If you’ve built a funnel and it’s not selling, I want you to hear this: it’s not always a strategy problem. Most of the time, the issue is that your funnel has a few blind spots, small mistakes that seem minor but make a major impact on your sales. Whether you’re selling a course, a coaching program, or a digital offer, these five funnel mistakes are likely standing between you and consistent revenue.

I help coaches and online experts build evergreen sales systems that make money without needing to launch every month or rely on showing up 24/7. And what I’ve seen again and again is that funnels don’t fail because you did everything wrong. They fail because you’re missing a few smart decisions.

Here’s how to fix that.

1. You’re Treating Warm Instagram Traffic Like Cold Ad Traffic

This is one of the most common and costly funnel mistakes I see: you’re sending warm leads into a cold funnel.

Your Instagram followers aren’t strangers. They know you. They’ve watched your stories. Some of them have followed you for years. So when you send them into a funnel that starts with “Hi, I’m [name] and here’s what I do…” it feels off.

That kind of intro works for paid ads, where people don’t know you yet. But for your warm audience, it’s tone-deaf — and it kills trust fast.

Fix it:
Segment your traffic. Create an email funnel strategy that treats warm leads differently. Your funnel should sound like it knows who they are, not like it’s the first time you’ve met.

2. Your Funnel Timing Is Too Rigid

Another mistake? Relying on “day-based” sequences with no behavior logic.

If every subscriber gets the same email on the same day regardless of what they’ve done (clicked, ignored, visited the sales page), your funnel isn’t a system — it’s a calendar.

Funnels need flexibility. Someone who clicks on your offer in email 2 but doesn’t buy needs a different experience than someone who doesn’t open anything until day 5.

Fix it:
Use logic-based flows in your email software. Even basic branching like “If clicked link A, send this” will instantly make your funnel smarter and more effective.

3. You’re Treating Every Subscriber the Same

Not all leads are at the same stage of the buying journey. Some are curious. Some are researching. Some are ready to buy today.

If your funnel doesn’t reflect that, it’s relying on luck — and that’s not a strategy.

Fix it:
Start building micro-pathways. Create emails that speak to behavior: if someone checks your pricing page, send a message that answers common buying objections. If someone’s silent, send re-engagement content. Your email funnel strategy should feel like a choose-your-own-adventure, not a mass email blast.

4. You’re Not Offering Upsells, Downsells, or Redirect Options

What happens if someone doesn’t buy your main offer? If your answer is “they just stay on my list,” you’re leaving serious money on the table.

A good evergreen sales system includes multiple paths:

• Something for people who want more (upsells)
• Something for people who want a smaller step (downsells)
• Something for people who aren’t ready to buy yet but are still interested

Fix it:
Map out your product ladder. Even if you start with just one alternate offer, you’ll increase conversions and serve your audience better. Your funnel should meet people where they are — not force them into a one-size-fits-all pitch.

5. You’re Not Tracking or Optimizing Based on Data

Building the funnel is not the finish line. It’s the starting point.

If you’re not tracking open rates, click rates, unsubscribes, and drop-offs, you’re guessing. And in business, guessing leads to burnout and missed sales.

Fix it:
Start with the basics. Which email gets the most opens? Which one gets ignored? When do people click — and when do they leave? Use this data to optimize your subject lines, CTA placement, and offer positioning. A great funnel is a living system, not a static asset.

The Bottom Line

If your funnel is live but underperforming, don’t throw it out. Start optimizing. These five funnel mistakes are easy to overlook — but they’re also fixable. You don’t need to start from scratch. You need a smarter system.

When you build an evergreen sales system that adapts to your audience, personalizes the journey, and actually sells, everything changes. You stop guessing. You stop grinding. You start building income that isn’t tied to your presence.

That’s exactly what I teach inside the First Yes Funnel Workshop — a 60-minute training that shows you how to build a funnel that sells without constant launching.

You’ll get:

• A high-converting email funnel strategy
• A plug-and-play planner
• My 7-email swipe file
• A full offer audit
• A bonus Q&A replay

👉 Click here to grab your spot.

It’s time to stop depending on manual sales and start building a funnel that does the heavy lifting for you.