The Different Types of Sales Funnels
...and Their Uses
Last updated: 08 May 2023
If you want to run a successful business, then you need to understand the range of different tools at your disposal and which is going to work best for you.
If you’re new to sales funnels, you may want to first read my recent post Funnels 101: Nurture Your Audience to Sales.
Here I’m going to look at a few variations on the sales funnel theme and what each brings to the table.
Finding the right options for your business will depend on several factors, including what problem you are trying to solve for your potential customer.
The Lead Generation Funnel
The most common type of sales funnel focuses on lead generation. The aim is to get a customer to give you their contact details so that you can then approach them with more targeted marketing.
The key to a good lead generation funnel is that it needs to be useful and freely available in exchange for that all-important email address.
It also needs to be focused and attract the right kind of customer. The content that you create must be high-quality and engaging.
For example, you might offer a free industry white paper, an e-book for download or a how-to video. It’s all about building trust with your lead and then nurturing them further down the sales funnel and encouraging them to become a paying customer.
Squeeze Page and Reverse Squeeze Page Funnels
A squeeze page is one of the most widely used variations on the lead generation funnel idea. These can be quite short and have minimal content but contain three main components:
- A strong headline that tells the visitor exactly what you are offering.
- A form for the potential customer to enter their email address.
- A compelling call to action that encourages your visitor to sign up.
A reverse squeeze page is slightly different in that it provides free content for the customer without them having to opt in first. For example, you might offer a free tutorial video for them to watch as soon as they hit the page. When this has finished, you offer them more free content in exchange for their email address.
The benefit of this approach is that it gives your lead the chance to experience what you have to offer before they make any decision. It’s essentially adding an initial layer of trust-building before they decide to buy.
This sort of lead generation works well if you are running an online course. You can offer the first video in a series free to give the customer a taster and then use the lure of more content to nurture your lead.
Let’s say that you are offering a tailored diet plan to your customers. The squeeze video could be your story of how you developed the plan and lost weight. The lead generation is asking for an email address to receive a 30-day meal plan. The next step is to move these leads onto your paying dietary course.
Evergreen Masterclass Funnel
A Masterclass (also know as webinar) funnel can be extremely powerful if done well.
This is a pre-recorded training that you can use to promote your higher-ticket products.
This gives you the chance to show off your expertise to your potential customers, by providing them with high-value content.
While it should include a sales pitch at the end, its purpose is to deliver something useful and build trust.
The key here is that your potential customers sign up to attend the webinar and you can then use their email to further push your sales pitch.
There are options such as using Webinar Software (you know, the fake webinars with multiple start times) or simply by hosting a video on a page of your website.
You can use techniques such as fast-action bonuses and countdown timers to add the sense of urgency that you otherwise don’t get without running a live launch.
Application Funnel
An application funnel is used when you are trying to sell something high-ticket (usually $2000+) that requires a phone call to close the deal – it would normally be one-to-one work or a VIP service.
An application can be as simply as a page containing a case-study with a form at the bottom where your audience can apply to work with you.
The difference in this compared to normal sales, is that you aren’t just selling to everyone.
The fact that someone has to apply to work with you means that they have to be a good fit for you, not just the other way around.
This makes your offer perceived as more exclusive and valuable than if you would simply work with anyone and everyone.
The Multi-Tiered Funnel
Also called a value ladder, this is a combination of lead generation and cross-selling and upselling.
It would generally involve all of the above named funnels, and is about taking your customer on a journey from not knowing you, and experiencing your freebies, to wanting to work with you on a higher level.
You market to the individual starting with your least expensive products or services and then moving to the most expensive at the back end.
The importance of this is that once your customer takes their first step, you know that they are interested in your products or services and you’re fairly certain you can satisfy their wants and needs.
The key here is that all the different products in your multi-tiered funnel need to be connected and have relevance. You should always be focused on building trust with your customers. In other words, it’s no use trying to sell something completely different.
Each step in the funnel should be the next logical step from the previous step.
Want to know how to map out your multi-tiered funnel? My Masterclass below gives you a full demonstration 👇
Some other examples
Here are some other examples that you may find relevant to your business, especially if you sell physical goods
Product Launch Funnel
The product launch funnel is all about creating anticipation in your audience. You’ll find many large corporations such as Nike, Apple and the like start sending out tasters to their customers when they have a new product about to hit the market. Film studios do it too when they release their first trailers.
There are several ways to do this but the more visual you can make it the better. That’s why video presentations work well here. These can be posted not only on your website but on social media and sent out via email.
Allowing your potential customers to pre-order also means that you get to launch day with a healthy number of sales already in the bag.
Survey Sales Funnel
Everyone loves a survey, and they are a great way to find out what different people are looking for. You can use the answers to a particular survey to move potential customers to different parts of your sales funnel.
If your business has various customer segments, then this is a great option especially when you need to vary your messaging for a particular audience.
Asking your customer survey questions helps you identify who you are trying to sell to. It takes a lot more work and a deeper understanding of your customer base and what they are looking for but can be pretty powerful once the hard yards have been completed.
Summary
While the thought of building a funnel (especially a multi-tiered funnel) can seem daunting, the most important thing is to take things one step at a time.
Rome wasn’t built in a day.
If you have the right tools, guidance and templates then you can achieve anything in a short space of time and save a heck of a lot of money while you’re at it!
Not sure if you are ready to build a funnel? Take my free Messenger Quiz that will give you a score of funnel-readiness! 👇
Think you’re ready? Book in a call with me, I’d love to chat!
