What if every time someone signed up for your freebie, some of them became paying customers too? Automatically, without a launch, a sales call, or you having to do a thing.
That’s exactly what a tripwire funnel does. And once it’s set up, it works in the background 24/7.
This game plan walks you through the whole system from scratch. You’ll create your freebie, build your opt-in and tripwire pages, write your follow-up emails, and connect it all together inside FEA Create. Every step is mapped out, with our gorgeous templates and CarrieAI prompts and to help you with the copy along the way.
The result? A list that doesn’t just grow. A list that buys.
What if every time someone signed up for your freebie, some of them became paying customers too? Turn every new subscriber into a potential buyer the moment they join your list, no extra work required.
Watch the video above to learn what a tripwire funnel is and why it's such a powerful thing to have working in your business, quietly turning new subscribers into buyers 24/7.
Once you've watched the video, follow the steps below to build your tripwire funnel from scratch. You'll create your freebie, build your opt-in and tripwire pages, write your follow-up emails, and connect it all together inside FEA Create, with our gorgeous templates and CarrieAI on hand to help with the copy every step of the way. ✨
Resources
CANVA TEMPLATES
FEA CReate TEMPLATES
FEA CREATE Tripwire funnel template
Preview our 5 themes:
Guides
Step 1
Your freebie is the first step of the journey for your new subscriber. It's something genuinely valuable that you give away for free in exchange for their email address.
NOTE: You might already have a freebie you can use for this. If you do, amazing! You can move onto the next step. If not, let's create one.
Before we start creating your freebie, the most important thing to understand here is that your freebie must naturally lead into your tripwire offer. Think of it like this: the freebie is Step 1 of the journey, and the tripwire is Step 2. The two need to go together, otherwise your tripwire page won't convert.
For example, if your freebie is a "5-Day Instagram Growth Plan," your tripwire might be a full set of done-for-you Instagram caption templates. One leads naturally into the other.
Types of freebies that work brilliantly:
A checklist or cheat sheet
A template (e.g., "my exact welcome email template")
A mini guide or PDF
A swipe file (e.g., "30 done-for-you email subject lines")
A short challenge (e.g., "5-day email list challenge")
Action Steps
Use the CarrieAI prompts to help you decide exactly what freebie to create and how it should lead into your tripwire offer
Once you know what you're creating, use the Canva template to bring your freebie to life ✨
TRY THESE CARRIE AI PROMPTS:
I need help coming up with a freebie idea for my business that would naturally lead into a low-cost paid offer. My business is [describe your business] and my audience is [describe your audience]. Their biggest struggles are [describe their struggles]. Suggest 5 freebie ideas that would deliver a quick win and naturally lead into a paid "next step" product. Ask me clarifying questions to get all the information you need to help customise and personalise the results to me, my business and my brand voice.
Templates and Resources
💡 Top Tip: Your freebie should deliver a quick win. Something your audience can use right away and get a result from. That quick win builds trust and makes them far more likely to say yes to your tripwire offer.
Step 2
Your tripwire offer is the low-cost product you present to someone the moment they sign up for your freebie. This is where the magic happens.
NOTE: If you already have a low ticket offer you think will work with your freebie, you can skip this step and move on to step 3.
Now it's time to create the paid offer you are going to share after someone has signed up to your email list. Here's what makes a great tripwire offer:
It's the next logical step. It's not some random product. It connects directly to your freebie and takes them deeper. If your freebie gave them the "what," your tripwire gives them the "how."
It's priced as a no-brainer. Typically between $7 and $47. You don't want people to have to think too hard about this. It should feel like a steal.
It delivers a quick, clear result. This isn't a big, overwhelming course. It's something they can use quickly and get a win from.
It feels like incredible value at the price. When they see the price compared to what they're getting, it should feel almost too good to be true.
Types of tripwire products that work well:
A mini course (a few short lessons)
A template pack or swipe file
A workshop replay
A resource pack
A workbook or planner
A short audio or video training
Ask yourself these questions:
What do I want my tripwire offer to be?
How does it connect to my freebie?
What result does it deliver?
What would be a good no-brainer price for it?
Why is it incredible value at that price?
Action Steps
Use the CarrieAI prompt to help you come up with your tripwire offer, including what it is, how it connects to your freebie, and what price feels like a no-brainer
Create your tripwire product. If you're creating a workbook, use the Canva template to bring it to life ✨
💡 Top Tip: If you have a visual mockup of your freebie (like a PDF cover or workbook preview), add it to the page. It makes the freebie feel more tangible and valuable.
