Lead Generation Funnel: How To Unlock Your Most Profitable Sales Channel

Is your lead generation funnel actually pulling in new leads every day?

Is it also converting the leads into paying customers while you're asleep?

If your answer to the above questions is a sad "no", then this post is for you!

We'll first learn about the lead generation funnel and how it converts new leads into near-instant buyers.

Then we'll go through incredibly well-executed examples of lead generation pages and look at some cash-pumping strategies that you can use!

Finally, you'll learn how to create your lead generation landing page using FunnelKit (formerly WooFunnels). This post is power-packed with insights so let's not waste any time and get started!

What is a lead generation funnel?

A lead generation funnel starts with a lead magnet or a free offer.

You can use a Facebook ad to send traffic to a dedicated landing page selling the free offer in return for their email.

On this page explain the freebie well, what it offers, and more - to convert visitors into leads.

Once the user signs up, i.e., submits their name & email - direct them to the sales page or checkout page for your paid product.

Your free product must be well-aligned with the paid product so that the ascension plan is clear.

If the user does not make the purchase, that’s ok too!

You can use emails to pitch them the paid offer and exploit more opportunities to make the sale over email.

The Science Behind Succesful Lead Generation Pages

Let's take a look at what matters when it comes to your lead generation page conversions.

The Design

The copy can be magnetic, but if it’s not presented well, it won’t garner interest.

People are biased towards pages that look polished and professional.

Take a look at this landing page built using the FunnelKit Funnel Builder:

Here’s what makes this lead generation funnel page stand out:

• Value proposition section: A well-defined above-the-fold section for your headline and sub-headline
• Form at the top: Make your sign up form take center stage so that it doesn't get lost in the text!
• Why you created the freebie: Use this section to highlight why you put this free offer together
• Benefits of the lead magnet: A dedicated section to list down the key benefits
• Multiple CTAs: Have multiple CTA buttons across the page to maximize the number of clicks
• Final Close: Summarize the key points of the offer so that people don't miss out

The Copy

When it comes to writing your copy, you must be aware of the stage of awareness of your reader.

There are five stages of awareness:

1. Unaware: Unaware audience has no idea that they have the problem. It's quite hard to speak with them because they aren't looking for any solution. You shouldn't direct your sales messages to them.

2. Problem Aware: This group knows they have a problem but aren't aware of any solutions. They are looking for answers to their questions online or are simply thinking about taking some action.

3. Solution Aware: This audience knows about the existent solutions to solve their problems but they aren't aware of your product or brand. You need to educate them about what you're offering.

4. Product Aware: The 'Product aware' group knows about your offerings, but they haven't purchased yet. You can have a dedicated lead generation funnel for these prospects that teaches them to use your product.

5. Most Aware: This group is actively considering the purchase, but they've some last-minute, easy-to-handle objections. These could be your abandoned users.

When you're creating your lead capturing page and ads - write your messages for people who are in the problem aware or solution aware stage.

Take them to the most aware stage through your lead generation funnel!

3 Outstanding Lead Generation Page Examples

We've put together a list of a few examples from which we think you can learn a lot.

These are some high-converting pages that are designed incredibly well. Not just that, the copy is very convincing too!

Let's take a look at these lead generation funnel examples:

1. Smart Marketer’s Video Training Offer

• Give away a branded formula: People have stopped downloading run-of-the-mill content. This freebie offers a very specific formula that gets a specific result!
  
• Show you know a secret: We’re not talking about using the word ‘secret’ in your copy! The word is an overkill. But show that you know something more- something that they don’t know. For example, here Ezra hints at knowing something more about the Facebook algorithm than his audience.
  
• Give your best stuff away: Love the authoritative voice here that goes - "This isn't my first rodeo, and I don't say this lightly: Love-Demo-Love is my best Facebook ad template ever."

2. Collaborate.work's Free Worksheet

• Be very specific with your promise: “Lay out a 12-month plan for all your launches and promotions”: The promise is clear, tangible and highly specific.
  
