For a long time, I thought my problem was design.
If I just made my website cleaner, faster, more modern — clients would come.
They didn’t.
What I eventually realized was uncomfortable but simple:
People don’t need better websites.
They need clear direction.
That’s when I stopped building pages and started building funnels.
What Was Broken (Even Though Nothing Looked Broken)
My site had everything you’re supposed to have:
Homepage
About
Services
Blog
Contact
Technically solid.
Business-wise? Invisible.
Visitors landed, scanned, hesitated… and left.
No next step.
No momentum.
Too many choices.
The Moment Funnels Finally Clicked
A funnel forces you to answer one brutal question:
What is the ONE action this person should take next?
Not:
“Explore the site”
“Learn more”
“Click around”
But one clear outcome.
That single constraint changed how I build everything.
My First Funnel Failed (And Why)
My first funnel looked polished — but it didn’t work.
Because I:
Explained too much
Led with tools instead of outcomes
Tried to sound like an expert instead of a human
What fixed it wasn’t better copy formulas.
It was story.
What Actually Started Working
I stopped opening with:
“I help businesses optimize funnels.”
And started with:
“I built websites that didn’t convert — here’s what I learned.”
That shift did three things:
Made me relatable
Built trust before asking for anything
Positioned experience over theory
Especially on dev.to, honesty beats hype.
Funnels Aren’t Just a “Marketing Thing”
This surprised me.
Funnels work incredibly well for:
Freelancers
Solo developers
Consultants
Indie builders
Because you’re not selling features.
You’re reducing decision friction.
A good funnel answers:
Is this for me?
Does this person get my problem?
What happens if I take the next step?
Authority Isn’t Claimed — It’s Shown
I used to think authority meant:
Big numbers
Fancy logos
Buzzwords
What I’ve learned instead:
Authority comes from explaining how you think, not how good you say you are.
That’s why I document my process openly now — including mistakes.
This is the funnel I’m currently refining:
👉 https://bennietay.com/funnel
(It’s not “perfect”. It’s real.)
If You’re Stuck Where I Was
Ask yourself this:
“If a stranger lands here, do they know exactly what to do next?”
If the answer is no, you don’t need another redesign.
You need a funnel.
Soft CTA (dev.to–friendly)
If you’re:
A developer building your own site
A freelancer struggling with conversions
Someone experimenting with funnels
I’d genuinely love to hear:
What isn’t converting for you
Or what you’ve learned the hard way
Drop a comment or DM — no pitch, just builders comparing notes.
Top comments (0)