If you’re a coach or consultant selling a signature offer at scale, you might hear the words “profit levers” together and groan…
Because it does sound a bit like something a bro marketer might say… Right before trying to get you on a call so he can hard sell you the first offer in a 22-step funnel…
So if you landed here, curious but skeptical that there are 9 profit levers hiding inside your coaching business’ backend, I understand.
And I’m sorry the world of online business has hurt you so bad.
But honestly? There are no clearer words for what I’m about to describe.
Because the simple backend automations I’m talking about in the post that follows are exactly that:
Profit Levers = Automated email sequences that leverage your existing offers to create more profit from your business’ back end.
So, if you’re all about both of those things:
PROFIT and LEVERAGE?
This post is for you.
Below, I’m going to break down the 9 Profit Levers hiding in your business’ backend.
These tips are specifically for coaches and consultants who are already generating multi-6 to 7+ figures in revenue—simply because you have to be making consistent front-end sales for backend sales to work.
We’ll look at why backend sales are more profitable than frontend sales, what the 9 profit levers are, and how they work—with a real-world example.
Then, I’ll point you to a quick and easy way to identify which levers you should focus on first, based on the current state of your offers and existing backend systems.
But first, we’ve got to talk about:
Why backend sales are more profitable than frontend sales
Backend sales – my favourite type of sales – refer to the sales you make on the backend (aka behind the scenes) to your existing clients.
You might be actively making offers on the backend already, or backend sales might be happening for you without much thought, but either way, after this post, you’re going to see why it’s worth your time to pay them a lot more attention.
Because here’s the thing about backend sales—
Whereas frontend sales require you to:
- Stand out on a crowded platform
- Capture a new prospect’s interest, and
- Convince them you’re legit and that your offer will deliver what they’re looking for
(No small feats in a world where seemingly all info is available for free and buyers are more skeptical than ever of “experts” claiming they can help)
Not to mention, you often have to:
- Pay for the privilege of actually being seen
- Show up consistently in order to actually get your message heard, and
- Actively sell your offer in order to get fence sitters to jump in
…
The benefits of making more backend sales
Backend sales require none of the above.
Assuming you delivered on your initial promise, there’s a very high likelihood that the people who’ve already purchased from you:
- Open your emails, check your community spaces, and are generally paying attention to what you do
- See you as someone they can and want to learn from
- Are bought into how you do things (after all, they’ve backed up that belief up with their hard earned cash)
Meaning, when it comes to backend sales, there’s no fight for attention, no cold leads to convert, no authority to be built before you can finally ask for the sale.
Yes, all of this is based on the assumption that your initial offer DELIVERS, but if you’ve already got that dialled in, backend sales also have the added benefit of being:
- Essentially free—you’ve got their email and their attention, now all you need to do is make the right offer at the right time
- Informed by what someone has bought in the past, allowing you to make your strongest offer when they’re primed to want it most
- Triggered by your client’s actions (or inaction) meaning you don’t have to guess at “the right time to ask” OR be online 24/7 in case someone slides into your DMs
The 9 Profit Levers & how they work in the Post-Sale Profit System
Most coaches leave tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars on the table simply because they’re not optimizing the backend of their offers. The Post-Sale Profit System is designed to help high-ticket coaches maximize client lifetime value, increase referrals, and make more sales without adding more work to their plate.
—
Prefer to have me walk you through this?
Watch my free, on-demand workshop, ‘Profit without Pressure’ for more context & a guided walkthrough of the 9 Profit Levers in your business’ backend:
Here’s how the 9 key profit levers in the PSP System work—each one carefully designed to capture revenue at the right moment in the client journey.
1. Upsell at Checkout
When it happens: Immediately after purchase
Why it works: Buyers are already in decision-making mode, making this the most natural time to offer an additional purchase.
Offer a low-friction, high-value add-on at checkout that will help you identify your most motivated new clients and create a segment of individuals who are not shy about spending to get results.
Examples of upgrades at the point of sale:
- VIP Upgrade: Extra coaching calls, 1:1 Kickoff Call
- Community Access: Instead of just the DIY, offer them DIY + community support
- The Easy Button: Templates, Cheatsheets, or related resources that will help them get results faster or with less effort
This lever is based on urgency—make them a one-time offer here they’ll only see this once.
Note: Integrity means standing by claims like “You’ll never see this again!”
2. Intake Form → Voice of Customer (VOC) & Tagging
When it happens: Immediately after purchase (Onboarding)
Why it works: Helps you personalize follow-ups and segment clients for later offers
One of the biggest missed opportunities in most coaches make is not gathering enough data at the point of sale. Your people just invested with you—they’re excited and likely open to sharing about their unique situation.
So, instead of a generic welcome email, send people an intake form that asks them:
- Their primary goal within your offer
- What level of support they need
- Whether they’re interested in more personalized help
How this makes you money:
- Use their words in future sales emails (Personalization based on VOC = higher conversions)
- Tag & segment them to send the right upsell later
- Identify who might be ready for an upgrade sooner rather than later
3. Referral Request at Checkout
When it happens: Immediately after purchase
Why it works: Excitement is highest right after buying, making it the perfect time to ask them to refer a friend.
Turn happy buyers into brand advocates by adding a simple referral prompt post-checkout. That might look like:
- “Know someone who needs this? Send them this link & get [bonus access / discount / exclusive content]”
- “Refer a friend now and get [your incentive].”
