7 Simple Funnels to Grow Your Business

Let’s talk about something that could completely transform how you attract customers, build relationships, and generate revenue in your business. I’m talking about funnels. Specifically, we’re diving into the 7 Simple Funnels Every Entrepreneur Needs in Their Business to grow their audience, promote their offers, and simplify their marketing efforts.

And guess what? I’ve created a cheat sheet just for you, outlining these 7 funnels don’t worry about trying to jot all of this down. It’s free and ready for you to download right now.

Click here to download the 7 Simple Funnels to Grow Your Business Cheat Sheet

What Are Funnels and Why Do You Need Them?

Let’s start with the basics. What is a funnel? A funnel is simply a set of sequences you have in place to orchestrate the customer’s journey with you and your brand. It’s designed to guide your from awareness to becoming a paid client.

Sales funnels can be compared to dating because, like in a romantic relationship, you take potential customers (or "leads") through a step-by-step process that builds trust, interest, and commitment over time.

1.Awareness (First Impressions)

This is the moment someone notices you for the first time. In dating, it might be seeing someone at a coffee shop or on a dating app. In business, this is when a potential customer becomes aware of your brand, usually through ads, social media, a blog post, or word of mouth.

2. Interest (Getting to Know Each Other)

Once someone notices you, they need to find out more. In dating, this might be the first conversation or exchanging messages. For your business, this is where the potential customer visits your website, reads your blog, watches a video, or downloads a lead magnet (like a free eBook).

3. Consideration (The First Date)

This is where things start getting serious. In dating, the first date is when you're figuring out if there's potential for a relationship. In business, this is when your lead starts comparing you to competitors, looking for reviews, or exploring your offerings.

4. Decision (Making It Official)

This is the moment they decide whether to move forward. In dating, it’s when both people agree to become exclusive or pursue a relationship. In business, it’s when the lead decides to buy from you. This might involve purchasing a product, enrolling in a program, or signing up for a service.

5. Retention (Keeping the Spark Alive)

Once they're in, the work doesn’t stop. In dating, this means nurturing the relationship with thoughtful gestures, communication, and shared experiences. For your business, it’s about keeping your customers engaged through excellent service, follow-up emails, special offers, and ongoing support.

6. Advocacy (Telling Their Friends About You)

A happy relationship often inspires people to talk about how wonderful their partner is. In business, satisfied customers become your biggest advocates, spreading the word to their friends, family, and networks.

Now, let’s dive into the 7 simple funnels every business needs.

The 7 Simple Funnels You Need in Your Business

1. Free Content Funnel: This is your entry point. It’s all about offering free, valuable content to attract your audience. Think of things like checklists, cheat sheets, resource guides, or even a short video series. The goal? Build your email list. This is where you start building trust and relationships with potential customers.

2. Low Ticket Offer Funnel: Once you’ve captured your audience’s attention, it’s time to offer something they can purchase at a low cost. It could be a $7 ebook, a $27 digital toolkit, or even a $47 workshop replay. These low-cost offers turn leads into paying customers, making it easier to sell higher-priced products down the line.

3. Webinar Funnel: Webinars are a fantastic way to showcase your expertise while building trust. These are usually free virtual events that run between 45 minutes and 2 hours. During the webinar, you highlight the problem your audience faces, explain why it’s important to solve, and offer a solution at the end.

4. Pre-Book Funnel: This one’s for my authors out there. Before your book is even published, you can build a list of eager readers by offering free digital gifts, like sample chapters or a digital journal. It’s a great way to create buzz before your launch.

5. Book Buyer Funnel: If you’ve already published a book, this funnel helps you build a list of buyers. Include a free digital gift inside your book—something like worksheets, a video series, or exclusive content—and encourage readers to opt in.

This is an opportunity that many authors miss in their books. Remember, Amazon will give you money all day long but what they will not give you is the name and email addresses of the people who bought your book. We need that because people who bought your book have not only raised their hands to say that they are interested in the topic you wrote about. They are saying that they are interested in your take on the topic you wrote about. This is huge. If they liked your book, they may be interested in your workshops, online courses, membership programs or coaching.

6. Workshop/Event Funnel: Workshops are another great way to connect with your audience. Whether virtual or in-person, these events provide valuable teaching and naturally lead to promoting a higher-ticket offer, like coaching or online courses.

7. Summit Funnel: This is a collaborative approach where you and other experts come together to share insights around a specific theme. It’s a powerful way to grow your list by tapping into other people’s audiences while positioning yourself as a leader in your field.

Each of these funnels serves a specific purpose, and together, they create a comprehensive system for growing your business."

Key Benefits of Using These Funnels

So, why should you care about implementing these funnels in your business? Here are a couple of benefits.

Build Your Email List: Your email list is your most valuable marketing asset. Funnels help you consistently attract new leads by offering irresistible resources and gifts. With every new opt-in, you’re creating a direct line of communication with your audience, bypassing the noise of social media and giving you control over how you engage with them.

Increase Revenue: Funnels guide your audience step-by-step, helping them see the value of your offers at every stage. Whether it’s a low-ticket item or a premium service, funnels provide a clear path for your customers to follow, increasing the likelihood of conversions and repeat purchases. The beauty of funnels is their scalability—you can start small and grow your revenue exponentially over time.

Additionally, funnels allow you to nurture relationships with your audience. When done right, they show your audience that you understand their needs and have the perfect solution for them. Whether they’re just discovering you or they’ve been following you for years, funnels ensure you’re meeting them exactly where they are.

Getting Started with Funnels

Now that you know the 7 simple funnels, how do you get started?

First, choose one funnel that aligns with your current business goals. For example, if you’re launching a book, start with the Pre-Book Funnel. If you’re hosting a virtual event, go for the Webinar or Workshop Funnel.

Next, make sure you have the right tools in place. Two of my favorite tools are HighLevel and Canva. HighLevel is an all-in-one platform that makes setting up landing pages, email automation, and even text messaging a breeze. It’s perfect for creating professional funnels without needing a ton of tech skills.

Listen, I love Highlevel so much that I have my own white-labeled version that I offer to my clients. If you want to know more, check out Digital Mastery CRM or schedule a call with me, TalkWithVan.com.

Now Canva is an incredible design tool that lets you create graphics for your landing pages, social media, and email campaigns. Together, these tools simplify the process and ensure your funnels not only function well but also look amazing.

Once you’ve selected your tools, outline the steps of your funnel. Start with the end goal—what action do you want your audience to take? Then, work backward. For example, if your goal is to sell a course, you might design a Webinar Funnel that begins with a free training, moves to a sales pitch, and ends with follow-up emails to encourage sign-ups.

Don’t forget to test your funnel before launching. Ensure every link works, every email is scheduled, and every graphic aligns with your branding. A polished funnel builds trust and increases conversions.

Finally, track your results. Use analytics tools to measure how well your funnel is performing. Are people opting in? Are they clicking through to the next step? This data will help you refine and improve your funnels over time.

Remember, the key is to start simple. Pick one funnel, set it up, and launch it. Review your results, make changes if necessary and do it again.

There are some of you out there that will say, “Vanessa, I tried funnels. They didn’t work.” This is not a one and done type of strategy. You can’t try it once, it didn’t work and now you give up on it. Listen, this strategy works. If your funnels aren’t working, find out why.