The Launch Burnout Problem
Let me guess.
You've done a few live launches. The energy. The excitement. The exhaustion.
For a week or two, you're on fire. Emails, social posts, webinars, Q&As. Then it's over. Sales stop. And you crash.
Rinse and repeat.
It works. But it's not sustainable.
What if your course sold every day—without you doing a launch every time?
That's the promise of an evergreen funnel.
What Is an Evergreen Funnel?
An evergreen funnel is a system that sells your course automatically, continuously.
New leads enter the top (via your lead magnet, content, ads). The funnel nurtures them. At the right moment, it presents the offer. They buy. All without you doing anything in real time.
Live launch: You're the engine. When you stop, sales stop.
Evergreen funnel: The system is the engine. It runs 24/7.
The Components of an Evergreen Funnel
Here's what you need:
1. A Lead Magnet
Something valuable you give away in exchange for an email address.
Examples: Checklist, mini-course, webinar recording, template.
This is how new people enter your world.
2. A Welcome/Nurture Sequence
A series of automated emails that build relationship and trust.
This is where you share your story, provide value, and introduce your philosophy.
3. A Sales Sequence
Automated emails that present your offer and drive purchases.
This mimics your live launch—but it runs automatically for each subscriber based on when THEY joined.
4. An Evergreen Mechanism
Something that creates urgency even though the cart is "always open."
More on this below—it's the tricky part.
5. The Offer and Sales Page
Your course, priced appropriately, with a high-converting sales page.
Same as a live launch—just accessed through automated links.
Building Your Evergreen Sequence
Let's walk through the email sequence.
Phase 1: Welcome & Value (Days 1–5)
The subscriber just joined. Build the relationship.
Email 1 (Immediate): Deliver the lead magnet. Introduce yourself briefly.
Email 2 (Day 1): Share your story. Why do you do what you do?
Email 3 (Day 2): Provide a quick win. Teach something actionable.
Email 4 (Day 4): Share a success story. Show what's possible.
Email 5 (Day 5): Address a common mistake. Position yourself as the guide.
Phase 2: Transition (Days 6–7)
Shift from pure value to hinting at the offer.
Email 6 (Day 6): Tease that you have something special to share.
Email 7 (Day 7): Explain what your course is and who it's for. Invite them to learn more.
Phase 3: Sales Window (Days 8–14)
Now you're selling. This mirrors a live launch.
Email 8 (Day 8): Cart is "open." Here's what's included and why it matters.
Email 9 (Day 9): Deep dive into what they'll learn. Module highlights.
Email 10 (Day 10): Success story or case study.
Email 11 (Day 11): Objection handling. FAQ style.
Email 12 (Day 12): Bonus reminder (if offering one).
Email 13 (Day 13): Scarcity reminder. Deadline approaching.
Email 14 (Day 14): Last chance. Deadline is tonight.
Phase 4: Post-Close (Day 15+)
For those who didn't buy.
Email 15: "Cart is closed" acknowledgment. Invite them to stay on your list for future value.
Ongoing: Continue providing value. They may buy later.
The Evergreen Urgency Problem
Here's the challenge with evergreen.
Live launches have natural urgency: "Cart closes Friday."
If your course is always available, where's the urgency to buy now?
Solution 1: Personalized Deadlines
Use software to create personalized countdown timers.
When someone enters your funnel, they have 7 days to get the launch price, bonus, or access. Their deadline is unique to them.
Tools: Deadline Funnel, ConvertKit (countdown timers), ThriveCart.
This is the most effective and ethical approach.
Solution 2: Expiring Bonuses
The course is always available, but a special bonus expires.
"Get the 1-on-1 review session if you enroll within 7 days."
After 7 days, the bonus genuinely goes away.
Solution 3: Price Increase
Offer a lower price during the "launch window."
After day 14, the price goes up (and stays up until you run another promotion).
What NOT to Do
Don't fake scarcity.
"Only 3 spots left!" when there are infinite spots damages trust permanently.
Be honest. Ethical evergreen funnels use real deadlines, real bonus expirations, or real price increases.
