How to Build Your First Sales Funnel with Systeme.io (Step-by-Step)

If you’re new to online business, the term “sales funnel” might sound complicated or intimidating. I get it, I felt the same way when I started. But here’s the truth: building your first sales funnel doesn’t have to be overwhelming, especially when you use the right tool. In this guide, I’ll walk you through exactly how to build your first sales funnel with Systeme.io, step by step, with no confusing jargon and no BS. Whether you’re selling a product, building an email list, or promoting an affiliate offer, this tutorial will show you how to create a working funnel from scratch, even if you’ve never done this before.

What Exactly Is a Sales Funnel?

Before we dive into the how-to, let’s quickly cover what a sales funnel actually is.

A sales funnel is simply the journey someone takes from discovering your business to becoming a customer. Think of it as a path that guides people through different stages:

1. Awareness – They find out you exist (through social media, Google, ads, etc.)
2. Interest – They visit your landing page and learn what you offer
3. Decision – They decide whether your offer is right for them
4. Action – They sign up, purchase, or take whatever action you want them to take

The “funnel” shape represents how many people move through each stage. Lots of people might see your content (top of funnel) but fewer will actually purchase (bottom of funnel).

A good sales funnel makes this journey smooth and automatic. Instead of manually following up with every person, your funnel does the work for you with landing pages, email sequences and automated follow-ups.

Learn How To Build Your Online Business With Systeme.io. I’ll Walk You Through Every Step, Even If You’ve Never Done This Before

Why Use Systeme.io for Your First Funnel?

I’ve researched and tested multiple funnel builders and I keep coming back to Systeme.io for beginners. Here’s why:

It’s All-in-One: Unlike ClickFunnels or other platforms that require you to connect third-party email services, Systeme.io includes everything: funnel builder, email marketing, course hosting, automation and even affiliate program management. Everything works together seamlessly.

Free Plan Available: You can start building funnels completely free. The free plan includes up to 2,000 contacts and unlimited funnels. No credit card required.

Simple Interface: Systeme.io is designed for beginners. The drag-and-drop editor is intuitive and you don’t need any coding or design skills.

Affordable Pricing: When you’re ready to upgrade, paid plans start at just $27/month (compared to ClickFunnels at $97/month minimum).

I’m not saying Systeme.io is perfect for everyone, but for your first funnel, it’s hard to beat. If you want to see my full breakdown of features and pricing, check out my detailed Systeme.io review.

Before You Begin: What You’ll Need

Before building your funnel, gather these essentials:

• A Systeme.io account (free or paid)
• A clear goal – What action do you want people to take? (Download a lead magnet, buy a product, book a call?)
• Your offer – What are you giving away or selling?
• Basic copy – Headlines, bullet points and a call-to-action
• Optional: Images – You can use free stock photos from sites like Unsplash or create graphics on Canva

Don’t worry about having everything perfect. You can always improve your funnel later. The goal right now is to get something live and working.

Step 1: Create Your Systeme.io Account

First things first—let’s get your account set up.

1. Go to Systeme.io
2. Click “Get Started” or “Sign Up Free”
3. Enter your email and create a password
4. Verify your email address
5. Complete the brief onboarding questions

Systeme.io will ask what you want to build (choose “sales funnel”) and what type of business you have. This helps customize your dashboard but don’t stress about these answers—you can build any type of funnel regardless of what you select.

Once you’re in your dashboard, take a moment to look around. On the left sidebar, you’ll see sections for Funnels, Email Marketing, Automation and more. We’ll mainly focus on the Funnels section today.

Step 2: Choose Your Funnel Type

Now let’s create your first funnel.

1. Click “Funnels” in the left sidebar
2. Click “Create” in the top right
3. Give your funnel a name (this is just for your reference—visitors won’t see it)
4. Click “Create”

You’ll now see your empty funnel with options to add steps. A funnel “step” is simply a page in your funnel. For a basic lead generation funnel, you’ll typically have two steps:

• Step 1: Squeeze Page (landing page where visitors enter their email)
• Step 2: Thank You Page (confirmation page after they submit)

For a sales funnel, you might have additional steps like:

• Landing page
• Checkout page
• Order confirmation page
• Upsell page

Let’s start simple with a two-step lead generation funnel. You can always add complexity later.

Learn How To Build Your Online Business With Systeme.io. I’ll Walk You Through Every Step, Even If You’ve Never Done This Before

Step 3: Design Your Landing Page

Your landing page is where the magic happens. This is where you convince visitors to take action.

Add Your First Funnel Step

1. In your funnel builder, click “Add a step”
2. Select “Squeeze page” from the templates
3. Choose a template you like (don’t overthink this—pick one and move forward)
4. Click “Select template”

Systeme.io will load the template into the page builder. Now you’re looking at a drag-and-drop editor where you can customize everything.

Customize Your Landing Page

Here’s what to focus on:

Headline: This is the most important element. Your headline should clearly communicate the benefit of your offer. Instead of “Free Guide” try something like “Download the Free Guide That Shows You How to Get Your First 1,000 Email Subscribers in 30 Days.”

Subheadline: Support your main headline with additional details or benefits.

Bullet Points: List 3-5 specific benefits someone will get from your offer. For example:

• Discover the exact email template that converts at 47%
• Learn the one mistake that kills most email campaigns
• Get the free tools I use to automate everything

Call-to-Action Button: Your button text matters. Instead of generic “Submit” try action-oriented text like “Send Me the Guide” or “Get Instant Access.”

Form Fields: For your first funnel, only ask for what you absolutely need. Usually that’s just an email address. You can ask for a name too, but every additional field reduces conversions. Keep it simple.

