How to Use Your Sales Funnel to Accumulate Sales with Less Effort

It doesn't matter what type of business you have, or what sort of service or product you provide, the equation is simple. The more customers you have, or at least the more they spend, the more likely your business is to succeed. While repeat customers are generally regarded as the best type of customer, you can never underestimate or overlook the importance of a steady flow of new customers coming to your business for the first time.

You will have no doubt heard of the term ‘sales funnel’ before and you might be even aware of the simple principle of pouring potential customers and leads into the top and getting paying customers out of the bottom. However, you might be slightly hazy on exactly how you turn one into the other as efficiently as possible, and don't waste time with tire kickers and window shoppers.

Your Sales Funnel

A sales funnel does not quite mimic a funnel in the real world, because everything you put in does not come out to the bottom. Instead, you will find that your potential customers tend to leak out of the sides. This can be through either a waning of interest on their part or a misstep on your part that drives them away.

For this reason, it is almost certainly the case that no matter what you do, you can't turn everybody into a buyer. It is important, then, that you spend as little time as possible on the tire kickers and window shoppers and as much time as possible nurturing those who might become a customer. Knowing the difference between these different types of people, and how you define one from the others is an interesting process, that is expertly explained in this article by Web Presence.

Concentrate On Key Areas

You will find that using information from sources like this can save you time and effort running down dead-end streets for no reward. As a small business owner, your time is extremely precious. So, having a clearly defined salesfunnel setup can go a long way two taking the weight off your shoulders and knowing that you have a steady stream of new customers coming in.

You might find that the buyers of products in your niche will follow the same path from initial inquiry to making a purchase. By looking for the ones that stick to this path, you are more likely to have a potential customer in your hands rather than a time waster.

Create Repeat Customers

Of course, turning that lead into a customer is not the end of the process by any means, it's just the beginning. As mentioned above, repeat customers are the best customers to have, as you do not have to market as much to them again to get another sale. This is because they are already familiar with your business, and if you have done your job properly, will be willing to buy again.

In common with the sales funnel that bought them into the business, communication is key here. By letting them know when to expect their product or service to arrive, following up to make sure that they are happy, and asking for feedback, you are keeping them in the loop. This is also a great way of communicating with them regarding any new products that might be a good fit for them.