What is a sales funnel? Is it the same thing as a sales pipeline?
Why all the plumbing terminology?
We get it – you aren't alone. Many sales professionals struggle with the concept and only have surface-level knowledge of what a sales funnel is.
In fact, 68% of companies have not identified or attempted to measure a sales funnel.
So, what is a sales funnel and how does it work?
It's a visualization of your customer's journey from prospect to customer. But what is it in-depth?
Nothing to fret over – we've got the goods. We'll go over:
You'll be an expert in no time.
A sales funnel is a visual representation of the customer journey. It's a set of steps for a regular ol' person to become what every business wants – a paying customer.
First contact to close.
And, just like a funnel, it's widest at the top and gets progressively smaller. What do we mean by that? Let's create a quick example of a sales funnel at a brick-and-mortar donut shop:
|
Stage 1 |
Stage 2 |
Stage 3 |
Stage 4 |
|
10 people walk by on the sidewalk |
5 people enter the shop |
4 people browse the glass case of pastries |
3 people buy donuts |
See how the funnel gets smaller the further along in the customer journey we get?
A sales funnel helps your team visualize where leads are in the sales process – and where they drop off. Our example above? The biggest customer drop-off was stage 2: entering the shop. That sort of information tells your team to work on improving window displays and making better signboards.
A sales funnel will help you pinpoint what's working and what isn't.
Sales funnels have varying numbers of stages, but boil down to: discovering your business > learning more > and making a purchase.
Three, four, and six-stage models are available (and valid), but we'll focus on the six-step one as it's the most detailed of them all.
And we like getting down into details.
Here's a quick visualization of a 6-stage sales funnel from Awareness to Loyalty. Let's go over what they mean:
|
Stage |
What's happening with the customer |
|
1. Awareness |
The customer has a need and is looking for a solution. Through either their own research or being contacted by your outbound sales team. |
|
2. Interest |
You've now piqued the customer's interest. Your interaction with them at this stage is crucial because it's the first impression. |
|
3. Evaluation |
This is where the customer eyes you up like a piece of meat. They want to evaluate your service andsee if it suits them. |
|
4. Intent |
Your prospects are getting closer, so it's time to amp up their desire and intent. This is prime time to give customers a little push with promotions, offers, etc. |
|
5. Purchase |
The moment we've all been waiting for – a purchase has been made. |
|
6. Loyalty |
Maintain the customer/business relationship and keep their loyalty. After all, even a 5% higher retention rate could be worth up to a 95% increase in profit. |
You can see the benefit from the business perspective, but a sales funnel is beneficial from the customer's perspective, too. It improves their overall experience when you monitor (and improve!) their steps from discovery to purchase.
And from their point of view, stage six might just be spreading the word about your amazing service.
A well-crafted sales funnel is important because it means you aren't tossing out guesses and relying on gut decisions. You have not only a step-by-step selling and marketing process, but a measurable one.
78% of business buyers seek salespeople who act as trusted advisors with knowledge of their needs and industry. But this can only be achieved if you know what a prospect has at the moment. And 96% of all visitors to a website are not ready to make a purchase straight away.
A sales funnel can zero in on ideal customers and eliminate the pain of FOMOOS (fear of missing out…on sales).
Here are some top benefits:
An improved customer experience will boost your retention rates and profit margin, and lower your customer acquisition costs.
Clear on the concept and its importance, but still scratching your head and wondering, "What is a sales funnel approach I could use in my business?"
Scratch no more, the answer is here.
In 2025, understanding what a sales funnel is, your GPS for every customer interaction, guiding prospects from "just browsing" to "where do I sign?"
Whether you're wondering what a sales funnel is and how it works or evaluating what is a sales funnel system, the core idea remains the same: structure breeds predictability, and predictability breeds revenue.
Let's elaborate below.
A well-defined sales funnel approach ensures that every touchpoint—email drip, webinar invite, or social-media nudge—is purpose-built to move prospects closer to purchase. By mapping content and offers to each stage (awareness, consideration, decision), you avoid the dreaded "one-size-fits-all" blunder and instead deliver tailored value exactly when it's needed.
