[Part 1 of 3]
5 Steps to Creating a Simple Sales Funnel
Your business’s success heavily depends on your ability to market your products and services to your target audience and equally convince them you hold the keys to a solution for their needs. A sales funnel is an integral part of your business that is neglected by most entrepreneurs.
In our three-part series, we take you through a step-by-step process of creating an excellent sales funnel, why you need one, and the key features of a great sales funnel.
What is a Sales Funnel?
In layman’s language, a sales funnel is a business plan for guiding your potential customers from the “I don’t know you phase” to the “let’s do business” stage. It is a designated path that leads prospective sales from awareness of your product and eventually purchasing your products.
Customers will never come to you by chance. Be intentional and tactful in identifying prospective customers, qualifying them, and converting them into loyal customers.
Understand the Four Funnel Stages
The sales funnel narrows down as visitors move through towards purchasing. This is partly because your target audience is greater at the top of the funnel than buyers who actually purchase at the bottom.
The other account for the narrow down is because, as you go down the funnel stages, your messaging will become more targeted and personified rather than general.
We can summarize the sales funnel into four distinct stages. i.e., Awareness, Interest, Decision, Action (AIDA). It is important to understand what each stage entails so that you don’t send the wrong message at the wrong stage.
These stages involve:
- Awareness is the first instance you catch the consumer’s attention. It might be a Facebook post, a tweet, or a Google search. This is the point by which your prospect notices your company and the products and services you offer.
- Interest is the next stage. Your prospect is now doing comparisons, research, and weighing their options. Swoop in with excellent content that helps your target audience but doesn’t sell to them.
- Decision time. The prospect is ready to buy. Make the best offer to the client. It could be a bonus product, a discount code, free shipping, etc. Just make sure it has value to the client.
- Action. Is at the bottom of your sales funnel. At this stage, the prospect converts. They purchase your service or product and are now a part of your customer base.