marketing funnel

Is your sales funnel staying full?

Wait a minute…

Do you know what a sales funnel is? Let me explain.

Defining a sales funnel

In as simple method as possible, a sales funnel is like any other funnel. It is large at the top and shrinks to a small hole on the bottom.

Most entrepreneurs, including myself, have dreams that the funnel is so powerful it blows that bottom hole out.

The way a sales funnel goes is:

1. The top large area are your target market.
2. Moving slightly down the funnel, you now have leads.
3. And further down those leads become prospects.
4. You then turn prospects into sales.

The funnel in further depth

I like to say there are 2 sales funnels, the one I just described and the sales funnel you use to move those people down the funnel.

From the top of the funnel to the bottom:

1. Creating awareness
2. Developing interest
3. Evaluation
4. Making a decision
5. Purchasing
6. Reevaluation
7. Repurchasing

Now 6 and 7 really depend on if you offer a 1 time product or service or a consumable item.

Now that you know the definition of a sales funnel, how do you keep it full and have great conversion rates?

Here are 5 tips that can help.

Sales Funnel Conversions Tip #1: Testimonials

The biggest key in a sales funnel is gaining trust. There have been so many scams that people need to see that others have safely purchased and used your item.

It is wise that you have easy to find customer testimonials on your website.

Use the customer’s picture if they allow because images make it more real to the website visitor.

Sales Funnel Conversions Tip #2: Identify And Fix Funnel Blockages

It is imperative that you have a smooth flowing sales funnel. If blockages occur, it can disrupt the flow and create havoc.

It is my suggestion that on a weekly basis, you or one of your tribe members takes a run through the sales funnel to see if there are any issues that could be slowing it down.

• Updates that have made the webinar too difficult to sign up for
• Payment processor not working properly
• Webinar is filling faster than estimated
• Etc…

By having someone go through the process on a scheduled basis, you can keep all sales funnel blockages cleared.

Sales Funnel Conversions Tip #3: Provide Valuable Content

This should be a no-brainer but there are marketers who still assume they can have a high converting sales funnel when they put out trashy content.

The fact is, if you publish non valuable blog posts or social media posts, the people that read them will assume what you are selling is also not valuable.

Sales Funnel Conversions Tip #4: Engage The Reader More

Have you noticed some marketers use a technique where they tell the reader to click a link to keep reading or to get the next email?

This is a method to engage the person.

By using that technique, the person is actually doing something to see more of what you have. By engaging them, you are creating even better odds that they will follow through with the complete sales funnel process.

It does work!

Some marketers claim a 500% jump in conversion rates by using this simple technique.

Sales Funnel Conversions Tip #5: More Leads Is Not Necessarily The Answer

If a marketer were to say, “I need more leads,” I would be apt to ask “What are you doing with the leads you have?”

Follow up and nurturing leads holds a higher level of importance than getting more leads.

Research has shown that the average number of follow ups before a sale will be made is 12-15.

So you need to nurture the leads you have. If the person says not now, I will think about it or anything of that sort, it means you need to just keep following up without pressure.

Build a relationship and keep feeding them with valuable information. Work on converting the leads you do have instead of swamping the top of the funnel with more leads.

Conclusion

I could go on and on with sales funnel conversions tips, but the amount of information could actually be overwhelming.

Start with these and you will find yourself having better conversion rates.

I will write more on this subject at a later date.

Thanks for coming by… Leave your questions and comments below.

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