One product that unlocks your first million in revenue

Executive overview

Most businesses promote their core offering directly, making it hard to build trust at scale. A product for prospects — a low-commitment entry point — warms up buyers before they commit to anything significant.

The core idea: products and services don't make profit; product and service ecosystems do. A four-part ecosystem (gift, product for prospects, core offering, product for clients) is the model. When launching, focus on just two: the product for prospects and the core offering.

Selling a workshop or assessment is far easier than selling a high-ticket core offering — and it selects for the right clients.

The four-product ecosystem

• Gift: free content that earns attention
• Product for prospects: a paid or low-barrier step that builds trust and educates
• Core offering: the main product or service you sell
• Product for clients: ongoing relationship or retention product

What makes a strong product for prospects

• Educates and entertains without requiring a major commitment
• Communicates the situational model: where the buyer is now, where they want to be, the obstacles in the way, and the path through them
• Creates trust, rapport, and readiness to buy the core offering
• Acts as a natural screening process — buyers who come through it are already well-fitted

Best formats for a product for prospects

• Workshop (live or on Zoom): "How to achieve X" or "Introduction to X"
• Assessment: "Are you ready to achieve X?" or "Are you ready to prevent X?"
• Mini course, discussion group, or membership
• Initial experience or opt-in

Where to focus your marketing

• Promote the product for prospects — not the core offering
• The product for prospects should make the need for the core offering obvious
• Start with an assessment and a workshop; these are the two highest-leverage formats
• Avoid promoting the core offering directly until buyers have moved through the entry product