What is a Sales Funnel? Stages & How to Create One - Keap

A sales funnel is the marketing term for the journey potential customers go through on the way to purchase. There are several steps to a sales funnel, ... 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TableOfContentsMenu01Whatisasalesfunnel?02Whyisthesalesfunnelimportant?03Findthecracksinyoursalesfunnelstages04Howsalesfunnelmanagementcanhelp05Delivertherightmessageattherightstageofthesalesfunnel06MasterthesalesfunnelprocesswithKeap WhatisaSalesFunnel?UseAutomationSoftwareforStreamlinedSalesFunnelManagement Chapter 01:Whatisasalesfunnel?Asalesfunnelisthemarketingtermforthejourneypotentialcustomersgothroughonthewaytopurchase.Thereareseveralstepstoasalesfunnel,usuallyknownasthetop,middle,andbottomofthefunnel,althoughthesestepsmayvarydependingonacompany'ssalesmodel.Anybusinessownerknowsthepainofjustmissingasale.Afterweeksofpitchesanddemos,chatterandcharm,theprospectdropsoutofthesalesfunnelwithoutbuying.Ithappens.Butithappenslessoftenwhenyouhavetherightsalesfunnelmanagementhelp.Manysmallbusinesssalesfunnelsaremorelikesieves,withholesleftbypatched-togetherspreadsheets,stickynotes,missedappointmentsandforgottenfollow-ups.There'sabetterway.Salesandmarketingautomationsoftwarecanplugthosesalesfunnelholesandturnnear-missesintosales.Readon,orstartademotolearnhowKeapcanhelpyouwithyoursalesfunnel.TakeKeap'sLifecycleMarketingAssessmenttoidentifygrowthopportunitiesforyourbusiness.StartafreetrialnowCreateseamlesscampaignsthatrunyourmarketingforyouwithafree14-daytrial.FreeTrialChapter 02:Whyisthesalesfunnelimportant?Asalesfunnelhelpsyouunderstandwhatpotentialcustomersarethinkinganddoingateachstageofthepurchasingjourney.Theseinsightsallowyoutoinvestintherightmarketingactivitiesandchannels,createthemostrelevantmessagingduringeachstageandturnmoreprospectsintopayingcustomers.Lookingforthenextbestopportunityforyourbusiness?TakeourLifecycleMarketingAssessmenttorevealyourbusiness’strengthsandgaps.Whatarethesalesfunnelstages?Fromthemomentprospectshearaboutyourproductorserviceuntilthemomenttheymakeapurchase(ordon’t),theypassthroughdifferentstagesofyoursalesfunnel.Thatjourneythroughyourfunnelmaychangefromoneprospecttoanother,butintheend,they’llevaluateitbasedontheirinterestlevel.They’llthinkabouttheproblemthey’retryingtosolveandconductcompetitiveresearchtomakesureyourofferingisthebestsolution.Ingeneral,therearefourmainstages:Stage1:AwarenessThefirstofthesalesfunnelstagesiscalledthe“awareness”level,becauseit'swherepeoplefirstbecomeawareofyourproductorservice.Theymayhearaboutyoufromyouradvertising,socialmedia,evenwordofmouth.Howandwhythosepeoplemovedownthesalesfunneldependsonyourownsalesandmarketingability,ofcourse.Theleadsinthemiddleandlowersalesfunnelstagesarethosethatyouwanttopaythemostattentionto,becausethey'vemovedbeyondawarenesstointerest.Anexampleoftheawarenessstagewouldbeaprospectlearningaboutyourcompanyforthefirsttime.Perhapstheyclickedononeofyourads,readyourblog,foundyourwebsiteviaaGooglesearch,orheardacolleaguetalkingaboutyourproductorservice.Stage2:InterestOnceprospectshavelearnedaboutyourbrand,they’llevaluateitbasedontheirinterestlevel.They’llthinkabouttheproblemthey’retryingtosolveandconductcompetitiveresearchtomakesureyourofferingisthebestsolution.Stage3:DecisionArmedwithinformationaboutyourcompany,prospectswilldigdeeperintoyourpricingandpackagingoptions.Salespages,webinars,andcallsarehelpfulinthisstagetohelpswayprospectstomakeapurchase.Stage4:ActionAllyourworkcomesdowntothisstage:whethertheprospectmakesapurchaseornot.Iftheydidn’t,thedealisn’tlostforever.Youcancreatenurturecampaignstomakesureyoustaytopofmind.HowtocreateasalesfunnelforyourbusinessForyoursalesfunneltoexist,youfirstneedprospectswhocanmovethroughthatfunnel.Onceyouhavethoseprospects,youcantrackbehaviorandengagementusingleadscoringtoidentifywheretheyareinthefunnel.Herearefivestepstohelpyoucreateasalesfunnel:1.BuildalandingpageAlandingpagewillmostlikelybethefirsttimeprospectslearnaboutyourcompany.Iftheyclickonanad,signupforawebinar,ordownloadanebook,they’llgotoalandingpage.Thatpageshouldclearlycommunicatewhoyouareasacompanyandyouruniquebenefits(afterall,thiscouldbetheoneandonlyopportunityyouhavetowowprospects).And,mostimportantly,makesurethelandingpagehasaformforprospectstoentertheirinformation—youwanttocapturetheiremailaddresssoyoucancontinuetocommunicatewiththem.2.OffersomethingofvalueHere’sthepartwhereyouhavetogivesomethingtoyourprospectsinexchangefortheiremailaddress.Aleadmagnet,likeanebookorwhitepaper,isaneffectivewaytooffersomethingofvalueonyourlandingpage.3.StartnurturingAtthispoint,yourprospectswillmovefromtheAwarenessstageintotheIntereststage.And,becauseyouhavealltheiremailaddressesfromthelandingpage,youcancreateanemailnurtureseriestoshareeducationalcontentaboutyouroffering.4.UpsellAsprospectsmoveintotheDecisionstage,youwanttoofferanythingthatcannudgethemintothedirectionofapurchasingdecision.Thiscouldincludeaproductdemo,extendedfreetrial,orspecialdiscount.5.KeepitgoingIntheActionphase,you’lleitherlandnewcustomersorhearwhyprospectsaren’tinterestedinpurchasing.Eitherway,keepthecommunicationgoing.Fornewcustomers,focusonproducteducation,engagement,andretention.Forprospectswhodidn’tmakeapurchase,buildanewnurtureseriestocheckinwiththemeveryfewmonths.Chapter 03:FindthecracksinyoursalesfunnelstagesNowthatyou’velearnedaboutbuildingasalesfunnel,westarttoseewhysalesfunnelmanagementmatters.Evenverygoodprospectscanleakoutofthesalesfunnelalongthewayifthey'renotnurturedcarefully.Thebestwaytopreventthatlossistohaveaclearideaofthestepsinyoursalesprocess—andhelpinmakingthosestepshappen.Insomecompanies,thosestepstothesalemightlooklikethis:Prospectingandmarketingareallthethingsyoudotogetpeopleintothefirstofyoursalesfunnelstages.Notethatstagesarebrokenintotwoormorestepswhereverpossible.Ademocouldbecalledasinglestage,butinreallifeitinvolvesalotofthings:contactingthecustomer,sendingreminders,doingthedemo,andthenfollowingup.Whateveryourownsalesfunnelstageslooklike,thesupportyouneedinmanagingthemwillbethesame.Onceyouknowyoursalesfunnelstages,it'stimetofindoutwhereyou'relosingpotentialcustomers.Sitdownwithyourteam(orwithyourself,ifyou'reCEO,CMOandheadjanitor)andaskyourself:Wherearethebottlenecksinmysalesprocess?WheredoItendtolosetrackofpotentialcustomers?Whatarethepositivetriggerpoints—thespecificactionsthattypicallyresultinasale?Lookcarefullyatthecrackswhereyourchosenstepsmaynotbeworking.Thengetreadytofixyourfunnel.Chapter 04:HowsalesfunnelmanagementcanhelpLeaksinthesalesfunnelprocessoftenspringfromthreebasiccauses.Thegoodnewsisthatsalesfunnelmanagementcanhelpwitheach.Throwingawaythe“no’s”tooquicklyInsales,a"no"canoftenmean“notuntillater.”Forexample,acommonobjectionforcustomerrelationshipmanagement(CRM)softwareisthis:“Idon’thavetimetogetmycontenttogethertomaketheplatformuseful.”Thisprospectisactuallysaying,“I’minterested,Iseethevalue,butIcan'ttakeadvantageofitatthismoment.”It’stemptingtodumpthisleadandmoveontothenext.There’sabettersolution:Buildoutanautomatedemailfollow-upcampaignthatspeaksdirectlytothisobjection.Anytimeyouencounterthisproblem,youcansendthatprospectinformationthatseemsdesignedjustforthem.Amulti-montheducationalcampaignmayreducetheircontentanxietyandnurturethemtowardasale.Yes,it’sworkupfront,butoncefinished,thiscampaignwillworkforyoualways.Actionitem:Lookatthemostcommonobjectionsfromyourprospects,andthinkaboutwhichcanbeturnedaroundwithhelpfuleducationandautomatedfollow-up.Whereinyoursalesfunnelareyoudismissingprospectstooquickly?Follow-upfailsAreyoufollowingupasmuchasyoushouldbe?Probablynot,saysSalesHandy:80%ofsalesrequirefivefollow-upsOnly44%ofsalesrepsgiveupafteronefollow-upYet46%ofleadsrequire3-5touchpointsbeforeturningintoqualifiedprospectsThat'salotoffollow-upfails.Thechallengeiseasytounderstand:DoIcallnewleads,orfollowupwithanoldoneforthesixthtime?Persistencecanfeellikeawasteoftime,butthenumbersproveotherwise.Butthere’sabettersolution:Smallbusinessesmayfindhelpliesinamarketingautomationfunnel.Insteadofaneither/orgame,automationsoftwareoffersaboth/andgame.Allyourprospectsgetconsistentandfriendlyemailsandcontactsatallstagesofthesalesfunnel,soyoucansaveyourpersonalattentionfortheday'shottestleads.Actionitem:Analyzeyourlast20leadsandcounthowmanytimes,onaverage,youcontactedaprospect.Ifyouseefollow-upfails,amarketingautomationfunnelcanhelp.TooslowDidyouknowthatnewleadsareninetimesmorelikelytoconvertifyoufollowupwithinthefirstfiveminutesaftertheyexpressinterest?Wait30+minutes,andyourleadis21timeslesslikelytoturnintoasale.Youmaybeasking,“HowtheheckamIsupposedtocontactaleadwithinthefirstfiveminutes?Thatseemsimpossible.”There’sabettersolution:It'snotimpossiblewithsalesfunnelmanagementautomation.Setupyoursystemwiththeresponseyouwant,anditwillbereadytosenditimmediatelytoanyinterestedprospect—eventheonewhocontactsyouonSaturdayat3am.Ascapturedleadspassdownthefunnel,yoursalesautomationplatformcansendaddedpersonalizedemailsthatarejustrightforeachmoment.Actionitem:Figureouthowquicklyyounormallyrespondtoabrand-newprospectrightnow.Thencraftyourfirstmasspersonalizedemailtosendtofutureprospects. Related Where11TypesofContentFitIntoYourSalesFunnel Chapter 05:DelivertherightmessageattherightstageofthesalesfunnelWhatdoestheflowofautomatedemailslooklikeinthesalesfunnel?Let'ssayyouoftenencountertwoseparateobjectionstoyoursalespitch:"Wedon'thavetimetoimplement"and"We'renotsureweneedit."Youcancraftaseriesofemailstorespondtoeach,andsetthemtobedeliveredoverthenextfewweeksormonths.Dependingontheobjection,youmaywanttosenddifferentmaterialsatdifferenttimes:testimonialsfromotherclients,videosshowinghoweasyyoursystemistosetup,orjustfriendlycheck-inemails.Nowyourmarketingautomationfunnelisgivingyouaboostateverystage:Itrespondedwithinfiveminutesoftheirfirstcontact,andthathelpedgetyouthechancetomakeyourpitch.Now,afterthepitch,you'rereadytostayincontactandrespondtoobjectionsinafriendly,targetedway.(Andiftheylovethepitch,automationcanhelpyoustayinclosetouchuntilclosing.)It'sbesttohaveacustomerrelationshipmanagementsysteminvolvedhere.AgoodCRMhasthepowertopullineverypieceofinformationyouhaveinyourdatabase,soitcanbeusedtomakeeveryemailperfectlypersonal.Chapter 06:MasterthesalesfunnelprocesswithKeapSalesfunnelmanagementisaboutmorethanbeingorganized.It'saboutgivingeverypotentialcustomerthepersonaltreatmenttheycrave.It'saboutmakingsureyoufollowupattherighttimes,everytime.Soyoucanspendmoreofyourtimedoingthemostrewardingthingofall:closingsales.InterestedinKeap'smarketingautomationsoftware?Startafreetrialnow TryKeap’sCRMandSales&MarketingAutomationforyourself.Starta14-dayfreetrial   Tryusfreefor14days Startorganizingyourcustomerinformationanddailyworkinoneplace. Getstarted Nocreditcardneeded Whythenamechange?InfusionsoftisnowKeap.Whileournamemayhaveevolved,ourmissionremainsthesame:Tosimplifygrowthformillionsofsmallbusinesses.Keaphelpsseriousentrepreneursandsmallbusinessesgetorganized,followupandautomatetocreatepeaceofmind,growsales,andfreeuptime.Whileourtop-tierproduct,Max,isbuiltforestablishedbusinessesandtheirteamswithmoreadvancedsalesandmarketingautomationneeds.Wealsoofferarangeofplatformsdependingonyourbusinessneeds.Sowhetheryouwanttostartsimpleoryou’rereadyforourmostadvancededition,weofferaKeapproductthatwillhelpyougetorganized,delivergreatservice,andgrowyourbusiness.Keepgoing.Keepserving.Keepgrowing.LearnmoreaboutKeap’snamechange