The Business Blog Funnel (affiliate links in this post) by Skellie of Skelliewag and Envato just might be the best overall book you will ever read on how to create a thriving freelance business from an existing blog. But before I get into the what I think about the book itself, let me tell you about its author. After all, why should you consider buying a book from a person unless you know something about them? And what is my connection with Skellie?
About the Author
Skellie is from “down under,” as we say, and she appeared on my radar shortly after I got serious about my own online business and blog marketing. By making good connections with the right folks and by writing amazingly useful content on her blog, she quickly rose to prominence. I’ve always been a fan of hers and our blogs have “grown up” together over the last few years. We’ve always stayed in touch with each other.
In addition to figuring out her own highly workable and profitable freelancing/blogging method, she did a lot of great writing for Freelance Switch and now works with Collis Ta’eed on the Envato network of sites. Throughout all of this, Skellie has always been kind, courteous, and helpful. I’ve always been eager to help her promote her excellent blog posts (when she decides to write them). Being an Aussie, she’s not been much of a self-promoter (it’s a cultural thing down under—everything I’m saying here is probably dreadfully embarrassing to her). Skellie does not think of herself. She only thinks of helping others, and that ethic has treated her very well (instant karma, you might say). She’s a great example of Zig Ziglar’s famous line: If you help enough other people get what they want, you will get what you want.
About Business Blog Funnel
It’s in this same spirit that she wrote The Business Blog Funnel. She spent six months making this book perfect from the text to the design. The information it contains is highly valuable, and yet it isn’t priced any higher than a normal book you would find at a bookstore (and is much less than many books, actually).
The book is 90 pages of solid content, excluding the cover, legal hoo-ha, and table of contents (93 pages overall). The design is clean and minimalistic. The design does not get in the way. The text is highly readable because of the font size (not too small) and because of Skellie’s breezy, easy-to-understand writing style. Here’s the table of contents:
Why Aren’t Bloggers Filthy Rich? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Setting Yourself Up for Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
The Blog Business Funnel Explained . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Trust and Targeted Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Turning Readers Into Clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Using Business Launch and Re-launch Formulas . . . . . . . . . 55
Advanced Blog Business Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Scaling Up! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
As you know, brothers and sisters, I preach the word of the business blog: a blog designed to attract and convert readers into leads if not outright paying customers. To some degree in my free content and to a high degree in my paid content and consulting services, these are the issues I help you with.
The Business Blog Funnel also covers business blogging, which is near and dear to my heart. If you haven’t already been reading Skellie’s blog, I think you will very much enjoy learning about these from a different voice than mine. Her own success has been undeniable, and in this book she teaches you how to set up your blog and other methods (or “systems” if you like) so that you can do the same. Nothing in this book makes any claims to being easy or “set it and forget it.” Real business doesn’t work that way: there are no magic bullets.
Below are my thoughts on each chapter.
Why Aren’t Bloggers Filthy Rich?
At first, you might think this is the same old rah-rah about how bloggers have been sold a bill of goods and Skellie has the real secrets to getting rich online. Nope. Nothing like that. Yes, she does cover some of the obvious territory: affiliate sales and advertising aren’t really cutting it for most bloggers.
But where Skellie takes a detour from the usual is how she talks about freelancing. She specifically says it’s not easy but it is rewarding—and not just because of the money:
You will not make a million dollars a year freelancing. While you could make six figures—and many are doing so right now—good money is a boon, but not the core appeal of the freelance lifestyle. Choosing to freelance is about choosing to do work that makes you happy. Work that allows you to create. Work that you can be proud of. And that’s not all…
Then she goes on to talk about freelancing in way that’s unlike anything I’ve read from anything I’ve read about freelancing. It’s pretty refreshing stuff.
It’s important to understand that this book really is about freelancing: getting hired by other people to create stuff for them for money. In other words, you’re selling services. If that’s not what you want to do, then this book is not for you. You don’t need to already be a freelancer.
In this chapter, Skellie also tells the story of how she stumbled across the methods which became The Business Blog Funnel and gives an overview of what the Business Blog Funnel is.
Setting Yourself Up for Business
Even if you’ve never freelanced before, you have nothing to worry about. “Setting Yourself Up for Business” explains various freelance business types and how to get started. She covers how to charge and set your rates. She covers invoicing. And she provides great links to free resources online where you learn more.
The Blog Business Funnel Explained
The funnel aspect itself is no mystery. Traditionally in sales, a funnel has long been used as a way to describe the process of attracting leads and converting them into paying customers. In this case, what Skellie is talking about is very similar to my ideas about Gateway Blogging: the blog is a funnel designed to channel attract the right readers and turn them into freelance clients.