With a structured funnel, you can forecast revenue with surgical precision. Crystalline visibility into how many leads enter the top of the funnel, coupled with historical conversion rates, turns guesswork into an exact science.
When your finance team asks, "How much can we expect next quarter?" you'll have the data to answer confidently—no more crystal-ball theatrics.
Your content calendar gains laser focus: blog posts, whitepapers, case studies, and social posts align with each funnel stage. Ask yourself what a sales funnel report tells you about which blog topics sparked the most interest, or which gated asset stalled in the consideration phase, and pivot your content strategy accordingly.
In an era where customers expect bespoke experiences, the sales funnel system you choose must enable personalization at scale. Whether it's dynamic email content, AI-driven chatbots or account-based marketing sequences, your funnel becomes the command center for crafting messages that resonate, boosting engagement rates by up to 37% compared to generic blasts.
As you can see, a sales funnel report deep dive reveals where leads drop off, which stages deliver the highest ROI, and how long prospects linger in each phase.
By tracking metrics such as conversion rates, average deal size and time-to-close, you can:
In short, adopting a robust sales funnel in 2025 means less guesswork and more growth. After all, when you know what is a sales funnel and how it works, you're not just selling—you're orchestrating an experience that converts.
You've probably Googled "what is a sales funnel and how does it work", only to find yourself buried under buzzwords and vague diagrams.
Let's fix that.
Here's a simple, six-step roadmap to create a sales funnel system that doesn't just look good on a whiteboard, but actually converts.
Before you can sell anything, you need to know who you're selling to. Start by creating an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), a detailed picture of your dream buyer.
Use actual data (from CRM insights, surveys, customer interviews, etc.) and market research to flesh out demographics, pain points, goals, and buying behavior.
Depending on if your company is B2C or B2B, use a CRM's data around demographics or firmographics to form an idea of the main people interested in your service.
Firmographics and demographics are basically the same thing. It's just the distinction of whether or not your customer is a business or an individual:
|
Business |
Individual |
|
Industry |
Gender |
|
Location |
Age |
|
Size |
Profession |
|
Performance |
Income |
|
Company status or structure |
Family status or structure |
Knowing your audience means you won't waste time pitching an enterprise solution to a solo freelancer. That's like offering steak to a vegetarian.
This is where the magic begins. Want people in your funnel? Give them a reason to enter. Offer value up front—lead magnets like:
Think of this as your digital handshake. You're building trust while sneakily pulling them into your sales funnel approach. No trickery—just value with a side of strategy.
Every lead is unique. Some are just browsing. Others? Ready to buy yesterday. Use behavioral data (like email clicks, page views, or quiz responses) to segment leads based on their readiness and interest.
This step helps you personalize your messaging, prioritize hot leads, and avoid sending "Schedule a demo!" emails to someone who just downloaded a beginner's guide. What is a sales funnel without smart segmentation? A guessing game.
Now that they're in your funnel, keep them engaged. Set up automated email or SMS campaigns using tools like Ringy, HubSpot, or Mailchimp.
The goal? Educate, entertain, and move them closer to a buying decision—without being that pushy salesperson from the '90s.
Nurturing builds trust. According to DemandGen, nurtured leads make 47% larger purchases than non-nurtured ones. Your future self (and your sales team) will thank you.
Here's where it gets real. Based on where a lead is in your sales funnel system, tailor your offer to their needs. Maybe it's a limited-time discount, a free consultation, or a personalized demo. The key is relevance. No one wants a one-size-fits-all pitch anymore.
And remember: the pitch isn't just what you say—it's when and how you say it. Timing is everything in the funnel game.
Congrats! You made the sale. But don't ghost your new customer. Post-sale follow-up is where loyal relationships (and upsells) begin. Send thank-you emails, request feedback, offer onboarding, or suggest related products.
You can also set up post-purchase sequences that keep your brand top of mind and set the stage for future conversions. Think of this as the encore after a great performance. Don't just exit the stage.
