Passive income gets talked about a lot in online business, but here is the truth: most “passive” income is not actually passive. And in today’s trust recession, even nearly passive income is harder to convert. That is because it removes the one thing that really makes sales happen: human connection.
Last week, I shared why and how I scrapped my passive webinar funnel and replaced it with a high-touch live funnel that converts between 8 and 18 percent, averaging 10 percent. This change has generated $100K in revenue and counting, while taking me less than 3 hours per week to run.
Being people-forward in your business does not mean you cannot use automations. It means you are not automating where it counts most: in those human-to-human touch points.
In this post, I am giving you a detailed look behind the scenes of the tech and automations that run my webinar funnel inside GoHighLevel, which also happens to be the sponsor of my channel.
👉 You can watch the full YouTube video below for the complete walkthrough, or keep reading to see exactly how it works and how you can set up something similar.
Why GoHighLevel Runs My Webinar Funnel
GoHighLevel is the backbone of my entire funnel. It handles my landing pages, email and text automations, checkout carts, and all the back-end processes I need. It can also manage things like QR codes, chat widgets, storefronts, course hosting, affiliate programs, client portals, invoicing, and booking calendars.
It works for both e-commerce and service-based businesses at every stage, which is why I recommend it to so many of my clients.
If you want to try it for yourself, use my link here to get a full 30-day trial and see everything it can do for you.
Landing Page Setup
I have two duplicate landing pages: one for organic traffic from social media and email, and one for paid ad traffic. The only difference is that each form tags people as warm or cold so I can track return on ad spend more easily.
The layout is simple and consistent because it works:
A subheader explaining it is a free live training for service-based businesses
A title and subtitle that speak directly to my audience’s language and goals
Details on the live date and time (I run mine every Tuesday at 1 PM)
Trust signals like my Trustpilot rating
A signup form asking for name, email, and phone number
Below that, I include:
Curiosity-driven bullet points about what they will learn
My accreditation and credentials
Reviews of the actual class to prove it offers value
An about section so they know who is teaching
FAQs to remove common objections
The thank-you page is kept simple. It confirms their spot, gives the event details, and reminds them to add it to their calendar.
Webinar Automation
Once someone signs up, they go into a single automation, tagged as warm or cold. The automation was built by an expert, but I wrote all the copy and tested the timing of every message.
The sequence sends:
Immediate confirmation emails and texts
Reminders 4 days out, 1 day out, morning of, 1 hour before, 10 minutes before, and 3 minutes before
Follow-ups after the webinar, with different paths for attendees vs. non-attendees
Replay links and invitations to attend future sessions if they missed it
The system even tracks how many times someone has been through the funnel so they get tailored reminders each time, without feeling like they are on repeat.
Checkout Cart and Upsells
During the live webinar, I prompt attendees to text my number to get the special offer. This is set up inside GoHighLevel as well. The checkout cart is simple, with payment options, an optional order bump, and reminders of testimonials they saw during the webinar.
GoHighLevel allows me to add upsells and split-test different pages without major changes to the funnel.
What I Do Not Automate
I do not automate the webinar itself. I teach it live every week. I also do not automate replies to emails or texts, and I do not use AI to write my ads, landing pages, or webinar content. If something involves interaction with another human, it is a human doing it.
Automations are tools. I use them to free up my time so I can be present where it matters most: in real conversations with real people.
If you want to try GoHighLevel for your own funnel, click here to get your 30-day trial and you will also receive my full webinar automation copy as a bonus.
