A lead funnel, also known as a sales funnel or conversion funnel, is a marketing model that represents the journey a potential customer goes through from initial awareness to conversion. It’s called a funnel because the number of people at each stage decreases, much like a physical funnel, as prospects drop off or convert.

The lead funnel typically consists of several stages:

1. Awareness: This is the widest part of the funnel, where potential customers become aware of your product or service through advertising, social media, or word of mouth.

2. Interest: At this stage, people are interested in what you offer and may visit your website or engage with your content.

3. Desire: Here, prospects have developed a desire for your product or service and may be considering a purchase.

4. Action: This is the narrowest part of the funnel, where leads become customers by making a purchase, signing up for a service, or taking a desired action.

5. Retention: The final stage involves keeping customers engaged and retaining their business through excellent service and support.

By understanding and optimizing each stage of the lead funnel, businesses can increase conversions, improve customer experience, and drive revenue growth. Effective lead funnel management involves identifying and addressing bottlenecks, streamlining the customer journey, and nurturing leads through targeted marketing and communication strategies.