Description
Lead-to-cash funnel: 8-stage waterfall (visitor→cash), conversion rates, leak analysis, prioritized fixes.
Revenue leaks at every stage of the lead-to-cash funnel. The waterfall model tracks each stage and identifies where prospects drop off—before you spend more on top-of-funnel acquisition. Fixing a 10% leak at the bottom is worth more than 20% more traffic at the top. STAGE 1 — VISITORS (MQLs) Total inbound traffic. Track: sessions, unique visitors, traffic source breakdown. Leak: visitors who leave without engaging. Fix: page load speed, clear value proposition above fold, Hick's Law (≤3 choices). STAGE 2 — LEADS (contact acquired) Visitors who provide contact info. Track: conversion rate from visitor to lead, cost per lead. Leak: visitors who browse but don't convert. Fix: exit-intent popup, lead magnet, live chat, reduced form fields. STAGE 3 — QUALIFIED LEADS (SALs) Leads that meet fit criteria (budget, authority, need, timeline - BANT). Track: qualification rate, lead score distribution. Leak: unqualified leads consuming sales time. Fix: automated lead scoring, progressive profiling, ICP-based routing. STAGE 4 — OPPORTUNITIES (demo/pitch) Qualified leads that enter active sales process. Track: demo booking rate, show rate, pitch-to-opportunity. Leak: leads that go cold after qualification. Fix: Drip automation, case study alignment, meeting scheduling within 24 hours. STAGE 5 — PROPOSALS (sent) Formal proposal or quote sent. Track: time from opportunity to proposal, proposal count. Leak: sales cycles that stall before proposal. Fix: CRM-enforced proposal triggers, mutual action plan, executive sponsorship identification. STAGE 6 — NEGOTIATION Active price/value discussion. Track: average discount %, negotiation cycle length. Leak: deals that die on price. Fix: value-based pricing, ROI calculator, champion development, discount authority limits. STAGE 7 — CLOSED WON Contract signed. Track: win rate, average deal size, time-to-close. Leak: deals that go dark during legal/ procurement. Fix: template contract terms, procurement playbook, executive alignment call. STAGE 8 — CASH COLLECTED Payment received. Track: days to payment, first payment success rate. Leak: signed deals that don't pay. Fix: automated invoicing, payment link in contract, credit card auto-charge, net-30 → net-15 migration. WATERFALL METRICS: | Stage | Volume | Conversion | Time in Stage | Value | |-------|--------|-----------|--------------|-------| | Visitors | 100,000 | — | — | $0 | | Leads | 5,000 | 5% | 0 days | $0 | | Qualified | 1,000 | 20% | 7 days | Pipeline | | Opportunities | 300 | 30% | 14 days | Pipeline | | Proposals | 150 | 50% | 5 days | Forecast | | Negotiation | 100 | 67% | 10 days | Forecast | | Closed Won | 60 | 60% | 21 days | $1.2M | | Cash Collected | 54 | 90% | 30 days | $1.08M | OUTPUT: 8-stage waterfall with conversion rates, stage-by-stage leak analysis, prioritized fixes, and a 2-week improvement roadmap targeting the highest-leverage stage.
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