TRY THESE CARRIE AI PROMPTS:
I need help creating my tripwire product. My freebie is [describe your freebie] and my audience is [describe your audience]. I want to create a low-cost product (between $7 and $47) that feels like the natural next step after downloading the freebie. Help me outline what this product should include, what result it delivers, and suggest a compelling name for it. Ask me clarifying questions to get all the information you need to help customise and personalise the copy to me, my business and my brand voice.
I've decided my tripwire product will be [describe your tripwire product] priced at [your price]. Help me create the content outline for this product so I know exactly what to include. Keep it focused on delivering a quick win. Ask me clarifying questions to get all the information you need to help customise and personalise the copy to me, my business and my brand voice.
Templates and Resources
Templates and Resources
↗︎ FEA CREATE Tripwire funnel template
Preview our 5 themes:
↗︎ Big Leap
↗︎ Dreamy Days
↗︎ Power Moves
Guides
CANVA TEMPLATES
CANVA TEMPLATES
Funnel Template
Funnel Template
FEA CREATE Tripwire funnel template
Preview our 5 themes:
Step 3
Your freebie is the first step of the journey for your new subscriber. It's something genuinely valuable that you give away for free in exchange for their email address.
Now that you have created your freebie and your tripwire offer, it's time to start writing your copy for your opt in page. This is the first page of the funnel people will land on to sign up for your free offer and officially join your email list.
There are five essential elements to a high-converting opt-in page:
1. Your Headline
This is either going to grab people's attention or they're going to bounce. Make it specific, compelling, and outcome-focused.
Some approaches that work really well:
A direct result: "Download the exact email sequence that turns new subscribers into buyers, even if you hate writing"
A number + outcome: "10 done-for-you Instagram captions that will grow your following this week"
A question: "Want to build an email list full of people who actually want to buy from you?"
2. Your Sub-headline
This sits just below your headline and adds more detail. Explain what the freebie is, how long it takes, and what it will do for them.
3. Your Bullet Points (3-5)
These should be outcome-focused. Not "includes 10 pages" but "rewire your money mindset" or "get your first 100 subscribers this week." Think about the results they'll get, not just what's inside.
4. Your Call-to-Action Button
Don't just say "Sign Up" or "Submit." Make the button text feel exciting and personal. Something like "Yes, send me the free guide!" or "I'm in, let's do this!"
5. No Distracting Navigation
Remove any other links, menus, or buttons. The only thing they should be able to do on this page is sign up. The only exception is a privacy policy link.
Action Steps
Use the CarrieAI prompts to write your opt-in page copy, covering your headline, sub-headline, bullet points and call-to-action
Read it back and optimise it, making sure your headline is outcome-focused, your bullets sell the result (not just what's included), and your button feels exciting and personal
Create your mock up graphics using this canva template.
Save your final copy in a Google Doc, Word doc or wherever you like to keep your copy for easy access later ✨
TRY THESE CARRIE AI PROMPTS:
I need to write the copy for my freebie opt-in page. My freebie is [describe your freebie] and it helps [describe your audience] to [describe the result]. Write a compelling headline, a supporting sub-headline, 3-5 outcome-focused bullet points, and a call-to-action button text. Make it feel exciting, not salesy. Ask me clarifying questions to get all the information you need to help customise and personalise the copy to me, my business and my brand voice.
Here's my current opt-in page copy: [paste your copy]. Review it and suggest improvements to make it more compelling and conversion-focused. Check that: the headline is specific and outcome-focused, the bullet points describe results not features, and the call-to-action button is engaging. Ask me clarifying questions to get all the information you need to help customise and personalise the copy to me, my business and my brand voice.
TRY THESE CARRIE AI PROMPTS:
I need to write the copy for my freebie opt-in page. My freebie is [describe your freebie] and it helps [describe your audience] to [describe the result]. Write a compelling headline, a supporting sub-headline, 3-5 outcome-focused bullet points, and a call-to-action button text. Make it feel exciting, not salesy. Ask me clarifying questions to get all the information you need to help customise and personalise the copy to me, my business and my brand voice.
Here's my current opt-in page copy: [paste your copy]. Review it and suggest improvements to make it more compelling and conversion-focused. Check that: the headline is specific and outcome-focused, the bullet points describe results not features, and the call-to-action button is engaging. Ask me clarifying questions to get all the information you need to help customise and personalise the copy to me, my business and my brand voice.
