Did you know 61% of B2B marketers agree that lead generation is their biggest challenge? 

That's a lot of businesses struggling to find new customers.

But what if you could create a system that attracts potential customers, builds relationships with them, and ultimately turns them into paying clients? 

That's what a lead generation funnel helps you do.

But how exactly do you build a high-performing lead gen funnel?

I will give you a step-by-step playbook for building a killer lead generation funnel that will have clients knocking on your door. 

But before that, let’s quickly review what lead gen funnels are and how they work. 

What is a lead generation funnel?

A lead generation funnel is a roadmap that guides potential customers from first hearing about your business to making a purchase. 

Its main job is to attract people's interest, nurture it, help them decide, and then take action, like buying a product or signing up for a service.

The stages of lead funnels include: 

• Awareness: First, you grab their attention. You could do it by running eye-catching social media ads, creating blog posts on topics they care about, etc.

• Interest: Once they're curious, you offer something valuable for free, like an ebook or a webinar. In exchange, they give you their contact info.

• Decision: Now you nurture those leads with helpful emails or videos that show them why your product or service is the answer they need.

• Action: Finally, they're ready to buy. You provide a clear call to action, like a discount code or a free trial, to nudge them towards becoming a customer.

For instance, a clothing store might:

• Attract customers with a flashy window display
• Then offer a discount coupon to spark interest
• Showcase their best-selling items to help customers decide
• And finally, provide an easy checkout process. 

Similarly, an online course creator might: 

• Offer a free webinar to attract leads
• Then send them valuable educational content to nurture their interest
• Present them with a special offer to prompt a decision
• And finally, guide them through the enrollment process.

Sounds interesting? Let’s get to knowing how to build a lead generation funnel.

How to build a lead generation funnel step-by-step

Now, here is the real deal - the exact steps that describe how to make a funnel for your lead gen efforts: 

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1- Define your target audience 

You need to know who you're talking to to build a lead generation sales funnel that works like a charm. 

Picture your dream customer in your mind and ask yourself: 

• What makes them tick?
• Where do they hang out online?
• What keeps them up at night?
• Know their age, gender, location, job title, interests, and pain points. 

Be as specific as you can be. 

For example, "30-year-old tech-savvy professionals living in urban areas who struggle with time management” is a much better description of an ideal customer than “people who struggle with time management”. 

The clearer you are about your audience, the better you can tailor your content and offer to hit the bullseye every time.

2- Create compelling content 

Now that you've nailed down who your audience is, it's time to create content that grabs their attention and keeps them engaged. 

I know you have heard this gaziillions times “Create Content”. But nobody tells you how, right?

Content is the heart of your lead generation funnels. It draws people in and guides them through the journey from curious visitors to satisfied customers.

Refer back to your audience research to understand what your target audience is looking for. 

This is important. A lot of people just create content for the sake of it. Don’t do that. 

Generate ideas by asking questions like: What questions do my target audience have? What challenges are they facing? 

Your content should address these needs directly.

Make sure your content is valuable and relatable. It should leave the readers feeling like they gained something from engaging with it.

Mix up your content formats to cater to different preferences. This could include blog posts, videos, infographics, podcasts, eBooks, or webinars. 

You shouldn’t dive into all these formats even if social media gurus tell you to.

Research your audience and understand which content format they prefer. 

If you’re targeting busy CEOs, they might not have time to read long-form blog posts. You get the idea, right?

3- Build landing pages 

Landing pages are often the first thing your potential customers see, so you should make a good impression. 

Choose a clean and professional design that reflects your brand identity. Keep the layout simple and easy to navigate, with a clear headline that grabs attention and communicates the value proposition of your offer. 

Use bullet points or short paragraphs to highlight the key benefits and features of your product or service, and include compelling visuals like images or videos to support your message. 

Make sure your landing page copy is concise and to the point.

You shouldn’t talk a lot about you and your business and how you have won several awards. 

Your landing page should focus on what's in it for the visitor, and why they should take action. 

