You don't have to scroll to find the answer. It's funnels.

I know, you're putting in the work, creating amazing content, and trying to get your name out there. But here's the thing - if you're not using funnels, you're making your life a whole lot harder than it needs to be.

The Digital Marketing Juggling Act

First off, let's break down what digital marketing really involves, especially when you're a team of one. You're juggling content creation, social media, email marketing, website management, and maybe even paid advertising. It's a lot to handle, and it's easy to feel like you're spinning your wheels without seeing the results you want.

That's where funnels come in. In a nutshell, a funnel is a series of steps that guide your potential customers from initial awareness to the ultimate goal: making a purchase. It's like a road for your marketing efforts, ensuring that you're not just throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something sticks. But instead guiding contacts to your intended destination.

Tale of Two Creators: Why Funnels Make All the Difference

But why are funnels so important? Well, let's imagine two content creators: Brian and Sammy.

Brian is working hard, putting out content regularly, and trying to engage with their audience on social media. They're doing everything they're "supposed" to do, but they're not seeing a consistent stream of new leads. When someone does show interest, Brian has to manually add them to the newsletter, send links, and guide potential brand deals. It's time-consuming and often leads to missed opportunities.

Now, let's look at Sammy. They're also creating valuable content, but they've taken the time to set up a funnel. When someone engages with their content, they're directed to a landing page where they can opt-in to receive more information. From there, they're sent a series of automated emails that provide value, build trust, and ultimately lead to a sales page. Sammy is able to nurture leads and guide them towards a purchase, all while focusing on creating more great content.

Additionally, Sammy has a clear funnel for brand deals. Before a brand reaches out, they have access to public information on Sammy's website and then a form they can fill out to connect. Based on the answers in that form, they are sent different emails about meeting with Sammy further or how they aren't a good fit.

See the difference? Sammy spent some more time in the beginning to save time later on. They're leveraging the power of funnels to automate parts of their marketing, freeing up time and energy to focus on content.

The Anatomy of an Effective Marketing Funnel

Traditionally, marketing funnels are taught as a five-stage process with a large group at the top narrowing down to a smaller group at the bottom (hence the term "funnel"). While this model has its merits, it can sometimes overcomplicate the concept.

Here's the thing about traditional funnels – they're actually part funnel, part colander (the comparison is not great no matter how you look at it). You WILL lose people along the way. No matter how well you design your funnel, some prospects will drop out at various stages. That's normal and expected.

I prefer a simpler three-part approach that focuses on the customer journey:

1. Interest (The Entry Point)

This is where someone first encounters your offer, typically through a landing page or specific content piece. It's their first meaningful interaction with your specific offer (not just your brand).

2. Consideration (Information Exchange)

Here, they're actively evaluating your offer – filling out a form, downloading resources, or receiving targeted information. This is where the relationship deepens and trust builds.

3. Conversion (The Goal Achievement)

This is where they take the action you want them to take – whether that's making a purchase, booking a call, or signing up for your service.

Types of Funnels: Free vs. Paid

Free Funnels might look like:

• A social media post linking to a blog article with an embedded newsletter signup form
• A YouTube video description with a link to a free PDF download that requires an email address
• A podcast episode mentioning a free quiz that segments your audience and delivers personalized resource recommendations

Paid Funnels might include:

• A Facebook ad directing to a sales page for a digital product
• An email sequence promoting a limited-time offer for your coaching program
• A webinar that educates viewers and then offers a paid solution to their problem

Both types serve different purposes in your overall marketing strategy. Free funnels help build your audience and establish trust, while paid funnels directly generate revenue.

Creating Your Own Marketing Funnel

The best way to approach funnel creation is to start with the end goal and work backward. This "reverse engineering" approach ensures every element of your funnel has a purpose and leads naturally to your desired outcome.

Step 1: Define Your End Goal

Begin by clearly defining what you want people to do at the end of your funnel:

• Purchase a product
• Book a consultation call
• Sign up for a membership
• Register for an event
• Join your email list

For example, if your goal is to sell a $497 online course about social media marketing, that's your conversion point.

Step 2: Map Out the Consideration Phase

What information do people need before they're ready to take that final action? What objections might they have that you need to address?

