Marketing doesn’t have to be complicated! Make 2024 the year you ditch all the shiny objects and focus on what will truly grow your brand: a simple lead funnel that attracts, captivates and entices your target audience to stick around and learn more about you.

As a certified FG master marketer, I specialize in planning and executing strategic funnels that bring in consistent leads for mission-driven brands. Today I’m breaking down all the key parts you need to start collecting leads in no time.

All About Lead Funnels

First things first: what is a lead funnel (also known as a lead generation funnel)?

Basically, it is the journey you lead people on as they get to know your brand and offers. A good funnel will strategically move prospects through the various stages of awareness in the buying cycle. The end goal is to make a sale.

What are the stages of the buying cycle?

There are three main stages of the buying cycle:

Top of Funnel (TOFU) - Awareness Stage. You’ve been noticed by a potential client/customer, and they take action to get to know you better.
Middle of Funnel (MOFU) - Consideration Stage. You nurture your relationship with this new lead by providing value and proving you are an expert in your field.
Bottom of Funnel (BOFU) - Decision Stage. You share an offer that helps make your lead’s life better/easier/more enjoyable, and they decide to say yes or no based on all the information they’ve gathered throughout the funnel journey.

Sounds a little like dating, doesn’t it? Catch someone’s attention, work hard to be the best you can be for them, earn trust with consistency and authenticity, and ultimately, make it “official” by saying yes to the next step.

Now that you have an overview of the what and how of lead funnels, let’s break down what these actually look like in practical terms.

Four Key Components of an Effective Lead Funnel

I know the word “funnel” can make a lot of business owners shudder. Marketers like to throw out a potentially-confusing alphabet soup of terms: AIDA, CTA, SEO, KPI, not to mention all the TOFU/MOFU/BOFU stuff mentioned above.

As a certified FG master marketer, I can definitely admit it’s easy to get lost in the weeds when it comes to planning out a funnel for your business.

Here’s the good news: funnels can (and in my opinion, should) be simple. Here are the four basic pieces you need to start growing your audience in no time:

1. Lead Magnet

A lead magnet is a free item, service or trial that businesses offer in exchange for someone’s contact information. The lead magnet should give them a clear idea of who you are and what you offer, while also enticing them to stick around and learn more.

Some examples of lead magnets include:

Case studies
Checklists
Industry reports
Mini-courses
Excerpts from a book
Free trial subscription or membership
Coupons or vouchers
Access to a free community like a Facebook group
Quizzes or assessments
Free consultations
White papers
Tip sheets
Video training
Short E-books

The list could go on, but you get the idea!

Once a prospect decides “Yes! I need this,” they will click over to your landing page to request the free lead magnet.

2. Landing Page

According to Hubspot, “a landing page is a specific page on your website where you collect a visitor's contact information in exchange for a resource, like an ebook. This contact information is collected using a lead-capture form where visitors enter details like their name, email address, and job title.”

Your landing page’s main job is to convert visitors into leads. Then, you can build a relationship with them through further contact. The type of further contact depends on your industry and goals, but typically it involves email marketing, direct mail, and/or targeted ads.

A landing page should be simple and to-the-point. Include a main headline that highlights the value you are offering, and be sure to highlight the benefits more than the features. Here are 7 formulas for writing a great landing page headline: 7 Formulas for Landing Page Headlines that Practically Write Themselves (With Examples)

The design of your page is also extremely important. Check out this article for our best design tips: 10 Design Tips to Make Your Landing Pages Pop.

3. Nurture Email Sequence

You have a new lead! Now what?

First things first: promptly deliver what you promised. People want immediate confirmation that they will get the thing they signed up for.

Send a confirmation email with specific instructions on how to access the free item or service. Include any links they might need, and be sure to thank them for signing up.

It can also be a good idea to let them know what comes next. Will you be in their inbox daily/weekly/monthly? What sort of content can they expect to get from you?

From here, I recommend sending a series of about 5 emails to introduce yourself, your company, and your mission to your new lead. This is where the real relationship-building magic happens.

There are entire courses and books dedicated to the topic of what makes an effective email sequence, but here is a simple outline suggested by Mailerlite:

Email 1: Introduce yourself and deliver the lead magnet

Email 2: Share additional value

Email 3: Provide more information

Email 4: Address objections or concerns

Email 5: Make a call to action

Remember: the key to any great relationship-driven marketing is to lean on storytelling. Don’t be afraid to show up as your real, human self – that’s what will help you stand apart in a crowded market.

4. Social Posts to Promote

Okay, so you’ve created an amazing lead magnet, a landing page designed to convert like crazy and a killer email nurture sequence. How do you get enough of the right kind of eyes on your lead magnet?

You could invest in paid ads; however, I don’t think that is always the best option for most businesses and organizations, at least not with a new free offer. You can save a lot of money and guesswork by promoting your lead magnet on social media.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when creating promotional social media content:

Share the benefits – what will someone learn/feel/experience/discover after interacting with your free offer?
Promote it more often than you think you should – consumers need to see the same message multiple times before taking action.
Repurpose – use excerpts, graphics or other pieces from your lead magnet itself to showcase what’s inside.
Make sure you know where your audience is – is your ideal person on LinkedIn, or are they more likely to be on TikTok?
Stick with one strategy, and then assess – I recommend trying a strategy consistently for 90 days and then looking at specific measurements of success.

A well-thought-out lead funnel can help you fill up your email list with qualified leads who will come to know, like, and trust you, ultimately growing your business and fueling your mission.

If you need help figuring out the best strategy for your goals, our team is on standby, ready to be of assistance. Don’t hesitate to reach out today.

On a Mission Brands is dedicated to helping mission-driven entrepreneurs and organizations capture and captivate their target audience with beautiful, engaging, and memorable brands. Specializing in branding, copywriting and design, our team of heart-centered marketers goes above and beyond to build brand visibility for our clients. If you're ready to take your brand to new heights, let’s chat.

The Anatomy of a Simple Lead Funnel