A sales funnel is a marketing concept that illustrates the journey potential customers go through before making a purchase. It typically consists of several stages, starting with awareness, where potential buyers first learn about a product or service. As they move through the funnel, they become more interested, consider their options, and ultimately decide to make a purchase. The funnel is often visualized as a wide opening at the top, narrowing down to a point at the bottom. This shape represents the decreasing number of prospects at each stage, from initial awareness to final conversion. Effective marketing strategies aim to optimize each stage of the funnel to increase sales and customer retention.