Brilliant Ideas

#29: Sales Funnels for Beginners: A Clear Path from Click to Customer

• Alyssa Bellisario • Season 1 • Episode 29

Share episode

Sales funnels don't have to be complicated; they can be simple, guided paths that help people go from curiosity to purchase without feeling pushed. The key is creating a straightforward journey that builds relationships naturally, making the sale feel like the logical next step rather than a high-pressure situation.

• A funnel is just a series of steps from stranger to buyer: awareness, interest, desire, action
• Complicated funnels create more opportunities for mistakes and audience confusion
• Being simple means fewer things break and customers feel guided rather than lost
• The structure of a basic funnel: low-ticket product → possible upsell → welcome emails
• Let yourself be human in your funnel communications to build genuine connections
• Focus on just one offer at a time to maintain clarity and effectiveness
• Test, tweak and repeat - nothing you create is ever the final version

Send me a text if you loved this episode!

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

Your feedback helps me reach more solopreneurs like you.

It’s super easy—just click here, scroll to the bottom, tap those five stars, and hit “Write a Review.” I’d love to know what resonated most with you in this episode!

And don’t forget to hit that follow button if you haven’t already! There’s plenty more coming your way—practical tips, inspiring stories, and tools to help you grow a business that makes a real difference. You won’t want to miss out!

Let's Connect on Instagram
yeslab.ca
Search your favorite episodes HERE

This podcast is produced, mixed, and edited by Cardinal Studio. For more
For information about how to start your podcast, please visit www.cardinalstudio.co
Or e-mail mike@cardinalstudio.co

Alyssa:

is because a simple funnel is about building relationships without looking like you're always selling. Welcome to Brilliant Ideas, the podcast that takes you behind the scenes of some of the most inspiring digital products created by solopreneurs just like you. I'm your host, Alyssa, a digital product strategist who helps subject matter experts grow their business with online courses, memberships, coaching programs and eBooks. If you're a solopreneur with dreams of packaging your expertise into a profitable digital product, then this is the podcast for you. Expect honest conversations of how they started, the obstacles they overcame, lessons learned the hard way, and who faced the same fears, doubts and challenges you're experiencing, From unexpected surprises to breakthrough moments and everything in between. Tune in, get inspired and let's spark your next big, brilliant idea. Welcome back to the Brilliant Ideas Podcast.

Alyssa:

Today, I want to chat about something that sounds more complicated than it actually is A simple sales funnel. Yeah, we're going to talk about funnels, but listen for the word simple, because that's going to be our lifeline through this entire episode. Now, before you roll your eyes or start frantically searching for your next episode, hear me out. Sales funnels do not have to be complicated, and they certainly don't have to make you feel like you need a PhD. You only need to show up and serve your people at the right time in the right way. So today I'm going to bring you some tough love, some comedy, a little vulnerability and, hopefully, a lot of insight that will help you see the sneaky power of a simple funnel that can have in building your digital product business. So I want you to raise your hand.

Alyssa:

If you've ever felt personally victimized by the concept of a funnel, I see you. I get it. We've all been there. The word funnel makes me think of images of complicated flowcharts and a 72-step email sequence with automations. But I'm here to reassure you. Funnels can be simple. Actually, they should be simple. I mean, why the heck would you want to build something complicated that frustrates yourself and your audience? Don't let the fancy diagrams fool you. I create a lot of funnel diagrams. Fool you, I create a lot of funnel diagrams.

Alyssa:

But at its core, a funnel is just a guided path that helps people go from I'm curious to I'm ready to buy, and sometimes the biggest struggle is even admitting that we actually need a funnel. So we tell ourselves stories like I'm just not a salesperson or ew, I don't want to be that pushy. So I want you to knock that self-sabotage right off the table. A funnel done right isn't pushy at all. It's an invitation, and we all love a good party invite. So let's define what a funnel is In the simplest terms.

Alyssa:

It's the series of steps your potential customers take to go from stranger to buyer. That's it. There's no complicated jargon and no big scary words. It's just a path from a beginning to an end, and typically that journey looks like this. So you start with an awareness. They discover you. Maybe they see your social media posts on Instagram, or maybe they visit your blog or they get referred by a friend. Then they decide you know, this person's actually kind of cool and I want to like hear more of what she has to say. That is when they get that interest. Then they have some kind of desires. They think, oh wow, I actually kind of need what you're offering. Like I need it right now. And then they finally press that glorious buy button or sign up for your course or membership. Now, before you think I'm over here living on a cloud of funnel perfection, I want to be real with you.

