How to build a sales funnel in a spreadsheet in one evening
A sales funnel shows the client’s path from first contact to deal and how many people drop off at each step. Until you have numbers, every decision about sales is made blindly. The good news: an ordinary spreadsheet is enough to start.
Step 1. Write down the stages
For most services 4–6 stages fit: enquiry, conversation, offer, agreement, deal, repeat sale. The names are yours; what matters is that each stage is a clear action, not a feeling.
Step 2. Collect the numbers for a period
Take the last 1–3 months and count how many clients reached each stage. Sources: CRM, messengers, email, notebook. Imperfect numbers are better than none.
Step 3. Calculate conversions
- Stage conversion = clients at the stage ÷ clients at the previous stage
- Overall conversion = deals ÷ first enquiries
Example: 100 enquiries → 60 conversations (60%) → 30 offers (50%) → 12 deals (40%). Overall conversion: 12%.
Step 4. Find the weak spot
Do not look at the lowest conversion, but at where the most money is lost and which is easiest to improve. In the example above it is worth finding out why only 12 of 30 offers end in a deal: price, timing, trust?
Step 5. Add money
Multiply the number of deals by the average ticket and you see what each lost enquiry costs. It is the best argument for working on the weak stage.
Typical mistakes
- Too many stages and the spreadsheet is not updated.
- Counting only enquiries, not the people who reached the step.
- Mixing different sources and products in one funnel.
- Looking at numbers once a year instead of weekly or monthly.
If you want the funnel built and analysed together with you, we can discuss it in a consultation.