Guides
CANVA TEMPLATES
CANVA TEMPLATES
Funnel Template
Funnel Template
FEA CREATE Tripwire funnel template
Preview our 5 themes:
💡 Top Tip: If you have a visual mockup of your freebie (like a PDF cover or workbook preview), add it to the page. It makes the freebie feel more tangible and valuable.
Step 4
This is where the real conversion happens. Instead of sending people to a plain "check your inbox" page after they sign up for your freebie, you're going to present them with your tripwire offer.
Once people have signed up to your email list, on the thank you page that is where you want to introduce your tripwire offer. This works incredibly well because they're already in a "yes" mindset. They just said yes to your freebie, they're excited, they want more. This is the moment to offer them something amazing.
Here's the structure of a high-converting tripwire page:
1. Confirmation Line
First, reassure them that their freebie is on its way. Something like: "Yay! Your [freebie name] is on its way to your inbox!"
2. Headline
Make it feel like a special, exclusive opportunity, not an upsell. Frame it as the next step for people who want to go deeper.
Example: "Ready to go deeper? You've just taken a beautiful first step with [freebie name], but if you're ready to [bigger result], this is for you."
3. Price & Value Stack
Reveal the normal price of your offer, then reveal the special price they're getting right now. The contrast is what makes it feel like an incredible deal.
Example: "For the next 20 minutes only, you can grab instant access to [product name] for just $7, normally $97."
4. Countdown Timer (20 minutes)
This is critical. The countdown timer creates genuine urgency and drives people to make a decision now. Without it, conversion drops significantly. 20 minutes is the sweet spot for a micro-priced offer.
5. Offer Bullet Points (3-7)
Keep these short and outcome-focused. What will they get? What results can they expect? Make it exciting.
6. Buy Button
Make the button outcome-focused. Not "Buy Now" but something like "Yes, I'm ready to [result]!" Include the checkout on the same page if possible.
7. "No Thanks" Link
Always include a link that says something like "No thanks, I'm happy with my freebie." This takes them to the final confirmation page. Never trap people on the page.
Action Steps
Use the CarrieAI prompts to write your thank you page copy, covering your confirmation line, headline, price and value stack, offer bullets and buy button
In the copy, add a 20-minute countdown timer to create genuine urgency, and don't forget your "no thanks" link so no one feels trapped on the page
Save your final copy in a Google Doc, Word doc or wherever you keep your copy, ready to build the page ✨
TRY THESE CARRIE AI PROMPTS:
I need to write the copy for my tripwire thank you page. My freebie is [describe your freebie] and my tripwire product is [describe your tripwire product] which is normally [normal price] but I'm offering it for [special price] for 20 minutes only. Write the full page copy including: a confirmation line, a headline that positions this as a special next step (not a hard sell), a price and value reveal, 5-7 outcome-focused bullet points about the offer, an outcome-focused buy button text, and a "no thanks" link text. Make it feel warm and exciting, not pushy. Ask me clarifying questions to get all the information you need to help customise and personalise the copy to me, my business and my brand voice.
Here's my current tripwire page copy: [paste your copy]. Review it and suggest improvements. Check that: the confirmation line reassures them, the headline doesn't feel like a hard upsell, the bullet points are outcome-focused, the urgency feels genuine, and the tone is warm and inviting. Ask me clarifying questions to get all the information you need to help customise and personalise the copy to me, my business and my brand voice.
Guides
CANVA TEMPLATES
CANVA TEMPLATES
Funnel Template
Funnel Template
FEA CREATE Tripwire funnel template
Preview our 5 themes:
💡 Top Tip: You can also add a small bump offer on the checkout. This is a little add-on that people can tick to add to their order. It's a great way to increase the average order value.
Step 5
This is the page people land on after they've either bought your tripwire or clicked "no thanks." Either way, you want this page to feel warm, celebratory, and give them one more soft next step.
The next thing we need to do is write out the copy for your confirmation page where you will have 2 versions.
Version A: For people who bought the tripwire
Confirm that both their freebie AND their purchase are on their way. Make them feel amazing about the decision they just made. Then give them a soft call-to-action for something free.
Version B: For people who didn't buy
Confirm that their freebie is on its way. Keep it positive and warm. Then give them the same soft call-to-action.
What should your call-to-action be?
This doesn't have to be another sales offer. Keep it light. Some ideas:
Invite them to your free live workshop
Invite them to join your Facebook group
Send them to your Instagram or social media
Share your podcast or YouTube channel
Offer another free resource
The goal is to keep them moving deeper into your world. You want them going down the rabbit hole with you!
