Hi Trailblazers,

Welcome to the first 2024 issue of The Trailblazer Digest! Let’s dive in.

A bit ago, my husband and I travelled into the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon, we embarked on a journey where GPS coordinates led us to a solitary canoe. Our guide? A local, steering us through winding rivers to a secluded hut - our home where we'd stay and live with the natives for an unforgettable four nights.

Cut off from the world, we shared space with the jungle's larger-than-life inhabitants, from daunting spiders to curious tarantulas (one even bit the woman sitting next to me’s foot!). Amidst the sweltering heat, I discovered new skills: mastering the art of dart-blowing and foraging for medicinal plants.

These days, undeniably long and unnerving, were also filled with a sense of raw adventure. It was a challenge, a test of both mental and physical endurance, but in retrospect, an experience I wouldn't trade for anything. Unsettling yet utterly enthralling, it was a tale of wonder.

But, on my last night, as I lie in bed, with toilet paper pieces shoved in my ears so no creepy crawlies could make a home, pouring sweat as I listen to the capybaras barks, it came to me.

This immersive experience in the Amazon highlights the power of experiential marketing.

So I ask you, take 10 minutes this month to brainstorm an immersive experience you can offer your customers, whether it's a virtual event, an interactive website quiz, or a hands-on workshop.

Such experiences create lasting impressions, much like my Amazon adventure did for me.

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Marketing Nugget

How I Scaled to $1 Million in 13 Months (And How You Can Too)

This month, let's debunk a myth: You need a shopping cart to recover abandoned carts. Think again!

My journey from startup to $1 million in sales wasn't just about selling; it was about understanding customer behavior, more specifically, hesitations.

Picture this: A visitor drifts through your website, eyes your services, and poof! Gone without a trace. Sound familiar? It's the professional services equivalent of 'cart abandonment.' For service biz owners, this is your cue. Track their digital footprints, from service page gazing to contact page peeking.

Problem: People weren’t sold on their first interaction on our site, and we didn’t have the time to follow-up with the thousands that were visiting us daily.

Solution: So we set up a well-thought out funnel and nurture sequence that took into account all potential paths these website visitors could take based on their actions (‘events’) and our goals (‘conversions’).

Scenario: Do they go to your services page and then your contact page? That’s kind of like abandoning cart, so how can you nurture them?

Retargeting ads? Be sure you’re sending them to a specific, well-thought out landing page with a clear CTA, like booking a call with you.

Act now: Map it out, create the system (forms, lead magnets, email nurture sequences, ‘abandon cart’ sequences, conversion tracking) and for service professionals, this means tracking specific actions users take on your site that are similar to abandoning a cart.

Remember, in the world of clicks and scrolls, every action is a clue for turning those ‘almosts’ into ‘absolutelys’! It’s all about how you interact with them and the experience you provide.