What is a sales funnel and why is it needed

For sure, those who have dealt with online sales have heard of such a concept as an auto sales funnel. This is a unique modern technology that allows the product to sell itself, that is, without involving the services of managers. Its essence is to automate part of the action. What are the moments in question? What is a sales funnel? What business is it suitable for? In today's review, we will dwell on these issues in more detail. We will also show you how automate actions on the network without the risk of getting blocked by antifraud systems.

What is a sales funnel?

Automatic sales funnel — this is a pre-formed set of automated actions that a potential buyer goes through from the moment of the first visit to the site and up to the decision to purchase goods and services. The basis of this technology — trigger messages that will be automatically sent to the client by the system at a certain time, also after he performs one or another action in accordance with the specified algorithms.

The main task of an automated funnel is no different from that of a conventional funnel. It is also designed to accompany potential customers from their first acquaintance with goods or services to the purchase. All this can increase both the level of sales and the profit of business representatives. But the key difference between an auto funnel and a regular one is that it works according to a pre-compiled algorithm and does not require human participation. That is, you can refuse the services of a manager who must constantly maintain the interest of a potential buyer in products and lead him to placing an order.

Among the main advantages endowed with an auto-sales funnel are:

• minimizing the cost of deploying advertising and paying marketers;
• optimization of marketing processes;
• increasing user loyalty to a company or brand;
• prolonging the life cycle of the client in combination with minimizing failures;
• setting up personalized communication with the client;
• automatic transfer of new visitors to a group of regular customers after performing one or another action specified in the algorithm;
• Improve the effectiveness of an advertising campaign while reducing its cost.

Which business would benefit from auto-sales funnels

Representatives of different business categories will be able to evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation of auto-sales funnels in the workflow. But in some cases it will be a key tool for stimulating sales, while in others the contribution to business development will be less significant.

Here are some examples:

1. B2B market segment. Here, thanks to funnels, communication with the business can be optimized, interaction with the client is improved, which will allow you to more effectively facilitate the fact that he makes a purchase.
2. Information segment of the market. Here the autofunnel — it's a key tool. With its help, you can convey information about products to the target audience, lead the client to place an order, and ensure additional sales.
3. Online stores. And here, auto funnels are used quite rarely, since interaction with each buyer in this market segment is quite individual. That is, there is no way to build a single algorithm that would be universal and suitable for each individual client and product. The more complex the store structure, the more products in the catalog, the less often auto funnels are used.
4. Sale of services. Where we are talking about rather expensive and complex services, where the client needs more time to make purchase decisions, automated funnels will be an indispensable assistant in the manager's work.
5. Offline sales. This is the segment of the market where purchases are made quite quickly, one might even say spontaneously. That is why auto racing here will not be a very convenient solution. But if your business has a long deal cycle, then you can safely connect an auto funnel.

That is, it would be optimal to use an autofunnel where a person thinks about a purchase for a long time. Where there is no spontaneity in spending money. If your business does not fit this description, then you should still use an automated solution, but not to intensify sales, but to optimize related business processes. In particular, with their help you can relieve the burden on the staff, reduce the cost of attracting one client, keep the attention of a potential buyer throughout the entire period of time while he is thinking about buying.

Types of auto funnels and their tasks

Automatic funnels can be classified according to two key criteria:

1. According to the goals facing the business.
2. By difficulty level.

Types of auto funnels based on business goals

Depending on what goals the business should achieve when launching the autofunnel, it highlights the following categories:

• First acquaintance. Here the main task is to provide a potential client with information about a product or service, as well as the company itself. That is, you give a new client competent advice or answers to their questions. At this stage, it is very important to form a trusting relationship, to show your competence, reliability.
• Human involvement. The auto funnel will help to establish contact with the representatives of the target audience and set it up for such targeted actions as filling out a request for a call back, sending a request, and other ways of communicating with the company manager. To solve the task, content is used, which can solve the problems facing a potential buyer, provide him with the necessary information.
• Quick sale of goods, services. The auto funnel will clearly show all the advantages of your product, as well as all the advantages that the client will receive after making a purchase. Reviews from other buyers work well in this segment. That is, initially it is necessary to sell the so-called demo products. This may be some kind of discounted product, free use of the service for a certain period of time, provision of part of the course, etc. After that, it will be much easier for the client to agree to purchase the main product already at full price.
• Increasing the loyalty of the target audience. In this case, the main task facing the — increase the lifetime value of the client, as well as the indicators of the average check. Here, as a product, you can use some inexpensive goods, provide advice at a promotional price, sell courses.

Types of auto funnels depending on the level of complexity

There are 2 types of automatic funnels in this category:

1. Simple, they are linear. These are standard funnels that will be suitable for working with any clients. It provides for simple steps, a straightforward algorithm, there is no connection to the reaction of users. An example of such a solution would be sending potential customers an e-mail with the same content: a greeting, an introduction to a product, service, an invitation to register, an indication of the benefits of cooperation, the provision of personal discounts, information about seasonal promotions, etc.
2. Variable. Such auto funnels are characterized by complex algorithms and structure. They are able to change their settings depending on the reaction of a potential buyer. That is, if at any stage a potential user did not respond to your offer (did not register on the site, did not use a personal discount), the scenario changes. Letters are being rewritten, the strategy is changing, and the buyer is smoothly approaching the purchase.

Basic elements in auto funnels

To form a professional automated funnel, it is enough to use 3-5 elements. They will be involved in different ways depending on the purpose and audience they are targeting. Key Categories:

1. Lead magnet
2. Useful inexpensive present.
3. Main product.
4. Additional products.

You can add backtracks to your autofunnel if you want. This is a tool that stimulates repeat sales. But in practice it is rarely used. Let's take a closer look at each of these categories.

