What Is The Sales Funnel?

The definition of the sales and marketing funnel (which is also known as a revenue funnel or sales process) is the buying process which companies lead customers through when they purchase products.  A sales funnel is divided into a number of different steps, which differ depending on the particular sales model.

For online business owners, a sales funnel has to be one of the most essential marketing tools. However, many entrepreneurs – new as well as seasoned business owners – do not understand what sales funnels are as well as how these sales funnels work. Failing to comprehend such a vital part of your business can translate into fewer sales, decreased profits as well as even a less stable business.

The sales funnel illustrates the path which website visitors take before purchasing items. The marketing and sales funnel should include the following five stages: awareness, consideration, conversion, loyalty as well as advocacy.

What Is The Marketing And Sales Funnel Fuelled By?

The sales funnel is fuelled by marketing activities which generate awareness and build demand for a product or service. Moving a customer through the funnel requires a carefully orchestrated set of activities which are designed to increase awareness in addition to educating the prospective customer about the benefits of your offering.

Over time, as customers move down in the sales funnel – from initial contact to final purchase – as they discover more about your product as well as express interest in what you’re selling. As the funnel narrows at each stage, prospects drop off so that fewer and few potential customers leave.

What Is The Objective Of The Sales Funnel?

The aim of an efficient sales and marketing funnel is to better the conversion rate at point in the funnel so that more customers will get through the entire funnel. While there are lots of words used to describe different sales funnel stages, here are the four most familiar terms which are used in order to describe how each stage works as a consumer progresses from being a visitor to a prospect to a lead to a buyer.

1. A visitor lands on your website through a Google search or social link. He or she is now a prospect. The visitor might read a few of your blog posts or, alternatively, browse your product listings. At some point, you’ll offer him or her the opportunity to sign up for your e-mail list.
2. If the visitor fills out your form, he or she becomes a lead. It is now possible to market to the customer outside of your website such as via e-mail, phone, or text — or all three.
3. Leads have the tendency to come back to your website at the point when you get in touch with them about special offers, information about new blog posts, or other interesting messages. Maybe you offer a coupon code.
4. The sales funnel narrows as visitors move down it. This is partially as you’ll have more prospects at the top of the funnel as opposed to buyers at the bottom but also owing to the fact that your messaging needs to become increasingly targeted.

Get in touch with the Digital School of Marketing

If you would like to learn additional information about how the sales funnel works, and how it can help you in your digital marketing efforts, then you need to sign up for our Advanced Digital Marketing Course. Follow this link for more information.