- Skellie explains three different types of blogs that work as funnels and provides examples of each kind.
- She explains what to do if you’ve already created your blog and how to change direction without tipping over the whole boat.
If you’ve never freelanced before or if you’ve tried but had trouble attracting clients, you will find this chapter invaluable.
Trust and Targeted Traffic
Everywhere you read online about blogging and content or relationship marketing, you see the same mantra recited over and over again: build trust.
Skellie does something amazing in this chapter: she explains seven different “trust points” that your prospective freelance clients are looking for. Once you know what they are, you can then make sure you speak to these in your blogging. Personally, I think the whole book is worth what’s in this chapter alone.
In her information on traffic-building, she echoes much of what I say in my Blog Traffic Fisher course, but as it relates specifically to the The Business Blog Funnel. She breaks down the different kinds of traffic-getting blog posts in a way that also helps you write their headlines (which is important).
This is an extensive chapter, covering different avenues to attract traffic. What I find interesting is that it’s in this chapter that she explains and ties in the idea of a “personal brand.” Why? Because of its connection to trust and traffic. Does a personal brand have anything to do with traffic? Yes, it does, but I can’t give it away in a review. 
Turning Readers Into Clients
One of the biggest reasons why people don’t do business with a freelancer is because they actually had no idea the blogger sold freelance services. Skellie tells you step by step how to promote your business through your blog and achieve an airtight, efficient funnel.
Some of the points she covers in this chapter:
- How to describe your services so that they sell and where to put these descriptions on your blog
- How to set up your “store-front.”
- How to craft your unique selling proposition (USP) so that you’re not seen as just another commodity.
- How to overcome objections in your descriptions and remove all questions which would prevent a visitor from becoming a client.
- How to use testimonials the right way: what they should say to be effective and where to place them in your blog.
Using Business Launch and Re-launch Formulas
This chapter is where Skellie gets all “ninja” on you and shows you how to do something I’ve never seen anyone else do before: combine product launch methods with selling freelancing services. This is another chapter that justifies the entire book, in my opinion. I know a thing or two about this stuff and this chapter was an eye-opener for me.
This chapter addresses something nearly ALL freelancers get wrong: how to actually start the business and hang out your shingle, as they say. Most freelancers don’t do anything to kick off the start of their business. Skellie shows you how to open your doors in a way that has people lined up to buy. And for those of you who have already started freelancing, but maybe you’re struggling or want to take it to the next level, you can re-launch your business.
Advanced Blog Business Strategies
This chapter covers promotion and advertising most freelancers never do, or do poorly:
- How to use online advertising to effectively attract freelance clients (you’re a business after all, so why not use the same tools other businesses use?).
- How to encourage and maximize client referrals for invaluable word-of-mouth for your services.
- SEO for freelancers so that people searching for your services find you, and not your competition
Scaling Up!
If there’s one thing that’s impossible, it’s having more than 24 hours in a day. Most freelancers put themselves in a position of over-commitment and creating a prison for themselves of never-ending work. They cannot afford to take even the slightest break (except “life happens,” doesn’t it?).
So in this chapter, Skellie tells you how to scale up your freelance business without it sucking every minute out of your day. It’s no secret that one way to do this is to raise your rates. What’s not so well-known is that you’re more assured of success if you do a few other things besides simply raise rates. Skellie reveals what these other steps are.
Most freelancers have a “lone wolf” mentality. Skellie shows you how collaborating with other freelancers opens up incredibly profitable doors for you. By working with others, you can create irresistible freelance service packages that lock down a larger market segment so that clients don’t need to go outside of your trusted network. Brilliant stuff.
Last, she covers how information products and services (like ebooks or training) can enhance your reputation and earn more money for you. I know this path is successful one, because it’s what I’m doing here: a big chunk of my income is from selling information products as well as consulting services. If that has seemed daunting to you, you’ll enjoy Skellie’s easy-going explanations on how to get started with this.
Finally
At the end of the book, Skellie even helps solve the “what now?” problem by giving you some immediate steps you can take to move forward. She also invites your comments and questions by email, so you’re not left hanging.
Should You Get The Blog Business Funnel?
If you’re interested in getting started with freelancing or if you already are a freelancer, I think The Business Blog Funnel will put you wayahead of the game. This is one of the few ebooks I’ve reviewed here that I can’t think of a single negative thing to say about. I can’t find a downside to this one.
And judging by the fact that I’ve already sold a slew of these as an affiliate before I even wrote this review tells me this thing is hitting home with you and it’s a home run. All I’ve done is mention it in an email and tweeted about it a few times and people are devouring it. Based on my own reading of it and existing sales, I don’t see how you could go wrong with The Business Blog Funnel.