Value Ladder Architect

Design the complete free → tripwire → core → upsell path for affiliate promotions. Maps the entire customer ascension journey, where each step delivers standalone value while naturally leading to the next. The value ladder IS the page sequence: squeeze → bridge → sales → upsell.

Stage

S4: Landing — The value ladder defines the sequence of pages and offers. Each rung is a landing page, email, or content piece that converts the visitor to the next level.

When to Use

User wants to map the entire customer journey, not just one landing page
User asks about upsells, downsells, tripwires, or funnel stages
User wants to maximize lifetime value from affiliate promotions
User says "value ladder", "customer journey", "ascension", "funnel architecture"
After running grand-slam-offer to design the core offer and wanting to expand
User promotes a product with multiple tiers (free, pro, enterprise)

Input Schema

product:                      # REQUIRED
  name: string                # Product name
  pricing_tiers: object[]     # Available pricing tiers
    - name: string            # e.g., "Free", "Pro", "Enterprise"
      price: string           # e.g., "$0", "$49/mo", "$199/mo"
      features: string[]      # Key features at this tier
  reward_value: string        # Your commission
  reward_type: string         # "recurring" | "one-time" | "tiered"
  url: string                 # Affiliate link

your_assets: string[]         # OPTIONAL — content/resources you already have
                              # e.g., ["blog", "email list", "YouTube channel", "templates"]
                              # Default: ["blog"]

goal: string                  # OPTIONAL — "first_commission" | "maximize_ltv" | "build_list"
                              # Default: "first_commission"

Chaining from S4 grand-slam-offer: Use offer_stack to position the core offer in the ladder. Chaining from S4 bonus-stack-builder: Use bonus_stack to populate tripwire and bonus tiers.

Workflow

Step 1: Gather Context

Map the product's pricing tiers and commission structure
Identify user's existing assets (blog, list, social following)
Determine goal: first commission (simple ladder) vs maximize LTV (complex ladder)

Step 2: Design the Ladder

Read shared/references/offer-frameworks.md for the Value Ladder framework.

Map each rung:

Rung 0: FREE (Awareness)

What: Blog post, social content, free tool, lead magnet
Goal: Build trust, capture email, demonstrate expertise
Skills used: S2 Content, S3 Blog
Conversion to next rung: Lead magnet opt-in or email capture

Rung 1: TRIPWIRE ($1-$49, impulse buy)

What: Your low-cost asset (template pack, mini-course, audit)
Goal: Convert from reader to buyer, get email if not captured
Skills used: bonus-stack-builder for asset ideas, squeeze-page-builder for page
Conversion to next rung: Email sequence recommending the core product

Rung 2: CORE (main affiliate product)

What: The affiliate product at its most popular tier
Goal: Primary commission — solve their main problem
Skills used: grand-slam-offer, landing-page-creator
Conversion to next rung: Product usage → ready for premium tier

Rung 3: UPSELL (premium tier or complementary product)

What: Higher tier of same product, or complementary affiliate product
Goal: Maximize lifetime value, earn larger commission
Skills used: landing-page-creator (comparison), email-drip-sequence
Conversion: Ongoing value through content → repeat customer

Step 3: Map the Page Sequence

For each rung, specify:

Page type (blog post, squeeze page, bridge page, landing page, email)
Traffic source (organic, social, email, paid)
Affiliate skill to build it
Conversion mechanism (CTA, email opt-in, checkout)
Expected conversion rate benchmark

Step 4: Design Transition Triggers

Define what moves a person from one rung to the next:

Rung 0→1: Downloaded lead magnet → email sequence pitching tripwire
Rung 1→2: Purchased tripwire → immediate upsell page OR email sequence
Rung 2→3: Used product for X days → email about premium features

Step 5: Output

Present the complete value ladder with implementation roadmap.

