A strategic marketing funnel is designed to build a robust sales pipeline and nurture new customers throughout the buying process— from the awareness stage to the interest stage to the decision stage.
Sales funnels can range from a simple two-step process to highly complex, multi-channel, and segmented marketing campaigns. Regardless of where your business is today, all funnels are going to include these main components:
- Funnel landing page – a web page that is designed and targeted specifically to convert leads to a single offer
- A call to action (CTA) – a requirement to trade something for your offer, whether that is their information or a monetary exchange
- An opt-in – a form that is customized to the CTA, for example, an appointment calendar, a quiz, a signup box, or a purchase form
- Automated emails – a series of emails that are automatically triggered by all opt-ins to deliver the offer and then follow up with more information about your services, testimonials, and marketing for paid services or products
Let’s take a look at seven tried-and-true sales funnel examples, so you can see exactly how these digital elements come together to create an irresistible offer.
Learn more about how the three stages of a sales funnel work in our beginner’s guide to digital funnels
Squeeze Page Funnel
A ”squeeze page”, also known as a lead capture page, is a simple landing page designed with the primary goal of collecting contact information from your target audience. Unlike a service page or homepage, it typically consists of a concise and focused message that offers a lead magnet of value to the visitor in exchange for their email address. Stripping away distractions like website navigation, external links, and company FAQ keeps potential customers focused on signing up.
- An email marketing campaign promotes the lead magnet and links to the squeeze page. The page includes:
- Hero-style header with a simple sign up form directly on the page
- Marketing message about what you get in the lead magnet
- Brief Introduction to the brand
- After submitting the form entry, leads are taken to a thank you page that funnels them to a Facebook page.
- Leads are added to a list of prospects who opted in and an automatic email is triggered to them with a link to a download page.
- A simple page with a download button gives them access to the lead magnet and tracks email list recipients who clicked through so they can receive a follow-up email nurture sequence.
Like this funnel? See a live demo of this landing page here: Squeeze Page Demo
Free Consultation Appointment Funnel
If you’re a service-based company like a real estate agent, accountant, lawyer, or consultant, a free appointment offer is an effective sales funnel. Prospective customers who sign up for consultations are typically in the interest stage of the sales funnel, so it’s key to make a personal connection and build trust through your sales page and digital marketing content.
In this example, a conversion-optimized landing page generates sign-ups for free consultation appointments, which the consultant can then leverage as a bottom-of-the-funnel marketing strategy to help convert prospects into paying customers.
Free Consultation Funnel Steps
- Email marketing, social media, paid ads, and other channels drive traffic to a landing page offering a free strategy session. The page includes:
- Hero-style header with a video and CTA
- Marketing message
- Related services
- Introduction to the consultant
- Testimonials and social proof
- A final CTA
- The landing page sends website visitors to a calendar to book their appointment and capture their contact information.
- The appointment confirmation page takes them to a pre-consultation questionnaire that feeds into a CRM.
- They are finally sent to a “Thank You” page confirming their call.
- An email is triggered providing sign-ups with details about the call, and an automated series sends them reminders.
- If landing page visitors don’t sign up before they exit the page, an opt-in pop-up offers a second chance to nurture the lead until they are ready to book a call, triggering a different email sequence that drives them back to the landing page.
Like this funnel? See a live demo of this landing page here: Free Call Demo
On-Demand Webinar Funnel
Webinars and video events are one of the most effective forms of digital content marketing, with an average conversion rate of 40%. They can be either live or pre-recorded, and may also be repurposed for on-demand viewing in an automated funnel sequence.
Everything about this webinar funnel example is designed for quick conversions: a beautiful, minimalist landing page design puts all the focus on sign-up. A simple opt-in process encourages sign-ups, and the webinar content is available right away on the registration page.
Webinar Funnel Steps
- Email marketing, social media, paid ads, and other channels drive traffic to a landing page offering a free webinar. The page includes:
- Hero-style header with a CTA
- Marketing message hitting on the ideal customer’s pain points
- Introduction to the host
- A final CTA
- The CTA pops up a very simple opt-in form requiring just a name and email address to get access to the webinar.
- After submitting the form entry, visitors are taken straight to a thank you page that contains the video right on the page.
- The thank you page unobtrusively offers more information about the host and paid services.
- Leads are added to a segmented email marketing list for follow-up marketing.
Like this funnel? See a live demo of this landing page here: On-Demand Webinar Demo
Dive deeper into how to build your own sales funnel from top to bottom: check out our step-by-step guide
Coupon Funnel
Anyone who shops online today has probably encountered a coupon funnel on an eCommerce store. But this popular marketing strategy can work beyond online product businesses! Coupons are a powerful source of lead generation for restaurants, cleaners, plumbers, photographers, and all sorts of other service-based companies.
Coupon offers are often used to build email lists of prospective customers at the top of the funnel. Coupon funnels can also be paired with cross-sell funnels to offer special pricing for returning purchasers. Tracking purchases and promoting related products and services to existing customers is a great strategy for customer retention.
In this example, the opt-in form is placed in a pre-header right at the top of the page. Due to the high volume of traffic restaurants and local small businesses receive from Google search, it’s important to make the coupon easily accessible on every page of the website. This ensures that all visitors have the opportunity to opt-in for the coupon without hindering their ability to locate essential web pages such as menus, hours, and reviews.
Coupon Funnel Steps
- An opt-in form above the website’s navigation bar offers a coupon in exchange for contact information.
- After submitting the form entry, visitors are taken to a thank you page that lets them know how to get the coupon from their email, encourages them to book a reservation, and provides a way to get back to the main website.
- Customers are added to an email list and an auto response is triggered to email them the coupon.
