How to Build a Simple Sales Funnel That Actually Works (No Expensive Software Required) (EP. 019)

You've seen the diagrams.

Arrows pointing everywhere. Landing pages connecting to tripwires connecting to upsells connecting to downsells connecting to abandoned cart sequences connecting to... you're already exhausted just reading this.

And somewhere in the back of your mind, a voice whispers: Maybe I'm not cut out for this. Maybe online business is only for people who understand tech. Maybe I need to take another course before I'm ready.

Here's what nobody tells you: The most successful online businesses didn't start with complicated funnels.

They started with something so simple it almost feels like cheating.

A clear path. Three steps. Free tools.

That's it.

In this post, I'm going to show you exactly how to build a simple sales funnel that works — even if you have no tech skills, no budget for expensive software, and no idea where to start.

By the end, you'll have a framework you can implement this week. Not this year. This week.

Let's go.

What Is a Sales Funnel, Really?

Forget everything you've heard about funnels.

Forget the complicated diagrams. Forget the marketing jargon. Forget the $297/month software subscriptions.

A funnel is simply this: A path you create on purpose instead of hoping people figure it out themselves.

That's it.

Think about a farmer's market. You're walking through, and a woman at a stand catches your eye.

"Want to try this?" She hands you a sample of homemade salsa.

You taste it. It's incredible.

"I make it fresh every week," she says. "My grandmother's recipe. She taught me when I was eight years old in her kitchen in Oaxaca."

Now you're not just eating salsa. You're tasting her story. You're connected.

"If you want the jar, it's seven dollars. And here's my card. I'm here every Saturday."

Sample. Story. Invitation.

She didn't need seventeen email sequences. She didn't need countdown timers or exit-intent pop-ups.

She needed a clear path. And she gave you a reason to walk it.

That's a funnel.

Why Most Funnels Fail (And It's Not What You Think)

I learned this the hard way.

In 2007, I spent four months building what I thought was going to change everything. Seventeen email sequences. Three upsells. Something called a "tripwire" that I didn't fully understand. Pop-ups with countdown timers. Exit intent offers.

The whole thing looked like a detective's murder board with red string connecting everything.

Launch day came. I pressed publish.

Zero sales.

I cried in my bathroom that night. Not cute tears. The ugly kind.

Meanwhile, my friend Perla had a Google Doc, a free Mailchimp account, and three emails. That's all.

She made 23 sales from a list of 100 people. A 23% conversion rate.

I built a spaceship that never launched. She built a bicycle and rode it to the bank.

The lesson? I didn't fail because my system was too simple. I failed because it was so complicated I never actually finished it.

Complexity is where online businesses go to die.

The Simple System: Gift, Story, Offer

Here's what actually works. Three parts. That's it.

Part 1: The Gift

This is what you give people when they first find you. When they raise their hand and say, "Yes, I want to hear from you."

Your Gift is what gets people on your email list.

But here's where most people mess up: They create something they think is valuable. A generic PDF. "10 Tips for Better Whatever." Something that took three weeks to design but doesn't solve a real problem.

The best Gift does one thing: It gives someone a quick win they can experience today.

Not next month. Not after they implement a 47-step process. Today.

Examples that work:

• A one-page checklist that solves an immediate problem
• A template they can use in the next 10 minutes
• A short guide that answers the question keeping them up at night

Perla's Gift? A one-page checklist: "The 5 Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Web Designer."

One page. Five questions. Took her 45 minutes to create.

It converted at 31%. Almost one in three people who saw it signed up.

Why? Because she knew her people were getting burned by bad designers. They were paying thousands for websites they hated. This checklist helped them avoid that pain. Today.

Your Gift should take less than a day to create and less than 10 minutes for someone to use.

If it's more complicated than that, simplify it.

Part 2: The Story

This is where most people skip straight to selling...and lose everything.

You've just met someone. They gave you their email address. And immediately you hit them with: "BUY MY THING! IT'S AMAZING! LIMITED TIME OFFER!"

That's like proposing on the first date. It doesn't work.

The Story phase is where people get to know you. Like you. Trust you.

For most people, this means a simple email sequence. Three to five emails that go out automatically after someone gets your Gift.

Here's the framework:

Email 1: Deliver and help. Give them the Gift. Help them use it. That's it. No selling. Just serve.

Email 2: Share your why. Tell them why you do this. Your story. The moment everything changed for you. Why this matters to you. Be real. Be human. Let them see the person behind the business.

Email 3: Show what's possible. Share a testimonial. A transformation. Proof that this actually works for people like them. Let them see themselves in someone else's success.

That's the foundation. Three emails.

