Have you ever felt confused by the term funnels as a digital business owner? You’re not alone. It’s one of those common words that gets thrown around in the digital marketing world but often leaves business owners wondering, “What does that even mean?” or “Do I need one?” Yes, you do need one.
In this post, I’ll show you why a funnel is the most essential system for scaling your business, eliminating the need to chase clients or rely on referrals constantly.
Most digital business owners lack a funnel strategy or any funnels. They’re relying on referrals, word of mouth, and the occasional social media enquiries. And while that might bring in a few sales:
- It’s not sustainable.
- It’s not scalable and
- it’s not predictable.
Referrals Aren't a Strategy. Funnels Are. Share on X
Referrals are amazing. But they’re not a strategy you can bank on month after month because:
- They’re unpredictable.
- You don’t control the timing, the quality of the lead, or the volume.
- And in business, unpredictability equals risk.
Do you know what a funnel does?
A funnel removes the guesswork. It provides a structured process for bringing in qualified leads, nurturing them, and converting them intentionally, consistently, and without burning out.
Without a funnel, you lack a predictable revenue process.
A funnel, on the other hand, is a growth engine that runs with or without you. It allows you to:
- Systematically generate leads
- Build trust over time
- Convert with purpose
- Scale sustainably
So, what exactly is a Funnel?
A funnel is simply the visual and strategic representation of the journey your customers take from the moment they first learn about your business to the point they make a purchase (and ideally, keep coming back for more). Think of it like a literal physical funnel: wide at the top where lots of people enter, “Audience Attraction,” and narrow at the bottom where only a few emerge as paying customers, “Ideal Clients.” That’s exactly how it works in business. You attract attention, engage interest, nurture trust, and eventually guide the right prospects toward conversion. When converted, they become your loyal fans.
What’s the goal of having a funnel? ”To guide a more attracted audience into becoming paying clients,”.
Types of Funnels:
There are six different types of funnels for your business, depending on the goal of building the funnel:
1. Audience Building Funnels
This funnel’s goal is to help you build an audience. This is where you attract ideal clients to your business based on the funnel you have. Focus on values and the correct copy, then your audience will join if the message aligns. Along the line of having this funnel, you get to build relationships with your community/subscribers, which can lead to the sales of your offer. The MAIN goal is to grow your audience. The backend process in setting this up depends on how you want to run your business. You can offer something free or create the funnel without any gift, and let your copy do the work. Your social media channels can also serve as an audience-building funnel if you set them up right. An example is the ‘link in bio’ page – that’s a funnel process to utilise effectively.
2. Sales Funnels
This is mainly set up when you want to sell your digital products. It contains information about your offer and how clients can purchase from you.
3. Application funnels:
This is a higher level of funnel building mainly used to sell high-ticket offers. It’s like a screening process to determine who will participate in the program. This involves your time and presence. Most of the time, you will need to get on the phone to make a sale. The sales page is built to explain what you have to offer, and then you ask prospects to apply to be in the program. Some creators can approve your application without needing a phone call, but please note that this is one funnel that requires a phone call to close a sale.
4. Webinar /Launch Event Funnels:
This is a funnel that contains the event leading to the launch of your offers. Examples include Masterclasses, webinars, challenges or workshops. Whatever you choose to call yours is fine. The goal is to raise awareness of your offer through educational content. When the prospect watches the training, they can decide to take up your offer.
5. Email Funnels:
The main goal is to build relationships with your subscribers. An email funnel is a type of funnel that comes in almost every form, but it can also stand alone as a single funnel. You build relationships with prospects and also make a sale.
6. Self-Liquidating Funnels:
Another name for this type is a self-liquidating offer (SLO) or a one-time offer (OTO). The goal here is to make a sale. Typically, the offers listed on this page are exclusive to this page and cannot be found elsewhere for the business owner. This is a funnel that accompanies another funnel, like the audience-building funnel, where you can offer something to buy after the subscriber has submitted their details. It’s a quick sale for the business owner.
The 5 Essential Stages of Every Funnel:
Whether you sell digital products, services, or programs, your funnel has five stages:
1. Awareness
This is where people discover you. Maybe it’s through a social post, Google search, or paid ad. The goal here is visibility. Your strategy: Content marketing, social media, paid ads, SEO
2. Engagement
Now that they know you exist, it’s time to build trust. Offer value that resonates with their needs and positions you as the solution. Your strategy: Lead magnets, free trainings, webinars, nurture emails
3. Consideration
Once trust is built, it’s time to make an offer. This is where your product or service is introduced in a compelling way. Your strategy: Sales pages, application forms, checkout sequences, discovery calls.
