crease flow or increase the diameter. The ultimate is for the funnel to be an open cylinder, where all that enters also exits at the same rate. Any deviation from this produces a funnel, the differentials of diameter and flow in which are measurements of the efficiency of the sales processes.

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The more work you do, the faster the flow might become, but also your effort might be better used elsewhere if the improvement is not commensurate with the effort put in. Occasionally a bit of greasing of the funnel, in the way of training or education of the sales force or reduction in identified delays, can speed up the flow but sometimes an obstruction will have to be removed permanently. A deal that is proving difficult might be holding up other more profitable transactions, and so is better dropped.

On the other hand, perhaps too many are being allowed into the funnel. Better qualification might speed up the flow, and the shape of the funnel could be changed by narrowing the top. If too many leads are allowed in at the top, the funnel itself must be well lubricated with few obstructions and better filtration of those that do occur. In other words, the more leads poured into the system, the quicker those that start being difficult will have to be terminated.

When used to its greatest advantage, the levels of the funnel at which major step changes in the flow occur, or major diameter changes take place, can be marked out and analyzed. Procedures can them be devised and put into effect at these specific places in the funnel to increase flow or increase the diameter. The ultimate is for the funnel to be an open cylinder, where all that enters also exits at the same rate. Any deviation from this produces a funnel, the differentials of diameter and flow in which are measurements of the efficiency of the sales processes.

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up the flow but sometimes an obstruction will have to be removed permanently. A deal that is proving difficult might be holding up other more profitable transactions, and so is better dropped.

On the other hand, perhaps too many are being allowed into the funnel. Better qualification might speed up the flow, and the shape of the funnel could be changed by narrowing the top. If too many leads are allowed in at the top, the funnel itself must be well lubricated with few obstructions and better filtration of those that do occur. In other words, the more leads poured into the system, the quicker those that start being difficult will have to be terminated.

When used to its greatest advantage, the levels of the funnel at which major step changes in the flow occur, or major diameter changes take place, can be marked out and analyzed. Procedures can them be devised and put into effect at these specific places in the funnel to increase flow or increase the diameter. The ultimate is for the funnel to be an open cylinder, where all that enters also exits at the same rate. Any deviation from this produces a funnel, the differentials of diameter and flow in which are measurements of the efficiency of the sales processes.

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, and the shape of the funnel could be changed by narrowing the top. If too many leads are allowed in at the top, the funnel itself must be well lubricated with few obstructions and better filtration of those that do occur. In other words, the more leads poured into the system, the quicker those that start being difficult will have to be terminated.

When used to its greatest advantage, the levels of the funnel at which major step changes in the flow occur, or major diameter changes take place, can be marked out and analyzed. Procedures can them be devised and put into effect at these specific places in the funnel to increase flow or increase the diameter. The ultimate is for the funnel to be an open cylinder, where all that enters also exits at the same rate. Any deviation from this produces a funnel, the differentials of diameter and flow in which are measurements of the efficiency of the sales processes.

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ifficult will have to be terminated.

When used to its greatest advantage, the levels of the funnel at which major step changes in the flow occur, or major diameter changes take place, can be marked out and analyzed. Procedures can them be devised and put into effect at these specific places in the funnel to increase flow or increase the diameter. The ultimate is for the funnel to be an open cylinder, where all that enters also exits at the same rate. Any deviation from this produces a funnel, the differentials of diameter and flow in which are measurements of the efficiency of the sales processes.

Each part of t

crease flow or increase the diameter. The ultimate is for the funnel to be an open cylinder, where all that enters also exits at the same rate. Any deviation from this produces a funnel, the differentials of diameter and flow in which are measurements of the efficiency of the sales processes.

Each part of the funnel should be identified with a specific sales function, and each step through it should be identified by criteria that allow knowledge of the leads at each stage. The leads will be come increasingly more qualified as they pass down the funnel. Bottlenecks can then be identified and the point in the funnel at which efforts should be focused to clear the obstruction can be determined.

Once you have learned how to use a sales funnel properly, you will see how it can be used to identify what parts of the sales process need adjustment in order that a department or company can meet its sales targets. It can be used to track sales and forecast the actual against the target. More than that, however, it can be used to decide what realistic sales targets should be, and whether or not a company needs radical changes in its marketing procedures in order to be profitable.