A sales funnel is a model for visualizing and analyzing the process that potential customers go through to ultimately make a purchase decision. The sales funnel consists of various stages that map the path from initial customer contact to closing a deal. Typically, a sales funnel consists of the following four stages: Customer Approach (Awareness), Interest (Interest), Decision (Decision), and Purchase (Action).
Awareness phase (customer approach)
The awareness phase is the first step in the sales funnel and refers to the number of potential customers who have become aware of a company's offer. In this phase, the goal is to gain the attention of the target group through various online marketing measures such as SEO, SEA or social media marketing.
Interest phase (interest)
In the interest phase, the potential customer has already shown interest in the products or services offered. This can be expressed, for example, by visiting the website, subscribing to a newsletter, or interacting with the company on social networks. In this phase, it is important to provide the customer with further information about the product or service and thereby deepen the interest.
Decision phase (decision making)
During the decision phase, the potential customer is encouraged to make a concrete comparison of products or services and is gradually led to the purchase decision. Here, offers should be presented in an appealing manner and possible objections or concerns on the part of the customer should be dispelled by means of suitable arguments. A professional web presence and effective webinars can support this phase.
Action phase (purchase)
The actual purchase or booking of a service takes place in the action phase. The customer's decision to buy can be significantly influenced by targeted closing strategies such as discounts, test offers, or exclusive bonus offers that increase the attractiveness of the offer. In addition, it is important in this phase to make the purchase process as smooth as possible in order to avoid possible purchase cancellations.
Summary
The sales funnel is an important component in online marketing and helps to make the process of customer acquisition and retention systematic and goal-oriented. A well-designed and optimized sales funnel leads to a higher conversion rate and thus to an increase in sales figures.
