Infusionsoft: How to Take It on and Win Big

If you’re new to Infusionsoft, chances are you may be in a different place now than you were back when you bought it.  As an Infusionsoft consultant, I’ve run into many, many, many Infusionsoft users that were gung-ho, all excited, and filled with enthusiasm right before they bought it.  They felt the same way for some time after that.

Then somehow things changed.

When they fast-forwarded a few months, the feelings were very different.  This Infusionsoft consultant has seen some folks were completely frustrated and stuck, or feeling overwhelmed.  Some went from feeling optimistic and hopeful that they had found something that could revolutionize their business, to feeling confused, anxious, and doubtful that this could really work for them.  A good bunch of them became downright angry.

This shift is especially painful because these hard-working, intelligent, college-educated and sometimes even grad school level types feel defeated.  These entrepreneurs have been successful in so many other challenges they have faced.  They made a decision to take Infusionsoft on, without an Infusionsoft consultant helping them, and now it feels like it took them on.

To makes matters worse, they feel torn.  On the one hand they hear from their mentors, other Infusionsoft users, and people in the marketing automation space,

“It’s a fabulous solution.  You MUST use it!!!” 

Others say that Infusionsoft has:

• outright changed their business,
• given them the edge,
• increased leads, and
• provided a serious boost in sales.

They know a lot of people that will vouch that Infusionsoft was the proverbial “Silver Bullet” and made a difference and changed their lives.

They are torn because here these testimonials are the complete opposite from their own experience and they are wondering, “What have I done wrong?”

Did they take on something that was beyond them?  Is Infusionsoft totally outside of their core competency?  Whether it is or not, they end up feeling incompetent, disappointed and even really, really stupid.

When facing this crossroad, a lot of folks will ask themselves, “Is it time to quit?  Should I cut my losses and find another approach to increasing leads and sales?”  They may be thinking, “But it’s working for others.  What is it they have done that makes them such promoters of the solution?”

On the one side you have the fear of missing out on the opportunities it can create for your business.  You have the pain of feeling defeated.  You have the overt pain of having paid all that money, month after month, (money you could have used for something else) with nothing to show for it.

The way I look at it, you have four options once you hit this crossroad.

Option 1 – Keep on doing what you’re doing.

I have a mentor that says, “Keep doing what you’re doing and you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.”  This is so true.  I know a lot of people who we could lovingly call, “Infusionsoft donors”.  They’ve found a good cause and they religiously send their payment every month.

It’s not what I recommend, because changing nothing keeps you on exactly in same place you are now.

Option 2 – Quit

Personally, I like this option better than the first one.  You’ve made a call.  You’ve made your decision.  Infusionsoft is NOT for you, end of story, turn the page, close the book.  DONE.

Honestly, Infusionsoft is not for everyone.  If it isn’t for you now, end your subscription.  Stop paying out money every month and give yourself time to think about it some more.  I’ve worked with business owners that have done just this.  They waited until they completed other priorities, returned to the possibility of using Infusionsoft, and came back with a plan that ended up working nicely for them.

Option 3 – Finally learn Infusionsoft and start using it

My absolute best customers are the ones that know Infusionsoft well (or well-enough).  They understand how to use it.  They have built campaigns that are serving their business well.  They are self-sustaining.

This does take a considerable investment in time and money.  Many business owners have gone through some training.  They have studied using the wealth of material available for coming up to speed on Infusionsoft.  They have persisted in trial-and-error, seeing what works and what doesn’t work.  It’s a pretty admirable effort.

Becoming Infusionsoft competent and capable is an 80+ hour project.  That amount of time makes you fairly knowledgeable in using the tool, and you’ll reap some benefits.  You will understand how to use it to track contacts and build marketing campaigns.

If you have a technical slant or you understand online marketing from past experience, this is a good option.  But realize that you might be missing out on best practices, and do things which you may later learn were not the best way to get the results you wanted.

Option 4 – Find a good Infusionsoft consultant to support you

This fourth option is my recommended way to proceed.  If you want to get your bookkeeping in order, you don’t typically go the do-it-yourself route.  You hire a good bookkeeper and accountant so they set you up and support you in doing things right.  Why pay more taxes than necessary for lack of knowledge on your part?

You should be doing the same thing with Infusionsoft.  Why wouldn’t you want to hire someone who’s invested a lot of time working with Infusionsoft and the related technologies that make Infusionsoft an even better solution?  Why wouldn’t it be a good idea to work with someone who has a proven track record working with business owners and entrepreneurs (like you) and have them guide you to a solution that makes the most sense for your specific situation and needs?

Even if option 3 is your choice, having a good coach, teacher or consulting team available to guide you is a great way to proceed.  They can see what it is you need done and can explore the best way to get to the results you want.  Because you will have spent the time learning Infusionsoft, you will understand what is happening and what is being built.  You will be in a great position to provide the needed input about your business so that combined with the expertise of a strong team, you get the best solution moving towards your end goal.

How to best go about finding the right consulting team for you?

Here’s a check list I’ve provide absolutely free, to make your search for a good consulting team even easier for you.

Step 1 – Do a search to find a few of the Infusionsoft consultant teams you would like to interview

If you search online for terms like “Infusionsoft Consultant” or “Infusionsoft Expert,” you’ll find a few you can call.  If you have a mentor or know others that use Infusionsoft, ask around to see if they may be able to give you some good recommendations.

Once you have a list, check out their websites.  Learn about what they emphasize on their site.  Do they position themselves as consultants that build solutions for their customers?  Is that what they say they do best?

Check to see if they offer something like a “three day build it for you session” or will they commit to a set of deliverables for a set price and schedule.   Many teams out there offer a crash development approach, which is great for learning and experimenting, but doesn’t always get you the completed project you need.

 

Step 2 – Ask for references and check them.

Don’t be afraid to ask for references and check them.  My team has a list of reference clients that’s continually changing as we develop relationships with different clients.  At a moment’s notice, we can provide that list to anyone who asks.  I am surprised at how often we are NOT asked for references.  I am even more surprised at how often we give references to check and our references are never called.

Don’t assume just because a consultant gives you a reference that you cannot ask hard questions and get some insight you wouldn’t have gotten otherwise about a particular provider.

 

Step 3 – Start with a project that provides you with measurable results in a short-time frame.

The last thing you want is a project that goes on forever with unclear objectives. Or it’s only after a long time that you know it’s off track or is close to failing.  Developing an Infusionsoft solution isn’t rocket science for someone that’s building it for you.  It should be something that you, an intelligent person, can understand at a higher level.

If it sounds too complicated and the consulting team is having a hard time explaining to you what it does and how it works, you probably need to ask more questions and investigate.