Your Tripwire Funnel — Create Your Product Suite

The Tripwire Is a Funnel, Not a Product

Having a $27 ebook means nothing if nobody sees it. The tripwire funnel is the system that puts the right offer in front of the right person at the exact moment they are most likely to buy. That moment is immediately after they opt in for your free offer.

The Four-Page Funnel

Walk through the four pages:

Opt-in Page — The lead magnet signup form. One job: collect the email. Keep it simple — headline, bullet points, form field, button.
Thank-You Page (Tripwire Offer) — Instead of “Check your email,” this page says “Before you check your email — here’s something only available right now.” This is the tripwire sales page. It should include: the offer, the price, the urgency (one-time), and a buy button. If they buy, route to page 3. If they don’t, they still get their freebie via email.
Core Offer Page (for buyers) — Someone who just bought your tripwire is in buying mode. Present your core offer immediately. “You just invested in [tripwire]. Here’s the complete system.” This page appears only for tripwire buyers.
Confirmation Page — Receipt, access instructions, what to expect next.

The Two Paths

Opt-in → Tripwire Offer Page
              ├── BUYS → Core Offer Page → Confirmation
              └── DOESN'T BUY → Confirmation (freebie delivered via email)

Everyone gets the freebie. Buyers get an immediate pitch for the core. Non-buyers enter an email nurture sequence.

The Tripwire Thank-You Page

This page has specific requirements:

Acknowledge the opt-in (“Your free guide is in your email”)
Transition immediately to the offer (“Before you go…”)
Present the tripwire as a one-time deal
Show the regular price crossed out next to the tripwire price
Single call-to-action button
A “No thanks” link that’s present but not prominent

The copy should be short. This is not a long-form sales page. 200-300 words maximum. They just gave you their email — they are not going to read a manifesto.

The Tripwire Buyer Email Sequence (3 emails)

Once someone buys the tripwire, a 3-email sequence guides them toward the core offer:

Email 1: Delivery + Confirmation (sent immediately)

Deliver the tripwire product
Confirm they made a great decision
Tell them what to do with it
PS: Mention the core offer exists

Email 2: Progress Check (sent day 2)

“How’s it going with [tripwire]?”
Share one quick insight from the tripwire content
Reinforce the value they received
PS: Link to core offer with a benefit-driven line

Email 3: The Bridge (sent day 4)

Share a case study or example of someone who went from tripwire to core
Frame the core offer as “the complete system”
Direct call to action: check out the core offer
Create soft urgency if appropriate

This sequence should feel helpful, not pushy. The tripwire buyer just spent money with you. They are the warmest leads in your entire list. Treat them like it. For detailed sequence writing frameworks, see Email Marketing for Course Creators.

The Non-Buyer Email Sequence

For those who saw the tripwire but didn’t buy, the email sequence should NOT re-pitch the tripwire. Instead:

Email 1: Freebie delivery (sent immediately)

Deliver what they signed up for
Provide value, no pitch

Email 2: Value email (sent day 2)

Share a useful insight related to the freebie topic
Build trust, no pitch

Email 3: Soft pitch (sent day 4)

Connect the freebie to a broader problem
Introduce your core offer as the solution
Direct call to action

The non-buyer sequence builds trust first, then introduces the core offer as the logical next step.

Tracking What Matters

Two metrics tell you if your tripwire funnel works:

Opt-in to Tripwire conversion rate — Target: 5-15%. If below 5%, the offer or the page needs work.
Tripwire to Core conversion rate — Target: 10-20%. If below 10%, the bridge sequence or the core offer positioning needs work.

Track these numbers weekly. Small improvements compound quickly.

Connecting to GHL

Building this in GoHighLevel requires two components: the funnel builder and the workflow automations.

In the funnel builder, create four pages as steps within a single funnel. The opt-in page submits to a form that adds a contact and triggers the tripwire thank-you page. The tripwire thank-you page contains your order form. Set up two routing rules: successful purchase routes to the core offer page, while no purchase routes to the standard confirmation page.

In workflows, create two sequences triggered by purchase tags. When the “Tripwire Purchased” tag is applied, start the 3-email buyer sequence. When someone opts in without purchasing, start the non-buyer sequence.

The key is proper tag management. Every action — opt-in, tripwire purchase, core purchase — should apply a distinct tag. This keeps your segments clean.

For complete funnel building instructions, see Build Funnels & Automations in GHL.