Action Steps
Use the CarrieAI prompts to write both versions of your confirmation page copy, Version A for buyers and Version B for those who didn't buy
Keep both warm and positive, and add a soft call-to-action like your free workshop, Facebook group, podcast or Instagram to keep them going deeper into your world
Save your final copy in a Google Doc, Word doc or wherever you keep your copy ✨
💡 Top Tip: You can also add a small bump offer on the checkout. This is a little add-on that people can tick to add to their order. It's a great way to increase the average order value.
TRY THESE CARRIE AI PROMPTS:
I need to write two versions of my confirmation/thank you page. Version A is for people who bought my tripwire product [describe product]. Version B is for people who only signed up for the freebie [describe freebie]. For both versions, write a warm, celebratory confirmation message and a soft call-to-action inviting them to [describe your next step, e.g., free workshop, Facebook group, podcast]. Ask me clarifying questions to get all the information you need to help customise and personalise the copy to me, my business and my brand voice.
Funnel Template
FEA CREATE Tripwire funnel template
Preview our 5 themes:
Step 6
Once someone has signed up, you need an automated email sequence to deliver their freebie, welcome them, and (if they didn't buy on the thank you page) remind them about your tripwire offer.
The last bit of cop you will need to write is your email sequences. We need two versions of these as well. One sequence if they did not buy your tripwire and a second sequence if they did purchase your tripwire offer.
💸 EMAIL SEQUENCE 1: If they did not buy your tripwire
Keep it simple. You need just three emails:
Email 1: Delivery Email (sent immediately)
This email delivers the freebie, gives them a really warm welcome, and tells them what to do next. Make them feel excited that they signed up.
Include: a warm welcome, the freebie download link, a clear instruction on what to do with it, and a short note about you or your community.
Email 2: Offer Email (sent 6-24 hours later)
This email is for people who DIDN'T buy the tripwire on the thank you page. Remind them about the offer. The initial 20-minute price has expired (and that needs to be genuine), but you can offer a slightly higher price that still feels like a great deal.
For example, if the 20-minute price was $7, the email price might be $17 (still way below the normal $97).
Email 3: Final Reminder (sent 17-24 hours after Email 2)
This is a short urgency email. Let them know this is the last chance to grab the offer at the special price before it goes back to full price. Keep it brief and direct.
💡 EMAIL SEQUENCE 2: If someone did buy your tripwire:
They should receive a separate email sequence that welcomes them and helps them take action on the product they bought. People who take action get results. People who get results become raving fans who want to buy more from you.
Action Steps
Use the CarrieAI prompts to write your non-buyer sequence: a delivery email, an offer email and a final reminder
Use the CarrieAI prompts to write your buyer sequence, helping them take action on what they bought so they get a quick result
Save your final copy in a Google Doc, Word doc or wherever you keep your copy
TRY THESE CARRIE AI PROMPTS:
I need to write a 3-email automated sequence for my tripwire funnel. My freebie is [describe your freebie] and my tripwire product is [describe product] which was offered at [special price] on the thank you page but will be offered at [slightly higher price] in the emails, normally [full price]. Write all 3 emails: 1) An immediate delivery email that welcomes them warmly and delivers the freebie. 2) An offer reminder email (sent 6-24 hours later) for people who didn't buy. 3) A final urgency email (sent the next day) letting them know it's their last chance. Keep the tone warm and encouraging, not pushy. Ask me clarifying questions to get all the information you need to help customise and personalise the copy to me, my business and my brand voice.
I also need a short welcome email for people who DID buy my tripwire product [describe product]. Write a warm, celebratory email that confirms their purchase, tells them how to access the product, and gives them one clear action step to take right away so they start getting results. Ask me clarifying questions to get all the information you need to help customise and personalise the copy to me, my business and my brand voice.
Step 7
Once you've got all your copy and content ready, it's time to bring it all to life inside FEA Create!
It's time to start putting your funnel together in FEA Create! Follow these steps below and watch the tutorial for how to set up all the pages of your funnel and publish them so you are ready to share this with the world!
HERE'S YOUR FUNNEL BUILD CHECKLIST:
Step 1: Create your freebie opt-in page in FEA Create
Step 2: Set up your form to capture name and email address
Step 3: Create your tripwire thank you page with the offer, countdown timer, checkout, and "no thanks" link
Step 4: Create your confirmation page (Version A for buyers, Version B for non-buyers)
Step 5: Set up your tripwire product and checkout
Step 6: Add a bump offer to your checkout (optional but recommended!)
