chat integration.
Iman Gadzhi's mastermind for global launches and organic strategies.
Jeremy Haynes' inner circle for paid high-ticket operators.
Cole Gordon's events for offer owners beyond internet marketing.
Daniel Fazio's Client Ascension for agency-to-info transitions.
Brian Kurtz's book (redone version, $80) on offer creation processes.

HOW TO APPLY

Attend networking events like Brunson's to identify behind-the-scenes experts and geek out on shared passions.
Invest in AI transcription clips for conferences, reviewing transcripts to extract and follow up on key contacts.
Set up Reddit monitoring tools to flag niche keywords, training VAs to reply with genuine value daily.
Pitch B2B certifications to technical tool owners, emphasizing agency scalability over consumer onboarding.
Gate core offers on marketplaces, only listing low-ticket entry points to test visibility without IP risk.
Eavesdrop on event hallways for tactical gems, implementing one immediately to test revenue impact.
Evaluate masterminds by room composition, joining for unique access to non-overlapping influencers.
Craft front-end claims boldly for traffic, then offer tiered back-ends: info at low, implementation at mid, done-for-you at high.
Plan info exits with 6-month sunsets, providing extended access and reducing calls gradually to manage churn.
Shorten offers to 90 days, marketing rapid results to cut costs and appeal to urgency-driven buyers.
Design health offers with maintenance cycles, logging client adherence to shift responsibility and encourage renewals.
Structure communities as post-high-ticket perks with VIP badges, using events to showcase exclusivity.
Deploy human dialers for low-ticket confirmations, blending with AI for pre-booking squeezes to hit 80% show rates.
Audit funnels layer-by-layer—ads, opt-ins, checkouts—adjusting one metric at a time for 5-8% conversions.
Test $7 front-ends to lower friction, tracking ascension rates to ensure quality leads persist.
Build swipe files from ad libraries, adapting active low-ticket structures to your niche weekly.
Sequence IG stories with objection-handling flexes, ending each with a bio link CTA for daily engagement.
Get a stable job for baseline income, dedicating evenings to side hustles until online revenue matches it.
Review responsibilities quarterly, hiring for pain points or pivoting models to align with preferred tasks.
On setter calls, reaffirm low-ticket buys then qualify for high-ticket, scheduling closes immediately.

ONE-SENTENCE TAKEAWAY

Prioritize high-ticket certainty over low-ticket volume to boost retention and scalable revenue in info businesses.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Embrace niceness as a networking strategy, attending faith-influenced events for genuine connections.
Explore language model SEO via Reddit bots, certifying teams to automate niche authority building.
Use Offer Lab for low-ticket testing, gating high-value offers to prevent theft while gaining exposure.
Shift mastermind investments to access-focused groups, targeting unique rooms for diverse insights.
Implement ascension ladders with bold front claims, tiering to done-for-you for buyer certainty.
Sunset info products ethically with phased access, avoiding closure costs through planned dwindles.
Constrict offer timelines to 90 days, emphasizing results to reduce fulfillment and heighten appeal.
Leverage biology in health niches for natural retention, using accountability logs for ongoing engagement.
Position communities as high-ticket down-sells with VIP perks, fostering identity-driven loyalty.
Combine human setters with AI for bookings, dialing confirms to recapture no-shows effectively.
Diagnose funnels mathematically, optimizing ads and pages iteratively for 5-8% low-ticket conversions.
Lower front-ends to $7, validating quality via ascension without fearing lead dilution.
Flex daily via organic stories, sequencing objections to CTAs for coaching traffic growth.
Start with job stability, stacking side income quarterly until replacing salary sustainably.
Acquire burnout coaches as partners, owning backend to let them focus on content creation.
Transition launches to ad scaling, using event revenue to fund consistent cash flows.
Hire dedicated agency teams post-$100K, outsourcing 20% commissions for effortless growth.
Chunk free trainings into 5-day challenges, funneling to implementation calls seamlessly.
Hammer peak-hour outreach, automating legal reminders to respect time zones.
Publish undervalued offers zero-down, organically funding paid expansion through audiences.

MEMO

In the bustling world of online marketing, hosts Ryan Clogg and Josh Gavin unpack the pitfalls of low-ticket offers during a lively podcast episode, drawing from recent events like Russell Brunson's Offer Lab. Clogg, fresh from the event, marvels at Brunson's office—a shrine of awards from internet marketing titans like Hormozi and Flatline—highlighting how ClickFunnels ignited a revolution by democratizing funnel building. Yet, amid the glamour, they warn of overhyped trends like language model SEO, where tools scrape Reddit for AI training data, urging creators to respond valuably in threads to seize early advantages. Networking emerges as the true goldmine: Clogg geeks out with webinar consultants, while Gavin emphasizes masterminds' shift from info to access, where proximity to "big dogs" yields hallway tactics worth millions.

The duo dissects retention woes, arguing low-ticket funnels—often $7 to $47 entry points—erode trust when upselling communities, creating Netflix-like tiers that frustrate buyers expecting full access. Instead, they advocate high-ticket back-ends selling certainty: done-with-you implementations at $5K or done-for-you at $20K, ascending from bold front-end claims without cannibalizing bases. A cautionary tale underscores the oversight in info businesses—no one teaches closure, as one $10M firm burned $1M winding down amid guarantee fallout. They recommend time-bound offers, like 90-day access, to slash fulfillment costs while promising rapid results, contrasting perpetual models that nuke future cash flows.

Health and physical niches shine for innate retention, leveraging biology's maintenance loops—think chiropractors' MPC (maintenance-problem-crisis) pitches absolving blame via patient logs. Gavin shares how Dan Kennedy-inspired accountability enforces at-home exercises, fostering responsibility in clients. For bizop spaces, identity attacks bridge tiers: exclusive badges and VIP tables at events perform social proof, turning ascensions into transformations. Human setters boost show rates to 80% via dialing, outpacing AI for low-friction commitments, while agencies like Josh Troy handle scaling at 20% commissions once revenue hits $100K.

Funnel math demystifies growth: 5-8% low-ticket conversions demand layer audits—from curiosity ads to checkout friction—suggesting $7 front-ends filter intent better than free leads. Organic plays, like daily IG story flexes on objections, drive coaching links, while swipe tools like Funnel of the Week inspire niche adaptations. Starting from zero? Secure a job for stability, quarterly assess responsibilities, and outsource pains to align life with passions.

Info operators evolve into publishers by partnering with burnout coaches, owning backends zero-down to let creators focus on support. Launches fund ad scaling for consistency, ditching episodic grinds. Global masterminds like Iman's reveal non-US margins, blending paid and organic for hybrid dominance.

Global diversification via events like Jeremy Haynes' tactical rooms or Cole Gordon's offer-owner crowds unlocks unique strategies. Clogg's secret offer tease hints at innovation, but the core lesson endures: high-ticket certainty trumps low-ticket volume for enduring retention and flourishing businesses.