My Passive Income Strategy: How Instagram, ManyChat, Flodesk, and ThriveCart Work Together for Automated Sales
When it comes to creating a passive income stream, the key is to set up systems that work together seamlessly, so you’re not constantly hustling for sales. Instead, you can focus on creating value for your audience, nurturing relationships, and watching your business grow with less effort.
In this post, I’m sharing one of my passive income strategies, which uses Instagram, ManyChat, Flodesk, and ThriveCart to automate lead generation, sales, and email marketing. This system has helped me grow my income while freeing up time to work on other parts of my business.
If you want more guidance on getting started selling online, this link is for you.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Step 1: Create a Lead Magnet
First things first—if you want to start building passive income, you need a lead magnet. A lead magnet is a valuable freebie that attracts your ideal audience and encourages them to join your email list. The key here is to make sure it’s something that solves a problem or gives value immediately.
What Should Your Lead Magnet Be?
Your lead magnet can take many forms. It could be:
A guide or cheat sheet (“5 Steps to Launch Your First Digital Product”)
A template (Instagram story templates or a content calendar)
A checklist or planner (a social media content planner or Instagram post checklist)
An email course or workshop (“How to Launch Your First Digital Product in 7 Days”)
Whatever you create, make sure it’s aligned with the interests of your audience and serves as an introduction to your paid offerings.
Step 2: Set Up an Opt-In Form and Workflow on Flodesk to Deliver the Freebie
Now that your lead magnet is ready, you need a way to capture leads (email addresses) and deliver your freebie automatically. This is where Flodesk comes in. I love using Flodesk because it’s easy to set up and looks beautiful, even if you’re not a designer.
You can get 14-days free to try it out and then 50% off when you subscribe using this link.
How to Set Up Your Flodesk Opt-In Form
1. Head over to the “Forms” tab once you create an account.
2. Create a new form and choose a template! I like to use a link-in-bio or full page template so that I can link directly to it.
3. Connect it to a segment! I usually create a new segment for this and name it after the freebie.
4. Customize the form using your lead magnet’s info and a mockup. For example:
How to Set Up a Flodesk Workflow to Automatically Deliver the Freebie
1. Head over to the “Workflow” tab and click “new workflow”.
2. For this, I like to start from scratch. If you do, it should look like this:
3.. Add your trigger. It should be “when subscriber is added to segment” and make sure the freebie segment you created is selected.
4. Add a delivery email.
5. Add a time delay. I like to add a long time delay before subscribers exit the flow so when my paid product is live, I’ll be able to come in and add a nurture sequence.
6. Publish it!
Once you’ve got this set up, your lead magnet will be automatically delivered to your audience, and they’ll be added to your email list, ready to receive your follow-up content.
Step 3: Create a Paid Product That Feels Like the Natural Next Step
You’ve got your lead magnet in place, and your subscribers are now on your email list. What’s next? You need to create a paid product that feels like the natural next step for your audience.
The key here is to offer something that builds on the value of your freebie. If your lead magnet is a social media content calendar template, a natural next step might be a low-ticket product like an Instagram growth guide or post templates.
Your paid product should feel like it’s solving a bigger problem or providing more in-depth value than your lead magnet. Think of it as the “next level” for your audience.
Step 4: Host It on ThriveCart (or Stan)
Once your paid product is ready, you need a platform to host and sell it. I recommend ThriveCart, which is perfect for creators looking to build sales funnels, offer order bumps, and even set up affiliate programs for their products. ThriveCart doesn’t offer a free trial as of writing this, but I do love it because it’s a one-time fee of $495.
If ThriveCart is a bit out of your budget right now, Stan is another great option that offers a more affordable solution with similar features.
You can start Stan with a 14-day free trial here. Their monthly plans currently range from $29-99 per month.
How to Set Up Your Product on ThriveCart or Stan:
Upload your digital product or course to your platform of choice.
Set the price. Make sure your price is aligned with the value you're offering. A good starting point for digital products is anywhere between $10-$100 for low-ticket products.
Customize your checkout pages. Both ThriveCart and Stan allow you to customize your checkout pages. Use persuasive copy, testimonials and social proof, and a clear CTA to encourage people to make a purchase.
Step 5: Set Up an Email Sequence with Flodesk That Nurtures Your Audience and Promotes the Paid Product
Once your audience has your freebie, the next step is to nurture them and guide them toward your paid product. This is where Flodesk shines again. You can set up a nurture email sequence that automatically sends valuable content to your subscribers while introducing them to your paid product.
How to Set Up Your Email Sequence in Flodesk
Write your emails. I recommend creating a 5-email nurture sequence:
Email 1: delivers the freebie and gives a quick intro about you (this can be split into 2 emails)
Email 2: shares quick tips that relate to the freebie
Email 3: shares more tips and teases the paid product
Email 4: promotes the paid product with a limited-time offer (a bonus or discount)
Email 5: gently reminds them of the current promotion
2. Add these emails to your workflow you created earlier. I usually send them 1 day apart.
Once this is done, publish the workflow! Now anyone who downloads your freebie will be promoted your paid product on autopilot. This saves you time and ensures that your subscribers stay engaged while you sleep.
Pro Tip: Add testimonials or social proof in your emails to build trust and credibility.
Step 6: Post on Instagram Consistently Using Manychat
Your Instagram is one of your most powerful tools for driving traffic to your lead magnet. Consistency is key here—if you want to grow your email list, you need to post regularly and encourage your followers to take action.
How to Use Instagram and Manychat to Promote Your Freebie:
Share valuable content. Post educational content or case studies that show how your freebie can help solve your audience’s problem.
Include a clear CTA in your captions. For example, “comment [keyword] for [lead magnet]”.
Set up an automation with Manychat that will send anyone who comments a DM with a link to your opt-in page. Make sure to use the same keyword as your caption in your automation, then include the link to your opt-in page in the message.
It should look like this:
This will help turn Instagram engagement into leads, and eventually, sales!
Use this link for one month free of Manychat.
Step 7: Get Sales!
Now that you’ve set up your lead generation system, your nurture email sequence, and your automated sales funnel, all that’s left to do is sit back and watch the sales come in.
By combining Instagram, ManyChat, Flodesk, and ThriveCart (or Stan), you’ve created a system that’s not only efficient but also automated, allowing you to scale without burning out.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to track your sales and email open rates. Use this data to tweak and improve your funnels and sequences for even better results.
Conclusion
By setting up a seamless system with Instagram, ManyChat, Flodesk, and ThriveCart, you can create a passive income stream that works for you even when you’re not actively working. With a lead magnet, email nurture sequence, and automated sales funnel in place, your business will continue to grow while you focus on what you do best—creating amazing content.
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If you don’t know what to sell, this link is for you.