Step 6: Self-Validation

Each rung delivers standalone value (P4 principle)
Transitions feel natural, not forced
The affiliate product is the CORE (Rung 2), not the upsell
Free content (Rung 0) is genuinely helpful, not just a teaser
Implementation order is realistic (start simple, add rungs over time)
FTC disclosure at every rung with affiliate links

Output Schema

output_schema_version: "1.0.0"
value_ladder:
  product_name: string
  total_rungs: number
  rungs:
    - level: number           # 0, 1, 2, 3
      name: string            # "Free", "Tripwire", "Core", "Upsell"
      offer: string           # What they get
      price: string           # Price point
      page_type: string       # "blog" | "squeeze" | "bridge" | "landing" | "email"
      skill_to_build: string  # Which affiliate skill creates this page
      conversion_to_next: string  # How they move to next rung
      estimated_conversion: string # Benchmark conversion rate

  implementation_order: string[]  # Which rungs to build first
  email_sequences: object[]      # Email sequences connecting rungs

chain_metadata:
  skill_slug: "value-ladder-architect"
  stage: "landing"
  timestamp: string
  suggested_next:
    - "squeeze-page-builder"
    - "landing-page-creator"
    - "email-drip-sequence"
    - "funnel-planner"

Output Format

## Value Ladder: [Product Name]

### Ladder Overview

[Visual ladder diagram using ASCII]


### Rung 0: FREE — [Offer Name]
- **What:** [specific content/resource]
- **Where:** [blog post / social / lead magnet]
- **Traffic:** [organic / social / paid]
- **Build with:** [skill name]
- **→ Next:** [transition trigger to Rung 1]
- **Benchmark:** [expected conversion %]

### Rung 1: TRIPWIRE — [Offer Name] ($XX)
[same structure]

### Rung 2: CORE — [Product Name] ($XX/mo)
[same structure]

### Rung 3: UPSELL — [Offer Name] ($XX/mo)
[same structure]

### Implementation Roadmap
1. **Week 1:** Build Rung 2 (core landing page) — start earning immediately
2. **Week 2:** Build Rung 0 (blog content driving traffic)
3. **Week 3:** Build Rung 1 (tripwire to capture emails)
4. **Week 4+:** Build Rung 3 (upsell for max LTV)

### Email Sequences
- **Rung 0→1:** [X emails over Y days] — [theme]
- **Rung 1→2:** [X emails over Y days] — [theme]
- **Rung 2→3:** [X emails over Y days] — [theme]

Error Handling

No product provided: "I need a product to design a value ladder for. Run affiliate-program-search or tell me the product."
Product has only one pricing tier: Design ladder with Rung 0 (free content), Rung 1 (your tripwire), Rung 2 (the product). Note complementary products for Rung 3.
User has no existing assets: Start with Rung 2 only (direct landing page). Build Rung 0 and 1 over time. "Start earning first, then build the ladder."
Product is one-time payment: Focus ladder on complementary recurring products for Rung 3 to build ongoing income.

Examples

Example 1: "Design a value ladder for HeyGen" → Free: "AI Video for Business" blog series → Tripwire: $7 "50 AI Video Script Templates" → Core: HeyGen Pro ($48/mo, 30% recurring) → Upsell: HeyGen Enterprise + your premium implementation package.

Example 2: "I have a blog and email list, design my Semrush funnel" → Free: SEO tutorial blog posts → Tripwire: $19 "Complete SEO Audit Template Kit" → Core: Semrush Pro ($129/mo, $200 bounty) → Upsell: Semrush Business + monthly SEO coaching.

Example 3: "Map my funnel" (after grand-slam-offer + bonus-stack) → Pick up offer and bonuses from chain context. Place bonuses as tripwire (Rung 1), core offer as Rung 2, design complementary upsell for Rung 3.

Flywheel Connections

Feeds Into

squeeze-page-builder (S4) — Rung 0/1 page specs
landing-page-creator (S4) — Rung 2/3 page specs
email-drip-sequence (S5) — transition email sequences between rungs
funnel-planner (S8) — value ladder informs the week-by-week execution plan

Fed By

grand-slam-offer (S4) — core offer positioning for Rung 2
bonus-stack-builder (S4) — bonuses for tripwire and core rungs
affiliate-program-search (S1) — product and pricing data

Feedback Loop

conversion-tracker (S6) measures conversion rates between rungs → identify bottleneck rungs and optimize

Quality Gate

Before delivering output, verify:

Would I share this on MY personal social?
Contains specific, surprising detail? (not generic)
Respects reader's intelligence?
Remarkable enough to share? (Purple Cow test)
Irresistible offer framing? (each rung feels like a natural step)

Any NO → rewrite before delivering.

References

shared/references/offer-frameworks.md — Value Ladder framework, pricing psychology
shared/references/ftc-compliance.md — FTC disclosure at every rung
shared/references/affiliate-glossary.md — Terminology
shared/references/flywheel-connections.md — Master connection map