What Is A Sales Funnel – and Do You Need One? by @AlmostPractical

by Neena Nandagopal | Featured Contributor

Everyone is talking about the sales funnel nowadays. As an entrepreneur you are probably thinking that you need one to grow your business.

But that tiny voice in the back of your mind is probably saying. “What the heck is a sales funnel?”

No need to be embarrassed. The term makes it sound like something you would find in your kitchen – certainly not a useful marketing tool.

It took me a while to figure it out too.

So What Is A Sales Funnel, Really?

Honestly, “sales funnel” is just a fancy term for using common sense in business. And it’s not as intimidating as it sounds.

It’s not a complicated process either.

Put simply, a sales funnel is the path that people will take from being a stranger to becoming a loyal customer.

This Is How It Works

Let’s make it both simple and visual.

Imagine a place, like a park, with lots of people walking around. In this park there is a funnel shaped hole in the ground. Is this hole the Grand Canyon? No – it is your sales funnel.

Some people will walk around the hole. They might peer inside but that’s about it.

Others will be a bit more curious. They will wonder – hmm, what’s down there? – and they will climb in.

These people are now in your sales funnel.

As the people hang around there at the top, they will observe and make judgments.

Some will decide that this really isn’t for them and they will climb out and leave. Others will just continue to hang around there at the top because they are comfortable in that spot.

But a group of those people will decide that they want to venture further down.

And the process will repeat at each level.

Eventually, of all the people that entered at the top – only a few will make it all the way to the bottom.

How This Applies To Your Business

As a blogger or business person, your sales funnel should be set up to entice the people at the top to enter and move down through the various levels of your offerings until they reach the bottom.

To tempt them to enter, you offer something for free – a free consult, a free course, your free ebook or report, etc.

Once they are in the sales funnel, you offer them a base offering – something that doesn’t cost much but delivers a lot of value, builds trust, and leaves them wanting to work with you even more.

You then move them on down to the next level which is your high end offering. This could be a long term coaching package or a system or product.

Your Goal

If you don’t have a sales funnel in your own business – it is a good idea to create one. It will provide structure to your process and to everything that you do on a daily basis.

It is your job as an entrepreneur to subtly guide your prospects through your funnel.

You do this by engaging with them and providing so much value that they want to come back for more.

Tell Us About Your Sales Funnel

Do you use a sales funnel in your business?

How do you guide your prospects from merely curious to loyal customer?

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Neena Nandagopal is Almost Practical Small Business Coaching and Consulting. She lives and breathes her business – so they are one and the same.

She is passionate about giving creative and talented women concrete guidance on how to establish an online business that is in line with their lives.

Her services include everything from blog coaching packages to creating individualized policy and procedure manuals and business processes.

Neena believes that working more efficiently is the key to business success. However, her philosophy is that time management is outdated. Instead, she works with her clients to manage their focus and attention, because that is what brings maximum results – both online and offline.

When she is not working, Neena enjoys spending time with her husband, four teenage children, and her little shih-tzu.

Neena’s Website: AlmostPractical.com
Neena on Social: Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | YouTube

Neena Nandagopal