Using Automation to Optimize Your Omnichannel Sales Funnel

An omnichannel sales funnel isn’t just a strategy—it’s your secret weapon for creating a seamless customer journey. By meeting your audience where they are and guiding them step by step, you’re not just closing sales—you’re building relationships.

Building an omnichannel sales funnel takes time, strategy, and a dash of creativity. But when you get it right, the rewards are endless: more leads, higher conversions, and loyal customers who keep coming back.

Imagine you’re running a store in a bustling mall. Someone strolls by, takes a peek in your window, and keeps walking. Another person steps inside, browses for a bit, but doesn’t buy anything. Then there’s that golden moment when someone walks in, finds what they need, and heads straight to the checkout.

An omnichannel sales funnel is basically a way to guide your customer along a journey from first discovering you to making a sale and then finally, becoming a lifelong promoter of your brand. 

To run an effective marketing strategy, you need to engage each person at their stage in the journey. The window shopper needs to know what makes your store awesome. The browser needs a little nudge, like a sales associate offering help. And the buyer? They need a seamless experience to close the deal.

But getting this right off the bat is almost impossible. No one gets omnichannel sales right the first time. The key is to implement a strategy, so how well it runs, and then optimize.

The results of a well-oiled omnichannel sales funnel is staggering. Here  is a typical scenario: A potential customer stumbles on their Instagram post, clicks through to their blog, downloads a free guide, gets a follow-up email, and finally makes a purchase. For the customer, every step feels seamless, like they were meant to do business with that company.

But for the business marketer, none of these steps happened by coincidence. The marketer worked strategically to ensure that wherever their customers are hanging out—Google, LinkedIn, TikTok—they’ve got the right message waiting for them. 

Omnichannel Sales Funnels is about creating a connected experience with your customer, wherever they may be on their journey with your brand, and however they choose to interact with your brand. 

In this blogpost, I will show you how to take your omnichannel strategy to the next level—how to measure your results, how to approach optimization, as well as using automation to really master the omnichannel funnel game. Let's get started!

Targeting the Three Stages of the Funnel

Let’s face it—most people aren’t ready to buy the first time they hear about you. In fact, research shows that a whopping 96% of website visitors won’t convert right away. That’s... a lot of potential customers slipping through the cracks.

An omnichannel funnel changes the game. Instead of relying on a single touchpoint (like an ad or a social post), it meets your audience wherever they are in their journey.

Imagine someone stumbles across your website. They’ve never heard of your brand or product before, but something catches their eye. Maybe they read a blog post, watch a quick video, or click on a social media ad.

That’s the top of the funnel (TOFU)—where you grab attention and introduce your brand to the world.

Then, curiosity sets in. They start researching and realize they have a problem your product could solve. This is the middle of the funnel (MOFU)—the consideration phase.

Finally, they’re ready to make a decision. They’re comparing options, reading reviews, and checking out pricing. That’s the bottom of the funnel (BOFU)—where conversions happen.

Each stage serves a purpose, but when you weave them together across platforms, you’re not just marketing—you’re building relationships.

The problem is that most businesses focus all their energy at the bottom of the funnel. They’re chasing after the people who are ready to buy, but that’s the smallest group. It’s competitive, expensive, and honestly, not a great long-term strategy.

When you engage people earlier—at the top or middle of the funnel—you’re planting seeds. You’re building relationships, trust, and familiarity. And when they’re ready to buy? You’re the first name they think of.

In fact, businesses that use a full-funnel strategy with multiple touchpoints see up to 45% higher ROI compared to those that only focus on the bottom of the funnel.

Translation? You’ll make more money. And isn’t that the whole point?

How to Know Your Funnel Is Working

The starting point to any optimization exercise is to gather data, analyze the data, and then identify areas where the process could be improved.

The same goes with building an effective Omnichannel Sales Funnel. The truth is that it's nearly impossible to build an optimized funnel from the outset. No funnel works perfectly from the start. You need to set the funnel into motion and track specific data points to see how things are going.

It's almost impossible to create an effective omnichannel funnel without tracking your results. The key is tracking the right metrics at each stage of the funnel to ensure that everything is going according to plan. 