And speaking of action, don't forget to include a prominent call-to-action (CTA) button that tells visitors exactly what you want them to do next, such as: 

• Signing up for a free trial
• Downloading an ebook
• Requesting a demo, etc.

4- Offer lead magnets

A lead magnet is an incentive that businesses offer to their audience in exchange for their contact information. 

Before you work on your lead gen funnel magnet, identify a pain point or challenge your audience faces. 

Then, create something that provides a clear solution or valuable insights related to that problem. 

Get creative with what you offer – it could be an exclusive ebook, a handy checklist, a webinar packed with insights, or a sneak peek through a free trial. 

Keep it simple, impactful, and ensure it's easy to digest and leave them hungry for more.

Don’t forget to promote your lead magnet front and center on your website, using compelling copy and eye-catching visuals to grab attention.

5- Implement lead capture forms 

Now that you've got your lead magnets ready to go, it's time to set up lead capture forms. 

It's always best to use a user-friendly platform or a dedicated form builder, such as Formaloo, to create lead generation forms. 

You can make your own form using Formaloo’s drag-and-drop features. 

You can also sift through ready-to-use templates until you find one that perfectly matches your brand identity and campaign objectives. 

Opt for a sleek and clear design, add a punchy headline, concise copy, and a captivating call-to-action (CTA) to guide the visitors to take the next step.

Keep your forms simple and to-the-point. Only request essential information, such as name and email, to minimize barriers. 

6- Set up email marketing

Setting up email marketing is crucial for your lead generation sales funnel. 

Here's how you can get started: 

1. Select a platform like Mailchimp, Formaloo, ConvertKit, or Constant Contact, that offers easy-to-use interfaces and customizable lead generation funnel templates. Build your email list via lead capture forms. 

2. Divide your email list into smaller groups based on demographics, interests, or behavior. It will allow you to send targeted and personalized messages.

3. Write engaging and relevant emails that provide value to your subscribers. Include tips, industry insights, product updates, or special offers.

4. Use lead generation automation features to send welcome emails, follow-ups, and nurturing sequences. Automation saves time and ensures consistent communication.

5. Track metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversions. Use this data to optimize your email campaigns for better performance.

7- Promote via social media and paid ads

Your lead generation funnel doesn't exist if people can't find it. You need to make it visible to your target audience via targeted marketing. 

Whip out some killer content for your social media, including, Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn. 

Think of eye-catching posts, snappy headlines, and visuals that pop. Don't forget to tweak your content for each platform – what works on Instagram might not work on LinkedIn. 

Aim to post when your audience is most active to maximize engagement. Engage with your audience, answer questions, and spark conversations.

Now, let's talk ads – set aside a budget and experiment with different ad formats and targeting options. 

You've got your classic image ads, attention-grabbing video ads, carousel ads that let you showcase multiple products, and sponsored posts that blend into the feed.

Keep an eye on your analytics – they'll tell you what's working and what's not. 

8- Set up retargeting campaigns 

We've talked about attracting new leads with your landing page, but what about those visitors who browse, land on your website once, and just disappear? 

First things first, install a retargeting pixel on your website. It’s a tiny snippet of code that tracks website visitors and lets you show them ads later. 

Most advertising platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads offer easy pixel installation guides.

Retargeting lets you create specific audience lists based on visitor behavior. Here are some ideas:

• All Website Visitors: This is a great starting point to re-engage everyone who visited your site.

• Abandoned Cart: Target visitors who added items to their cart but didn't checkout. Remind them about the products they almost bought. 
• Product Page Viewers: Did someone check out a specific product or service page? Retarget them with ads showcasing its benefits.
• Blog Visitors: Retarget people who read one of your blog posts with a downloadable guide or a free consultation related to the topic.

Let Formaloo lead customers to your business!

Now you have a roadmap to crafting a high-converting b2b lead generation funnel that will turn strangers into raving fans. 

But to give you a heads-up, building a funnel and nurturing leads can be time-consuming. 

Formaloo streamlines every stage of your marketing funnel lead generation. 

The platform lets you build high-converting lead capture forms and automate nurturing email sequences – all within one space. 

Get started with Formaloo for free today.