Lead magnet

Already from the name it becomes clear that it should be something that attracts the attention of a potential buyer. It is optimal to use some kind of gift here. This may be an additional discount on the first order, a small checklist, training videos, etc. To receive such a gift, the user must leave their contact information. Basically it is about the name and email address. The gift must be carefully considered. It should be useful for your potential buyer and encourage them to come back to your site and buy the same product, only in its full version.

When compiling a lead magnet, you should follow these guidelines:

1. Choose a bright, eye-catching title. Literally at first glance, a person should understand what exactly you are offering him and how useful this product or service will be for him. Everything here should be clear, logical and concise.
2. Think about the content. The study showed that the maximum time that a potential buyer is willing to spend studying the lead magnet — no more than 15 minutes. Therefore, the content should be as capacious as possible, but at the same time concise.
3. Satisfying the client's pain. After a person has studied your lead magnet, he should have confidence that the full version of the product will be extremely useful for him. He must be clearly aware that he has found what he is looking for.

At this point, the task that the lead magnet faces is completed: you have formed enough interest in the product or service among the potential buyer. Now you can move on to selling products at full price.

Inexpensive but useful present

This auto funnel element is also called tripwire, which in English sounds like a "trap"; or "stretching". Alternatively, it may be a subscription to an online service for a certain period of time at a minimum price. You yourself set their time interval and cost here. But importantly, tripwire's post price was less than the main product. This will encourage the user to want to purchase it right now.

This will be enough to turn a lead into a potential buyer. After a person purchases your product at a discount and uses it, he will be more loyal to it. And it will be easier for you to sell the main product. When forming such an auto funnel element, it is important to choose a product that would combine 3 key factors: low price, usefulness for a person, simple and quick purchase.

Main Product

The main task of any auto funnel — encourage a person to purchase a core product, be it a training course, an annual subscription to a magazine, a TV game. That is, it is necessary to offer the buyer the main product of your business. It is highly likely that if the user's free version of your product expires and he is completely satisfied in terms of functionality, ease of use, he will not want to look for an alternative and will pay for the full version. It will be much easier for him to make such a decision, since he is already confident in the product or service, familiar with the company.

But the successful sale of the main product — this is not a reason to stop and close your funnel. You can further contact with the client, offering him additional goods or services. So your business will get the maximum profit.

Additional products

You can increase the purchase receipt if, in addition to the main product, you also offer the buyer additional related products. In addition, this way you can constantly keep the attention of the client to your company. As an option, if a client has purchased a subscription to a magazine from you, offer him additional access to educational videos on a given topic after a while. So you can constantly maintain the attention of the target audience.

Don't have additional products that you could offer to your customers? In this case, use the so-called "return paths". We are talking about periodically sending a person an invitation to participate in seminars, promotional codes for discounts, etc., constantly maintaining his interest in your products.

Which channels can I run sales funnels on?

Various social networks, mail services, instant messengers are optimally suited for setting up an automatic funnel. Now consider the 3 most popular options:

1. Chatbot in Telegram. In this messenger, the auto funnel is launched in the form of a chat bot. Target audience here — people who went to the channel through an advertisement, and then subscribed to the newsletter. The entire subsequent process will be carried out automatically. A separate account is created for the bot. A person will manage it independently, answering the proposed questions with pre-formed answers. Such a bot will be in touch at any time of the day or night, immediately answering the client's questions. In the event that additional difficulties arise, the system will automatically forward this issue to the manager. Chatbots will automatically record your clients with specialists, remind them of an upcoming visit, offer them additional services, send promotional codes, hold sweepstakes, etc. This option will be quite budget-friendly for the price. But at the same time, it will help to segment the target audience according to different criteria: interests, gender, age, etc. For each individual segment, you can set a special script for the bot.
2. Chat-bot in VKontakte. In a social network, an automatic funnel will help increase sales, and will also be able to maintain communication with the client. This will save the time of managers. That is, the chatbot will become not only a sales tool, but also a communication channel between the company and potential buyers. Routine processes such as placing an order, tracking it, communicating with the manager, sending promotional codes — this is only a part of what a chatbot on VKontakte can do. The manager will be involved only in the most extreme case. Additionally, there is a significant saving in time for processing orders, increasing customer loyalty.
3. Email – trigger. Auto funnels via e-mail are launched in the form of a cycle, prescribed according to a special scenario. The message that a potential client will receive next time depends on what target action he performed on the site. Everything here is aimed at evoking emotions in a potential buyer and facilitating targeted actions. The main focus here is on limiting the expiration date of a profitable application. That is, discounts, promotional codes, bonuses will be available only for a few days. This should encourage the user to make a purchase.

Summing up

Now you know what an automatic sales funnel is and why your business needs it. You can find out how to prepare for its launch, as well as the sequence of actions on the site directly here.

But you should understand that the autofunnel, like any other automated action, requires you to multi-threaded actions. You will not be able to implement this without additional connection to the work of mobile proxies. Otherwise, there is a high probability of getting a ban from the anti-fraud systems of the same social networks, search engines.

One of the best solutions to the task at hand today — mobile proxies from the MobileProxy.Space service. Follow the link https://mobileproxy.space/en/user.html?buyproxy to learn more about the product, evaluate it in practice, using a free two-hour test. You get a reliable and functional solution that will prove to be excellent in practice, it will also provide protection against unauthorized access, circumvention of regional blocking, confidentiality of the network. There is also a technical support service available 24 hours a day. Have questions? Contact the managers or take a look at the block FAQ.

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