• Address the underlying problem: Highlighting the problem at the superficial level will not help you inspire people to sign up! Bevin goes really deep when she says - “I loved doing yoga but I knew nothing about building a yoga business. So I never had enough students and I didn't make enough money...”
  
• Create a fear of being left behind: Since this is an evergreen lead magnet - which is always available to download from the website. There needs to induce urgency. Therefore, Bevin mentions- “If you don't have a plan for the next 12 months, you are not maximizing your revenue potential.”

3. Exceed Nutrition Coaching's Live Webinar

• Speak to that one ideal customer: Do you resonate with that copy? We know we don’t because it was never written for us. They’re speaking to the highly pain aware audience.
  
• Reveal the mystery: Curiosity drives people the fastest to the CTA button. “Why habit loop is the #1 reason people don’t stick to your...advice...” Upon reading the bullet, you sure want to know what habit loop really is and how that’s an obstacle.
  
• Sell the proven, eliminate guesswork: Notice in one of the bullet Ru Anderson says, “A proven coaching strategy that makes your advice ridiculously easy to follow."

5 Strategies You Can Use Today to Get More Leads Through Your Lead Generation Funnel

Now that we've looked at the psychology behind persuasive pages that convert and some incredible examples to draw inspiration from, it's time to get closer to building your own page.

Here, we'll share some strategies that you can use to get better results with your lead generation funnel.

Let's get started.

1. Power Your Copy with Market Research

Knowing where the market is headed and showing your knowledge off puts you ahead of the curve!

And people will only download your stuff when you show that you’re better researched and know some trade secrets.

Nik Sharma does a great job of telling readers that he knows what the Apple update truly means for DTC advertisers!

This is not just a call for subscribing to a generic, run-of-the-mill newsletter but a specific promise to deliver content that matters.

Also, notice the headline "Get smarter about DTC in just 5 minutes". It helps them reinforce that he has put in his research to create the newsletter.

So go ahead and put in that little extra research to know the latest trends driving your industry forward.

2. Use Power Words that Stroke Imagination

You’re giving away virtual products such as ebooks, worksheets, video training, cheat sheet, and more.

In this scenario, it becomes even more important to help people visualize what they’ll actually get with the freebie and what they’ll be able to do with it.

Here’s a brilliant example from TheOriginCompany:

Notices the phrases used in the copy:

• Business Pressure-Relief Kit
• Exhale-inducing resource
• Melt overwhelm

Also, read the CTA button that goes 'Yes! I want relief' - there's no room left for confusion.

Here’s another brilliant example from Punchline Copy:

Here are some of the phrases that she uses to power up people’s imagination:

• Punch up your copy
• De-snoozify your copy
• Shitloads of clicks

3. Make Your CTA Button Copy Unignorable

No matter how power-packed your copy is, your CTA button needs to drive action too!

It needs to make the offer sound so irresistible that people can’t help but sign up.

The best CTA button copy reinforces the promise made in the headline. It reminds people of the value proposition.

Another sign of persuasive CTAs is that they are in the first person. Here’s a brilliant example from Copyhackers:

Notice the CTA particularly: “Be Twice As Badass with Persuasive Design Chops”.

It complements the heading so well that it also promises to make you a persuasive designer.

The CTA copy sounds desirable.

Another brilliant example is from KimraLuna.com. Here too, the headline and the CTA button are in perfect alignment:

Headline: Join the Riot Doll Society

Button Copy: Join the Movement

It’s also reiterating the promise made in the headline!

4. Show a Glimpse of What’s Inside

Blind dates are great but when you’re asking for people’s emails, it will be nice to show them a glimpse of what’s inside.

If it’s a spreadsheet - add a gif showing a quick scroll from the sheet.

For a PDF - show a page or two.

In the case of a course - Show the video thumbnail with the play button.

You’ll love how Nik Sharma showcases an actual email and uses bullets to explain what you’re precisely signing up for:

5. Use a Magnetic Facebook Ad to Drive Traffic to Your Page

Using a Facebook ad to drive traffic to your landing page is a great idea! It'll give you a quick headstart and help you test your offer out.