4. Conversion
The sales funnel doesn’t end at the sale. Happy customers can become your most prominent marketers if you delight them. Your strategy: Onboarding emails, review requests, loyalty offers, upsells
5. Loyalty/fan
The sales funnel doesn’t end at the sale. Happy customers can become your most prominent marketers if you delight them. Your strategy Includes Onboarding emails, review requests, loyalty offers, and upsells. Each stage requires a different approach, message, and level of nurturing. You can’t treat a cold lead the same way you’d treat someone who’s watched your webinar and downloaded your freebie. Funnel success depends on understanding your buyer’s mindset every step of the way.
Here’s the mistake too many entrepreneurs make: they copy someone else’s sales funnel blueprint and expect it to work.
The truth? Funnels are not one-size-fits-all.
One size doesn’t fit all in funnels: You have to tailor your funnel to your offer.
Whether you’re selling a N5,000 digital download or a N500,000 coaching program, your funnel needs to match your offer.
- E-commerce business with low-priced products? You might get away with a simple ad → product page → checkout setup.
- High-ticket service provider? You’ll need more steps. Think lead magnet → nurture sequence → webinar → application → sales call.
The more expensive or complex your offer, the more value you need to deliver upfront to justify the investment. And that’s okay. Your funnel needs to reflect that.
Processes that lead to funnel conversion:
- Follow Up: Do you think people will make a purchase the first time they visit your site? Think again. Follow-up is everything. That means:
- Email sequences
- Retargeting ads
- Personal DMs
- Case studies
- Social proof
Especially for high-ticket offers, follow-up gives your audience time to digest, overcome objections, and feel safe buying. If you don’t have a plan for continued contact, you’re leaving money on the table.
2. No Traffic, No Funnel: Even the best funnel in the world is useless without people going through it. You need volume at the top to drive conversions at the bottom. This means consistently driving traffic through:
- SEO-optimised blog posts (yes, like this one)
- Paid ads on Facebook, Instagram, or Google
- Value-packed emails to your list
- Strategic social media content
It’s a two-part equation: Great funnel + Steady traffic = Predictable sales. You can’t ignore either side and expect sustainable growth.
3. Engagement: Engagement is the bridge between “I just found you” and “I trust you enough to buy.”
Engagement = Trust = Conversion
Here’s a fact about funnels: You don’t convert strangers. You convert relationships. This is where valuable content comes in—free trainings, lead magnets, blog posts, and email sequences. These touchpoints build trust and emotional connection—two key ingredients in any buying decision. Think of it like dating: you don’t propose on the first coffee. You build rapport, show up consistently, and then make the ask.
How to start building your funnel today:
Ready to stop hoping and start scaling? Here’s a simplified roadmap to build your first (or next) funnel:
- Map out your customer journey
Where do people discover you? How do they engage? What does the path to purchase look like? - Pick your funnel tools
- Use Funnelytics or a good old pen and paper to sketch it out
- Create a lead magnet
Something valuable and quick to consume—a checklist, a cheat sheet, a video training, or a quiz. - Build your landing page and thank-you page
Please keep it simple, benefits-focused, and easy to navigate. - Write your email sequence
Share your story, build trust, educate, and pitch your offer. - Drive traffic
Start with one or two platforms where your audience already hangs out. Be consistent. - Track, test, and optimise
Funnels are never “set it and forget it.” The more you test headlines, emails, and offers, the better your results.
Platforms to build your funnels on:
- Kajabi
- Systeme io
- Thrivecart
- Kartra, to mention a few
Conclusion:
A sales funnel isn’t just a marketing buzzword. It’s your business growth engine. It’s how you stop crossing your fingers and start building a scalable, predictable, freedom-driven business. You don’t need to be techy. You don’t need to overcomplicate it. You need to be strategic and consistent. If you’re ready to design a funnel that turns browsers into buyers and random sales into recurring revenue, we’ve got your back.
Let’s recap the blueprint:
- Understand what a funnel is—the strategic journey from lead to client.
- Build your funnel intentionally, tailored to your offer, audience, and sales cycle.
- Map out each step, and align your content and messaging to your customer’s mindset.
- Drive consistent traffic using organic and paid channels.
- Follow up relentlessly to convert more leads into buyers.
- Turn buyers into advocates who refer, repeat, and rave.
This is the growth engine that allows you to scale without scrambling. It puts the power back in your hands, giving you control over your revenue. They must be tailored to your:
- Business model (e.g. e-commerce, coaching, consulting, brick-and-mortar)
- Price point (low-ticket vs. high-ticket)
- Sales cycle (impulse buys vs. considered purchases)
Need support building your funnel?
At The Virtual Paragon, we build high-converting funnels that match your offer, your audience, and your goals.
- Done-for-you landing pages
- Smart email sequences
- Custom funnel strategy
- Funnel audits + upgrades
Click the button below to get started.