# sales funnel

CEFR B2 · Compound

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sales-funnel
Updated: 2026-07-22

## Definition

the path a customer takes from first hearing about a product to finally buying it. It looks like a funnel because many people start at the top, but only a few finish at the bottom.

For teachers: a marketing model that illustrates the theoretical journey of a consumer toward the purchase of a product or service. It typically consists of stages such as awareness, interest, decision, and action.

## Examples

- We need to add more leads to our sales funnel this month.
- The marketing team analyzed the sales funnel to identify where potential customers were dropping off before completing their purchase.
- By optimizing each stage of the sales funnel, the company significantly increased its conversion rate without needing to increase its total advertising spend.

## Usage notes

- Commonly used in business and digital marketing contexts; often paired with verbs like 'build', 'optimize', or 'fill'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.