I often tell people that funnels don’t magically work on their own. I know a lot of creators like to say, “You just need a funnel,” but the reality is that a funnel is nothing without marketing.
You see, a funnel is just a tool.
But wait—didn’t you say that a funnel is a customer journey?
Yes, it is. But when it comes to a sales page, a funnel on its own won’t give you the results you want. This usually happens for two reasons: either the offer isn’t hitting the mark with your audience, or you simply need to market it properly.
So, what do I mean by “marketing your funnel”?
We love creating funnels, but we’re not marketing experts (we specialise in funnels, after all). When you work with us, we’ll give you extensive advice on how to market your funnel. This is crucial because you need to get your funnel in front of enough people if you hope to convert enough clients to hit your targets.
Simply put, you need to put your offer in front of as many people as possible, in the places where your ideal clients are most likely to see it. The more people who see your funnel, the higher the chance of converting enough clients. And if you don’t convert enough, at least you’ll have solid data to back yourself up. If your marketing numbers are stacking up but your conversions aren’t, it’s likely that something in your funnel needs a tweak. Conversely, if you’ve only had a handful of page views, then you know it’s time to ramp up your marketing.
Does that make sense?
Conversion Rates and Targets in Funnels
When I was an estate agent, I was trained to think of sales as a numbers game. For every X number of phone calls, a certain number of people would book a valuation; from those bookings, a set number would list with us; and from a given number of inbound enquiries, we’d book viewings—leading to sales on homes (and even referrals for solicitors and mortgages).
They built this numbers game from data gathered across the company, which then formed part of our targets.
Online businesses can sometimes overlook these “serious” targets, but when it comes to funnels, setting conversion targets can be incredibly helpful. If you approach it with curiosity and a willingness to experiment, it can be really rewarding. If you haven’t tracked statistics for your business—or if it doesn’t quite make sense for you right now—here are some averages to keep in mind:
According to a survey, a good funnel conversion rate for most online businesses is between 3.1% and 5%.
(Source: KhrisDigital)
That conversion rate refers to people landing on your page. If you’re starting from scratch, I’d suggest expecting around a 1-2% conversion rate. It varies massively from business to business, but as a starting point, let’s work with 3%. For every 100 people who see your sales page, perhaps only 3 will actually join your offer. That might not sound like much, but consider that many people only market their business via social media.
Here are some stats on reach for Facebook and Instagram in 2024:
- Instagram has an average reach rate of 4.00%.
- Facebook has an average reach rate of 2.60%.
(Source: Social Insider – Social Media Reach)
This means that for every 1,000 connections, only about 26 people will see your post on Instagram and 40 on Facebook. And from those, only a small percentage will actually click your sales page to learn more.
For example, if I have 5,000 Facebook connections and only market there, a 4% reach means 200 people see my offer. Of those 200, maybe only 1% decide to click—that’s just 2 people. And with a “good” conversion rate of 3-5%, well, you can see how important marketing really is.
I don’t want to give you doom and gloom here—these are just rough figures. Your numbers could be a lot better! But I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t share the reality of marketing online. The good news is that once you have the data, you can tweak your marketing strategy.
So, How Can You Create a Marketing Plan for Your Funnels?
Now that we understand the reality of online conversions, let’s dive into creating a marketing plan that works for you. Remember, without marketing, your funnels are just sitting there doing nothing.
I’m going to share my TOP-DOWN approach:
Start at the Top
Think about all the ways you can get eyes on your business. Here are some ideas:
- Advertising: Consider local ads or placements on frequently visited websites.
- Expos and Exhibitions: Having a stand at an event can boost visibility.
- Sponsorships: Sponsor an event to get your brand in front of a targeted audience.
- Community Engagement: Philanthropic or community awareness initiatives can also offer marketing benefits.
- Guest Blogs and Speaking: This helps you reach different, but highly relevant, audiences.
- Collaborations: Partner with others in complementary fields.
- Social Media: Platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook are key.
- Your Website: Invest in SEO so that people can find you through search.
- Business Listings: Get on platforms like Google My Business.
- Networking: Both online and in-person networking can help.
- Influencer Marketing: Work with influencers to expand your reach.
This list is by no means exhaustive. There are countless creative ways to get your business in front of people. The key is to be where your ideal clients are, and to make it easy for them to connect with you.
Building Your Personal Marketing Plan
I first built my own marketing plan using the top-down approach to ensure it was realistic for what I could achieve. Personally, I chose exhibitions, social media, investing time in my website, collaborations, and guest speaking. I know it’s hard work, but it’s achievable.
Then, I worked from the bottom up. I listed all the ways I’d be marketing at the top, and my paid offers at the bottom—everything in between counts too, like blogs, freebies, and building an email list.
For example, in my membership, I’d be chuffed to get 50 sign-ups on the first launch. At the top of my plan, I have exhibitions, social media, my website, collaborations, and guest speaking.
- I’ve lined up an exhibition with 800 potential clients.
- I have around 3,000 connections on social media.
- I’m guest speaking at two events this month, reaching about 100 people.
- I’m in a networking group of 371 members, plus two other in-person networks.
That gives me a combined “audience” of roughly 4,300 people. The exhibition, in particular, will drive significant traffic because it’s a business event filled with ideal clients. I also have a collaboration lined up with someone who has a bigger audience than me—this is what I call a “borrowed audience.” Since I haven’t always focused heavily on social media, I rely on expanding my reach beyond my own networks.
This approach underlines the importance of consistently marketing your business: increasing your social media following, making industry connections, and working together with trusted partners to provide complementary services (it has to be a win-win, of course!).
Get Curious with Your Marketing
Commit to at least three months of sticking to your marketing plan so that it stays top-of-mind. Remind yourself regularly how crucial it is for your business to be seen. People need to know your business exists, that you’re active, and that you have solutions to help them right now.
Make a note of your progress and give it a solid three months before making any major changes. Consistency is key—it takes time to see real progress!
I wish you the best of luck with your marketing plan. If you have any questions or need more advice, feel free to reach out on my socials. Follow me for more tips: