The Problem with Funnel Templates (That No One Warns You About)

Sometines, grabbing a funnel template seems like the easy route.

You find a beautiful and slick looking sales page template, you adjust the text to your offer and hit publish… and expect the bookings or sign-ups to roll in.

But then you get tumbleweeds.

Crickets!

Here’s the thing no one tells you: most funnel templates are designed to look good, not convert well. Or they’re configured to a specific offer and industry. And if you’re not careful, they can actually make things harder, not easier.

In this blog post, I’m breaking down the most common mistakes people make when using templates and how to fix them so your funnel actually works.

1. You’re Designing Before You’re Writing

This one’s a biggie.

Most templates push you to start with design. You’re slotting text into boxes that already exist, instead of crafting messaging that reflects what your offer actually does.

But here’s the problem: great funnels start with great messaging and copy. Not pretty layouts. I always advise people to start with writing the copy first. If your copy doesn’t flow in a document it won’t flow correctly in a page either. 

When you try to make your words fit into someone else’s design, you often end up trimming down what matters, skipping over objections, or losing flow  just to “make it fit”.

If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a blank template section thinking “what am I even meant to write here?”… this is why. 

2. You’re Using a Template Meant for a Different Kind of Offer

Not all funnels are built the same.

A template designed for a freebie or a £27 digital product is going to feel very different from one selling a £2k group programme or a 1:1 service. I would argue that templates made for one industry or type of business might not fit another either! What matters to one type of audience might not matter to yours. For example, a hairdresser might need a menu of services, and a gallery showing off their work. You might need online testimonials, a video to introduce them, a demo… 

The features you’d display on the page are quite different!

So unless that template was literally made for your business model and your audience, you’ll end up doing mental gymnastics trying to make it work, or worse, settling for a page that looks fine but doesn’t actually reflect your value.

3. No Branding, No Personality

Templates are a starting point- not the end product.

I see so many pages still showing the default fonts, random colour schemes, or placeholder images. And I get it. it feels easier to launch “something” than to get picky about details…

But those details are what build trust. People want to feel like they’re buying from you, not some generic brand with Canva energy. (Nothing wrong with Canva by the way, we just want YOU and your brand to shine in the page!)

At the very least:

• Add your brand colours in the text, buttons, any decorations on the page
• Use your own voice in the copy, commit to analysing the copy, section by section until it sounds good
• Swap in proper photos- at the very least one image of you and then some carefully picked stock photos if you don’t have any decent photos (more on that next)

4. You’ve Ignored the Mobile View (and It Shows)

More than half your visitors will see your funnel on their phone-  but you’d never know it from how some templates behave. Often they haven’t been optimised for mobile OR they have totally different sections for mobile…

If your buttons are overlapping, your text is jumping all over the place, or your images are cropped weirdly, it’s a dead giveaway that mobile was an afterthought.

I quite like this quote:

✨ A funnel that only works on desktop is like a shop that only opens on Sundays.✨

 Check mobile view before you publish. Remember, if you have columns usually the left column will show at the top in mobile (with the right columns stacked underneath) 

If you have a section on desktop view that’s a complete mess on mobile consider making a simple version of the section- and showing it only on mobile. If you’d like to know how to do this in your system feel free to drop me a message, I’m happy to tell you how!

5. The Photos Let You Down

You’ve poured your heart into the offer, you’ve written the words… and then you whack in a blurry selfie or a weird stock photo of someone eating salad while laughing at their laptop. 🥴 (lol)

You don’t need a full brand shoot (although it REALLY helps!), but you do need images that reflect your energy and build trust. Even a handful of decent shots taken in natural light can make a massive difference.

And please,  replace the template’s default images. You’re not selling corporate software or wellness retreats in Bali (unless you are, in which case… crack on- but still include pictures of the actual location!)

Your visuals actually help answer questions. Have you ever heard the phrase of “a picture says a 1000 words”?

If you have an in person offer try to get a visual of the location. If food is included try to get a picture of the food or beverages included. If you’ve ran the event before include images of the last event so people can get a good idea of the vibes! 

If you have a virtual offer, create mockups of the resources, take a screenshot (with permission) at your next group coaching session. A picture of a group coaching session can convey community, a space of trust and connection among peers. Do you see where I am going with this? 

From my point of view, the more visual options we have, the better. Without images, icons, and mockups your page would just be full of text (which is boring!)

So What’s the Fix?

Strategy First. Always.

Templates can be brilliant when they support a clear plan, but without that plan, they’re just a shiny distraction. There are lots of amazing templates out there- the key is knowing how to use them to your advantage.

Here’s what I do (and what I help clients do too):

1. Map the funnel first: What’s the journey? Where are people coming from? What do they need to hear? What’s important to them?
2. Write the copy: Based on that journey, with personality, clarity, and strategy.
3. Then design and build: Using a template that matches the needs, not just vibes. The design is based on the copy. Copy first, always! This way, the funnel works with you, not against you. And you won’t be stuck late at night thinking “Why isn’t this converting?” (I have another blog post coming on that soon!)

You Can Tweak It Later, But You’ve Got to Launch It First

One last thing: don’t let this list put you off launching. I am passionate about helping you remove barriers in business and if it helps you to use a template please do! If a funnel template is helping you take action, then that’s the main thing. 

Your first funnel doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be live. You can tweak it, test it, and improve it once it’s out in the world,  but none of that can happen if it’s still sitting in your drafts folder.

So by all means, use a template if it helps. Just make sure the strategy leads the way, that it aligns with you, and don’t be afraid to rip up sections that don’t work for you!

Need Help Making a Template Actually Work?

If you’ve got a funnel that looks pretty but doesn’t feel quite right (or isn’t converting), I can help. I can offer you a funnel audit or you can purchase support hours from me to help you whip your funnel into shape.

Pop me a message, or book a consult and let’s make your funnel work for you!