Create A Sales Funnel For A Service Business | How To - Full Guide

A Sales Funnel, regardless of business, can increase leads and sales.

By following the steps below, businesses of all sizes can make more money with less effort and time.

We will show you how to create a systematic and automated sales funnel that runs 24/7. 

Find Prospects With An Issue

Before setting up the funnel, you will want to find prospects with an issue. 

As a service business, your main goal should be to solve any problems that your prospects have. 

For example, let's say that you own a nationally known pool cleaning franchise business. 

Your prospects may be searching google for ways to clean their pool. 

It's clear that your prospects have an issue, and as a pool cleaning business, you need to provide help. 

But how do you find people that need help with cleaning their pools? 

You can try:

• Google Ads
• Facebook Ads
• Quora 
• Organic SEO 
• Yelp Ads

As the business owner, you want to go where ever your prospects go. 

But once you find the prospects with the problem, how do you solve the problem for them? 

Creating A Landing Page For Free Gift 

The easiest way to solve a problem for someone is to give something away.

This works well for two reasons:

1. People love free things 
2. By giving immense value for free, you can gain trust

You need to create a landing page that includes an opt-in box to collect emails and names. 

Read How To Build A Sales Funnel From Scratch 

The page can be simple and include a headline and subheadline followed by the input box for email and name. 

This is an example:

The works well because it's easy for the prospect to opt-in and get the answers they need. 

In this example, the prospect will receive a PDF to solve their problem. 

PDFs are great because they are simple to create, they are easy to digest, and help you gain authority. 

Once the prospect opt-ins, you want to deliver the PDF to their inbox. 

You can do this via email automation tools like ActiveCampaign. 

Watch How To Set Up Email Automations In Activecampign

After the prospect opt-ins, you want to proceed to the next step, a mini webinar or VSL. 

Offer Mini Webinar/Training 

Showing a mini webinar or VSL immediately after they opt-in is critical. 

Why? Because it gives the prospect a chance to interact with your business on a different level. 

The mini webinar should be around 20 minutes long. This time length is ideal for keeping the prospect interested enough to inquire more info. In the mini webinar, you want to talk about your business and how it can help the problem at hand. You can also build more trust and authority by showcasing past customer reviews. 

At the end of the min-webinar, you want to tell prospects to book a call to learn more information. 

But before they book a call, you will want to qualify the prospect by asking them questions.

Qualify The Prospect 

As we mentioned before, everyone loves free things.

So that means you are going to get a lot of people opting into your landing page.

You will also get a lot of people who will watch your mini webinar. 

But not every prospect should get on the phone with you. 

This is why you want to ask them qualifying questions to get a gist of who they are and if they can afford your business.

You can use Typeform to create excellent custom questionnaires.

When asking questions, you can use these:

1. Describe your goals 
2. How much of a priority is it to get started
3. What has prevented you from trying to solve the problem until now?
4. What happens if you do nothing about the situation?
5. Do you have a budget allocated for this project? 
6. What other solutions are you evaluating?

These are some examples.

You can get more specific for your business as you build the questionnaire. 

Every business is different, so every business should have specific unique questions. 

Be sure to ask for the prospect's phone number at the end of the questionnaire so you can have a point of contact. 

Depending on the prospect's answers, you can redirect them to different endpoints. 

For example, if the prospect said they don't have any funds to move forward with your services, you can redirect them to a different page. 

This is a crucial step to reduce the number of inferior leads that book a call with you. 

For those leads that don't qualify, you can put them in a nurturing sequence. 

You want to continue to give them value, be helpful in any way you can.

So that when they do have the funds, they will come straight to you. 

Set Up A Book-a-call

Once your prospects fill out the questionnaire, you will want to redirect them to your booking page. 

You can do this in Typeform in the settings. 

The point of booking the call is so the prospect can ask further questions, but the business owner can close the prospect. 

Typeform has tons of integrations so that you can connect with your CRM of choice. 

If you have a sales team, these integrations will come in handy to keep your business aligned. 

Close The Deal 

Once you're on the phone, this gives you the perfect, perfect chance to close the deal. 

Answer any questions the prospect may have but be sure to ask questions as well. 

The conversation should be cordial. Of course, you want the sale, but you should convey that you don't NEED the sale.

This mindset will help you navigate the conversation to the end goal. 

If you're not great with sales, we recommend that you hire a sales team if your services are over $1,000. 

A/B Testing for Sales Funnel Optimization

As you implement your sales funnel, it’s essential to continuously refine and optimize each step. One of the most effective methods for achieving this is A/B testing. By experimenting with different elements of your funnel, you can discover what resonates best with your audience, ultimately driving higher conversions.

What is A/B Testing?

A/B testing, or split testing, involves comparing two versions of a webpage, email, or other marketing material to determine which performs better. This method allows you to make data-driven decisions rather than relying on assumptions.

Key Elements to Test

1. Headlines: The headline is often the first thing potential customers see. A slight change in wording can significantly impact engagement. For example, test variations like “Get Your Pool Sparkling Clean in 24 Hours!” versus “Say Goodbye to Dirty Pools Forever!”
2. Call-to-Action (CTA) Buttons: Experiment with different CTAs, such as “Book Your Free Consultation” versus “Schedule a Call Today.” The color, size, and placement of your CTA buttons can also affect click-through rates.
3. Landing Page Design: Test different layouts, images, and content arrangements on your landing page. You might find that a more straightforward design leads to higher conversion rates than a cluttered one.
4. Email Campaigns: In your follow-up emails, try variations in subject lines, email content, and sending times. You could discover that a personal touch in the subject line increases open rates significantly.

