A sales funnel helps you define a customer’s experience—from brand awareness to purchase—so you can help guide them from one step to the next. With a sales funnel, you can visualize interactions that probably already feel familiar to you, and better understand where you’re over- or under-delivering. From the moment someone encounters your marketing campaign and becomes a prospect to the final stage where they make a purchase and become a buyer, a sales funnel plots where people engage and where they drop off. Knowing how to build and iterate on a sales funnel is one of the most profitable tactics an entrepreneur can know. Here, you’ll learn how to build a one-page ecommerce sales funnel, track key metrics to gauge success, and gain access to a free sales funnel template.
1. Select a Design
Choosing the right layout for your sales funnel is the first critical step in building an effective system. There are three primary layouts to consider: a traditional ecommerce product page, a long-form product page, or a product mini-site. The traditional ecommerce product page is most suitable for products that require little to no explanation. This layout is straightforward and efficient, guiding the user quickly to the purchase decision without overwhelming them with information.
In contrast, a long-form ecommerce product page is ideal when you have detailed stories to tell, complex technologies to explain, significant benefits to reveal, and potential objections to overcome. This layout allows you to present all necessary information on a single page, making it easy for the user to find everything they need without navigating away. A product mini-site is a hybrid approach that splits detailed content over several shorter, linked product pages for easier navigation. This format works best for products that can be complex or need to be viewed from multiple angles to be fully appreciated.
2. Style Your Header
The header is an essential part of your website design; it’s the first element your visitors will see and sets the tone for their entire shopping experience. A well-styled header should be slender and feature your logo prominently without overwhelming the page content. Aim for a header that occupies no more than 20% of the page height for desktop sites and 10% for mobile. This maximizes screen space for your content, making it easier for visitors to focus on your product offerings.
Always ensure the shopping cart is linked in the header to prevent customer frustration and incomplete purchases. This link should be easily accessible and visible at all times. Additionally, include a call-to-action (CTA) for email opt-ins and promotions in your header. This can promote offers such as free shipping, limited-time promotions, or email opt-in incentives. The readability of your header is crucial; use a big, easy-to-read font that stands out against the background. On mobile, large, well-spaced links enhance usability by reducing accidental taps.
3. Highlight Testimonials
Featuring customer testimonials prominently on your product page can significantly boost your credibility and conversion rates. Testimonials serve as a form of social proof, providing potential customers with real-life examples of satisfied buyers who have enjoyed using your product. Unlike a reviews section, which may contain multiple comments, a featured testimonial is a single powerful quote that lives inside the buy box, making it highly visible to visitors.
To choose an effective featured testimonial, select an enthusiastic endorsement that is both concise and compelling. The testimonial should be from a representative of your biggest customer demographic to make it relatable to your target audience. This short and affirmative endorsement helps build trust and reassure potential buyers that your product delivers as promised. Alongside this testimonial, featuring social proof imagery such as celebrity or influencer endorsements, certification logos, or expert reviews can further bolster your product’s credibility.
4. Add Buy Box Information
The buy box is a crucial element designed to inspire visitors to add products to their cart. To maximize its effectiveness, provide a concise summary of your product’s main benefits right within the buy box. Start with a featured testimonial, followed by a one-sentence ownership benefit that succinctly states why customers should buy your product. Then, add a two- to three-sentence product description that details the product’s features and advantages.
By reinforcing the product’s value proposition in the buy box, you remind visitors why they should make a purchase now. This simple yet powerful framework can mean the difference between gaining or losing a sale. For instance, beauty brand BOOM! increased its conversion rate and average revenue per user by featuring social proof and upsells within their buy box. This approach ensures that the buy box is not just a functional element on the page but a strategic tool for boosting conversions.
5. Create a Brief Product Demo
A short-form product demonstration video is one of the most effective assets you can use to increase conversions. Videos engage users more effectively than text or still images by providing a dynamic and visual understanding of the product. Keep these videos under 30 seconds long, focusing on a clean and elegant demonstration of the product’s key features and benefits. This concise format is easily shareable on your website, social channels, and in advertisements.
