Episode
Funnel Series, Part 5: Is Your Funnel Actually Working?
- Published
- Jun 11, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1895
- Processing state
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- https://shows.acast.com/the-growth-show-whitney-bateson/episodes/funnel-series-part-5-is-your-funnel-actually-working
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Summary
If you've ever looked at your funnel and decided it's "not working," this episode is the gut check. Whitney has had practitioners tell her their funnel is broken, and almost every time she digs in, it turns out one small piece needs a tweak, not the whole thing scrapped. In this episode she walks through the five numbers worth tracking, split into the leading indicators you can actually change this week (new subscribers, open rate, click rate) and the lagging ones that move slowly over months (calls booked, new clients). Then she goes leak by leak through the five most common places a funnel springs a hole, from nobody opting in, to people opening but not clicking, to subscribers who love your emails but still aren't booking. The big reframe: a funnel is a system with measurable parts, not a magic button and not a mystery, so you never have to just guess again. And before you change anything, give it at least 50 people, because judging a funnel off 10 opt-ins is reacting to noise, not a trend. Takeaways: Give your funnel at least 50 people before you judge it. Most practitioners call it quits after 10 or 15 opt-ins, which is reacting to noise, not a real trend. Track 5 numbers in two tiers. Leading indicators you can change now (new subscribers, open rate, click rate), and lagging ones that move slowly (discovery calls booked, new clients). Know the healthy benchmarks: open rate around 30 to 45%, click rate around 2 to 5%, and a lead magnet opt-in page converting 5 to 15% (lower for cold ad traffic). But your most important benchmark is your own numbers over time. An open rate problem is almost always a subject line problem, and a click problem is almost always a body copy problem (an unclear call to action or a wall of text). Fix the cheap stuff before you rebuild any…