Issue #85: Conversion Prompts (Double Revenue in Your Funnel)

Good morning.

Most online businesses have 5-10 conversion opportunities that could increase revenue 30-50% without a single new visitor.

That's not an exaggeration. In the past year, I've audited way too many online funnels (SaaS trials, course launches, ecommerce checkouts, agency proposals, and lead magnets).

Without exception, every single one had critical conversion barriers they weren't aware of.

These barriers are hiding in plain sight, disguised as "normal" conversion rates.

Today, I'm going to show you how to excavate them.

The Conversion Archaeology Framework is about seeing your funnel through a different lens, so you can uncover revenue opportunities where you currently see acceptable performance.

Like an archaeologist who knows exactly where to dig and what to look for, you'll learn to systematically uncover conversion barriers that have been killing revenue all along.

Let's get into it.

— Sam

IN TODAY’S ISSUE 🤖 

• Why Conversions Die Silently - The psychological and structural barriers that invisibly kill sales

• The Four Layers of Hidden Conversions - A systematic framework for excavating opportunities at every funnel stage

• The Conversion Archaeology Survey - Seven questions that reveal your buried revenue

• Excavation Techniques by Funnel Type - Specific methods for SaaS trials, courses, ecommerce, services, and lead generation

• Conversion Archaeology AI Prompts - All the prompts for maximum conversion.

Let’s get into it.

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1. Why Conversions Die Silently

Before we excavate revenue from your funnel, we need to understand why it's being buried.

The Funnel Builder's Curse

There's a painful paradox in growing a business:

The better your traffic gets, the blinder you become to conversion barriers.

Here's why:

When you're optimizing for traffic, you develop what psychologists call "volume bias" - the belief that more visitors will solve conversion problems.

Your landing page exists to capture emails. Your trial exists to convert users. Your checkout exists to complete purchases. Your proposal exists to close deals.

But what if:

• Your landing page is optimized for clicks, not for qualified visitors?

• Your trial is teaching the product, not delivering quick value?

• Your checkout is creating anxiety instead of excitement?

• Your proposal is answering questions they don't have yet?

You don't see these problems because you're focused on the numbers you measure: traffic, signups, starts.

But this measurement focus creates conversion blindness.

And there are three kinds standing between you and your hidden revenue.

The Three Types of Conversion Blindness

1. Success Blindness: You assume your current conversion rate is "good enough."

A SaaS company converts 20% of trials and thinks that's solid. But that means 80% of interested users are failing to see value.

An ecommerce store with 2% conversion celebrates being "industry average." But that means 98 customers leave without buying.

I audited a course creator with ~1,000 email signups and ~10% purchase rate (100 sales). They were happy. We found that 400 of those signups never opened a single email. The list quality was the problem, not the conversion.

Fixing signup qualification increased conversion to 18% without changing the sales page.

2. Familiarity Blindness: You know your product so well you can't see it through beginner eyes. What's "obvious" to you is confusing to customers. What feels "simple" to you feels overwhelming to them.

A SaaS founder I worked with had 7-day trial conversion of 15%. They couldn't understand why. I signed up.

The first email said "Welcome! Let's get started." But it didn't say what to do first. The product had 20 features but no clear starting point. New users were drowning in options. We created a 3-step first-day experience. Trial conversion jumped to 28%.

3. Attribution Blindness: You don't know why conversions happen or don't happen. You track the conversion but not the conversion journey.

A visitor converts but you don't know what tipped them. Ten visitors don't convert and you don't know what stopped them.

An agency was closing 30% of proposals. Great, right? But they couldn't identify what made the difference. We added post-meeting surveys to losses. Discovered 60% weren't actually qualified—wrong budget, timeline, or need.

By adding qualification questions earlier, they reduced proposals by 40% but closed 55% of remaining ones. More revenue, less effort.

The Conversion Archaeology Mindset

Archaeologists don't randomly excavate. They understand that valuable artifacts follow patterns.

They know where people lived, what activities left traces, and how to recognize significance in what others miss.

Conversion archaeology works the same way.

Hidden conversion opportunities follow patterns:

• They cluster around moments of uncertainty or friction

• They live in the gap between customer intent and your interface

• They accumulate where expectations aren't met

• They compound where clarity is missing

But you need the right framework to see them.

