Marketing Funnel vs Sales Funnel - What’s the difference?

Have you heard the terms marketing funnel vs sales funnel and thought they were the same thing? You wouldn’t be the first.

Many assume that both are the same but here's the deal: although they're both strategic frameworks focusing on pulling in leads, building solid relationships, and transforming those leads into loyal customers, they have their unique ways of making them stand out from each other.

Understanding the ways in which they differ is key to improving your marketing efforts

Keep reading to find out how each works, why they are best used together, and their key differences.

A marketing funnel is your brand’s online tour guide, smoothly ushering potential customers through the four stages of awareness, interest, desire, and finally, action.

It takes unaware customers who go, “Hey, what’s this?” when seeing your product or service to a stage of “I need this in my life.”

That’s where the essence of a marketing funnel lies: in building new relationships, nurturing leads, and ultimately driving conversions.

Amazon does this well, for example.

You could be browsing for a new dress, and while in the process of selecting a few, you might be recommended related items (think: shoes and accessories to match), offered free trials for Prime membership, and nudged towards completing your purchase with urgency-inducing messages like “Only 2 items left in stock!”.

A well-crafted marketing funnel can seamlessly guide your customers from curiosity to conversion.

The primary goal of a marketing funnel is to build awareness and interest, before linking to the sales funnel.

The marketing funnel has 4 main stages to know, often referred to as the AIDA model.

This is the first stage which is all about making a splash, and getting your brand noticed

Many brands do this online through:

• eye-catching social media posts
• captivating blog content
• or attention-grabbing ads

The goal is to plant the seed of curiosity in the minds of your target audience.

After piquing your prospect’s interests, it’s time to reel them in with some juicy content.

This stage is all about providing value, answering questions, and showcasing why your brand is worth a second look.

You can do this through:

• more informative blog posts
• engaging videos
• or helpful guides

The aim here is to keep them hooked and nudge them towards considering your offerings as a solution to their needs.

The desire stage is all about changing your leads’ curiosity into craving.

Think: limited-time deals, exclusive discounts, or enticing freebies that tip the scales in your favor and turn browsers into buyers.

At this stage, it’s critical that you do all you can to stoke their desire and make your brand near irresistible to engage with.

This is the final stage in the marketing funnel where all your hard work pays off as your prospects finally take that leap and become paying customers.

At this stage, you need to focus on laying the foundation for long-term loyalty and connecting it to your sales funnel for an effortless transition.

Keep the love alive with dedicated customer service, personalized follow-ups, and ongoing engagement to turn one-time buyers into raving fans who keep coming back for more.

Unlike the marketing funnel, which casts a wide net to attract new leads, a sales funnel focuses on nurturing relationships with individuals who are already familiar with your brand.

For example, let’s say you’re running an online fitness class and you’ve got a bunch of leads who attended a free lesson (that you promoted through the aforementioned marketing funnel!)

They know what you offer and what your brand stands for but they’re not quite committed yet. Here’s where you employ your sales funnel.

You could:

Before they know it, they’re signing up for a membership, thanks to the trust and rapport you’ve built along the way.

A classic example of a sales funnel in action is the way Starbucks upsells its customers. You walk in for a regular cup of coffee, and the friendly barista suggests trying out their new seasonal latte or signing up for their rewards program.

By leveraging their existing client relationships, Starbucks often nudges their loyal customer base towards making additional purchases and becoming a long-term patron.

The sales funnel stages can be split 5 ways. Though they may sound similar to the stages of a marketing funnel, they vary in terms of intent and actions/strategies covered in each.

This is the widest portion of the funnel, where potential customers may stumble upon your company, product, or service for the very first time.

They might have:

At this sales funnel stage, they may not even be aware they have a problem worth solving.

This is your cue to step in and shine a light on how your products or services can offer the solution they're seeking.

Your goal during the Awareness stage is to captivate attention and spark curiosity upon initial exposure.

At this stage, your prospects have moved beyond merely being aware of your brand— they’re actively seeking out more information and exploring how your products or services can address their needs and pain points.

This is where you dive deeper into their needs, their pain points, and their goals. Here, you have to ask the right questions, actively listen, and demonstrate genuine empathy and understanding.

It’s your chance to step up to the plate and demonstrate why you’re the perfect solution to their problems.

Hence, your goal should be to show them that you’re not just here to sell. You’re here to solve their problems and make their lives easier.

At this stage, building trust and rapport with your prospects is absolutely crucial. They’re looking for assurance that your solution is not only effective but also worth their hard-earned cash.

And what better way to instill confidence than by showcasing real-life success stories and glowing testimonials from satisfied customers?

