Stage 1: Awareness — Make It Frictionless to Discover You

Here’s where most blogs will tell you to “build trust” and “increase brand visibility.” Sure, but what does that even mean?

For me, this stage is about showing up where my people are and speaking their language. If your audience lives on LinkedIn and you’re pouring budget into Google Ads, you’re already misaligned.

What’s worked better?

• Sharing real stories (even client fails and how we fixed them)
• Being brutally honest in cold outreach (yes, cold still works if it’s human)
• Dropping value bombs in niche communities (without pitching)

Micro-optimization tip:
👉 Before creating any new content or campaign, ask: “Is this something my ideal buyer would actually care about, or am I just adding to the noise?”

Stage 2: Interest — Get Specific or Get Ignored

Once someone’s in your world clicking, downloading, lurking it’s your job to turn up the relevance.

This is the stage where I see too many businesses send generic email sequences, offer the same pitch to everyone, or push for a meeting too early.

Here’s what’s worked for me instead:

• Using segmented content based on the pain point they responded to
• Keeping CTAs low-commitment early on (e.g., “Want to see how we fixed this for a client?” instead of “Book a call”)
• Letting leads opt into a micro-offer (like a free audit, short Loom, or live teardown)

Micro-optimization tip:
👉 Instead of one-size-fits-all lead magnets, test 2–3 “micro hooks” tailored to different use cases. Then track which ones convert downstream. You’ll be surprised.

Stage 3: Consideration — Sell the Process, Not Just the Outcome

This is where I used to fumble the ball.

I’d focus too much on what we offer CRM setup, automation, integration, etc.and not enough on how we make life easier.

The fix?

I started selling the experience: how we collaborate, what it feels like to work with us, how hands-on (or hands-off) we are. I’d show behind-the-scenes snapshots, simple visual roadmaps, and even share our first-week onboarding checklist.

Buyers want to feel safe in this stage not overwhelmed.

Micro-optimization tip:
👉 Swap your usual case study for a story a messy-before, simple-after. Add screenshots, real timelines, and even obstacles you hit (and how you handled them).

Stage 4: Decision — Make “Yes” the Easiest Button to Click

This is the close  but it’s not just about asking for the sale. It’s about removing every reason to say no.

For me, this meant tightening up proposals, making pricing stupid-simple to understand, and sending recap videos after sales calls to reinforce what we discussed. (Looms have closed more deals for me than any fancy pitch deck ever did.)

Also: giving people room to say no without pressure often makes them more likely to come back later.

Micro-optimization tip:
👉 Use the 3-Why Framework in your final proposal:

• Why this solution
• Why now
• Why us

If your proposal doesn’t clearly answer these three, it’s probably a pass.

Stage 5: Post-Sale — The Secret Stage Nobody Optimizes

Okay, this is technically outside the “funnel,” but hear me out.

If you’re not optimizing onboarding and early delivery, you’re losing upsell and referral revenue  guaranteed.

After the sale is when your lead becomes an advocate or a ghost. We started sending a welcome video, setting expectations clearly (even around potential delays), and checking in at day 7 and day 30.

It’s basic stuff. But nobody does it well.

Micro-optimization tip:
👉 Treat the first 30 days post-sale like a marketing campaign. Drip value. Share wins. Ask for feedback. Make them feel like they made the right call every week.