Sales Funnel: What Is It And Why Is It Important For Business?

What is sales funnel

For many entrepreneurs, especially small business owners, sales can be a tricky process. They might start with high hopes but find that their sales numbers aren’t growing fast enough to meet their goals.

This could be because they aren’t getting the word out about their business or using the wrong sales tactics. Fortunately, there are multiple tools available, and one of the best for gaining sales is known as the sales funnel.

But what is this sales tool, and how can it benefit your business?

What Is a Sales Funnel?

Sales funnels are a marketing technique used to drive potential customers through a sequential, logical pathway from the first point of contact with your company all the way to the final purchase. How you design your sales funnel will impact on your customer lifetime value (CLV).

You can typically find funnel software that offers a free trial, allowing you to test different options and see which works best for your business. Many companies have widely adopted sales funnels as an effective way of increasing conversion rates and generating revenue. Most successful conversion funnels can be split into four parts: 

Related: 30 Places to Find Prospects & Leads for Your Business

Awareness

This is your conversion funnel’s first stage. You attract visitors by enhancing the visibility of your website with the expectation that they will become acquainted with your products. This is generally done via your marketing efforts that draw potential customers to your funnel.

Interest

Once you get people to visit your site, you must pique their interest in your products. This can be done using relevant material, appealing imagery, and unique incentives. The objective is to create engagement between your company and visitors who might be unfamiliar with you. (especially if they have arrived cold).

Desire

The next phase is to build a relationship based on trust and the desire to buy. The idea is to create a welcoming and engaging environment that will help pull your prospect ever further through the funnel.

Action

This stage is the last in the process and arguably the most critical step to get right. Your visitors will have gone through each step and should be in a buying frame of mind. This may have been accomplished by downloading something, subscribing to something, or perhaps just supplying you with a verifiable lead. It is now up to you to persuade your prospects to buy or do another specific act. Keep your payment pages plain and straightforward, displaying only vital, persuasion-inducing content that can help you convert prospects into buyers.

RelatedThe Key Factors That Can Make or Break Your Business Sales

Why Are They Important For Your Business?

Most businesses need to have some form of sales funnel because it helps you generate leads and convert prospects into paying customers. The funnel’s goal is to introduce your product or service to people, get them interested in it, and make the appropriate offer to them at the right time. In addition, a funnel can incentivize them with bonuses and discounts, collect their contact information and finally increase their lifetime value.

Attract New Leads

For a funnel to work, you need to effectively “feed” it with leads. This involves a concerted marketing effort to collect the leads in the first palace. This might involve a combination of:

  • Search engine optimization (SEO)
  • Advertising
  • Social media marketing
  • Lead generation via your website

The primary point is that if your leads don’t convert at the end of the process, you will still have many verified leads that you could use for other purposes, such as keeping them updated about your brand.

sales funnel benefits

You Can Segment Leads For Greater Effect

Email segmentation is a method of sending emails to a group of recipients with personalized content based on different parameters. This technique enables marketers to target their campaigns more efficiently, leading them to better results. Email segmentation is a relatively new marketing tactic that allows marketers to target the recipients of their messages better. Most high-quality funnel software usually has this feature built-in, enabling you to make the most of every email you collect.

They Make It Easier To Upsell

Email upselling is when a company offers its customers products and services in an email after they have made a purchase. This technique can be used to sell various things, including more products, higher-priced products, or even products that lead into another funnel. Upselling can maximize your profits enormously when done correctly, and as long as the upsell is relevant and valuable for your customer, you will further increase brand loyalty.

Sales funnels are a practical and effective strategy for driving sales and leads to a business. They can turn cold leads hot and provide you with a plethora of options for increasing your earnings.