Alyssa:

I have messed up funnels a lot like no shame in my game. I've created funnels that led nowhere, Funnels that were too pushy, funnels that had too many steps, and even I got confused One time. I tried to set up an automated email series for a course and I messed up half the links, which meant yes, half my audience was clicking away into like some black hole of 404 pages. It was so embarrassing and I definitely had moments of lying on the couch wondering if I should just scrap the whole idea and go back to a nine to five. It was that bad. But guess what? Every single cringe worthy mistake taught me this it's how to simplify, Because the more complicated I made the funnel, the more mistakes I produced, and when I stripped away the extra BS, suddenly it all just worked. And that is the sneaky power of making things simple.

Alyssa:

Now, being simple means fewer places for things to break, so it means your audience isn't stuck wandering in the wilderness of your email sequences wondering what the exit sign is. It means they're not bombarded with 27 different offers. Just the right offer at the right time, and that's the real magic of a good funnel. It's like a well-lit path in a dark forest. You want your customer to feel guided and safe, not stressed out and confused, but a straightforward path. That's where the trust is built, Relationships are formed and conversions happen.

Alyssa:

So I want to outline what you actually need and let me tell you there is a million and one different funnels that you can create, but this one I'm going to share is one you can create without a whole lot of legwork involved. So let's say, you have a low ticket product, so something that is under $47. So this is where the magic starts. You have something like a PDF guide, a mini video series or maybe even a short ebook, Maybe it's a course that you're selling. The goal is to get them to say, yes, I need that, and hand over their credit card. Then the buy now button redirects into an upsell. So if you're going to do an upgrade or an upsell, they should be tools to support what they just purchased and not just some random products. After they've gone through your funnel, they're going to get an email or two or maybe three that says hey, welcome to my world. Here's what you purchased, Plus a few extra free goodies from me about what I do and how I can help you.

Alyssa:

So this is your chance to let your new subscribers get to know you and start to trust you. So here's another thing In your funnel. Let yourself be human. So don't be afraid to show the real you in your emails or on your sales page. Share your own journey. Talk about your missteps. Invite your audience to see you as not just the expert but as a real person who really gets what they're going through.

Alyssa:

Now I know I titled this episode the Sneaky Power of a Simple Sales Funnel, and here's the real reason it's so. I guess sneaky is because a simple funnel is about building relationships without looking like you're always selling. So each email, each interaction, each social media post is part of a bigger story you're trying to tell. So, instead of trying to push a sale 24-7, you're letting your potential customers raise their hands and say hey, I'm interested, Tell me more. They slide into your funnel because they want the content, they want what you have and they want your help. And because you're showing up, you're giving them value and you're being genuine. When you finally say, hey, I have this product that might solve your biggest pain point, they're like heck, yeah, like, sign me up. And that's the sneaky part. It doesn't feel like a hard sell to them, it just feels like the natural next step for them.

Alyssa:

And so let's get down to some nitty gritty tips here. First, I have to say I have to tell you guys I have a great course on how to get your first 100 sales in Thrivecart by building a simple automated funnel. Go, check that out. It's the link in the show notes. Second, start with one offer. Don't try to funnel people into like five different products at once. Pick one. It can be a mini course, a workshop, a membership, whatever you have. Focus on funneling them into that single offer. You have focus on funneling them into that single offer. And last, I want you to test, tweak and repeat. So check your links, revise your messaging if your metrics aren't performing well and tweak your offer if you need to. Nothing that you create is ever going to be a final version, and that's it.

Alyssa:

The sneaky power of keeping it simple and straightforward when it comes to your sales funnel. Power of keeping it simple and straightforward when it comes to your sales funnel Less clutter, less confusion, more genuine connection and, ultimately, more sales. I'm here to help you turn your brilliant ideas into a thriving digital product business. One simple strategy at a time, so I'll see you next time on another brilliant idea. Thanks for tuning into this episode of Brilliant Ideas. If you love the show, be sure to leave a review and follow me on Instagram for even more insider tips and inspiration. Ready to bring your next big, brilliant idea to life? Visit AlyssaVelsercom for resources, guidance and everything you need to start creating something amazing.