The sales funnel is a strategic framework that sales teams use to convert leads into customers. It is a journey that potential buyers go through when they are interested in a specific product or service. This journey consists of a funnel of steps that starts with the buyer becoming aware of the company and ends with them making a purchase or deciding not to buy. Each stage of the funnel requires a different approach from the seller, as they must send the right message at the right time.
The first stage of the sales funnel is called the “awareness level”, as it is where people first become aware of your product or service. Potential customers may find out about you through your advertising, social media, and even word of mouth. The middle and lower stages of the sales funnel are where you should pay the most attention, as these prospects have gone from awareness to interest. At this point, potential customers will move from the knowledge phase to the interest phase.
You can create a series of emails to share educational content about your offer and capture their email addresses on your landing page. As potential customers move into the decision phase, you should offer anything that might lead them to make a purchasing decision, such as a product demo, an extended free trial, or a special discount. In the action phase, you will either get new customers or discover why potential customers aren't interested in buying. For new customers, focus on education, engagement, and product retention.
For potential customers who haven't made any purchases, create a series of parenting services to contact them every few months. A good sales funnel provides salespeople with key information about the needs, challenges, and decision-making process of their potential customers. From a customer perspective, it guides the marketing team on the steps needed to improve the potential customer experience, from considering the product to maintaining brand loyalty. Having a solid funnel will allow you to rule out bad leads early and increase your efforts with highly qualified customers, which will ultimately result in more sales and better customers.
Commonly divided into early, intermediate and late stages, it allows companies to see the various aspects of acquiring, converting and retaining new customers. Understanding your sales funnel will help you influence how potential customers cross it and whether they become buying customers. With an appropriate sales channel, including a map with potential customer questions and details they need, you can deliver the right information and an aligned message to your potential customers at all times and prevent them from getting frustrated.