Last updated on February 11th, 2026 at 11:22 am
There are 47 types of funnels you could build right now, but if you’re just starting out, you only need 3.
If you’ve spent any time Googling “types of funnels,” you’ve probably seen the endless list. Webinar funnels, tripwire funnels, high-ticket funnels, evergreen funnels, challenge funnels, quiz funnels. It’s exhausting.
Here’s what nobody tells you. Most successful businesses run on the same 3 core funnels. They might dress them up differently or call them something fancy, but at the foundation, it’s always the same 3.
The biggest trap new entrepreneurs fall into is trying to build every funnel at once. You see someone running a webinar funnel and think you need one. Then you see another business using a challenge funnel and decide you need that too. Before long, you’ve got 12 half-built funnels and zero results.
But the businesses actually making money? They run on 3 core systems. A way to capture leads, a way to make a sale, and a way to keep people engaged.
That’s it.
The fancy stuff comes later, after you’ve proven these basics work. Right now, you don’t need fancy. You need functional.
Think of it like learning to cook. You don’t start by trying to make a five-course French meal. You learn to make eggs, chicken, and rice. Master those, and you can build from there.
Build these 3 funnels, prove they work, then add complexity if you need it. Most entrepreneurs never need more than these 3.
Funnel 1: The Lead Magnet Funnel
This is your starting point. The lead magnet funnel trades something valuable for an email address.
Simple as that.
You can’t sell to people you can’t reach. Social media followers disappear when algorithms change. Website visitors leave and never come back. But email? That’s an audience you own.
This funnel does one job. It turns cold traffic into warm leads. Someone who doesn’t know you sees your offer, opts in, and now you can talk to them directly.
Here’s how it works.
You need 3 things. A landing page, a thank you page, and a welcome email sequence.
The landing page is super simple. A headline that tells people what they’re getting, a few bullets explaining the benefit, and name and email form. That’s it.
Let’s say you’re a business coach. Your headline might be something like “Download the 5-Day Business Idea Validation Checklist.” The bullets explain what they’ll learn. The form asks for name and email, nothing else.
Don’t overthink this part. The simpler, the better.
Once someone opts in, they hit your thank you page. This is where you deliver the resource and set expectations. Something like “Check your inbox. Your checklist is on the way. Tomorrow I’m sending you a quick tip that helped me validate my first business idea in under a week.”
Now comes the welcome sequence. This is 3 to 5 emails that nurture the relationship.
- Email 1 delivers the resource
- Email 2 shares a quick win or useful tip
- Email 3 tells your story and builds connection
- Email 4 introduces your offer, but keep it soft. You’re not hard selling here
What should you offer as a lead magnet?
Anything immediately useful. A checklist, cheat sheet, template, or short video training.
The key is specificity. Don’t promise to “transform their business.” Promise one clear outcome. “By the end of this checklist, you’ll know if your idea is worth pursuing.”
And don’t get stuck on design. A Google Doc works if the content is solid. We’ve seen lead magnets built in Canva in 20 minutes outperform beautifully designed PDFs that took a week to make.
This funnel works because it’s simple, repeatable, and focused on one clear outcome.
When you give someone immediate value and set expectations for what comes next, you turn a cold visitor into someone who’s actually paying attention. That’s the real win of a lead magnet funnel.
Funnel 2: The Tripwire Funnel
This funnel turns leads into buyers.
There’s a huge psychological shift that happens when someone pays you, even if it’s just $7. They move from “person who downloaded a free thing” to “customer.”
And customers behave differently than leads. They pay more attention, engage more, and are far more likely to buy from you again.
The tripwire funnel offers something low cost, usually between $7 and $47. The goal isn’t to make a ton of money, it’s to create buyers.
Here’s the structure.
You start with a landing page that sells the low-cost offer. The headline focuses on a quick win. Something like “The 30-Minute Website Audit That Doubled My Traffic.”
Price it in the sweet spot, usually $7 to $27. Low enough that it feels like an impulse buy but high enough that it has perceived value.
The checkout page is just a simple payment form. And once they buy, they land on a thank you page where you deliver the product. You can add an upsell here if you want. “Congrats, here’s your audit template. Want the advanced version? Upgrade for $20 more.”
Then you follow up with 2 to 3 emails. Check in, make sure they’re getting value, and eventually pitch your core offer.
What works as a tripwire?
Mini-courses, template packs, worksheet bundles, A 30-minute consulting call, or a software trial with setup support.
