I recorded a video to explain the inbound sales funnel (AKA the inbound marketing funnel), and to promote my in-depth guide to SaaS marketing. You can watch the video below, or on YouTube.
I’ve included the sales funnel template and examples below.
UPDATE: Today, you can still get the workbook (which I’m now calling The SaaS Marketing Workbook) for free here.
The Inbound Sales Funnel Template
This template includes the essential elements for any funnel. Print off a few copies and go to work.
Everything starts with your source of traffic. You’ve got to fill your funnel somehow. Then you’ll send that traffic to your website content or your landing page, where you’ll entice them to download your offer (in exchange for their contact information). Then you can nurture them and continue to send them leads to guide them through the buyer’s journey.
Sales Funnel Examples
Below are some examples based on a hypothetical mechanic who specializes in Audis.
Qualification Funnel
First, he fills the top of his funnel with people who are likely to have foreign cars.
Native advertising and paid social are natural fits for this funnel, but any channel can work if you do it right.For instance, if you target more research-oriented keywords, paid search could be a very cheap source of traffic.
This funnel requires content that will only appeal to people who are likely to be a good fit for your product or service. You don’t want to target too narrowly, because it’s early in the game and you don’t want to disqualify someone who might be a good fit.
But you want to use this funnel to exclude people who are almost sure not to be interested. For instance, someone with an F-150 probably isn’t going to be interested in taking their car to a shop that specializes in foreign cars.
Awareness Funnel
Next, our mechanic has multiple Awareness funnels that cover different problems his potential customers may have. For example, in the funnel below, he’s targeting people with an engine oil leak.
This funnel is designed to find people with the sorts of problems you solve with your product or service. They may not be looking for a solution yet, they may not even be aware they have a problem.
This is where you educate them on the basics, so they understand the problem and why it’s important that they deal with it.
Consideration Funnel
In the next stage, our mechanic provides value and builds his credibility in the Consideration funnel by helping his potential customers understand their options.
That means discussing competing solution categories. Be honest here. Let them know what would work best for them based on their situation.
Decision Funnel
Finally, our marketing master mechanic makes the case for his shop in the Decision stage.
At this point, his potential customers understand their problem and why it’s important to find a solution. They’ve considered their options, and they’ve decided to look for a mechanic that specializes in foreign cars.
Now our mechanic has to make his case. Why is he better than the competition?
(By the way, this would be a good time to create a sense of urgency with a limited time offer.)
The SaaS Marketing Workbook
If you’d like to learn more about this strategy, check out The SaaS Marketing Workbook.
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