Marketing Funnel: Definition & Examples For Small Businesses
Ever feel like your marketing efforts are more “throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks” than “strategic master plan”? Trust me, we’ve all been there. But here’s the thing: creating a marketing funnel isn’t just some fancy strategy reserved for big brands with bigger budgets. It’s your roadmap to turning casual browsers into ride-or-die customers.
Having a marketing funnel can increase your sales, help you retain customers for longer, and allow you to deliver more personalized content and campaigns — which 71% of people want.
What’s a Marketing Funnel (And Why Should You Care?)
Think of your marketing funnel as your customer’s journey from “who are you?” to “where have you been all my life?” It’s broken down into four main stages:
- Awareness: When potential customers first discover your brand. In this stage, you’ll want to bridge the gap between where they are now and where they want to be.
- Consideration: Where they start thinking, “hmm, tell me more…”. To really pique their interest, you’ll want to position your product as the ideal choice.
- Conversion: The magical moment they become customers, which requires persistent (but never annoying) conversation with them about the benefits that make a purchase worthwhile.
- Loyalty: When they become brand fans, and every brand touchpoint from then on is an intimate and informed interaction
Most people need 5-7 brand touchpoints before they make a purchase. This is why having a strategic funnel is so important – you’re planning those touchpoints intentionally.
The Building Blocks of a Killer Marketing Funnel
Let’s break down what actually goes into a funnel that converts:
1. Strategic Advertising
Running targeted ads isn’t just about throwing money at Meta and praying. It’s about meeting your people where they already hang out. According to Retail Touch Points, 76% of consumers discover new brands through social media ads.
So having ads on the Instagram feed, in between content you scroll through, and before a YouTube video will meet people where they’re at. But, in order to say the right thing at the right time, you need to be aware of the funnel stage they’re in and give them…
2. Content Marketing That Slaps
We’re talking:
- Social media posts that make people stop scrolling
- Videos that actually educate and entertain
- Blog posts that answer real questions
- Content that positions you as the expert you are (i.e., webinars, guest speaking opportunities, blog features, etc.)
- Rounding this all out with personalized messaging that speaks to their needs, preferences, and lifestyle
3. Lead Generation Magic
This includes having landing pages that convert, delivering freebies and low-ticket resources people actually want, and having email sequences that nurture relationships with your subscribers.
4. Nurture, Nurture, Nurture
Once you’ve got the lead, you’ve gotta let the people know you care and promise them that if they stick around for a long time, it’ll be a good time. That means:
- Offering trial periods and samples
- Sweetening the deal with discounts and promotions for first-time buyers, repeat buyers, and incentives for taking actions like providing reviews and referring new customers
- Upselling and cross selling other offers that are relevant to them
- Delivering a stellar customer service experience
- Getting their feedback, and improving your offers and customer experience
Marketing Funnel Examples You Can Actually Learn From
Let’s look at two real-world examples that show how different brands nail their funnels.
Example 1: Rebundle’s Natural Hair Care Journey
Awareness Stage
- Featured blog posts and articles on targeted publications
- Interviews with reporters and media personalities
- Meta ads with lifestyle-focused imagery
- YouTube ads with a hook like: “Synthetic braiding hair is itchy, irritates our scalp, and is bad for the planet. But what if it didn’t have to be that way?”
- Strategically placed OOH advertising in high-traffic areas
Consideration Stage
- YouTuber partnerships with exclusive discount codes
- First-time buyer discounts
- Trial-sized packages for testing
Conversion Stage
Re-targeting ads on social media, search engines, and on YouTube with dream-based copy that positions the product as a unicorn
Image Source: Rebundle.co
Loyalty Stage
- Providing referral codes that customers can share and get money back from
- Working with UGC content creators and past customers who have used and now love the product
- Offering discounts for completing an action; i.e., reviewing the product
- Cross-selling other colours of the braiding hair
Image Source: Rebundle.co
Example 2: TONIC Site Shop’s Website Template Black Friday Promo Sale
Awareness Stage
- Free webinar dropping value bombs
- Educational content about DIY website builders
- Behind-the-scenes template customization content
Image Source: Tonic Site Shop Live Masterclass Replay Landing Page
Image Source: Tonic Site Shop Instagram
Consideration Stage
- Targeted organic content and paid advertising promoting your Black Friday sale
- Benefits-focused messaging with lots of social proof, storytelling, and other persuasion tactics
Image Source: Tonic Site Shop Instagram
Conversion Stage
- Re-targeting ads on social media, search engines, and YouTube with dream-based copy that positions the website templates as a unicorn in the industry
Loyalty Stage
- Working with UGC content creators and past customers who have used and now love the product
- Offering discounts for completing an action; i.e., reviewing the product, attending a masterclass, etc.
- Providing walkthrough videos, extra support, and bonuses for repeat customers
- Creating a referral program that gives your customers an incentive to bring in new customers
Image Source: Tonic Site Shop Email Newsletter
Ready to Create Your Own Converting Funnel?
After 4 years of writing for brands like Manulife and Subway, plus countless small businesses just like yours, I’ve learned exactly what needs to go into each stage of your funnel. More importantly, I know what you need to say to move people through it.
That’s why I created the Top to Bottom Funnel Sales Email Sequence Template Bundle – 34 customizable email templates that guide your audience from first hello to happy customer.
Each template is strategically designed to work at specific funnel stages, using proven conversion techniques I’ve refined over years of testing.
Get Your Hands on 34 Customizable Sales Email Templates.
Because your marketing funnel should feel less like guesswork and more like a well-oiled sales machine. 🚀
