The bait is whatever attracts your dream customer and repels everyone else, the first rung of your Value Ladder. This tool walks you through matching the bait to the buyer, picking your offer type, choosing the format, and stacking the funnel that makes a free offer pay for itself.
Step 01 — Match The Bait To The Buyer
What Do Your Dream Clients Actually Want?
Brunson's 108 Proven Split Test Winners worked because beginners didn't know what a split test was, but his dream clients did, and were hungry for it. The bait self-selected the right people. When you know exactly what your dream clients want, attracting them becomes easy.
Q1 · Your Offer
What do you sell, and who is the dream customer for it?
Q2 · The Result
What is the #1 result your dream client wants? (the highest-level transformation)
Q3 · Their Language
What words, terms, or jargon do they use that beginners wouldn't? (this is what self-selects the right buyer)
insider acronymstool namesmetrics they track
Q4 · The Hook Idea
What single most-valuable solution could you splinter off and give away? (the unique, sexy, or fun piece, not boring general knowledge)
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Step 02 — The Five Building Blocks
Pick Your Offer Type.
The first purchase is the hardest to get, so you offer value at a very low price and guide buyers up the ladder. Brunson's five offer types, by price band and use case. Pick the one that fits your market. You can test others later.
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Brunson's favorite
Free-Plus-Shipping
Give away a great product free; customer pays shipping. Qualifies buyers (a credit card proves intent). Usually loses on the frontend, breaks even or profits via upsells.
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$1 typical
Trial
A low-cost trial billed the full amount later if kept. Card required to prove they're a buyer. Best for things you don't ship: digital, software, memberships.
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~$7
Tripwire
A small "splinter" of your core product, one module or session, at a steep discount. Physical or digital. Gets the first transaction done cheaply.
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$37–$97
Self-Liquidating Offer (SLO)
Priced so the frontend product covers your ad costs, then every upsell is pure profit. Often paired with a free video/report/ebook "bribe" on the squeeze page.
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$97–$5,000+
Straight Sale
A regular high-ticket sale. Takes more selling, usually shown to warm market or people who've already been through your funnels and bonded with your Attractive Character.
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Free-Plus-Shipping doesn't always work
Brunson's neuropathy supplement never made the numbers work as free-plus-shipping. Switching to a straight sale worked great. Default to free-plus-shipping, but test for your market.
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Step 03 — Format & Order Bump
Make It Physical, Then Bump It.
Why physical beats a free digital download: it keeps the power of "free," the shipping card qualifies the buyer, it enables a one-click upsell, and a physical item in the mail has higher perceived value. "If someone isn't willing to pull out a card and pay a few bucks for shipping, they probably aren't going to buy your other products either."
Choose 1 of 2
Your bait format
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Physical (Free-Plus-Shipping)
Book, CD, DVD, or physical item. Card required for shipping qualifies the buyer and unlocks one-click upsells.
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Digital "Bribe"
Free video, report, or ebook in exchange for an email. Use when your next offer (an SLO) is too high to lead with free-plus-shipping.
Q5 · The Bait Itself
Name your bait and one line on what's inside.
Q6 · The Order Form Bump
After the card field, before submit, what small related add-on can you offer? (Brunson's $37 bump got ~34% take rate, restoring frontend revenue you lose by leading with free)
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Step 04 — The One-Hundred-Visitor Test
Stack The Funnel So Free Pays For Itself.
The math behind leading with free. Same 100 cold visitors, two different frontends:
Paid $197 frontend
$197
~1% of 100 cold visitors buy → $197 and 1 new customer.
Free-Plus-Shipping + upsell
$394
~8% take the free offer, ~25% of those take the $197 upsell → $394 and 8 new buyers. ~2× the money, 7× the customers.
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The real example stack (108 Split Test book)
Free book + $37 order-bump → Upsell 1: Instant Traffic Hacks ($197) → Upsell 2: Perfect Webinar ($297) → Upsell 3: High-Ticket Secrets ($997). Averaged ~$66 immediate revenue per free book given away.
Q7 · Upsell 1 (OTO)
Right after the bait, what's the first one-click upsell?
Q8 · Upsell 2 & 3 (optional)
What ascends after that? (each step delivers more value at a higher price)
Q9 · Business Type
Which fits you? (shapes how we recommend you build the bait)
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Your Deliverable
Your Bait Blueprint.
Built from your inputs and the DotCom Secrets bait framework. Copy any block straight into your funnel build.
1 The Bait, Matched To The Buyer
Designing your bait…
2 Offer Type & Why It Fits
Selecting your building block…
3 Format + Order Bump
Building your frontend…
4 The Funnel Stack + 100-Visitor Math
Running your revenue model…
5 Build It This Week
Mapping your build plan…
"Create your bait, and do it quickly. Don't overthink it or chase perfection."