woman building a profitable business using her first sales funnel

How to Build Your First Sales Funnel

A sales funnel does not have to be complicated. However, it must address the key elements of converting strangers into buyers.

How a funnel is executed will depend on each business. Some funnel builders make it seem more complicated than others.

It doesn't have to be. When you distill it down, every funnel starts with the same outcome in mind: sales.

To get there, you must identify your audience, convince them that you can solve their problem, and that they can trust you to deliver results.

Here's how you do that - and keep your funnel simple and effective.

Getting to know your (future) customers

The first job of any funnel is to get the attention of your potential clients.

When I started creating websites 30+ years ago, I had to convince clients that just because we made a website does not mean people will show up.

It isn’t like “Field of Dreams.” If you build it, they will (not) come.

Clients (and potential clients) are bombarded on all sides with messages.

The first part of your funnel has just ONE job: to break through the noise, get your audience's attention, and Introduce yourself and what you do.

This stage is all about the know-like-trust phase of business building.

Clients may be searching for a solution to their problem—or may not even realize they have a problem. Your funnel’s job is to provide value in the form of information that lets them know you exist and have skills, period.

Just like you don’t accept a marriage proposal on the first date, you don’t ask for a sale at this stage of your relationship either.

There are two primary paths to getting in front of your audience: organic and paid. Both have their pros and cons. Let’s dive in.

A sales funnel represents the journey potential customers go through to purchase. This funnel has several stages—from awareness to interest, decision, and finally, action.

Companies can automate this process through a paid sales funnel service, which manages the funnel's stages through software platforms. These services offer numerous advantages but also carry certain drawbacks.

ORGANIC SALES FUNNELS:

Organic marketing is the “bootstrap” method. If you’re short on money and long on time, organic is a great way to start.

Pros:

It’s free(ish): You spend little or no money, but you do spend time – which has a cost of its own.

Experiment without worry: You can test your messages without the clock ticking on ad spend.

It feels more authentic: You can build trust with your audience through genuine outreach.

Cons:

Less control over your audience: The audience may not be well-focused, or you may be competing to hear your voice. It can be very hard to find a receptive audience.

It’s not really free: The “free” part still involves a lot of your time. Especially in the beginning.

Time-consuming to get traction and attention: It can take a long time to build an audience because traffic to the site or social account may be thin or non-existent.

Overlooked Organic:

Complementary businesses: If you are strategic (and honest), you can leverage other people's audiences. The key is to work with COMPLEMENTARY businesses.

What do I mean by complementary businesses? Businesses that serve the same general audiences in different ways.

Some examples:

  • A company that offers tailoring might team up with a dry cleaner
  • A jewelry designer could work with a wedding planner
  • A baker could offer services to a cafe or lunch catering business
  • An auto mechanic could work with an auto detailer
  • An app designer could partner with a web designer
  • A web designer could offer services with a graphic designer and a copywriter

A real estate agent can do first-time home buyer seminars with local bankers, moving companies, and home repair service companies.

The possibilities are limitless. Everyone gets leads. Everyone gets business. And you automatically get the know-like-trust from each other’s customers.

If Chris, the mechanic, thinks Jamie, the detailer, is good, it immediately pulls down the barriers of the unknown. This is an overlooked method of jump-starting your organic

woman building a profitable business using a sales funnel

ORGANIC SALES FUNNELS:

Organic marketing is the “bootstrap” method. If you’re short on money and long on time, organic is a great way to start.

Pros:

It’s free(ish): You spend little or no money, but you do spend time – which has a cost of its own.

Experiment without worry: You can test your messages without the clock ticking on ad spend.

It feels more authentic: You can build trust with your audience through genuine outreach.

Cons:

Less control over your audience: The audience may not be well-focused, or you may be competing to hear your voice. It can be very hard to find a receptive audience.

It’s not really free: The “free” part still involves a lot of your time. Especially in the beginning.

Time-consuming to get traction and attention: It can take a long time to build an audience because traffic to the site or social account may be thin or non-existent.