Be sure to keep your ads conversational and speak to a problem-aware audience.

Take a look at this ad from Melyssa:

As you can notice, she speaks to an audience that already writes blogs; they know and experience the struggle of not being able to get enough readers.

She clearly states the benefits of signing up for her free workshop and the promise is simple! She ain't promising to teach dime-a-dozen traffic generation strategies but only Pinterest.

Our other example is from Digital Marketer, another well-executed Facebook ad!

It also speaks to a problem-aware audience that struggles to get new ideas for writing blog posts.

It makes them aware of the solution, i.e., content aggregation as a way to whip up viral posts.

These ads, upon clicked, lead people to dedicated landing pages for capturing leads.

How to Set up Your Lead Generation Funnel?

In this section, we’ll demonstrate how can you set up your lead generation funnel that captures your leads with a welcome email.

For this, we will be using the FunnelKit Funnel Builder.

You can get its free version here and get started.

Get access to a full library of optimized templates and unlock profit-boosting features such as order bumps, one-click upsells, and more with the premium version of the Funnel Builder.

Now that we’ve mentioned the pre-requisites, let’s get started.

Step #1: Add a New Funnel and Name it ‘Lead Generation Funnel’

Go to Funnels and click on 'Add New Funnel'

You'll get directed to the templates section.

Select Lead Generation Funnel and you'll be shown all the templates relevant to it.

FunnelKit's deep integration with popular page builders lets you create highly optimized pages in your funnel.

Feel free to choose from Elementor, Divi, Gutenberg, and Oxygen.

If you've got other page builders on your mind, select Others and proceed.

Next, you'll be able to see the preview of the template. This template has two pages:

• Optin Page
• Optin Confirmation Page

Choose the type of form (inline and popup) you want and click on 'Import This Template'.

Enter the name of your funnel - ‘Lead Generation Funnel’.

Your lead generation funnel will get created.

Step #2: Customize the Optin Page

Clicking on edit will load your opt-in page in the page builder you’d chosen.

Customize the page the way you want. Make sure to:

• Give a concise, clear title to your copy
• Insert a perfect hero image on the page
• Maintain a proper structure and a sizeable text
• Add only the necessary fields on your form
• Set a clear action on your CTA button

Once you’re done, click on Update to save all your changes.

Step #3: Add the Checkout Page to Your Funnel

Now we’ll be directing the leads to a sales cum checkout page.

So first delete the Optin Confirmation page.

For that, let’s add a Checkout page step to our lead generation funnel.

Click on 'Checkout Pages' to choose the template for your checkout page.

Now, select the number of steps you want on your checkout and click on 'Import this template'.

Name your checkout page and click on 'Add'.

Now, customize your checkout page for your leads.

You can add your paid product by going through the Products tab.

This is how your Checkout page looks:

We've got a brilliant post on how to optimize your Checkout page for higher conversions and less abandonment - Do check it out!

Step #4: Add One-Click Upsell Offer to Increase AOV

You can further add one-click upsell offers to increase the order values.

Add the paid product, import the template, set any rules you want, and more.

This is how your Upsell page looks like:

Step #5: Add the Order Confirmation Page

Finally, add the thank you page to your lead generation funnel.

Use this page to talk about your business and build trust.

Direct them to your social media groups, product recommendations, testimonial section on your website, or give them access to their content straight away.

Take a look:

All Set to Create Your Lead Generation Funnel?

We've looked at everything you might need to create a high-converting lead generation funnel in WordPress.

FunnelKit (formerly WooFunnels) is one solution for all your funnel requirements. Here, you get everything you need to create a perfect lead gen funnel for your business.

Plus, with the launch of Funnel Builder 2.0, you get to visualize your funnels on a single screen.

So what you can do now is - take inspiration from one of the examples, craft a compelling copy, and start building your lead generation funnel.

We're sure you'll love the results it'll bring.

Get the FunnelKit Funnel Builder now >>