How this makes you money:
- You get new, high-quality leads without any additional spending on ads
- Referral-based leads convert faster & stay around longer—making them way more profitable in the long run
- You create a great vibe inside your offers when people are excited to share about them and sign up with their friends
4. Midway Check-in → Offer Optimization
When it happens: Midway through your program
Why it works: Helps you fix engagement issues before clients drop off
If clients stop engaging, they’re less to likely get results or to buy from you again. Checking in with them at the mid-way point – during what I like to call The Evolution Phase – allows you to:
- Identify clients who are falling behind and need extra support
- Gather feedback to adjust your offer for future sales
- Spot patterns that help optimize your coaching experience
How this makes you money:
- More engaged clients = higher retention rates
- You can proactively pitch support or upsells based on their responses—this makes sure your offer feel supportive, never spammy
- You improve overall client satisfaction, leading to more referrals & better social proof
5. Upsell at the Midway Point
When it happens: 50-60% through the program—exactly when depends on your specific offer. To learn more, watch Profit without Pressure
Why it works: Clients are already experiencing wins and are primed to invest in the next level.
Most coaches wait until the end to offer an upsell—but by then, clients are mentally checking out. Instead, use this midway point to offer:
- A troubleshooting session for anyone who’s stuck or not seeing results—your CSM can run this for you
- Your next level offer (e.g., mastermind, membership, ongoing coaching)
- A 1:1 strategy session to accelerate their success
How this makes you money:
- Catches clients at their highest engagement level and re-engages those who are flagging
- More repeat buyers = fewer new leads needed from your front-end efforts
- Increases Lifetime Value (LTV) per client
6. Request for Referral (Midway Reminder)
When it happens: Around 60-70% through the program
Why it works: Clients who see results are most likely to refer friends
Instead of waiting until the end, remind them mid-way:
“Know someone who would love this? Get $100 off your next month when you refer a friend!”
“Tag a business bestie who needs this—get [exclusive bonus] when they join!”
How this makes you money:
- Keeps new leads coming in at no cost
- Makes your business referral-friendly & scalable
- Positions your program as something people talk about and your clients as people whose network listens to what they have to say
7. Pre-Completion Check-in → Testimonial Request
When it happens: Typically around 2-3 weeks before completion AKA The Culmination Phase
Why it works: Clients are still engaged, making this the best time to capture testimonials.
Most businesses ask for testimonials after the program ends—but by then, many clients have mentally checked out. Instead of letting you happen, send an automated check in before they leave:
“Remember when you said your goal was to X? How has [your offer] helped you accomplish that?”
“What has been your biggest Aha moment inside [your offer]?”
“Would you be open to sharing a 2-minute video about how things have changed for you inside [your offer]?”
How this makes you money:
- Creates better testimonials while emotions are high
- Generates social proof for your next launch
- Helps identify who is ready for an upsell
8. Graduation Upgrade
When it happens: After the Pre-Completion Check In
Why it works: Clients are already thinking about next steps—so make it easy for them to plan to stick with you
Instead of ending the relationship (or, more commonly, simply letting it fizzle out) offer satisfied customers a natural next step, based on the feedback they gave when you checked in.
This could be your:
- Mastermind or high-level coaching
- Membership where they’ll receive ongoing support, or
- Exclusive alumni pricing for future programs
How this makes you money:
- Keeps clients in your ecosystem instead of losing them
- Boosts retention & recurring revenue
- Helps turn one-time buyers into lifetime clients
9. Post-Completion Referral Request
When it happens: 1-2 weeks after your program ends
Why it works: Clients who completed & loved the program will naturally talk about it.
Send an email or message like:
“Your friends will LOVE this program—send them this link & get [bonus] when they join!”
“Who else in your circle needs this? If they sign up, you both get a reward!”
How this makes you money:
- Leverages social proof & FOMO
- Converts past clients into an enthusiastic sales force
- Brings in new, high-quality leads at no extra cost
How to identify which levers to pull first
Wondering where to start when it comes to pulling these Profit Levers in your business’ backend?
Watch my free, on-demand workshop, Profit without Pressure, where I walk you through The Golden Opportunity Gap Finder to identify your highest priority next steps.
In just 30 minutes, you’ll learn:
- How to turn your existing buyers into repeat customers—without feeling salesy or pushy
- The biggest mistake most high-earning coaches make when it comes to backend sales (and how to fix it fast)
- A framework you can use right now to spot hidden profit opportunities in your business—so you’re not leaving money on the table
Your next steps for a more profitable coaching business:
By pulling these 9 profit levers in your business’ backend, you can:
- Generate more revenue without adding any additional launches, ads, or offers
- Naturally increase client retention & engagement, improving your clients’ results
- Turn happy clients into referral machines, for high-quality leads, the easy way
But obviously I don’t expect you to make these moves manually or set up this system on your own!
As the creator of The Post-Sale Profit System and founder of The Post-Sale Profit Studio, I’m thrilled to be able to tell you that we can take all these tasks completely off your plate.
We’ll not only customize The Post-Sale Profit System to your offers’ and audience, we’ll also write the emails, build the forms and install the automations that make these actions happen.
Want us to install these backend automations inside your coaching business?
Book a free Strategy Review Call today to find out how much extra revenue is sitting in your business’ backend. And then let us put these strategies to work for you.
“Katie is SO much more than just a copywriter!
“She’ll help you listen to your people, craft an offer your clients will love AND find ways to make more money. Her work goes deep and her meticulous attention to detail is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
If you want to work with a copy & funnel expert who knows her stuff and gets results, get on a call with Katie now.”
– Becky Keen, Business Mentor, www.beckykeen.com
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