Overlooked Organic:

Complementary businesses: If you are strategic (and honest), you can leverage other people's audiences. The key is to work with COMPLEMENTARY businesses.

What do I mean by complementary businesses? Businesses that serve the same general audiences in different ways.

Some examples:

  • A company that offers tailoring might team up with a dry cleaner
  • A jewelry designer could work with a wedding planner
  • A baker could offer services to a cafe or lunch catering business
  • An auto mechanic could work with an auto detailer
  • An app designer could partner with a web designer
  • A web designer could offer services with a graphic designer and a copywriter

A real estate agent can do first-time home buyer seminars with local bankers, moving companies, and home repair service companies.

The possibilities are limitless. Everyone gets leads. Everyone gets business. And you automatically get the know-like-trust from each other’s customers.

If Chris, the mechanic, thinks Jamie, the detailer, is good, it immediately pulls down the barriers of the unknown. This is an overlooked method of jump-starting your organic

PAID SALES FUNNELS:

Paid sales funnels give you some real advantages and speed in the marketplace. When you test your messaging, you can usually target your audiences and get quick results.

But paid comes with drawbacks such as cost, complexity, dependency, and potential technological failures.

When you start to build your funnel, paid funnels may feel out of reach. Businesses must weigh these pros and cons carefully. You have to look at budgets and if you have the capacity to manage technology.

This balance will determine if the investment can enhance their marketing strategy and increase sales efficiency – money well spent. Or will you begrudge every dollar spent if you don’t get the instant result – and boost in sales – that you expect?

Pros:

Automation: One of the primary benefits of a paid sales funnel is its ability to automate repetitive tasks.

This includes sending out emails, updating lead statuses, and nurturing prospects without requiring manual input every step of the way. Automation helps businesses save time and resources, which can be redirected toward more strategic tasks.

Consistency: Automated sales funnels provide a consistent approach to nurturing and managing leads. This consistency helps maintain a professional image and ensures that no steps are missed in the lead nurturing process.

It also means that every potential customer receives the same information and experience, which can help build trust and reliability.

Scalability: Businesses can easily scale their marketing efforts with a paid sales funnel service. The funnel automates the lead management process so companies can handle an increase in leads without the need for proportional increases in staffing. This scalability makes it easier for businesses to expand their marketing efforts as they grow.

Analytics and Optimization: Most paid sales funnel platforms have built-in analytics tools that allow businesses to track prospects' behavior through the funnel.

This data is crucial for understanding what works and doesn’t, enabling businesses to optimize their sales strategies and improve conversion rates over time.

Cons:

Cost: The most apparent disadvantage of paid sales funnels is their cost. Small businesses and startups may find the costs prohibitive, especially when they are unsure of the return on investment.

The fees can be particularly challenging to justify if the business has a long sales cycle or a niche market with fewer leads.

Complexity: While automation is beneficial, setting up a paid sales funnel can be complex and time-consuming. Businesses must learn how to use the platform, set up the sequences, and integrate it with other tools.

This complexity can be a significant hurdle for less tech-savvy users or smaller teams without dedicated IT support.

Dependency: Relying heavily on an automated system can create a dependency that might hinder the flexibility of dealing with individual cases. Automated responses and follow-ups might not suit every customer interaction, potentially leading to a less personalized experience for the prospect.

Over-reliance on Technology: There's a risk that the technology might not work as expected. Glitches, downtime, or failures in the automation software can lead to missed opportunities and can negatively affect the relationship with potential customers.

The Middle Ground – Organic AND Paid

This is the method I recommend to my clients. You get the speed and control or paid and the authenticity of organic.

Win-Win.

Use the “pros” of each method – and skip the “cons.”

Run some ads and pay for placement on social media to take advantage of automation, market reach, and ad consistency.

Partner with complementary businesses, participate in social media and forums and build authentic trust and relationships with your clients.

How will YOU build a sales funnel that works for your business’s growth and profits?

Patricia Browne

Patricia Browne

Patricia Browne is the author of seven books that help businesses grow and profit.

Read about The Profit-ize system and what it can do for your business

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