In this step-by-step guide, we unpack the essentials of Customer Journeys and Sales Funnels for both service-based and eCommerce businesses. You’ll discover what they are, why they’re critical for business growth, how to build them, and how to avoid common mistakes. This blog also highlights the importance of having your website flow and email marketing set up correctly before doing any paid ads. Plus, we show how OBMHub can support the entire process — from lead capture to automation, CRM, and reporting.
What Is a Customer Journey?
The Customer Journey is the path your customer takes from first hearing about you to becoming a loyal client. It includes every interaction and touchpoint along the way. If you don’t intentionally create this journey, you’re leaving sales to chance — and confused customers rarely buy.
What Is a Sales Funnel?
A Sales Funnel is a step-by-step marketing system that guides your potential customers through the customer journey, designed to move them closer to a sale at each stage. Think of it as a systemised way to build relationships, address objections, and turn interest into revenue.
The 5 Key Steps of a Sales Funnel:
1. Awareness
This is how people find out you exist — through social media, referrals, SEO, podcasts, speaking events, or collaborations. Without awareness, there are no leads to convert.
2. Consideration
Here, potential customers are thinking about their problem and whether you can solve it. Your content should build trust, showcase expertise, and address common objections. Think blogs, free guides, and value-packed videos.
3. Decision
This is where people decide to buy — if you’ve done the work above well, now is when you present your offer with a clear call to action. This can be a sales page, calls, or direct purchase.
4. Retention
After the sale, retention is about keeping customers happy so they return. Onboarding emails, follow-ups, and client check-ins are essential.
5. Advocacy
Happy clients become referral machines! Encourage reviews, testimonials, and sharing. This fuels the Awareness stage again — making your funnel a loop, not a line.
Why Customer Journeys and Sales Funnels Are Essential
- Increase conversions: You guide leads smoothly to becoming clients/customers.
- Save time: Automation does the heavy lifting, reducing manual follow-up.
- Boost customer satisfaction: By giving people the right content at the right time.
- Enable your VA to execute: With a clear funnel, tasks are clear and actionable.
How to Create a Customer Journey and Sales Funnel (Step by Step)
Step 1: Map the Customer Journey Stages
- Identify how people find you, what they need to know, what offers to make, and how to retain them.
Example (Service-based):
- LinkedIn Post → 2. Article/Blog → 3. Free Checklist → 4. Discovery Call → 5. Paid Program → 6. Membership for ongoing support.
Example (eCommerce):
- Instagram Reel → 2. Product Page → 3. Abandoned Cart Email → 4. Purchase → 5. Post-purchase Upsell Email → 6. Review Request.
Step 2: Create Offers and Content for Each Stage
- Attract (free content)
- Convert (low-barrier offers)
- Sell (premium offers)
Example for Services: Free Guide → Strategy Call → Paid Program
Example for eCommerce: Product Demo Video → Discount Code → Bundles
Step 3: Automate Email, Social Media, and Follow-Ups
- Lead magnets to grow lists
- Email nurture series to build trust
- Sales emails with strong CTAs
- Abandoned cart sequences (eCommerce)
- Retarget Click throughs (Service based)
- Upsell follow-ups
VA Role: Create content, set up emails, track leads, and monitor progress.
Step 4: Connect Sales Funnel Tools
You need an all-in-one system for:
- Lead Capture Forms and Landing Pages
- Email Automation Sequences
- SMS Follow-ups
- Booking Calls/Calendars
- CRM to track leads
- Reporting to measure success
OBMHub.com does all this in one place, making it easier for you and your VA to manage.
Step 5: Test, Review, and Optimize
- Review each funnel stage: Are people dropping off? Why?
- Check email opens, clicks, and conversions.
- Adjust based on data (with tools like OBMHub reporting, Google Analytics).
How VAs Can Manage Sales Funnel Stages (and Why Most Business Owners Need This)
Once the strategy, plan, and customer journey are mapped out, and VAs are upskilled in understanding the business, its offers, and products, they can effectively manage each stage of the sales funnel. This includes scheduling content for awareness, setting up and monitoring lead capture, automating nurturing sequences, and tracking conversions and client follow-ups. However, it’s important to note that many business owners themselves are not clear on what their customer journey or funnel should be — which is why it’s essential to get a strategy created by a professional first. Once the strategy and plan are in place, VAs can confidently and successfully implement and manage the process. VAs become essential in executing the strategy, ensuring that no lead falls through the cracks and that customers experience a smooth journey from first contact to sale and beyond.
Why Website Flow Is Critical to Capture Leads and Guide Customers
If your website is just an online brochure, you’re losing leads daily. Your site needs:
- Clear customer journey flow — guiding visitors to action (e.g., lead magnet, book a call, shop now).
- Calls-to-action (CTA) on every page.
- Forms or popups for lead capture (e.g., free resource, discount).
Without this, all your effort on social media to get people to your site goes to waste!
Example:
Service-based business: Homepage → Free Guide → Email Nurture → Book a Call.
Ecommerce: Homepage → Feature Product → Add to Cart → Reminder Email if abandoned.
Why Email Marketing Is Non-Negotiable
- Most sales happen in follow-up, not first contact.
- Builds trust and value over time.
- Turns cold leads into warm buyers.
- Nurtures repeat customers and encourages referrals.
Important: NEVER run paid ads if you don’t have an email marketing system in place! You’ll waste money on leads who never hear from you again.
The Impact of Not Having This Set Up (Common Mistakes)
- No funnel = Leads that never convert.
- No email marketing = Leads that forget you.
- No website journey = Visitors who bounce without taking action.
- Doing paid ads too soon = Burning money.
If you don’t yet have a mapped customer journey and a sales funnel set up, now is the time to prioritise this! Work with your VA to map, create, and automate. If you are stuck, or need a skilled VA, reach out to us to help you create your marketing machine or give you the right software to run it.
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