The Desire stage is one of the best to show them firsthand how your product or service has helped others just like them overcome similar challenges and achieve their goals.

Transparency is key at this stage, so be upfront and honest about what you have to offer and how it stacks up against the competition.

The Action stage is where you whip out your trusty closing techniques, overcome any objections or doubts your customers might have, and guide them toward taking that final leap of faith.

Now, your business’s top priority is to drive a smooth and seamless transition from prospect to customer, meeting their needs and exceeding their expectations every step of the way.

To successfully fulfill your new customer’s needs and expectations, consider offering extra support or educational materials on your product.

Helping them learn how to correctly or effectively use your product not only adds value to their purchase but also increases their satisfaction and likelihood of becoming a repeat customer.

Whether it’s through detailed user guides, instructional videos, or one-on-one support sessions, make sure your customers feel empowered to get the most out of their investment.

The Loyalty stage is all about going above and beyond to delight, surprise, and exceed expectations. This could include creating loyalty programs to maximize customer lifetime value (CLV). It’s at this stage the word “customer retention” will often pop up.

Retention is the secret key that keeps the wheels of your business turning smoothly, reducing the need to constantly chase after new prospects and strengthening your bottom line in the process.

A happy customer is not just a repeat buyer, they’re also a walking, talking advertisement for your business.

What is the Difference Between Marketing Funnels and Sales Funnels?Here are the main ways in which marketing funnels and sales funnels differ.

Here are the main ways in which marketing funnels and sales funnels differ.

The marketing funnel sets the stage for the entire customer journey.

It’s positioned right at the beginning of the funnel and is focused on captivating potential customer’s attention and drawing them in with promises of excitement and intrigue.

In contrast, the sales funnel takes center stage as the grand finale of the customer journey.

Positioned at the tail end of the funnel, the sales funnel is all about sealing the deal and delivering on the promises made earlier in the customer journey (including those in the marketing funnel.)

The primary focus of the marketing funnel is to spread the word and create awareness.

From eye-catching social media posts to engaging blog content, the goal is to capture interest, enticing prospects to take the next step on their journey.

On the other hand, the sales funnel shifts gears to focus on converting prospects into paying customers.

Using personalized sales pitches and irresistible offers, you can overcome any remaining objections and guide leads toward making an actual purchase decision.

A marketing funnel takes its time, spanning anywhere from a few hours to several months to nurture leads and drive conversions.

However, In a sales funnel, timing is a huge priority.

Once a prospect has been identified as a qualified lead, the focus shifts to moving them through the sales process as quickly and efficiently as possible, minimizing the risk of losing their interest or attention.

A marketing funnel casts a wide net with a general audience and objective.

Rather than focusing on a specific subset of leads, the goal is to reach as many potential customers as possible and generate awareness for the brand or product.

The sales funnel however, typically targets a defined audience with a clear goal in mind.

This could be a specific demographic or industry niche. However, the overall focus is on identifying and engaging with prospects who are most likely to be interested in the products or services being offered.

A marketing funnel focuses on acquiring new customers through advertising and driving traffic to the website, aiming for a positive return on investment.

From pay-per-click ads to social media promotions, businesses here can invest in various marketing channels to raise awareness and generate interest.

On the other hand, Sales funnels tend to have more ROI-driven ad spend campaigns. This is because the sales funnel involves multiple stages from lead generation to closing the sale.

This could happen in the form of investing in targeted advertising campaigns or sponsoring industry events. Either way, businesses allocate resources strategically to attract and convert qualified leads into paying customers.

Marketing funnels leverage social media outreach methods such as blogging, Twitter chats, and Facebook groups to engage with potential leads.

On the other hand, sales funnels rely heavily on email outreach methods like campaigns and auto-responders.

Email marketing allows businesses to deliver targeted messages directly to potential customers’ inboxes, nurturing leads and guiding them through the sales process with personalized communication.

Follow-up in the marketing funnel may include various methods like social media messaging or lead campaigns to maintain engagement and build relationships.

From sending thank-you messages to offering exclusive discounts, businesses often use follow-up strategies here to reinforce brand loyalty and encourage repeat engagement with their audience.

However, follow-up in the sales funnel typically involves calls or emails for lead nurturing and to close sales.

The goal here could be to:

By knowing the key difference between marketing funnels vs. sales funnels, you can equip yourself with the right strategies to take advantage of both in a way that complements your business processes.

Here are some final suggestions on how you can integrate both together:

By recognizing these differences between the marketing funnels and sales funnels and tailoring strategies accordingly, businesses can navigate the customer journey from initial awareness to final conversion.