Let me give you the framework.

2. The Four Layers of Hidden Conversions

Like geological strata, hidden conversions exist in distinct layers. Each requires different excavation techniques.

Layer 1: The Surface Layer (Friction & Clarity)

This is the most accessible layer and reveals conversions lost to obvious-once-seen barriers.

Surface layer conversions are lost to:

• Unclear value propositions

• Confusing interfaces

• Missing trust signals

• Technical friction

• Unnecessary form fields

The Archaeological Principle: Small barriers compound exponentially. Removing 5 small frictions can double conversions.

Example Artifacts:

• An ecommerce site reduces checkout form from 12 fields to 6, increasing conversion 31%

• A SaaS company adds "used by 10,000+ teams" social proof above trial signup, improving conversion 22%

• A course creator moves testimonials above pricing instead of below, increasing sales 18%

Surface layer excavation is about removing obvious-once-seen friction.

Layer 2: The Message-Match Layer (Alignment & Expectation)

Deeper than friction lies misalignment between what you promise and what you deliver.

Message-match layer conversions are lost to:

• Ad-to-landing-page discontinuity

• Feature-focused copy when customers want outcomes

• Talking about your process instead of their problems

• Overwhelming choice architecture

• Speed mismatch (too fast or too slow)

The Archaeological Principle: Conversions happen when what people find matches what they expected to find.

Example Artifacts:

• An ad promising "schedule in 60 seconds" led to a page about "powerful scheduling features" - conversion 3%. Changed page to focus on speed, conversion jumped to 11%

• A SaaS trial had 12-minute onboarding. Users expected instant value. Cut to 2 minutes + optional advanced setup. Trial-to-paid increased 40%

• An agency proposal included 15 pages of methodology. Clients wanted outcomes. Created 2-page outcome-focused version with methodology as appendix. Close rate doubled.

This layer requires seeing your funnel through customer eyes, not builder eyes.

Layer 3: The Emotional Layer (Psychology & Trust)

Your funnel's psychological characteristics create invisible conversion barriers.

Emotional layer conversions are lost to:

• Insufficient trust building

• Risk-reversal absence

• Analysis paralysis from too many options

• Purchase anxiety not addressed

• Identity mismatch

The Archaeological Principle: People buy when they feel safe, understood, and like "someone like me" would do this.

Example Artifacts:

• A high-ticket course added "7-day money-back guarantee" as prominent banner, not fine print. Conversions increased 65%, refunds stayed at 3%

• A SaaS trial added video testimonials from companies in same industry/size as prospects. Trial starts increased 44%

• An ecommerce store added real-time "27 people viewing this" indicators, reducing cart abandonment 28%

This layer transforms your funnel from transactional to relational.

Layer 4: The Journey Layer (Timing & Orchestration)

The deepest layer contains conversions lost to poor journey orchestration and timing.

Journey layer conversions are lost to:

• Wrong message at wrong time

• Missing nurture sequences

• Premature asks

• Dead ends (nowhere to go after initial interest)

• Lack of reactivation paths

The Archaeological Principle: Most conversions don't happen on first visit. You need systems to capture intent and convert over time.

Example Artifacts:

• A SaaS company only targeted trial signups. Added email course for "not ready yet" visitors. 30% eventually converted to trials over 60 days

• An ecommerce store only sent abandoned cart emails. Added 5-email "why we're different" series. Cart recovery increased from 8% to 19%

• A coach only offered one entry point ($3k package). Added $47 mini-course as first step. 23% of mini-course buyers upgraded within 90 days

This layer requires seeing conversion as a journey, not a moment.

Now let's get practical.

3. The Conversion Archaeology Survey

These seven questions will reveal where your conversions are hiding. Answer them with data, not assumptions.

Question 1: The Drop-Off Detector

"Where exactly are people leaving my funnel?"

Map your entire funnel with real numbers:

• Visitors to landing page: __

• Landing page to signup/opt-in: __

• Signup to activation/purchase: __

• Purchase to complete/paid: __

Calculate drop-off rate at each stage.

Your biggest drop-off is your biggest opportunity.

Question 2: The Message-Match Investigator

"What do people expect to find, and what do they actually find?"

For each funnel entry point:

• What promise does the ad/link/referral make?

• What's the first thing visitors see?

• Do these match?

