Introduction to Sales Funnels

What is a Funnel?

Perhaps you’ve been hearing about funnels, but what is a sales funnel you may be wondering?

Well let’s look at the definition of an actual funnel. A funnel is a tube or pipe that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, used for guiding liquid or powder into a small opening.

And the definition of funnel as a verb is guide or channel (something) through or as if through a funnel.

So when it comes to a marketing funnel that is exactly what we are doing. Taking someone on a guided journey.

Let’s take your website for example. When someone arrives on your website I’m willing to bet there are lots of options for the path the visitor can take. They can click somewhere to go to your blog or visit a page telling them more about your services. Maybe you have an area where they can opt-in to your newsletter. Maybe you have areas promoting certain products or offers. There are lots of options. Lots of options mean lots of opportunity to confuse or lose the visitor. Or for them to simply get lost or distracted.

Now with a funnel you are taking all of those options away. There is only ONE thing for someone to do inside your funnel. They are only presented with one choice at a time. It makes it really simple for them, and very highly converting for YOU.

Types of Funnels

There are MANY kinds of funnels. It all depends on where you are wanting the funnel to guide them to. The type of funnel you will choose depends on your goal.

These are just some of the options:

Lead Funnel

Lead funnels are a simple funnel designed to collect the name and email address of prospects to build an email list and usually offer them something free in return like a PDF or other download.

SLO Funnel

Self Liquidating Offer Funnel are those $27 and $37 small/tiny offer funnels you see out there. My products The Happiness Habit, Bold Boss Blueprint, and The Manifestation Habit (which have grossed over $140K for my business in just the last 7 months) are all examples of SLO funnels. This type of offer is called self liquidating because the profit from the funnel pays for the advertising and lead generation. These funnels can also be very profitable when done well and have a role beyond just bring paying clients into your audience.

With a self liquidating offer you are presenting a suite of products in a strategic fashion. Your funnel includes more than just your front end offer. You also need coordinating and strategic offers like order bumps and one time offers as part of your SLO funnel. Without this offer strategy AND paid advertising strategy you won’t see the benefits these funnels are capable of.

Webinar Funnel

A webinar funnel is a more complex type of funnel to launch a product, program, or service.

Application Funnel

An application funnel is designed to get high quality prospects on a sales call for a higher ticket offer.

Elements of a Successful Funnel

There are a lot of moving pieces with a funnel and a lot of complex strategy behind how and why they convert.

Things you’ll need to consider when building a funnel:

The Offer/Idea

In order to build a funnel you of course need something to sell and promote. Some people think they can just build a funnel, throw money at ads, and the money will come. But the most incredible funnel, sales page, and ads can’t fix a bad offer. The strategy and positioning of your offer have to be solid in order for your funnel to convert!

Funnel Type and Flow

Certain funnels work better for different types of offers, different price points of offers, and different long term goals. You have to pick a funnel type and structure that aligns with your offer, your customers journey, and your business’s value ladder.

Copy

You need amazing copy to sell through your funnel! There is an art to turning often totally cold leads into customers. You’ll need to get into their heads, speak to their desires, and overcome their objections.

Design

You could have the most stellar offer that is going to completely change lives, but if your sales page looks like it was designed in the 90’s or your checkout page looks sketchy you aren’t going to get the sale. You need to convey trustworthiness, competency, and quality with your design. And some of you and your products personality!

Tech and Automation

This is probably one of the most intimidating parts of a building funnels, and for good reason. You need sales pages, one time offer pages, checkout systems, email autoresponders, product access and delivery, advertising setup, performance tracking, and more! And they all need to integrate and get them all to talk to one another. There are more options becoming available all the time but some are all in one type services trying to portray themselves as all in one funnel options but they’re missing needed features. The options can be confusing, overwhelming, and expensive. No matter what your style, needs, and preferences are though, there is a solution that will work for you.

Follow Up

This step is often overlooked! Without proper follow up after they’ve purchased through your funnel you could end up with customer services headaches, refund requests, and money left on the table for selling those new customers into your higher ticket services. This is another area where proper tech and automation come into play.

How to Get Started Benefiting from Funnels in Your Business

I am VERY passionate about the power funnels have to completely revolutionize your business. As a Funnel Gorgeous Certified Master Marketer and Funnel Builder and DigitalMarketer Certified Partner I have a variety of ways I can help you turn your ideas into income:

Done For You Funnel Building Services

I do offer Done For You Funnel Building services. This process begins with something called a Stand Out and Scale Strategy Session where dive deep into your business and develop an action plan for achieving your goals and how a funnel (and what type of funnel) will fit into that big picture.

Done With You Funnel Building Services

As part of my 1:1 Business and Marketing Strategy Coaching I can help you navigate and implement building your own lead and sales funnel along with crafting your businesses full marketing and launch strategy.

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