How To Make A Sales Funnel For Lead Gen [September 2025 Update]

Lead generation is the lifeblood of most businesses, but capturing and qualifying leads effectively requires a strategic approach. A well-designed sales funnel can help you attract potential customers, qualify them based on their needs and readiness, and nurture them until they're ready to buy. This guide will show you how to build, market, and implement a sales funnel specifically for lead generation.

If you're looking to generate a consistent flow of qualified leads for your business, there are several excellent platforms that can help you build effective lead generation funnels without requiring extensive technical knowledge.

The first step to making your lead generation sales funnel is choosing the right platform. However, selecting from numerous options can be overwhelming, especially when each platform offers different lead capture and nurturing capabilities. Keep reading this guide to see our suggested picks and a step-by-step guide to making a sales funnel for lead generation.

The Best Platforms For Lead Generation Sales Funnels

When choosing a platform for your lead generation sales funnel, you need specific features that optimize the capture, qualification, and nurturing process. The ideal platform should include customizable forms, lead magnet delivery, lead scoring capabilities, email automation, and CRM integration. It should also help you segment leads based on behavior and interests. Based on these requirements, we've ranked the top 5 platforms for lead generation sales funnels:

1. ClickFunnels

Get started with ClickFunnels (Free Trial) 🚀

ClickFunnels offers a comprehensive solution for lead generation with templates specifically designed for capturing and qualifying leads. Its drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to create multi-step funnels that segment leads based on interests and behavior. ClickFunnels' follow-up functionality includes automated email sequences and SMS messaging to nurture leads effectively. It integrates with major CRM platforms and provides a 14-day free trial to test all features.

2. Leadpages

Get Started with Leadpages (Free Trial) 🚀

Leadpages specializes in creating high-converting landing pages and lead capture forms. Its alert bars and pop-ups offer versatile options for capturing leads throughout your website. Leadpages excels at A/B testing different lead magnets and opt-in approaches, helping you optimize conversion rates. Its drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to create professional-looking lead capture pages without design expertise.

3. Unbounce

Get started with Unbounce (Free Trial) 🚀

Unbounce specializes in creating high-converting landing pages for lead generation. Its Smart Traffic feature automatically directs visitors to the landing page variant where they're most likely to convert. Unbounce's strength lies in its advanced A/B testing capabilities and conversion intelligence features that help optimize lead capture rates over time.

4. Instapage

Get started with Instapage (Free Trial) 🚀

Instapage provides advanced personalization capabilities for lead generation campaigns targeting different audience segments. Its collaboration features make it easy for marketing teams to work together on funnel creation. Instapage's post-click optimization focuses on maximizing conversions after prospects click on your ads, making it especially valuable for paid traffic campaigns.

5. HubSpot

Get started with HubSpot (Free Version Available) 🚀

HubSpot offers an all-in-one platform combining marketing, sales, and client service tools. Its free CRM, form builders, and basic automation capabilities provide a solid foundation, while paid tiers add advanced features like pipeline management and lead scoring. HubSpot's strength lies in its comprehensive approach to tracking the entire client journey from initial inquiry through the sales process.

Conclusion

After evaluating multiple platforms, ClickFunnels emerges as the best choice for lead generation due to its comprehensive feature set, lead qualification capabilities, and powerful nurturing tools. While it requires a monthly investment, the potential return through qualified lead acquisition makes it worthwhile for businesses serious about scaling their lead generation efforts.

However, if you're focused on creating high-converting lead capture pages without the need for comprehensive funnel features, Leadpages offers an excellent alternative at a lower price point.

Now that we have identified our top choice, let's show you how to make a lead generation sales funnel using ClickFunnels.

How to Make a Sales Funnel for Lead Generation Using ClickFunnels

Building an effective lead generation funnel involves attracting the right prospects, capturing their information, and nurturing them toward conversion. The following steps will guide you through creating a funnel that generates qualified leads for your business.

Step 1: Sign Up for ClickFunnels

Create your account and take advantage of the 14-day free trial to explore all features before committing.

Step 2: Define Your Ideal Lead Profile

Before building your funnel:

Identify your target audience demographics and firmographics
Define what qualifies as a Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL)
Establish criteria for Sales Qualified Leads (SQL)
Create a lead scoring model based on demographic and behavioral factors
Set up lead lifecycle stages in your settings

Step 3: Make Valuable Lead Magnets

Develop resources that address specific pain points:

Industry reports or research
Checklists or templates
Video tutorials or webinars
Free assessments or calculators
Mini-courses or email series
Ensure each lead magnet targets a specific buyer persona and funnel stage

Step 4: Build Your Lead Capture Landing Pages

Using ClickFunnels' drag-and-drop editor:

Create a compelling headline focused on the lead magnet's value
Include a brief description of what they'll learn or gain
Add bullet points highlighting key benefits
Design a simple form requesting only essential information
Consider progressive profiling to gather more data over time
Optimize the page for relevant keywords
Add social proof elements like testimonials or download counts

Step 5: Design Your Thank You Page

After prospects submit their information:

Thank visitors for their interest
Provide immediate access to the promised lead magnet
Include a clear next step or secondary conversion opportunity
Add social sharing buttons to expand reach
Embed a video introducing your company or explaining how to use the resource
Consider offering a low-friction conversion opportunity like a free consultation

Step 6: Set Up Lead Nurturing Workflows

Create automated email sequences based on:

The specific lead magnet downloaded
Industry or company size information
Behavior after download (website visits, email opens, etc.)
Include educational content that guides leads toward purchase readiness
Space emails appropriately (typically 3-7 days apart)
Include clear calls-to-action in each email
Gradually transition from purely educational to more sales-oriented content

Step 7: Implement Lead Scoring and Qualification

Configure ClickFunnels to automatically track:

Demographic information (industry, company size, role)
Engagement behaviors (email opens, link clicks, website visits)
Content consumption patterns (types of resources downloaded)
Set thresholds for MQL status and automated notifications to sales
Create views and filters to prioritize follow-up

Step 8: Make Middle-of-Funnel Conversion Opportunities

Design offers for leads who engage with initial content:

Webinar or virtual event registrations
Case study or success story downloads
Product demos or free trials
Assessments or consultations
Each offer should move leads closer to purchase consideration

Step 9: Develop Bottom-of-Funnel Conversion Points

For leads showing high interest or purchase intent:

Consultation or assessment booking pages
Demo request forms
Pricing or proposal request pages
Direct sales team meeting schedulers
Make these high-value conversion points easy to find for qualified leads

Step 10: Set Up Analytics and Optimization Processes

Monitor key metrics and continuously improve:

Track conversion rates at each funnel stage
Analyze lead-to-customer conversion time and rates
Monitor cost per lead and cost per acquisition
Test different lead magnets for various audience segments
Refine lead scoring based on which behaviors truly indicate purchase intent
Adjust nurturing content based on engagement metrics

By following these steps with ClickFunnels, businesses can make an effective lead generation funnel that not only captures prospect information but also nurtures relationships, qualifies leads based on behavior and fit, and delivers sales-ready opportunities to your team at the right moment.