Traditionally, sales funnels are a way of organizing the journey of buyers through marketing and sales stages. However, technology markets are accelerating and their increasing complexity results in emergent market factors. As a result, an organization’s defined buyer journeys and sales funnels diverge from market realities. Moreover, because sales funnels are tied to an organization’s revenue lifeline; they are are a nexus for power dynamics and social positioning. Therefore, a critical perspective and adaptability is warranted to mitigate against the negative byproducts associated with sales funnels in accelerating technology environments.
The first steps to increased adaptability include awareness of the sales funnel’s negative byproducts including: the illusion of control, reinforcement of power dynamics, oversimplifying complexity, dysfunctional momentum, and the reduction of people to profits and costs.
In this report we explore the nature of the sales funnel and its use, and particularly focus on the unwanted byproducts that it can produce, as well as offering some thoughts on alternative approaches. Leaders, and especially those whose expertise is tied to using the sales funnel, are encouraged to bring adaptability to sales funnel processes by critically reviewing and continually calibrate sales funnels to markets, including its definitions, timelines, and role in the organization.
