{"id":6095,"date":"2020-01-21T07:10:59","date_gmt":"2020-01-21T05:10:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/?p=6095"},"modified":"2025-01-18T11:34:43","modified_gmt":"2025-01-18T09:34:43","slug":"how-to-manage-a-sales-funnel-correctly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/blog\/how-to-manage-a-sales-funnel-correctly\/","title":{"rendered":"How to manage a sales funnel correctly"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_medium\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_grid cols_3-1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-image align_center\"><div class=\"w-image-h\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"493\" src=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/i-sales_funnel-c-1-l-1-e1579524460910.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"DSM Digital School of Marketing - sales funnel\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/i-sales_funnel-c-1-l-1-e1579524460910.jpg 700w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/i-sales_funnel-c-1-l-1-e1579524460910-600x423.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p>If you&#8217;re merely beginning in the world of business, or if you have a successful company which is up and running, sales are your company&#8217;s essence. In the digital world of today, creating a website which converts visitors into viable leads is just the initial step. The <a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/blog\/inbound-marketing\/\">inbound marketing<\/a>\/sales process is.. a process which involves transferring a lead from first contact to closing a sale in a series of steps.<\/p>\n<p>Lead nurturing requires management. Using various methods in order to continue to build trust, maintain your business at the top of the minds of your customers, provide prospects with particular valuable information in addition to finally offering solutions requires time, tools as well as proper management for success.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>The correct way to manage sales<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>When you lose a deal, it\u2019s very easy to move on to the next one in addition to hoping for better results the next time but taking a \u201cdon\u2019t look back\u201d attitude to your sales <a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/blog\/why-you-need-a-content-strategy-for-social-media\/\">strategy<\/a> means that you lose out on occasions that you can take in order to improve.<\/p>\n<p>At the end of the day behind every lost sale lies insights which are revealing. Was it the price, a tactic employed by sales, or merely a bad lead? It is necessary for you to know the \u201cwhy\u201d behind what you lose.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-video align_none ratio_16x9 has_iframe\"><div class=\"w-video-h\"><iframe title=\"Vimeo video player\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/285820558?autoplay=0&loop=0&autopause=0&color=00adef&portrait=0&byline=1&title=1&controls=1&muted=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen\" allowfullscreen loading=\"lazy\"><\/iframe><\/div><div class=\"w-video-icon\" style=\"font-size:1.5rem;background:rgba(0,0,0,0.5);color:#fff\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h2><strong>What does the sales funnel allow you to do?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The sales funnel allows you the ability to visualise leads as these move from total stranger to repeat customer. However, a sales funnel is only a fancy graphic if you don\u2019t have an efficient sales funnel management strategy in place.<\/p>\n<p>A sales funnel is just a pictorial representation of the manner in which a lead travels through the sales process in your company. A typical funnel looks like an inverted pyramid. The top of the funnel is often wider and has a larger volume of leads which come into your system. After this, the funnel gets narrower as the leads become qualified. Finally the sales funnel culminates in the leads who have become your customer. The process of managing this customer journey is termed \u2018sales funnel management\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>A sales funnel can be a benefit for you however sometimes it can be a thorn in your side as well. A well-designed as well as accurate sales funnel can function to simplify the entire process for you as well as assist you with filtering leads according to the level they are at. This means has the result that you know what to communicate to which lead at what point.<\/p>\n<p>However, if the funnel becomes needlessly long in addition to complicated, that would mean that there is bound to be lead leakage.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Best management practices for sales funnels<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Set clear as well as concise goals: Before you begin to build your funnel, know why you are undertaking this process in the first place. Recognise what your sales funnel has been set up for so that you can make the best use of it.<\/li>\n<li>Track movement of your leads while they are going through the funnel: Get yourself a <a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/digital-marketing-blog\/how-to-use-marketing-and-crm-automation-together\/\"><strong>CRM<\/strong><\/a> or a sales execution tool which will assist you with knowing where each lead is situated in the funnel. This way you\u2019ll get an idea of the time it takes for a lead to move through the system as well as what factors are assisting the lead to convert.<\/li>\n<li>Speak different languages: Leads in a number of different stages of your sales funnel would want a variety of things. It is not possible to speak about the features of your product at every phase. This means that you have to attempt to educate the customer during the initial stages using e-books or white papers. Alternatively, you can distribute product demos to leads opportunities in addition to pricing to leads who are thinking about you.<\/li>\n<li>Make sure that your sales cycle is not too lengthy: Longer sales cycles are not optimal in the long run. In addition, these may lead to lead leakage over a number of years. Measure the average time that it takes to close the deal as well as try to stick to that timeline.<\/li>\n<li>Measure your progress: Continually measure the results at each phase of the sales cycle. Note the number of new leads which are coming in addition to what is driving sales for your company. In this way you will know what is working and why it is working.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/contact-us\/\">Get in touch with the Digital School of Marketing<\/a><\/h2>\n<p>To learn more about sales management, please follow this <a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/courses\/sales-management-course\/\">link<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/courses\/sales-management-course\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-6076 size-shop_single\" src=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Sales-management-1-600x96.jpg\" alt=\"DSM Digital School of Marketing - Sales management\" width=\"600\" height=\"96\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Sales-management-1-600x96.jpg 600w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Sales-management-1-300x48.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Sales-management-1-1024x164.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Sales-management-1-768x123.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Sales-management-1.jpg 1250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-btn-wrapper align_justify\"><a class=\"w-btn us-btn-style_2\" href=\"#enquiry\"><span class=\"w-btn-label\">Enquire Today<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><h3 class=\"w-text us_custom_6caa4608 has_text_color\"><span class=\"w-text-h\"><span class=\"w-text-value\">Blog Categories<\/span><\/span><\/h3><div class=\"wpb_text_column us_custom_5cd26a65\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><ul>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-1\"><a href=\"\/blog\/content-marketing\/\">Content Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-2\"><a href=\"\/blog\/digital-marketing\/\">Digital Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-2\"><a href=\"\/blog\/cyber-security-blog\/\">Cyber Security<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-2\"><a href=\"\/blog\/graphic-design-blog\/\">Graphic Design<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-3\"><a href=\"\/blog\/public-relations\/\">Public Relations<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-4\"><a href=\"\/blog\/seo\/\">SEO<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-5\"><a href=\"\/blog\/social-media-marketing\/\">Social Media Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-5\"><a href=\"\/blog\/web-design-blog\/\">Web Design<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><h3 class=\"w-text us_custom_6caa4608 has_text_color\"><span class=\"w-text-h\"><span class=\"w-text-value\">You might also like<\/span><\/span><\/h3><div class=\"w-html\"><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/social-media-marketing-blog\/zero-moment-of-truth-benefit-social-media-marketing\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Use the Zero Moment of Truth to Benefit your Social Media Marketing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/digital-marketing-blog\/your-complete-guide-to-ppc-marketing-basic\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Your Complete Guide to PPC Marketing Basics. 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