You need data to know what’s working, what’s not, and where to make adjustments.  If you’re not a data nerd, don’t worry. You don’t need a PhD in analytics to track your funnel. Start with a few simple Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that align with each stage:

1. TOFU Metrics:
   • Website traffic (How many people are landing on your pages?)
   • Social media reach (Are your posts grabbing attention?)
   • Video views (Are people engaging with your content?)
2. MOFU Metrics:
   • Email open and click rates (Is your audience interested in what you’re sharing?)
   • Lead magnet downloads (Are people exchanging their info for your freebies?)
   • Webinar attendance (Are your middle-stage offers enticing enough?)
3. BOFU Metrics:
   • Conversion rates (How many leads are turning into customers?)
   • Demo requests or free trial signups (Are people ready to take the plunge?)
   • Customer acquisition cost (How much are you spending to get a new customer?)
4. Retention Metrics:

• Repeat purchase rates
• Customer lifetime value (CLV)
• Loyalty program engagement

When you track these metrics on a weekly or monthly basis, you will be able to spot trends and identify areas for improvement. Small tweaks—like refining your CTAs or updating your content—can lead to big improvements. Remember, the goal isn’t perfection—it’s progress.

Tools You’ll Need

Tracking might sound daunting, but trust me, the right tools make it a breeze. Here are a few go-to options:

• Google Analytics: Great for tracking website traffic, bounce rates, and time on page.
• Ahrefs or SEMrush: Perfect for keeping an eye on your SEO rankings and content performance.
• Email Marketing Platforms: Tools like Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign can help you track email opens, clicks, and conversions.
• CRM Systems: HubSpot or Salesforce can give you a big-picture view of your funnel’s performance.

Set aside time each week to check your numbers. Think of it as a check-up for your funnel’s health.

How to Optimise Your Funnel

Once you’ve got your data, it’s time to make some magic. Here’s how to optimize each stage:

1. TOFU Fixes:
   • Low traffic? Revisit your keywords or promote your content on social media.
   • High bounce rates? Maybe your landing page isn’t delivering what people expect. Tweak the headlines or improve your visuals.
2. MOFU Fixes:
   • Low engagement? Your emails might need better subject lines or more compelling content.
   • Few downloads? Sweeten the deal—add extra value to your lead magnet or make it easier to access.
3. BOFU Fixes:
   • Low conversions? Look at your CTAs—are they clear and persuasive? Are there objections you haven’t addressed?
   • High acquisition costs? Test new offers or refine your targeting to focus on the most qualified leads.

Optimization is an ongoing process, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results overnight. Remember, your funnel isn’t static. It’s a living, breathing system that needs regular updates. Keep experimenting and learning from the data. As long as you keep testing alternatives and improving what you've already built, you’ll see results.

Supercharge Your Funnel with Marketing Automation

Let’s talk efficiency. Marketing automation will take your omnichannel funnel to the next level, as it can be used to take all the repetitive marketing tasks out of your hands—like sending emails, tracking behavior, or setting up retargeting ads—so you can focus on strategy.

It’s like having a team of tireless employees working behind the scenes, ensuring every prospect gets exactly what they need when they need it.

Without automation, scaling your funnel becomes a logistical nightmare. But with the right tools, you can deliver personalized experiences at scale, guiding every prospect through the funnel with precision.

How Automation Enhances Each Funnel Stage

• Top-of-the-Funnel Automation:
  • Use tools like Google Ads and social media schedulers to increase brand awareness without lifting a finger.
  • Automate your blog or content promotions to ensure consistent traffic.
  • Schedule and post social media content consistently to stay visible.
  • Automate email collection with lead magnets that trigger immediate follow-ups.
• Middle-of-the-Funnel Automation:
  • Set up email sequences that deliver value-packed content over time. For example, you could use drip email campaigns to nurture leads over time. Think educational sequences that gradually build trust.
  • Automate retargeting ads to bring people back to your site and remind visitors about the content they engaged with.
• Bottom-of-the-Funnel Automation:
  • Trigger personalized emails based on specific actions, like downloading a guide or attending a webinar.
  • Use behaviorally triggered content to push prospects toward conversion, like, “Thanks for attending our webinar—ready to take the next step?”
  • Set up automatic follow-ups for free trials or demos to encourage conversions.
• Retention Automation:
  • Send personalised thank-you emails post-purchase.
  • Automate loyalty program updates, like reminding customers when they’ve earned a reward.

The magic of automation lies in personalisation. Use data to tailor every interaction, making your customers feel seen and valued.

Conclusion

There you have it—a step-by-step guide to building an optimised omnichannel sales funnel that actually works. Start with your customer’s journey, focus on one channel, create killer content, and never stop improving.

Ready to get started? Focus on one stage at a time. Nail your TOFU, MOFU, and BOFU strategies, then expand into re engagement and retention. With persistence and a solid plan, you’ll have a funnel that works like a well-oiled machine.

Remember that creating an omnichannel sales funnel isn’t just about getting more sales—it’s about creating an experience your customers will love.

Your audience is out there, waiting to connect. So what are you waiting for? Build a funnel that works as hard as you do—and watch your results take off.