Step 7: Set up your automated email sequence (delivery + offer emails)
Step 8: Connect all the pages so the flow works: opt-in → tripwire page → confirmation page
Step 9: Test EVERYTHING. Sign up yourself and go through the entire flow. Check every link, every email, every page.
Step 10: GO LIVE! 🎉
💡 Top Tip: If someone DID buy the tripwire, they should receive a separate email sequence that welcomes them and helps them take action on the product they bought. People who take action get results. People who get results become raving fans who want to buy more from you.
TRY THESE CARRIE AI PROMPTS:
I need to write a 3-email automated sequence for my tripwire funnel. My freebie is [describe your freebie] and my tripwire product is [describe product] which was offered at [special price] on the thank you page but will be offered at [slightly higher price] in the emails, normally [full price]. Write all 3 emails: 1) An immediate delivery email that welcomes them warmly and delivers the freebie. 2) An offer reminder email (sent 6-24 hours later) for people who didn't buy. 3) A final urgency email (sent the next day) letting them know it's their last chance. Keep the tone warm and encouraging, not pushy. Ask me clarifying questions to get all the information you need to help customise and personalise the copy to me, my business and my brand voice.
I also need a short welcome email for people who DID buy my tripwire product [describe product]. Write a warm, celebratory email that confirms their purchase, tells them how to access the product, and gives them one clear action step to take right away so they start getting results. Ask me clarifying questions to get all the information you need to help customise and personalise the copy to me, my business and my brand voice.
Templates and Resources
FEA Create Tripwire Funnel Tutorial Video
OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES
FEA Create Tripwire Funnel Tutorial Video
Step 8
Once your funnel is live, these are the numbers to keep an eye on:
You did it! Now it's time to start sharing your funnel with the world and growing your email list with buyers!
Once your funnel is working, you can drive even more traffic to it by:
Running Facebook or Instagram ads to your freebie opt-in page
Promoting it on social media with regular posts
Setting up DM automations ("comment LOVE to get my free guide")
Adding it to your website and link in bio page so visitors can sign up
Mentioning it on your podcast or YouTube channel
Now, instead of running a lead gen funnel where you're just getting subscribers, you're running a campaign where you're getting buyers. That is a game changer.
💡 Top Tip: If someone DID buy the tripwire, they should receive a separate email sequence that welcomes them and helps them take action on the product they bought. People who take action get results. People who get results become raving fans who want to buy more from you.
TRY THESE CARRIE AI PROMPTS:
I need to write a 3-email automated sequence for my tripwire funnel. My freebie is [describe your freebie] and my tripwire product is [describe product] which was offered at [special price] on the thank you page but will be offered at [slightly higher price] in the emails, normally [full price]. Write all 3 emails: 1) An immediate delivery email that welcomes them warmly and delivers the freebie. 2) An offer reminder email (sent 6-24 hours later) for people who didn't buy. 3) A final urgency email (sent the next day) letting them know it's their last chance. Keep the tone warm and encouraging, not pushy. Ask me clarifying questions to get all the information you need to help customise and personalise the copy to me, my business and my brand voice.
OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES
FEA Create Tripwire Funnel Tutorial Video
Stats you should be checking weekly to see how your tripwire funnel is performing:
Opt-in rate: The percentage of visitors who sign up for your freebie. Aim for 30% on the low end, 50%+ on the high end. If you're not hitting this, test a new headline or tweak your bullet points.
Tripwire conversion rate: The percentage of new subscribers who buy your offer. Aim for 10-20%. If it's lower, test your headline, price point, or tweak your offer.
Email click-through rate: Aim for 2-5%. If it's lower, make your call-to-action clearer and your copy more compelling.
This is a process of testing and tweaking. Don't expect perfection on day one. Keep optimising until it's working beautifully
WOOHOO!
Woohoo, you did it! 🎉 Your tripwire funnel is built and ready to start turning subscribers into buyers, working away in the background even when you're not.
Now that your list is set up to convert, let's make sure people find their way to it in the first place. Check out the Optimise Your Instagram Bio Gameplan next so your bio is doing its job of sending people straight to your freebie!
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FEA CREATE TUTORIALS
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Set your business up for success
From lead gen funnels to traffic campaigns
Create your offers: courses, memberships & beyond
Build high converting sales funnels and pages
Your website is your online home for your business. You can use your website to help your potential customers learn more about you, your business, your offers, and start their journey to becoming a customer. In this tutorial, we will walk you through how to set up your website using our beautiful website template.
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