For our course example, potential buyers might want to:

• See examples of your expertise (case studies, testimonials)
• Understand exactly what they'll learn (curriculum overview)
• Know how the course will be delivered (format, schedule, access)
• Be assured of the value (guarantees, bonuses)

This is where you might create:

• A detailed sales page
• A video walkthrough of the course
• A free workshop that teaches a small portion of what's in the full course
• FAQ sections addressing common concerns

Step 3: Design Your Entry Points

Now that you know where you want people to end up (conversion) and what they need to consider before deciding (consideration), you can create appropriate entry points that attract the right audience.

For our course example, entry points might include:

• A blog post about "5 Common Social Media Mistakes Costing You Customers"
• A free downloadable social media audit template
• A quiz that helps identify social media growth opportunities
• Social media posts highlighting specific pain points your course solves

Step 4: Connect the Stages with Clear Calls to Action

Each stage should naturally lead to the next with clear, compelling calls to action. Don't assume your audience will figure out the next step - guide them explicitly.

For example:

• At the end of your blog post about social media mistakes, include: "Want to assess your own social media strategy? Take our free 2-minute audit to identify your biggest growth opportunities." (Links to a landing page with your free audit template)
• On your template download thank-you page: "Your audit is on its way! While you wait, check out this free 20-minute workshop where I show you how to fix the three most common issues identified in the audit." (Links to your workshop registration)
• During your workshop: "If you found this valuable, you'll love my complete Social Media Mastery course where I walk you through fixing ALL these issues step-by-step. Learn more here." (Links to your sales page)

Step 5: Implement the Technical Components

Now it's time to build the actual technical infrastructure of your funnel. This typically involves:

1. Landing Pages: Create dedicated pages for each stage of your funnel using tools like WordPress, Leadpages, or Kajabi.
2. Email Automation: Set up email sequences that nurture leads through your funnel. Tools like ConvertKit, ActiveCampaign, or Mailchimp can automate this process.
3. Form Creation: Build opt-in forms to capture contact information. These can be embedded on your website or landing pages.
4. Payment Processing: If your funnel includes paid products, you'll need a system to process payments securely (Stripe, PayPal, etc.).
5. Content Delivery: Determine how you'll deliver your content or product after purchase (membership site, email delivery, etc.).

For our course example, you might:

• Create a landing page for your free audit template using Leadpages
• Set up a ConvertKit form to capture emails in exchange for the template
• Build an automated email sequence that delivers the template and invites subscribers to your workshop
• Design a sales page for your course using Kajabi
• Configure Stripe to process course payments

Step 6: Test and Optimize Your Funnel

Before fully launching, test each component of your funnel:

• Are all links working?
• Do forms submit properly?
• Are emails being delivered?
• Is your payment processing working?
• Does your content display correctly on different devices?

Have a few friends or colleagues go through the entire funnel and provide feedback on the experience.

Real-World Funnel Example: Breaking It Down

Let's examine our social media course funnel in more detail:

Interest Stage (Entry Point):

• Blog post: "5 Common Social Media Mistakes Costing You Customers"
• Call to action at end of post: "Take our free social media audit"

Consideration Stage:

1. Landing page for the free social media audit template
2. Form to collect name and email
3. Thank you page with invitation to free workshop```html
4. Workshop registration page
5. Automated workshop (pre-recorded or live)
6. Workshop includes valuable content AND pitches the paid course

Conversion Stage:

1. Sales page for the $497 Social Media Mastery course
2. Checkout page with payment processing
3. Thank you/confirmation page
4. Welcome email with course access details

Follow-up:

• Email sequence for those who didn't purchase (addressing objections, offering payment plans)
• Onboarding sequence for new customers (ensuring they use and get value from the course)

Creating Funnel Content That Converts

The effectiveness of your funnel ultimately depends on the quality of your content. Here are key principles for creating compelling funnel content:

1. Focus on Solving Specific Problems

Each piece of content should address a specific pain point your audience experiences. For our social media course example:

• The blog post identifies common mistakes (creating awareness of the problem)
• The audit helps diagnose specific issues (personalizing the problem)
• The workshop shows how to fix a few issues (demonstrating your expertise)
• The course offers the complete solution (resolving all their problems)

2. Match Content to Funnel Stage

Different stages require different types of content:

• Interest stage: Educational, problem-focused content that hooks attention
• Consideration stage: Solution-oriented content that builds trust and demonstrates expertise
• Conversion stage: Persuasive content that overcomes objections and emphasizes benefits

3. Maintain Consistent Messaging

The language, promises, and positioning should remain consistent throughout your funnel. If your blog post talks about increasing social media engagement, your course should deliver on that specific promise—not pivot to a different aspect of social media.