You're not selling yet. You're building trust. You're letting them experience your value before you ever ask for anything.

The woman at the farmer's market didn't just hand you a jar and demand money. She let you taste. She told you about her grandmother. She connected with you first.

Same principle. Different medium.

Part 3: The Offer

This is where you invite them to go deeper.

Not a pitch. Not pressure. Not manipulation.

An invitation.

"When you're ready, here's how I can help you."

Some people will be ready after three emails. Some will need three months. That's okay. Your Simple System keeps working while you live your life.

The key word is invitation.

You're not convincing anyone of anything. You're opening a door for people who are ready to walk through it.

What can your Offer be?

• A mini-course
• A coaching session
• A service package
• A digital product
• A membership

It doesn't have to be complicated. It doesn't have to be expensive to create. It just has to solve a real problem for people who already trust you.

Patricia, a graphic designer, created a $97 mini-course on DIY website basics. Six short videos recorded on her phone. A workbook made in Canva.

She launched to her list of 100 people.

23 sales. $2,231.

Those 23 people told their friends. Her list grew. She launched again. More sales.

Today she makes about $4,000/month from that same mini-course.

All from a Google Doc, free Mailchimp, and three emails.

The Tools You Actually Need (All Free)

Here's what you need to build your Simple System:

For your Gift:

• Google Docs or Canva (free) to create your checklist, template, or guide
• That's it

For your email list:

• Mailchimp (free up to 500 subscribers)
• Or MailerLite (free up to 1,000 subscribers)
• Or ConvertKit (free up to 1,000 subscribers)

For your landing page:

• Mailchimp has built-in landing pages (free)
• Carrd.co ($19/year for pro, or free with limited features)
• Or just link directly to your signup form

For your Offer:

• Gumroad (free to start, they take a small percentage of sales)
• Or Teachable (free plan available)
• Or just a simple payment link through PayPal or Stripe

Total investment to start: $0

You can upgrade later when you have revenue. But you don't need to spend money to make money.

The woman at the farmer's market didn't need a $297/month CRM. She needed salsa, a story, and a business card.

Why This Works Better Than Complicated Funnels

There's an entire industry built on making you feel like you're not ready. Like you need more. More software. More sequences. More complexity.

They sell you the dream and then sell you the tools to build it.

But here's what they don't tell you: They didn't start with all that stuff.

Russell Brunson's first funnel? A squeeze page and an email sequence.

Amy Porterfield's first launch? An email list and a webinar.

The complexity came later. After they had revenue. After they had data. After they knew what worked.

Starting with complexity is like training for a marathon by running 26 miles on day one. You'll burn out before you ever build momentum.

Simple systems:

• Actually get finished
• Actually get launched
• Actually get tested
• Actually make money

Complicated systems:

• Stay in "planning mode" forever
• Never feel "ready"
• Drain your energy and confidence
• Make you think you're the problem

You're not the problem. The approach is.

The Path Forward

Here's what I want you to understand:

A funnel is just a path.

Sample. Story. Invitation.

Gift. Trust. Offer.

You're not manipulating anyone. You're not tricking anyone. You're meeting people where they are, serving them generously, and inviting them forward when they're ready.

That's it.

The woman at the farmer's market isn't sleazy. She's just clear. She has something valuable, she lets you experience it, she tells you her story, and she invites you to buy if you want more.

You can do the same thing.

Your Next Step

I created a free worksheet called The Simple System Sketch.

One page. Three questions. Twenty minutes.

It walks you through designing your entire system:

• What's your Gift?
• What's your Story?
• What's your Offer?

When you're done, you'll have your complete customer path on one page. No confusion. No overwhelm. Just clarity.

It's inside the free Latinpreneurs Vault.

The Vault also includes:

• The Offer Direction Sheet (to figure out WHAT to sell)
• The First Follower Framework (to find WHO already needs your help)
• The Customer Journey Mapper (to see WHERE your people are)
• The Sacred Hours Finder (to find TIME you didn't know you had)

New exercises drop every week. Women inside are building right now... not waiting for perfect conditions.

GET THE SIMPLE SYSTEM SKETCH →

One Last Thing

You know what I love about this approach?

It's how Jesus operated.

He met people where they were. He served them — healing, feeding, teaching. He shared His story and His heart. And then He invited them: "Follow me."

Clear. Simple. No manipulation. Just an open door for anyone ready to walk through.

That's all a funnel is.

Service with intention. Value with invitation. A path people can follow.

You weren't meant to drown in tech tutorials and complicated diagrams.

You were meant to build something that serves people and funds your freedom.

The Simple System gets you there.

Go get the worksheet. Build your path. Start this week.