Example:

• Ad: "Schedule in 60 seconds"

• Landing page headline: "Powerful scheduling software"

• Match? NO. Fix it.

Question 3: The Friction Mapper

"What's the hardest part of my funnel?"

Track yourself going through your own funnel:

• How many clicks to convert?

• How many form fields?

• How many decisions required?

• What's confusing?

• What's slow?

Every unnecessary step costs conversions.

Question 4: The Trust Gap Analyzer

"What risks or concerns are preventing conversion?"

List every reason someone might hesitate:

• "Is this legitimate?"

• "Will this actually work for me?"

• "Is this worth the price?"

• "What if it doesn't work?"

• "Is this the right time?"

Now, where in your funnel do you address each concern?

Missing answers = missing conversions.

Question 5: The Speed-to-Value Audit

"How long until someone experiences value?"

Time from signup/purchase to "aha moment":

• In your product: __ minutes

• In their mind: __ (probably different)

The gap between these numbers is killing conversions.

Question 6: The Dead-End Detector

"What happens when someone isn't ready to convert?"

If someone visits but doesn't buy/signup/schedule:

• Where do they go?

• How can they reengage?

• What's the next best action?

Dead ends waste traffic.

Question 7: The Message Clarity Test

"Can a stranger understand my offer in 5 seconds?"

Show your main conversion page to someone who doesn't know your business.

Give them 5 seconds. Cover it. Ask:

• What is this?

• Who is it for?

• What happens if you click?

If they can't answer clearly, your conversion rate is suffering.

4. Excavation Techniques by Funnel Type

Different funnels hide conversions in different ways. Here's how to dig based on your business model.

For SaaS Trials

Primary Conversion Killers:

• Trial never produces "aha moment"

• Too many features, no clear starting point

• Missing onboarding

• Long time-to-value

Excavation Method:

1. Map your "aha moment" (what makes users go "oh, I get it")

2. Reduce steps to aha moment by 50%

3. Add progress indicators so users know they're succeeding

4. Create first-day, first-week, and first-value milestones

5. Email when users aren't progressing

Quick Win: Send a "Start here" email within 5 minutes of trial signup with one clear action.

For Course & Info Product Sales

Primary Conversion Killers:

• Unclear transformation

• Weak social proof

• Price anxiety

• Too many options

• "Will this work for me?" doubt

Excavation Method:

1. Lead with transformation, not curriculum

2. Show "someone like me" succeeded

3. Add specific guarantee ("If you don't [achieve outcome] in [timeframe], refund")

4. Create single pathway (reduce options)

5. Add FAQ section addressing every objection

Quick Win: Create 60-second testimonial videos from 3 successful students.

For Ecommerce Checkouts

Primary Conversion Killers:

• Unexpected shipping costs

• Forced account creation

• Too many form fields

• Missing trust signals

• Slow checkout process

Excavation Method:

1. Show all costs (including shipping) as early as possible

2. Offer guest checkout

3. Only ask for necessary fields

4. Add security badges and money-back guarantee

5. Enable one-click checkout where possible

Quick Win: Add progress indicator to checkout ("Step 2 of 3") and save progress.

For Service/Agency Proposals

Primary Conversion Killers:

• Proposal answers questions they don't have

• Too much information

• Unclear next steps

• Price comes too early

• Missing risk reversal

Excavation Method:

1. Start with their situation and desired outcome

2. Present your approach as story (problem → solution → result)

3. Include relevant case study

4. Price after value is clear

5. Make next step ridiculously easy ("Reply YES to start")

Quick Win: Create 2-page outcome-focused version; move detailed methodology to appendix.

For Lead Generation

Primary Conversion Killers:

• Unclear what happens after signup

• Generic lead magnet

• Too many form fields

• Weak value proposition

• Missing nurture sequence

Excavation Method:

1. Be specific about what lead magnet contains and what problem it solves

2. Only ask for email (add more later)

3. Set expectations for what happens next

4. Deliver lead magnet instantly

5. Build 5-7 email nurture sequence

Quick Win: Change lead magnet headline from "Guide to X" to "How to [Achieve Specific Outcome] in [Timeframe]"

5. Conversion Archaeology AI Prompts

Use these prompts with Claude or ChatGPT Projects to accelerate your conversion excavation.

