How to Build a Sales Funnel from Scratch (Fast!)

If you want to know:

1. how to build a sales funnel from scratch, or
2. how to build a sales funnel fast,

then you’re in the right place! I’m going to teach you how to do both. And I’ve got a sales funnel template you can use to diagram your lead gen process too.

I’ve also written a guide you can download that will show you where to find all the resources you need to build a sales funnel from scratch without spending a penny!

Download the guide below to learn how to build a sales funnel for free:

Building a Sales Funnel

The sales funnel is a conceptual framework to help you visualize your sales process. It starts with traffic, which you pour into the funnel, and it ends with sales (from all the traffic that made it through to the end of the funnel).

Here’s what you need to know before you get started building your funnel:

1. Where will you traffic come from? SEO? Paid search? Facebook Ads? It will probably be some combination of the many channels that are available to you as a marketer.
2. Where will you send your traffic? You’ll need a landing page that is specifically designed for this traffic.
3. What are you going to give them? You’ll need to have an offer in order to get their contact information so that you can continue to market to them in the future. Downloadable content is typical for traffic at the top of the funnel (checklists, resource guides, templates, etc.), while demos, discounts, and free trials are more prevalent for traffic that’s about ready to close.

Once you’ve answered those questions, you can begin building your sales funnel by filling out the diagram below:

Putting it All Together

Now I’ll show you how to build all these components.

To wire everything together, you’ll need email marketing software. You can use one of the free email marketing providers mentioned in this free guide:

Creating Your Offer

First you’ll want to create your offer in Beacon (they have a free plan).

Click “Create New,” choose “Lead Magnet,” and then select the type of lead magnet you want to create. You can then select a template and use Beacon’s drag and drop editor to design the perfect lead magnet.

Where relevant, add links and calls-to-action to content and offers further down the funnel.

Build Your Landing Page

Now you’ll start building your funnel.

This is where you’ll build your landing page, thank you page, and any other additional steps you want to put in the funnel. For some tips on how to do this effectively, you can read my guide to landing page design here.

Remember to use each page as an opportunity to draw your leads further down the funnel.

Set Up Your Emails

Then you’ll need to set up your emails and marketing automation with a tool like Mailchimp or Drip. As with everything in your funnels, use these emails to drive leads down the funnel.

Further Reading

I’ve written a more detailed guide called The Saas Marketing Funnel. It covers all of the fundamentals that apply to every industry (not just SaaS marketing). I hope it helps you in your quest to build a sales funnel from scratch!