Knowing how to create a Sales Funnel is essential for anyone who wants to grow in a predictable, sustainable and scalable way.
Composed of a set of steps, the sales funnel allows you to make decisions related to planning and the entire customer acquisition structure.
The sales funnel is a representation of the stages that a potential customer goes through, from the first contact with the company until the moment of sale. Typically, the sales funnel (or pipeline) is divided into 3 stages: top of the funnel (ToFu), middle of the funnel (MoFu) and bottom of the funnel (BoFu).
In this post, we will talk about everything about the sales funnel, from the concept to its construction.
Does your company already have a sales funnel? What are its chile whatsapp data stages and so-called 'transition triggers'? Is the funnel aligned with the purchase journey?
In companies that work with Inbound Marketing, such as RD Station, this strategic model is generally shared between marketing and sales, with each area being responsible for specific stages.
It is important to always monitor and review the funnel so that it is effective in converting Leads into Customers.
Sales funnel: the concept
Also known as a pipeline, the sales funnel is a strategic model that shows the customer's journey, from the first contact with the company until the conclusion of the deal.
The sales funnel is made up of a set of steps and triggers whose objective is to support the purchasing journey of the personas of a given organization.
In other words, the stages of the sales funnel are directly linked to the phases of the purchasing journey. Let's take a closer look:
Top of the Funnel and “Learning and Discovery”
At this stage, also known as ToFu (top of the funnel), visitors discover that they have a need or problem to be solved, which was previously unknown. This is the stage of awakening the reader's awareness...
Your role is to educate them: offer rich content, such as infographics and eBooks, which can be downloaded from a Landing Page with a form. By providing data, such as name, email and profession, the visitor becomes a Lead and advances in the sales funnel.
Middle of the Funnel and “Problem Recognition and Solution Consideration”
In the stage known as MoFu (middle of the funnel), we are already working with Leads. At this point, they are already looking to solve their needs, even if they don't know how to do it. The solution could be anything from a simple organization template to purchasing software. Your company's role is to help Leads with tips and techniques.
We are not talking about selling your solution. You still need to mature and qualify your Leads, so that they are ready to move forward to the next stage in the sales funnel.
Bottom of the funnel and the “Purchase Decision”
At the bottom of the funnel (BoFu), qualified leads become opportunities: they are practically ready to be contacted by the sales team. At this point, they are not only aware of the problem, but are already looking for solutions to their problems.
The relationship of trust established between your company and each of your Leads makes you a reference in the field. Furthermore, more than just a salesperson, you need to make it clear that you will be a partner in growth.
The sales funnel closes when prospects make a purchase and become customers.
What about the purchasing journey?
The Sales Funnel is the main support for the Personas' Buying Journey. But what is this concept after all?
The purchasing journey is made up of four stages (learning and discovery, problem recognition, solution consideration and purchase decision) and aims to represent the steps that the customer takes until purchasing a certain product.
To understand the concept of the Sales Funnel, it is essential to know the purchasing journey in detail.
The purchase journey aims to represent the steps that the customer takes until purchasing a certain product. In general, it consists of 4 stages:
Step 1: Learning and Discovery
At this stage, the buyer is still not fully aware of whether they have a problem or a business opportunity. The goal at this stage is to spark their interest in a topic and make them realize that they have a problem or a good business opportunity.