For those who may not have the resources to create professional videos in-house, platforms like Shopify Collabs enable partnerships with influencers who can produce engaging product demo videos for you. These collaborations can help you leverage the influencer’s reach and credibility to enhance your product’s appeal. Whether it’s a simple demonstration or a more elaborate production, a well-made product video can significantly impact a potential customer’s buying decision.
6. Choose Carousel Images
Product images are crucial for online shopping as they help customers visualize the product and its features. An image carousel allows you to display multiple high-quality images of your product from various angles and in different states of use. Quality is paramount, so ensure your images are as crisp and appealing as possible. Diversify your images to show the product from various viewpoints, in use, and stored away to provide a comprehensive visual presentation.
Include human elements in your images to create a connection with potential buyers by demonstrating the product’s use in real-life scenarios. Additionally, consider using diagrams, illustrations, or photos to highlight product features, dimensions, or materials. Optimized images not only enhance user experience by loading quickly but also improve your SEO rankings. You can also incorporate different media formats like videos, 3D models, or interactive diagrams for a more thorough exploration of the product.
7. Write CTA Text
The effectiveness of your call-to-action (CTA) text can significantly impact your conversion rates. The primary CTA in your buy box is typically the buy button, and while it may be tempting to get creative, simplicity is usually most effective. Standard CTA texts like “Buy Now,” “Add to Cart,” “Checkout Now,” or “Add to Bag” are well-understood and encourage quick action.
Consistency is key; most ecommerce stores should stick with “Add to Cart” unless there’s a strong regional preference (like “Add to Bag” in Europe). For B2B sales, where the CTA might lead to scheduling a meeting with sales reps, phrases like “Book a Demo” work well. Clear and straightforward CTA text minimizes confusion and sets clear expectations for the next step in the purchasing process, making it easier for customers to complete their purchase.
8. Showcase Unique Selling Points Visually
Displaying your unique selling propositions (USPs) visually on your product page can set you apart from competitors and strongly influence buying decisions. USPs communicate why customers should choose your product over others, highlighting any special features, benefits, or guarantees that make your offering unique. Incorporate these points into your product page design to make them stand out.
Questions like whether you offer guarantees or special financing, provide fast or free shipping, or possess any relevant certifications can help define your USPs. These propositions should be featured prominently in both text and visuals on your product page. For example, Pura Vida Bracelets effectively showcases its USPs by highlighting its special technology and product benefits in a visually appealing manner. Aligning your USPs with customer needs and expectations can significantly enhance your product’s appeal.
9. Display Guarantees
Offering guarantees is an effective strategy to alleviate customer concerns and reduce perceived purchasing risk. A money-back guarantee, which promises a refund if customers are not satisfied, is highly effective and builds trust quickly. However, it’s not the only type of guarantee you can offer. Satisfaction guarantees, lifetime guarantees, and low-price or price match guarantees are also powerful assurances that can improve customer confidence.
Consider what guarantees you can provide to minimize risk and make customers feel secure in their purchase. For instance, a satisfaction guarantee allows customers to receive a refund if they are not happy with the product, collecting feedback in the process. A lifetime guarantee reassures customers that they can get the product fixed or replaced if anything goes wrong. Such guarantees can significantly boost customer trust and conversion rates by reducing perceived risk and demonstrating your commitment to quality.
10. Offer Social Proof Images
A sales funnel helps you define a customer’s journey—from brand awareness to purchase—allowing you to guide them through each stage effectively. With a sales funnel, you can visualize interactions that you likely already find familiar and gain a clearer understanding of where you may be underperforming or exceeding expectations. From the initial moment someone encounters your marketing campaign and becomes a prospect to the final stage where they make a purchase and become a buyer, a sales funnel maps out where people engage and where they drop off. Understanding how to build and refine a sales funnel is one of the most profitable strategies an entrepreneur can learn.
By grasping the stages of a sales funnel, you can optimize your approach at every step, ensuring that potential customers remain engaged and are more likely to convert into paying customers. You’ll also be able to track key metrics that gauge your success and identify areas for improvement. Here, you will learn how to construct a one-page ecommerce sales funnel from scratch, how to effectively monitor crucial metrics to measure success, and gain access to a free sales funnel template designed to streamline the process. Mastering the sales funnel process can lead to significant improvements in your sales strategy and overall business growth.