- Customers can now be added to the company’s mailing list for future specials and deals.
Like this funnel? See a live demo of this landing page here: Coupon Demo Page
Free + Shipping & Upsell Funnel
A free + shipping funnel offers a low-cost product, sample, or service as a way to generate leads. Even though this funnel requires a purchase, it’s not typically intended to create profits. This type of offer is used to entice potential customers to join a mailing list or try a product with an offer that is too good to refuse, laying the foundation for an upsell to a paid product.
In this example that utilizes a free + shipping offer in an upsell funnel, customers are drawn in by the offer of a “free book,” but pay an amount for shipping and handling. After signing up for the free product, they receive an offer for a related product they can upgrade to buy.
Free + Shipping & Funnel Steps
- Email marketing, social media, podcasts, and other channels drive traffic to a landing page offering a free book if visitors just pay the shipping. The page includes:
- Header with a personal video and product image
- Social proof and testimonials
- Details about what comes with the offer
- Multiple CTAs throughout the page
- An author bio
- A purchase form
- After submitting their contact and credit card information, customers are asked if they’d like to upgrade to get a bonus add on.
- When the order is complete, customers are taken to a thank you page in the funnel that promotes another high-value paid product.
- Leads are added to an email list based on their conversion response which triggers automated email follow-ups.
- If someone goes to the checkout but doesn’t buy anything, follow-up email encourages further action.
- If a user buys the book but doesn’t buy the upsell, they also receive tailored emails about the offer.
Like this funnel? See a live demo of this landing page here: Free + Shipping Book Demo
Video Marketing Funnel
A video marketing funnel combines the power of video content with an automated email drip campaign to nurture leads and guide them through the marketing funnel toward a purchase. Video mini-courses require a lot of dedicated attention from prospects, so this technique is especially powerful for coaches, consultants, membership programs, and SaaS companies to nurture middle-of-funnel targets into the action stage.
In this funnel example, visitors opt-in to a free video series or through a targeted squeeze page. Over the next few days, they receive a new email each day with the next video in the series. At the end of the free course, participants receive an offer for a paid service, subscription, or product.
Video Marketing Funnel Steps
- Traffic is driven to a squeeze page where visitors can opt-in to gain access to the free video course. The page includes:
- A headline and focal product image
- Description of what’s included
- Opt-in form
- After submitting the form entry, leads are taken to a thank you page that lets them know how to access the training from their email.
- An automated email drip campaign sends a daily email with the link to a new “Watch” page, with reminders to catch up on missed videos if recipients don’t click through to the web pages.
- At the end of the video series, the prospects are directed to a sales page where they can sign up for a paid offer.
Launch Funnel
Successfully launching a new product or service takes a highly coordinated marketing effort. Launch campaigns typically consist of multiple smaller funnels tied together through a network of tags and automated triggers. These can be complex systems that combine lead magnets, case studies, upsells, special pricing discount opt-ins, affiliate referrals, and other tactics to generate buzz throughout the sales process.
Launch Funnel Components
- Squeeze pages to generate leads
- A launch countdown
- Video marketing pages to preview the product or service in-depth
- Email sequences to nurture leads throughout the customer journey as the launch draws closer
- Help desk features for onboarding new customers after launch
Free Trial Funnel
A free trial funnel is a powerful B2B sales strategy that allows potential customers to experience a product or service before committing to a purchase. This approach is particularly effective for SaaS companies and subscription-based services. Companies like Netflix, Hubspot, Salesforce, and many others have successfully used this funnel strategy to convert interested prospects into long-term customers.
Free Trial Funnel Steps:
- The marketing team drives traffic to a landing page through various channels, such as content marketing, paid ads, and social media. The page includes:
- Compelling headline highlighting the free trial offer
- Clear explanation of product benefits
- Social proof and customer testimonials
- Prominent “Start Free Trial” CTA
- Visitors click the CTA and are taken to a sign-up form that collects essential information, qualifying leads in the process.
- Upon submitting the form, users gain immediate access to the product or service for a limited time (e.g., 7, 14, or 30 days).
- An automated onboarding email sequence is triggered, guiding new users through key features and use cases.
- During the trial, in-app messages and targeted emails showcase the product’s value and address common objections.
- The sales reps receive notifications about highly engaged users, allowing them to reach out to these qualified leads with personalized assistance or offers.
- Near the end of the trial, users receive a series of emails encouraging them to upgrade to a paid plan, often with a special offer or incentive.
- For those who don’t convert immediately after the trial ends, a nurture campaign is initiated, providing additional value and re-engaging the prospect over time.
- The marketing and sales teams collaborate to analyze conversion data and refine the strategy used at each funnel stage, optimizing the trial experience and follow-up process to encourage more purchasing decisions.
Plug-and-play any of these sales funnel examples on your own website TODAY
Ready to start building your sales funnels? Kartra offers an all-in-one marketing platform with access to every vital feature of a sales funnel: funnel mapping, landing pages, opt-in forms, checkout, email automation, lead tagging, memberships, metrics, and more. Our extensive library of plug-and-play campaigns and templates makes it fast and easy to activate funnel sequences that have already been tested and proven by the pros! In fact, all seven of these sales funnel examples you’ve seen today are available in Kartra’s done-for-you marketplace.
Everything you need to build and optimize advanced sales funnels is already interconnected within our ecosystem.
Learn more about how Kartra’s Funnel Building Software can help your business thrive
About Kartra
This blog is brought to you by Kartra, the all-in-one online business platform that gives you every essential marketing and sales tool you need to grow your business profitably – from sales pages and product carts to membership sites, help desks, affiliate management and more. To learn how you can quickly and easily leverage Kartra to boost your bottom-line, please visit kartra.com.