In this article, we will explain what a sales funnel is and why it is important to introduce one into your sales process . We will also introduce you to free sales funnel templates to inspire you when creating your own
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What is a sales funnel ?
A sales funnel , also known as a pipeline or sales funnel, is a visual representation of the buying process: the specific journey your potential customers go through that determines whether they buy from you.
Much like a marketing funnel, a typical sales funnel is wider overseas chinese in uk data at the top and narrower at the bottom. Leads are gradually filtered out as potential customers and then converted into customers. Ideal customers progress down the buying process, while unsuitable prospects drop out at different stages along the way.
There are three main stages of the sales funnel:
Top of the sales funnel : This is the awareness and discovery stage, where your target customer is trying to learn more about their problem.
Middle of the sales funnel : This is the stage where your qualified lead is researching solutions to an identified problem.
Bottom of the sales funnel : At this stage, the potential customer makes a conscious and educated decision to make a purchase.
Whether you manage hundreds of employees or run a small e -commerce business , sales funnels are crucial to your business because they help show your team where to focus their efforts.
For example, let’s say a lead doesn’t match your ideal customer . A funnel helps your rep recognize this early on and avoid selling to an unqualified lead who is unlikely to make a purchase.
Conversely, if a qualified lead has been inactive for too long, a rep can quickly notice and correct it by sending a personalized follow-up email to restart communications.
While all funnels have the same three levels, the steps required to optimize your sales funnel stages and generate revenue vary depending on your business model.