Implementing A/B Testing

• Define Goals: Before starting any A/B test, clearly define what you want to achieve. Is it a higher conversion rate, more leads, or increased engagement? Setting specific goals will help you measure success.
• Use Testing Tools: Platforms like Optimizely, Unbounce, and Google Optimize offer user-friendly interfaces for running A/B tests. These tools allow you to track user behavior and conversion rates easily.
• Analyze Results: After running your tests, analyze the data to identify which version performed better. Look for statistically significant results to ensure that your conclusions are valid.

The Benefits of A/B Testing

Regularly testing and optimizing your sales funnel can lead to:

• Increased Conversion Rates: By identifying what works best for your audience, you can enhance your funnel’s effectiveness, leading to more conversions.
• Better Understanding of Your Audience: A/B testing provides insights into your customers’ preferences and behaviors, enabling you to tailor your marketing strategies more effectively.
• Cost-Effective Improvements: Instead of investing heavily in new strategies, A/B testing allows you to make small changes that can lead to significant results.

Incorporating A/B testing into your sales funnel strategy is crucial for continuous improvement. By systematically testing various elements, you can enhance user experience, increase engagement, and ultimately drive more sales. Remember, the key to success in A/B testing is to stay curious and open to insights, as each test brings you closer to understanding what resonates with your audience.

Personalizing the Sales Funnel for Maximum Engagement

A one-size-fits-all approach may cause your prospects to lose interest, while personalization can significantly boost engagement and conversions. By tailoring your sales funnel to meet the specific needs and preferences of each prospect, you create a more seamless, enjoyable, and relevant buying experience.

Why Personalization is Key

Studies show that personalized experiences can drive up to 15% higher conversion rates and foster better customer retention. When prospects feel like your business understands their unique needs, they are more likely to trust your brand and move further down the funnel.

How to Personalize Your Sales Funnel

1. Segment Your Audience
   • The first step to personalizing your funnel is audience segmentation. Divide your prospects into different groups based on factors like demographics, behavior, or their stage in the buying process. For example, in your pool cleaning business, you could segment homeowners vs. commercial property managers, as their needs would differ greatly.
2. Dynamic Landing Pages
   • Create dynamic landing pages that change depending on the visitor's actions or profile. By using tools like Optimizely or Unbounce, you can personalize the content a user sees based on their previous behavior, location, or preferences. This could mean offering different services or freebies, such as a free pool maintenance guide for residential clients vs. a commercial cleaning checklist for business prospects.
3. Personalized Email Sequences
   • After prospects opt in, don’t just send a generic email blast. Use email marketing automation tools to craft personalized sequences. Include their name in the subject line, reference their specific problem, and offer tailored solutions based on the information they provided. The more relevant your emails, the more likely they are to open and engage with your content.
4. Retargeting Based on Behavior
   • Use retargeting ads to continue the conversation based on the behavior of your leads. If someone visits your landing page but doesn’t opt-in, you can show them ads that highlight testimonials or additional benefits they missed. Alternatively, if they watched your mini webinar but didn’t book a call, you can retarget them with a discount or an exclusive offer to incentivize them to take the next step.
5. Interactive Elements
   • Quizzes and surveys can help personalize the experience even more by giving you valuable insights into your prospects' needs. Based on the responses, you can guide them to different resources, services, or offers. For instance, a quiz that helps customers identify the ideal pool cleaning schedule for their region could be a helpful touch.

The Long-Term Value of Personalization

By personalizing each step of the sales funnel, you create a lasting impression on your prospects. Not only does this lead to higher conversion rates, but it also builds brand loyalty. Customers are more likely to return and recommend your business when they feel like you’ve taken the time to understand and cater to their specific needs.

FAQ

What common mistakes should I avoid when creating a sales funnel?

‍Common mistakes include neglecting to define your target audience, failing to provide valuable content, and not analyzing data to optimize the funnel. Additionally, being too pushy in the sales approach can turn potential clients away. Focus on nurturing relationships and guiding prospects through the funnel rather than forcing a sale.‍

How long should a sales funnel take to convert leads into customers?

‍The timeline for converting leads varies based on your industry, the complexity of your services, and your target audience. Generally, a sales funnel can take anywhere from a few days to several months. It's crucial to provide consistent follow-up and maintain engagement throughout the process to improve conversion rates.

How can I measure the success of my sales funnel?

‍Success can be measured through various metrics, including conversion rates, customer acquisition cost, and overall revenue generated. Tools like Google Analytics can help track these metrics, allowing you to assess the effectiveness of each stage of your funnel.

What role does social media play in a sales funnel?

‍Social media is a powerful tool for driving awareness and engaging potential clients at the top of the funnel. Sharing valuable content, interacting with followers, and running targeted ads can help attract and nurture leads throughout the sales process.

Can I automate my sales funnel?

‍Absolutely! Many aspects of your sales funnel can be automated, such as email marketing campaigns, follow-up reminders, and lead scoring. Automation tools can save time and ensure consistent communication with prospects, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business.

What should I do after a lead converts into a customer?

Once a lead converts, focus on providing exceptional service and building a long-term relationship. Follow up with a thank-you message, request feedback, and encourage referrals. Implementing a customer retention strategy is crucial for maintaining loyalty and generating repeat business.