Marketing funnels are like IKEA furniture. They look great in theory, but halfway through you’re surrounded by 17 browser tabs, three half-written email sequences, and one very confused intern. So here’s a thought: what if you could run a promo without building the whole thing from scratch?
Turns out, you can; and it works surprisingly well.
Let’s start with the shortcut.
The fastest way to launch a promo, without stacking a full funnel, is to use a single, high-converting sales page. One page. That’s it. No lead magnets. No complex drip sequences. Just a clear offer, sent through direct traffic channels, and followed up with a bit of automation. It’s lean, it’s fast, and it doesn’t require a whiteboard covered in arrows and acronyms.
But don’t confuse simple with sloppy; this only works if that one page is solid.
Make the page do the heavy lifting.
You’re not building a funnel. You’re building a moment that grabs attention, explains the value, and closes the sale. Think of it like a pop-up shop. You’ve got one shot to make the pitch, so every element matters.
Here’s what to include:
- A headline that actually says something (no vague “revolutionize your life” nonsense).
- A subheadline that supports it, not repeats it.
- A clear value prop—what’s in it for them, really?
- Urgency or scarcity (countdowns, limited stock, or “only 3 left” if you’re feeling dramatic).
- One call to action. Not two. Not “maybe later.” Just one.
- Social proof: testimonials, reviews, trust badges, whatever builds confidence fast.
Tools like Leadpages, Swipe Pages, or Carrd can get you up and running in under an hour. They’re mobile-optimized out of the box, and yes, they come with analytics baked in.
Skip the small talk. Send traffic straight in.
Here’s where this approach shines. You don’t need to warm people up with a slow drip of content. You can go straight to the people who already know you, or at least have a reason to care.
Start with your email list. Segment it by past behavior—buyers, browsers, serial coupon-clickers—and send a promo-specific message. Keep it short. The goal is to get the click.
SMS works even better for fast promos. It’s direct, nearly impossible to ignore, and wildly underused. Tools like Postscript or Twilio make it easy to send personalized messages with links that go straight to your promo page.
Then there’s organic social. If you’ve got a presence, use it. Instagram Stories, a quick LinkedIn post, even a Facebook Live if you’re feeling bold. Point everyone to the promo page using a link-in-bio tool like Linktree or Beacons.
And yes, paid social retargeting still works. Especially if you’re hitting people who’ve been to your site or opened your emails. Just skip the cold targeting this time; you’re not building a brand here. You’re closing a sale.
Keep the momentum going after the sale.
Just because you skipped the funnel doesn’t mean you forget about the follow-up. A little automation goes a long way here.
Use Zapier to connect your sales page to your email tool—Mailchimp, ConvertKit, whatever you’re using. Trigger a thank-you email, an upsell, or a review request. It doesn’t have to be fancy; just timely.
Also, tag those new customers in your CRM. Even if you didn’t nurture them before this promo, you’ll want to keep them in the loop for the next one. Especially if they bought quickly. That’s your hot segment.
Watch what’s working. Then tweak fast.
You don’t need a 30-page analytics report. Just track the stuff that matters:
- Conversion rate on the promo page.
- Cost per acquisition (if you’re running paid ads).
- Open and click-through rates on email and SMS.
Use UTM parameters and Google Analytics to keep things clean. Then A/B test the obvious stuff: CTA language, images, urgency tactics. No need to test button colors unless you’re really bored.
A quick example, because theory is boring.
Jones Road Beauty—yes, the brand founded by Bobbi Brown—ran a
single-page promo for their Miracle Balm. They skipped the funnel entirely. Just a direct-to-purchase Instagram Story ad, a compelling product video, a swipe-up link, and a limited-time discount. That’s it.
Result? A 3.2x return on ad spend in 48 hours. No lead capture. No nurture sequence. Just a clean offer, well-timed, to an audience that was ready to buy.
So, what’s the takeaway?
You don’t need a full funnel to run a killer promo. Sometimes, the fastest path to conversions is a single, smartly built page backed by direct traffic and a touch of automation. You’re not skipping steps; you’re choosing the ones that matter right now.
And honestly, isn’t it nice to launch something without needing a flowchart?
That’s one more tool in the belt.
We’ll be back soon with more you can use.
Until then, keep building.
– Perfect Sites Blog