The Blank Sales Funnel: How to Create a Winning Sales Pipeline

As a startup founder or marketer, you might have heard the term ”sales funnel” before. But have you ever heard of a “blank sales funnel”? If not, don’t worry - you’re not alone. In this article, we’ll explain what a blank sales funnel is, why it’s important to define your sales pipeline, and how you can create a winning sales funnel template that drives conversions.

What is a Blank Sales Funnel?

A blank sales funnel refers to the process of creating a sales pipeline from scratch. It’s called a “blank” funnel because it starts with no pre-existing structure or framework. The goal is to design a sales funnel template that maps out the different stages of the buyer’s journey, from awareness to conversion, and determine the conversion rates at each stage.

A blank sales funnel is a crucial exercise for startups and small businesses that are just starting out, as it allows them to define their sales pipeline and identify areas for improvement. It’s also a valuable exercise for established businesses that want to optimize their sales funnel for maximum results.

The Importance of Defining Your Sales Pipeline

Defining your sales pipeline is crucial for several reasons. First, it helps you understand your customers’ journey and identify the touchpoints that matter most. By mapping out the buyer’s journey, you can create a more targeted and effective sales strategy that speaks to your customer’s pain points and needs.

Second, defining your sales pipeline allows you to identify areas for improvement and optimize your conversion rates. By tracking the conversion rates at each stage of the funnel, you can determine which stages are working well and which ones need improvement. This data-driven approach allows you to make informed decisions and focus your efforts on the areas that matter most.

Finally, defining your sales pipeline helps you scale your business by creating a repeatable and scalable sales process. By creating a sales funnel template that works, you can replicate the process and generate predictable revenue over time.

Understanding the Buyer’s Journey and Mapping it to Your Funnel

To create a winning sales funnel template, you need to understand the buyer’s journey and map it to your funnel. The buyer’s journey consists of three stages: awareness, consideration, and decision.

In the awareness stage, the buyer becomes aware of a problem or need. They start researching solutions and become aware of your product or service. In the consideration stage, the buyer evaluates different solutions and compares them to your product. In the decision stage, the buyer decides to purchase your product or service.

To map the buyer’s journey to your sales funnel, you need to create different stages that correspond to each stage of the journey. For example, the top of the funnel (TOFU) might correspond to the awareness stage, the middle of the funnel (mofu) might correspond to the consideration stage, and the bottom of the funnel (BOFU) might correspond to the decision stage.

Designing a Visual Sales Funnel Template

Once you’ve mapped out the buyer’s journey and identified the different stages of your funnel, it’s time to design a visual sales funnel template. The template should be easy to understand and visually appealing, with clear labels and conversion rates at each stage.

There are several different types of sales funnel templates you can use, including linear, branching, and circular. The linear template is the most common, with a straight line that represents the buyer’s journey from awareness to conversion. The branching template is more complex, with different paths that the buyer can take depending on their behavior. The circular template is less common, with a loop that allows buyers to enter and exit the funnel at different stages.

When designing your sales funnel template, keep in mind the different touchpoints that matter most to your customers. For example, if your product is sold primarily online, you might want to include an email marketing campaign or retargeting ads in your funnel.

Adding Customer Data to Your Sales Funnel

To optimize your sales funnel for maximum results, you need to add customer data to your sales funnel. This includes data on customer behavior, demographics, and preferences.

By tracking customer behavior, you can identify patterns and trends that help you improve your conversion rates. For example, if you notice that customers are dropping out of the funnel at a certain stage, you can make changes to that stage to improve the conversion rate.

Demographic data helps you understand your target audience and create a more targeted sales strategy. For example, if you notice that your product is popular with a certain age group or gender, you can tailor your messaging and marketing efforts to that group.

Finally, preference data helps you create a more personalized sales experience for your customers. By understanding their preferences and needs, you can create a sales funnel that speaks directly to them and addresses their pain points.

Examples of Successful Sales Funnels

To get a better sense of what a winning sales funnel looks like, let’s take a look at some examples of successful sales funnels.

One example is the sales funnel used by Dollar Shave Club. Their funnel starts with a video ad that introduces the product and highlights its unique selling points. From there, customers are led to a landing page where they can sign up for a subscription. The landing page is simple and visually appealing, with clear calls to action and a straightforward pricing model.

Another example is the sales funnel used by HubSpot. Their funnel starts with a free trial offer, which leads customers to a landing page where they can sign up. From there, customers are led through a series of emails and content offers that highlight the benefits of the product and provide value to the customer.

Bottom Line: Optimize Your Sales Funnel for Maximum Results

Creating a winning sales funnel template is key to driving conversions and scaling your business. By understanding the buyer’s journey, mapping it to your funnel, and adding customer data, you can create a sales pipeline that works for your business.

Remember to track your conversion rates at each stage of the funnel, make data-driven decisions, and optimize your funnel for maximum results. With the right sales funnel template, you can create a repeatable and scalable sales process that generates predictable revenue over time.