When most people hear the word funnel, they picture this hot mess…
Front-end offer → Upsell → Downsell → Upsell → Upsell → Random shiny thing they had on their hard drive from 2016.
That’s the Internet Marketing version… 🙄And while, yes, sometimes those funnels make money, most of the time they’re just a cash-grab that screams “I don’t actually care about you, I just want your money.”
Ewww… That’s slimy as hell!
Let’s get this straight… A funnel is not just a stack of sales pages duct-taped together that’s designed to throw everything you can pull out of your tail to put in front of people with a desperate hope that they’ll buy.
Please for the love of tacos DO NOT do that!
Instead actually help people and you will be repaid 100X over…
A Funnel Is the Journey
A funnel is the path your customer takes with you over time. It’s a relationship, not a one-night stand.
It’s built with:
1. Sales pages (yes, upsells and downsells still have their place)
2. Emails that keep showing up in their inbox long after the first purchase
3. Freebies and resources that actually help (imagine that)
4. Info that builds trust and gets people saying, “Dang, she knows her stuff”
5. And then, naturally, offers for the things you’ve got for sale
Now don’t freak out yet… This CAN be VERY simple. You’ve been lead to believe that it’s “tricky” and takes all kinds of tools and other “stuff” that comes with BIG price tags. Stick with me for a minute…
The Problem With “Cram-It-In” Funnels
When your whole funnel feels like an infomercial that never ends, people get turned off!
They don’t trust you, they don’t stick around, and they certainly don’t whip out their wallet again.
Quit thinking: “How can I squeeze every last penny out of this person right this second?”
Start thinking: “How can I guide them, serve them, and actually get them results?”
Because when you do that, guess what? The money WILL show up but so does loyalty, repeat buyers, and referrals!
And you are actually doing YOUR part!
What To Do Instead (With Real Examples)
1. Map the journey – Plan it out. Stop winging it!
Example: If you’re in the fitness niche, don’t just throw a $7 smoothie guide at someone and then randomly pitch them yoga mats.
Map the journey: Start with a free “7-Day Clean Eating Plan,” then guide them to your paid “30-Day Fitness Challenge,” and later roll them into your premium coaching. Step by step, like breadcrumbs leading them to the feast WHILE providing value and building your relationship with them.
2. Give value along the way – Not every touchpoint should be a sales pitch.
Example: In the productivity niche, send an email series where people get three actionable hacks, then a free “Morning Routine Checklist,” and then invite them into your paid “Time Management Bootcamp.”
They should walk away from almost every email with something useful, whether they buy or not.
3. Use your emails – Your funnel is not over after checkout.
Example: Someone buys your “Beginner’s Guide to Canva.” Over the next few weeks, you send design tips, shortcuts, and maybe a funny story about how you once spent three hours trying to line up a text box (we’ve all been there). Then you introduce your advanced template package. Natural. Seamless. No sleazy whiplash!
4. Make the promos fit naturally – Don’t sell them a dog grooming course right after they bought a cat training guide.
Example: If they grabbed your freebie on “Starting a Side Hustle,” don’t immediately pitch a $997 mastermind. First, offer them your $27 “Finding Your First Profitable Niche” workshop. Help them WIN at that! Then, once they’ve got traction, that’s when you introduce the bigger program. You’re not tricking them…you’re leading them and you look like a super hero. And you’ll be a well paid one!
The Bottom Line
Funnels aren’t supposed to feel like an airport kiosk trying to upsell you bottled water, headphones, a neck pillow, and a keychain all in 30 seconds.
Like I said… A funnel is a journey!
It’s how you prove you’re here for more than just the quick sale. It’s how you create buyers who come back again and again because they trust you, they like you, and they know you actually give a damn.
Build that, and you’ll stand out from the noise of the “funnel bros” shoving garbage into the world.
Now… I’ve got something super special coming soon that’s going to show you how to create ONE easy funnel that ONLY has four pieces and some added magic sauce and it’s everything you need to create a six-figure business! Just ONE funnel!
Keep an eye out for that and until then… Have questions? Leave them in the comments below…