4. Use Psychological Triggers Ethically

Effective funnels leverage psychological principles like:

• Scarcity (limited-time offers, limited spots)
• Social proof (testimonials, case studies, user numbers)
• Reciprocity (providing value before asking for the sale)
• Authority (establishing your expertise and credentials)

Always use these ethically—never create fake scarcity or exaggerate results.

Common Funnel Mistakes to Avoid

Even well-designed funnels can fail if they contain these common pitfalls:

1. Too Many Steps

Each additional step in your funnel creates another opportunity for people to drop off. Keep your funnel as streamlined as possible while still providing necessary information.

2. Mismatched Messaging

If your entry point promises one thing but your offer delivers something different, people will feel misled and exit your funnel.

3. Weak Call to Action

Vague or uninspiring calls to action like "Learn More" or "Click Here" don't drive action. Use specific, benefit-driven CTAs like "Get Your Free Audit Template" or "Secure Your Spot Now."

4. Poor Mobile Experience

Many people will experience your funnel on mobile devices. If your pages, forms, or checkout process aren't mobile-friendly, you'll lose potential customers.

5. No Follow-Up System

Not everyone will convert on their first trip through your funnel. Without a follow-up system (like email sequences or retargeting ads), you're leaving money on the table.

You Don't Have To Be Tech-Savvy

1. You receive a beautiful invitation in the mail (interest)
2. You RSVP via a card or website (consideration)
3. You keep the invitation as a reminder and perhaps receive follow-up communications about directions, registry information, etc. (continued engagement)
4. You attend the wedding (conversion)

Email Marketing Platforms:

• Brevo (my current favorite for its simplicity and powerful automation)
• MailChimp (great free tier for beginners)
• ConvertKit (specifically designed for creators)

Landing Pages:

All-in-One Solutions:

• Kajabi (robust but pricier option with everything you need)
• Wavoto (great balance of features and usability)
• HubSpot (people tend to love, I find it to be convoluted and overly complicated in a effort to make it impossible to move to another platform in the future)

Getting Started: Your First Funnel Action Plan

Ready to create your first marketing funnel? Here's a step-by-step action plan:

Week 1: Strategy and Planning

• Identify your conversion goal (what are you selling?)
• Define your ideal customer for this offer
• Map out the three stages of your funnel
• List the content and assets you'll need to create

Week 2: Content Creation

• Write your entry point content (blog post, social media content)
• Create your lead magnet (template, checklist, mini-course)
• Draft your consideration stage content (workshop slides, sales page)

Week 3: Technical Setup

• Set up your landing pages and forms
• Configure your email marketing automation
• Set up payment processing
• Test all technical components

Week 4: Launch and Optimize

• Launch your funnel to a small test audience
• Collect initial data and feedback
• Make necessary adjustments
• Scale up promotion to your full audience

Remember, your first funnel doesn't need to be perfect. Start simple, learn from the process, and improve over time. The most important step is to begin.

Uncover Your Audience's Journey With This Free Resource

Still not sure where to start with your funnel? I've created a free resource to help you map out your customer's journey and identify the perfect funnel opportunities in your business.

The Customer Journey Decoded Worksheet will help you:

• Understand how your marketing is currently driving people to your ultimate goals
• Identify what triggers people to act (or not act) at each stage of their journey
• Pinpoint any holes in your audience relationship that can be improved
• Generate ideas for content and offers that will guide prospects toward conversion

This worksheet takes the guesswork out of funnel creation by helping you see your marketing from your customer's perspective.

Get Your Free Customer Journey Worksheet Here

Creating effective marketing funnels isn't just about the technical setup—it's about adopting a strategic approach to your entire marketing process. Instead of random acts of content and promotion, you're building intentional pathways that guide prospects toward meaningful engagement with your business.

The funnel mindset means:

• Always knowing the next step you want people to take
• Creating content with specific purposes in your customer journey
• Measuring results based on conversions, not just views or likes
• Continuously optimizing your process based on data

When you embrace this approach, you'll find yourself working smarter, not harder. Your marketing becomes more efficient, your messaging more focused, and your results more predictable.

So if you've been putting in the hours without seeing the results, it might be time to stop spinning your wheels and start building funnels. Your future self (and your bank account) will thank you.

Remember, download the Customer Journey Decoded Worksheet to get started mapping your first funnel today!