The Simple Launch

The blog — simple lessons for beginners.

Short, plain-language articles. New posts regularly. Start with the featured guides below.

Featured guides

The problem ladder — new series

Six guides in the order a beginner actually needs them — from starting, to pages, to email, to funnels, to selling, to the free tools that tie it together.

All articles

Jargon Buster: 25 Terms, Translated

Every confusing term you'll meet in your first month — one sentence each.

Sales funnel
A series of web pages that guides a visitor from 'just curious' to 'customer,' one step at a time.
Lead magnet
A freebie (checklist, template, guide) you give away in exchange for someone's email address.
Landing page
A single web page with one job — usually getting the visitor to sign up or buy.
Opt-in
The act of signing up for your email list (and the form/box that makes it happen).
Email list
The collection of email addresses you've earned the right to write to.
Conversion rate
The percentage of visitors who take the action you wanted (sign up, buy, etc.).
Call to action (CTA)
The button or link that tells the reader what to do next ('Get the free checklist').
Tripwire
A very cheap first offer ($7–$27) that turns a subscriber into a buyer.
Upsell
An offer shown right after a purchase: 'add this too?'
Order bump
A small checkbox add-on on the checkout page itself.
Downsell
A cheaper alternative offered when someone declines the main offer.
CRM
Software that keeps track of your contacts and where each one is in your process.
Automation
Emails or actions that happen on their own when triggered (e.g., a welcome email after signup).
Segmentation
Splitting your email list into groups so each group gets relevant messages.
Broadcast
A one-time email sent to your whole list (or a segment) right now.
Drip sequence
A series of emails sent automatically over days or weeks after someone joins.
Affiliate link
Your unique tracking link — when someone buys through it, you earn a commission.
Commission
The cut you earn on a sale you referred — often a percentage.
Cookie (tracking)
The small browser record that connects a buyer's click to your affiliate link.
Niche
The specific topic + audience you serve ('meal planning for night-shift nurses').
Avatar
A sketch of your ideal customer — who they are and what they struggle with.
USP
Unique selling proposition: the one reason someone should pick you over alternatives.
Churn
The rate at which customers cancel or stop buying, usually measured monthly.
A/B test
Showing two versions of a page or email to see which one performs better.
Evergreen
Content or offers that stay relevant and keep working long after you create them.

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Online Business · Affiliate Marketing · Sales Funnels · Email Marketing · Digital Products · Tools