The Surface Layer Excavation Prompts

Prompt 1: The Friction Finder

What to include: Paste your actual copy and describe your funnel step-by-step. Include screenshots or detailed descriptions of every page.

Identify friction points in my conversion funnel:

FUNNEL OVERVIEW:
[Describe each step from first touch to conversion]

LANDING PAGE:
Headline: [paste actual headline]
Subhead: [paste actual subhead]
Call-to-action: [paste actual CTA]
Form fields: [list each field]
Page speed: [seconds to load]

NEXT STEPS:
[Describe what happens after initial action - emails, screens, etc.]

CONVERSION POINT:
[Describe the final conversion step]

CURRENT METRICS:
- Visitors: [X]
- Conversion rate: [X%]
- Average time on page: [X seconds]

Analyze:
1. Every point of friction (fields, clicks, wait times)
2. Clarity issues in copy
3. Missing trust signals
4. Technical barriers
5. Confusing elements

For each friction point, provide:
- Severity (high/medium/low)
- Fix recommendation
- Expected conversion improvement
- Implementation difficulty

Prompt 2: The Message-Match Auditor

What to include: Include actual ad copy, email copy, or referral source messaging. Then include actual landing page copy.

Audit message-match between my traffic sources and landing pages:

TRAFFIC SOURCE 1:
Platform: [Facebook/Google/Email/etc.]
Message: [paste actual ad copy or email]
Promise: [what you're promising]

LANDING PAGE IT LEADS TO:
Headline: [paste actual]
First paragraph: [paste actual]
Primary CTA: [paste actual]

[Repeat for each traffic source]

VISITOR EXPECTATION:
[What you think they expect based on the source message]

Analyze:
1. Message continuity from source to landing
2. Promise fulfillment
3. Tone and style consistency
4. Expectation gaps
5. Missed opportunities to reinforce the core message

Provide specific rewrites that create seamless message-match.

The Message-Match Layer Excavation Prompts

Prompt 3: The Value Proposition Clarifier

What to include: Your current messaging and details about your ideal customer. Be specific about outcomes, not just features.

Clarify and strengthen my value proposition:

CURRENT VALUE PROPOSITION:
[Paste your current headline, subhead, and primary benefit statements]

TARGET CUSTOMER:
[Who they are, what they struggle with, what they want]

WHAT WE OFFER:
Features: [list features]
Outcomes: [list actual results customers achieve]
Differentiators: [what makes you different]

CUSTOMER LANGUAGE:
[How customers describe their problem and your solution - from interviews, reviews, support tickets]

Create:
1. Crystal-clear value proposition (headline + subhead)
2. Benefit ladder (feature → advantage → benefit)
3. Outcome-focused messaging
4. 3 variations to A/B test
5. Explanation of why each variation should resonate

Focus on clarity and relevance over cleverness.

Prompt 4: The Onboarding Optimizer

What to include: Map your current onboarding flow in detail. Include metrics on where people drop off.

Optimize my onboarding for faster time-to-value:

CURRENT ONBOARDING FLOW:
[Step by step, what happens after signup/purchase]

Step 1: [what they see/do]
Step 2: [what they see/do]
[Continue for all steps]

TIME TO COMPLETE: [X minutes]
DROP-OFF POINTS: [where people quit]

"AHA MOMENT":
[Describe the moment when customers "get it" and see value]
Current time to reach it: [X minutes/hours/days]

CUSTOMER FEEDBACK:
[Any comments about onboarding being confusing, slow, overwhelming]

Redesign onboarding to:
1. Reduce steps to aha moment by 50%
2. Create clear progress indicators
3. Provide win milestones (quick wins along the way)
4. Add contextual help at confusion points
5. Build skip/save options for optional setup

Provide detailed new onboarding flow with rationale.

The Emotional Layer Excavation Prompts

Prompt 5: The Objection Obliterator

What to include: List every reason someone might not convert. Include actual objections from lost sales, support tickets, or conversations.

Identify and address all conversion-blocking objections:

OBJECTIONS WE HEAR:
[List every objection from conversations, emails, surveys]

Example:
- "Too expensive"
- "Not sure it will work for me"
- "Need to think about it"
- "Bad timing"

OBJECTIONS WE SUSPECT:
[List concerns prospects probably have but don't voice]

CURRENT OBJECTION HANDLING:
[How do you currently address these in your funnel?]