The key is delivering real value. This isn’t a bait and switch!
You’re building trust for bigger purchases down the line.
We’ve seen people mess this up by making the tripwire worthless. They think “it’s only $7, so it doesn’t need to be good.” Wrong. If your $7 product isn’t valuable, nobody’s buying your $200 product.
Make it good, useful, and something they’d happily pay $50 for, but you’re offering at $10.
The purpose of a tripwire isn’t the price tag, it’s the relationship shift.
Once someone pays you, even a small amount, they’re no longer just browsing. They’re invested. And that single shift changes how they engage with everything you offer next.
Funnel 3: The Core Offer Funnel
This is where most of your revenue comes from.
Your lead funnel builds your list. Your tripwire proves you can deliver. But your core offer is how you scale a business and have it start paying your bills.
This is your $200 to $2,000+ product or your recurring revenue offer. This is the thing you’re known for.
Here’s what it looks like.
You need a sales page. This is usually long-form copy or a video sales letter. You walk people through the problem, introduce your solution, show proof that it works, make the offer, and give them a clear call to action.
Include testimonials, FAQs, and offer a guarantee. All of this reduces risk and makes it easier for people to say yes.
After they buy, you send them to a checkout page. If possible, offer a payment plan. Splitting a $500 offer into 3 payments of $167 can double your conversions.
Then comes onboarding. This is a sequence of emails that welcomes them, delivers quick wins, and prevents buyer’s remorse. The first 7 days after someone buys are critical. Make sure they feel good about the decision.
What could your core offer be?
A signature course, group coaching program, done-for-you service, membership, or a SaaS subscription.
Whatever it is, make it transformation-focused. What outcome does someone get? Make sure you don’t just sell features, sell the result.
And include a guarantee. Money-back, satisfaction, results-based. Whatever fits your business. The guarantee reduces risk and makes it easier to buy.
This is where the system comes together.
When your lead funnel and tripwire are doing their job, your core offer isn’t fighting for attention. You’re presenting it to people who already trust you, understand your value, and are primed to say yes.
How These 3 Funnels Work Together
These funnels aren’t separate, they’re an ecosystem.
The lead funnel captures cold traffic, the tripwire converts leads into buyers, and the core offer turns buyers into high-value customers.
Here’s how the flow works.
Someone sees your ad or social post and they click and opt into your lead magnet. Now they’re on your email list. Then your welcome sequence mentions the tripwire. Some people buy and then those buyers get pitched the core offer.
Not everyone buys immediately, which is fine. But the lead funnel keeps them warm, the tripwire tests the relationship, and the core offer is where you scale.
You can also skip the tripwire if you want. Some businesses go straight from lead magnet to core offer. But the tripwire helps qualify serious buyers and usually improves overall conversions.
Think of it like this: Cold traffic comes in through the lead funnel. Some of those leads become buyers through the tripwire and some of those buyers become customers through the core offer.
Each step filters and qualifies and each step builds trust. By the time someone sees your core offer, they already know you, they’ve gotten value from you, and they’ve paid you before.
That’s why this system works.
Start With One, Build From There
If you’re reading this and feeling overwhelmed, start with just the lead funnel.
You can’t sell to people you can’t reach.
So you’ll want to build the lead magnet first and get people on your list. Then everything else comes after that.
Once you’ve got leads coming in, add the tripwire and then build the core offer.
You don’t need all 3 running perfectly on day one. You need one funnel that works, then you add the next one.
What you actually need to get started.
A landing page builder, an email service, and a payment processor. ClickFunnels is a great option that provides all three.
That’s it. You don’t need expensive software or complicated tech, just the basics.
And look, your first funnel will be messy. The copy won’t be perfect, the design will be basic, and the emails will feel awkward.
That’s fine, but launch it anyway.
You can’t improve something that doesn’t exist. Get it out there, test it, fix what’s broken, and improve as you go.
Done beats perfect every single time.
You Don’t Need 47 Funnels
You need 3 that work.
A lead funnel to build your list, a tripwire to create buyers, and a core offer to scale. That’s the whole game.
Most businesses never build anything more complex than this. They just get really good at driving traffic to these 3 funnels and optimizing what’s already there.
Pick one and build it this week. If you’re not sure where to start, go with the lead funnel. You can’t sell to people you can’t reach…
Start your 14-day free trial of ClickFunnels and get your first funnel live.