Tech Stack for Evergreen Funnels
You'll need some tools:
Email Marketing
Must support automation sequences and tagging.
- ConvertKit – Great for creators, easy automations
- ActiveCampaign – Powerful automation features
- MailerLite – Budget-friendly option
- Drip – E-commerce focused but works well
Deadline/Urgency Tool
Creates personalized, trackable deadlines.
- Deadline Funnel – The gold standard
- ConvertBox – Has countdown features
- Custom solutions – Possible but complex
Course Platform
Needs to integrate with your email tool and payment processor.
- MineCourse – Seamless integration
- Teachable – Built-in automation features
- Thinkific – Solid integrations
- ThriveCart Learn – Combines cart and course
Sales Pages
Can be built in your course platform or separately.
- Course platform landing pages
- Carrd – Simple one-page sites
- Webflow – More customization
From Live Launch to Evergreen: The Transition
Already done live launches? Great. You have a head start.
Step 1: Document Your Live Launch
Write down:
- Every email you sent
- The timing/sequence
- Your sales page copy
- Bonuses offered
- How you created urgency
Step 2: Convert to Automation
Take your live launch sequence and set it up as an automated sequence triggered by a new subscriber action.
Day 1 of your live launch becomes Day 8 of their automated journey (after the nurture phase).
Step 3: Solve the Urgency Problem
Choose your evergreen urgency mechanism:
- Personalized deadlines
- Expiring bonuses
- Time-limited pricing
Set up the tech to enforce it.
Step 4: Test the Funnel
Before driving traffic, go through it yourself.
- Does every email send correctly?
- Do links work?
- Does the deadline technology work?
- Is the checkout smooth?
Step 5: Launch Your Evergreen Funnel
Start driving traffic:
- Organic content
- Lead magnet promotion
- Paid ads (once you're confident)
Step 6: Monitor and Optimize
Track key metrics:
- Lead magnet opt-in rate
- Email open and click rates
- Sales conversion rate
- Where people drop off
Improve based on data.
The Hybrid Approach
You don't have to choose only one.
Many successful creators use a hybrid model:
Evergreen funnel: Runs continuously, generates steady baseline sales.
Periodic live launches: 2–4 times per year, creates spikes of energy and sales.
This gives you the stability of evergreen plus the excitement of launches.
Common Evergreen Funnel Mistakes
Too Short a Nurture Phase
Rushing to sell before trust is built. Give people time to get to know you.
No Genuine Urgency
If there's no reason to buy now, they'll buy never. Create real urgency.
Set and Forget
Funnels need optimization. Check performance monthly.
Not Enough Email Touch Points
One email won't do it. Plan for 10–15 emails in the sales phase.
Poor Lead Magnet
If your lead magnet doesn't attract the right people, the whole funnel fails.
Technical Problems
Broken links, emails not sending, deadlines not working—test everything.
Evergreen Funnel Benchmarks
What should you expect?
Opt-In Rate (Lead Magnet Page)
- Good: 30–50%
- Needs work: Under 20%
Email Open Rates
- Good: 30–50%
- Needs work: Under 20%
Click Rates
- Good: 3–5%
- Needs work: Under 1%
Sales Conversion (Funnel Entrants to Buyers)
- Good: 2–5%
- Great: 5–10%
- Needs work: Under 1%
These vary by niche and price point.
The Long-Term View
Here's what I want you to understand.
An evergreen funnel isn't a "get rich quick" scheme.
It's infrastructure. It's a system that compounds over time.
Month 1: You're building and testing. Month 3: You're optimizing based on data. Month 6: The funnel is refined and consistently producing. Month 12: You have a predictable revenue engine.
It takes time. But once it's running, you have freedom live launches can't give you.
Your One Small Win Today
Map out your evergreen sequence on paper.
Just the structure:
- Days 1–5: Welcome sequence (list topics)
- Days 6–7: Transition (what will you tease?)
- Days 8–14: Sales window (list key emails)
You don't have to write the emails yet. Just sketch the plan.
Next Step: Automation brings sales. Community brings retention and recurring revenue. Read Building a Community—how to move from a course to a membership for recurring income.