For each objection:
1. Root cause (what's the real concern?)
2. Where in funnel to address (timing)
3. Specific language to use (not defensive)
4. Trust signals needed (proof)
5. Risk reversal needed (guarantee, trial, etc.)

Create an objection-handling roadmap with specific copy.

Prompt 6: The Trust Signal Strategist

What to include: Your current trust signals and metrics about your business credibility.

Design a trust-building strategy for my funnel:

CURRENT TRUST SIGNALS:
[List what you currently use - testimonials, logos, stats, etc.]

BUSINESS CREDIBILITY FACTORS:
- Years in business: [X]
- Customers served: [X]
- Success metrics: [key numbers]
- Notable clients: [if any]
- Media mentions: [if any]
- Team credentials: [relevant expertise]
- Guarantees offered: [current guarantee]

TARGET CUSTOMER CONCERNS:
[What makes them hesitant to trust/buy?]

COMPETITOR COMPARISON:
[How do competitors establish trust?]

Recommend:
1. Which trust signals to add (and where)
2. How to display social proof effectively
3. Guarantee structure that reduces risk perception
4. Authority indicators to highlight
5. A/B test variations for trust elements

Prioritize by impact and ease of implementation.

The Journey Layer Excavation Prompts

Prompt 7: The Nurture Sequence Builder

What to include: Information about your customer journey and typical sales cycle. Include any current email sequences.

Build a nurture sequence that converts over time:

CUSTOMER JOURNEY:
- How customers find you: [sources]
- Typical time from first visit to purchase: [X days/weeks]
- What makes them ready to buy: [triggers]

CURRENT FOLLOW-UP:
[Describe any current email sequences or follow-up]

CONVERSION SEGMENTS:
1. Interested but not ready: [define who they are]
2. Evaluating options: [define who they are]
3. Almost bought but didn't: [define who they are]

CONTENT ASSETS:
[List relevant blog posts, videos, case studies, testimonials]

For each segment, create:
1. Email sequence (5-7 emails)
2. Timing between emails
3. Specific goals for each email
4. Conversion path at each stage
5. Re-engagement strategy if they go cold

Provide complete email templates with subject lines.

Prompt 8: The Complete Conversion Optimization Plan

What to include: Synthesize your funnel data, identified issues, and business constraints.

Create my complete conversion optimization plan:

CURRENT FUNNEL PERFORMANCE:
[Numbers for each stage of funnel]

IDENTIFIED ISSUES:
[All problems discovered from previous prompts]

BUSINESS CONSTRAINTS:
- Traffic volume: [X visitors/month]
- Budget for optimization: $[X]
- Technical capability: [basic/intermediate/advanced]
- Team size: [X]

PRIORITIES:
[What matters most: quick wins, long-term improvements, specific metric?]

Create a 90-day optimization roadmap:
1. Quick wins (week 1-2) for immediate improvement
2. Medium-term fixes (weeks 3-6) for substantial improvement
3. Long-term builds (weeks 7-12) for systematic improvement
4. A/B test priority list
5. Success metrics and tracking requirements
6. Resource allocation

Include expected conversion improvement at each phase.

How to Use These Prompts Effectively

1. Start with friction and message-match - surface layer issues first

2. Use real data and copy - paste actual text, include real numbers

3. Track one metric obsessively - conversion rate at your biggest drop-off

4. Implement one fix at a time - measure impact before moving to next

5. Test everything - don't assume, A/B test your changes

The compound effect of these prompts is powerful. Each conversion barrier you remove creates a multiplier effect. Your conversion archaeology skills sharpen with every funnel audit.

By working through these prompts systematically, you'll build a comprehensive conversion optimization system—all the revenue that's been there all along, waiting to be excavated.

None of what I’ve shared is complex. It’s very basic and it doesn’t require expensive tools, agencies, or complete funnel rebuilds.

But it does require the willingness to see your funnel through your customer's eyes.

Start with the survey. Just map your funnel with real drop-off numbers.

Where people are leaving is where your revenue is hiding.

Your competition is still trying to get more traffic, spend more on ads, grow their audience. You'll be systematically converting 30-50% more of the traffic you already have.

That's conversion archaeology.

Time to dig.

Until next time,
Sam Woods
The Editor

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