Sales Funnel
A sales funnel is a model of the stages prospects pass through on the way from first becoming aware of your brand to becoming paying customers. It is drawn as a funnel because the audience narrows at each step: many people enter at the top, and only a portion advance through interest, evaluation, and purchase.
A typical funnel runs from awareness at the top, through interest and consideration in the middle, to intent and purchase at the bottom, often described as top, middle, and bottom of funnel. Marketers measure how many prospects move from one stage to the next, and the drop-off between stages reveals conversion rates and bottlenecks worth fixing.
The sales funnel reflects the company's view of converting prospects, while the buyer journey reflects the customer's own experience. A common pitfall is treating the funnel as ending at the sale; many teams extend it past purchase into retention and advocacy, since existing customers drive much of long-term growth.
Last updated: 14 June 2026