Why it matters
"We need more leads" is rarely the actual problem. Funnel numbers locate the real one: plenty of traffic but no enquiries (a conversion problem), enquiries that never close (a qualification or sales problem), one-off buyers who vanish (a retention problem). Different diseases, different medicine.
How it works
You define the stages for your business, count people at each, and watch the drop-offs between them. Real journeys are messier than the diagram (people loop, stall and skip) but even a crude four-stage count turns arguments about "marketing" into decisions about a specific leak.
What to do about it
Sketch your funnel with real numbers this week, however rough. The stage with the ugliest drop-off is your growth priority, and it's often not the one the loudest voice assumed.