You've probably wondered, "What is a sales funnel approach in the real world?" Sure, the concept sounds good in theory, but how does it actually work across different industries?
The truth is, sales funnels aren't just for tech startups or marketing nerds (guilty). Whether you're selling software, socks, or services—or even hiring new talent—you can apply the sales funnel system to streamline and scale your success.
Let's explore how different businesses are putting their funnels to work:
In SaaS, what is a sales funnel without a compelling demo experience? A missed opportunity.
Here's the typical flow:
This funnel helps you build trust before asking for a commitment. No cold calls, just warm leads on a guided path to purchase.
The insurance industry lives and dies by lead follow-up. So, what is a sales funnel report worth here? A whole lot.
Tools like Ringy help insurance agents automate outreach from the moment a lead fills out a quote form. Here's how it plays out:
This type of sales funnel system keeps leads from slipping through the cracks and boosts conversion rates by keeping contact timely and consistent, without working 24/7 like a robot.
Abandoned carts = lost sales. But with a funnel in place, that doesn't have to be the end of the story.
What is a sales funnel in eCommerce? It's a beautifully automated rescue mission:
This is sales funnel marketing in action—re-engaging interest with personalized, timely nudges.
Think coaches, consultants, or home repair pros. You run ads or post content that drives traffic to a booking page. But what happens next?
Here's the ideal sales funnel approach:
This kind of drip-nurture-close model gives even solo entrepreneurs the power of a full sales team, with automation doing the heavy lifting.
Yep, even HR is getting funnel-savvy.
What is a sales funnel in recruiting? Think of it like this:
This funnel-style approach makes your hiring process more efficient and gives candidates a better experience (read: less ghosting, more onboarding).
Understanding what a sales funnel is is great, but seeing it applied to real marketing situations. That's where things click.
Here are five common marketing scenarios where a structured funnel approach helps businesses go from "just browsing" to "let's buy now."
Let's say you're a small business owner offering digital templates or a niche service. You drive traffic to a landing page with a juicy lead magnet, like a free checklist or guide. Once someone signs up, they're in your sales funnel.
Here's how the sales funnel system unfolds:
This is a classic example of what a sales funnel approach looks like when executed with precision and empathy. It doesn't push—it guides.
Now imagine you're in the insurance or real estate industries where speed and persistence matter. A platform like Ringy helps automate the entire sales funnel so your team focuses on conversations, not chasing paperwork.
Here's the flow:
This approach shows what is a sales funnel and how it works when automation and human touch come together.
Let's say you offer a project management tool or marketing software. You've nailed acquisition with a free trial. What now? Without a funnel, most of those free users will fade into the digital abyss.
Here's how to turn interest into revenue:
This is sales funnel marketing 101—turning curiosity into commitment with timely nudges and relevant messages.
Whether you're selling premium coaching or complex software, webinars work wonders when paired with a solid sales funnel system.
Here's how a typical company applies this:
This kind of sales funnel approach builds authority and trust while offering a clear path to purchase, ideal for premium products.
Have a list of old leads gathering digital dust? You're not alone. This is where a re-engagement funnel shines, particularly for sales teams in B2B or service-based businesses.
The playbook:
With this approach, you get fresh conversion data, which you can plug into your sales funnel report to measure how effective your re-engagement efforts really are.
So, what is a sales funnel and how does it work? We think we nailed that one today.
Visualizing how your customer interacts with your business is essential – after all, they are the ones buying your product and paying your bills. It only makes sense that it's beneficial to monitor how they find your business and their overall experience.
And it isn't hard to create one. Start with your landing page, create some solid lead magnets like ebooks, newsletters, and special offers to grab contact information, and add some valuable content like testimonials and blog posts (hey, it's us!).
Need any help? We got you. A sales CRM like Ringy can help you automate the process and boost sales by up to 48% (and that's according to our internal client numbers!), so get in touch now.
As you build up your sales funnel, remember to keep it aligned with your sales pipeline. If you want some tips on your pipeline, check out How to Build a Sales Pipeline [Step-By-Step Guide] on our blog.