wtf is a funnel?
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It’s time to demystify wtf a funnel actually is, and more importantly, find out whether you need one. Funnels seem to be the ‘tactic du jour’ right now. Everyone keeps saying… “how’s your funnel performing?” or if you’ve not got one... “you’ve got to set up a funnel?!” Well first I’m gonna break down what a funnel is and then we’ll figure out if you need one (you may in fact be surprised you already have one). So…
wtf is a funnel?
I’m using ‘wtf’ because it can so confusing around what an actual funnel is, that you can end up banging your head against the wall of crawling back into your shell at the mere mention of it.
But simply put, it’s the steps that your potential customers or clients take from the moment they first discover you to the moment they convert into a paying client.
And this sometimes happens by accident as they’ve taken a path through your world to end up as a customer, but the idea of a funnel is to intentionally lead them through a relevant step by step process to an offer.
Much like dropping breadcrumbs for Hansel and Gretel or going through the Crystal Maze as new doors open when a new challenge is complete.
It usually takes the form of an opt-in then an offer or up-sell, accompanied by emails to ‘sell’ them to the next stage. And that can just be phase 1 of the funnel.
What is the purpose of a funnel?
The purpose is to educate your potential customer on the benefits of owning or engaging with your products or services. Either through free or paid content dependent on their stage of awareness to their problem.
The opt-in is where your reader gives you their email address in exchange for something valuable that will help them solve one tiny piece of the puzzle. To learn more about how to set up an opt-in, see this series of blogs to help you understand the logistics of setting one up.
An up-sell is the next step in the funnel after they opt in where you may offer something relating to the original ‘problem’ the customer is trying to solve. This is usually at a low, no-brainer price, or it may even be an offer to consume more content or book a call with you for the next step.
After that step, there can be other offers made in that moment, depending on what’s logically for your customer given their situation and the choices they make in the funnel so far. It may all depend on your customers awareness and how urgent the need is to fix the bigger problem.
However, also behind the scenes your email marketing is hard at work, on autopilot, delivering more value through a series of emails to take them through to the next stage of solving their problem.
This sequence is intended to give them more information taking them through the stages of awareness of their problem, educating them on new beliefs they need to want to solve their problem (using your solution), or educating them on the value of your products or services.
An example of a simple funnel for a natural soap maker could be:
Opt-in= a guide book on why “going natural” is better for your skin.
Up-sell= offer a trial size bundle of soaps for a small price point.
Second upsell= offer a subscription or complementary product (like a bamboo soap dish).
Follow up emails= value based series educating the customer about your unique process and ingredients you use. There could also be an offer to buy a limited edition soap or an end of line offer (you can add authentic urgency to persuade the customer to take action “today”) .
Now, depending on the system or platform you use to offer these various options on the front end you may also be able to offer a down sell that’s also relevant. This is a great option once someone has already in the buying mindset after for a small investment, but maybe has said no to the bigger offer. If your system allows you can then show them another offer that’s relevant that could be another no-brainer ‘yes’ for them (eg. a digital download of how to make your own soap).
An example of this for a vegan recipe creator could be:
Opt-in= free report on the benefits of eating a vegan diet
Up-sell= offer a recipe book for $17
Second up-sell= offer to join a membership on how to go vegan, stay energized and feel fit.
If that’s not taken, a down-sell= a subscription to get weekly meal plans and tips for vegan lifestyle.
Hopefully you see how a funnel is a simple step by step of trust building with your prospect and the psychology of offering the next logical step in the journey to transformation or ways to solve bigger problems.
As you can see - you’ve most likely got some kind of natural funnel in place already (if you’ve been in business for a while). The idea though is to make it intentional so it can be optimised for better results.
Related content:
Four types of email sequences you should be using in your business