Editing in Systeme.io

To edit any element:

• Click on it
• Edit the text directly or use the settings panel on the right
• Adjust colors, fonts and sizing using the style options
• Drag elements to reposition them
• Add new elements by clicking the “+” button

According to research on landing page best practices, keeping your page focused with one clear goal and minimal distractions significantly improves conversion rates.

Pro tip: Remove the navigation menu from your landing page if the template includes one. You want people focused on one action—signing up—not clicking around to other pages.

Step 4: Create Your Thank You Page

After someone submits their email, they need to know what happens next. That’s what your thank you page does.

1. Go back to your funnel overview
2. Click “Add a step”
3. Choose “Thank you page” template
4. Select and customize

Your thank you page should:

Confirm the action: “Success! Check your email for your free guide.”

Set expectations: “You’ll receive your guide in the next 5 minutes. Also watch for my weekly emails with tips on [topic].”

Provide next steps: Give them something else to do while they’re still engaged. This could be:

• Follow you on social media
• Join your Facebook group
• Check out a related blog post
• Watch a welcome video

Optional: Make an offer: Some marketers use the thank you page to present a low-cost offer (called a “tripwire”). This works but isn’t necessary for your first funnel.

Learn How To Build Your Online Business With Systeme.io. I’ll Walk You Through Every Step, Even If You’ve Never Done This Before

Step 5: Set Up Email Follow-Up

This is where Systeme.io really shines compared to basic funnel builders. The email marketing is built right in.

Create Your Email List

1. Go to “Contacts” in the left sidebar
2. Click “Lists”
3. Click “Create” to make a new list
4. Name it something like “Lead Magnet Subscribers”

Connect Your Funnel to the List

Now we need to tell Systeme.io to add people to this list when they submit the form on your landing page.

1. Go back to your funnel
2. Click on your squeeze page to edit it
3. Click on the form element
4. In the settings panel, find “Tag or List”
5. Select the list you just created
6. Save

Now anyone who fills out your form will automatically be added to your email list.

Create Your Welcome Email Sequence

Learning to write effective email sequences is crucial for online business success. Neil Patel’s guide to email marketing provides excellent fundamentals for beginners.

Let’s set up a simple 3-email welcome sequence:

1. Go to “Email Marketing” in the left sidebar
2. Click “Campaigns”
3. Click “Create”
4. Choose “Follow-up email campaign”

Email 1 (Send immediately):

• Subject: “Here’s your [free offer] + what’s next”
• Deliver the promised lead magnet
• Introduce yourself briefly
• Set expectations for future emails
• Include a question to encourage replies

Email 2 (Send after 2 days):

• Subject: “The #1 mistake people make with [topic]”
• Provide valuable content related to your niche
• Share a story or case study
• Link to a relevant blog post or resource

Email 3 (Send after 5 days):

• Subject: “How I [achieved specific result]”
• Share your journey or experience
• Soft pitch your main offer or service
• Ask if they have questions

To set up the automation:

1. Create each email using the email editor
2. Set the trigger to “Added to list: [your list name]”
3. Set the timing for each email (immediate, +2 days, +5 days)
4. Activate the campaign

Step 6: Connect a Payment Processor (Optional)

If you’re selling something in your funnel, you’ll need to connect a payment processor.

Systeme.io integrates with:

• Stripe
• PayPal
• Razorpay

To connect Stripe (most common):

1. Go to “Settings” in the left sidebar
2. Click “Payment gateways”
3. Click “Connect Stripe”
4. Follow the prompts to authorize the connection

Then, when creating a sales page in your funnel:

1. Add a “Checkout” step to your funnel
2. Create a product in Systeme.io (go to “Products” section)
3. Set your price and details
4. Link the checkout page to your product

Stripe’s documentation offers detailed guidance on accepting payments online if you need more help with this step.

Learn How To Build Your Online Business With Systeme.io. I’ll Walk You Through Every Step, Even If You’ve Never Done This Before

Step 7: Test Your Funnel

Before you send traffic to your funnel, you need to test it thoroughly. Nothing is worse than discovering broken links or missing emails after you’ve already promoted it.

Run Through the Entire Funnel

1. Click “View” on your landing page to see it live
2. Fill out the form with a test email (use your own email)
3. Check that you’re redirected to the thank you page
4. Confirm you received the welcome email
5. Click all links to verify they work
6. If you have a checkout, do a test purchase (use Stripe test mode)

Check These Specific Things

• Does the landing page look good on mobile? (Check using your phone)
• Are all images loading properly?
• Is the form submitting correctly?
• Are emails arriving in the inbox (not spam)?
• Are email links working?
• Is the thank you page redirecting properly?

Fix any issues before moving to the next step.

Step 8: Launch and Monitor

Your funnel is built and tested. Now it’s time to get traffic.

Get Your Funnel URL

1. In your funnel overview, click the link icon next to your squeeze page
2. Copy the URL (it’ll look like: yourusername.systeme.io/funnel-name)
3. Optional: Set up a custom domain for a more professional look

Drive Traffic to Your Funnel

Now you need to get people to your landing page. Here are the best strategies for beginners:

Free Traffic Methods:

• Share on social media (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter)
• Post in relevant Facebook groups (provide value, don’t spam)
• Answer questions on Reddit and Quora (include your link where appropriate)
• Pinterest (create pins linking to your landing page)
• YouTube videos (include link in description)
• Guest posting on blogs
• SEO-optimized blog posts linking to your funnel

Paid Traffic Methods (when you’re ready):

• Facebook Ads
• Instagram Ads
• Google Ads
• Pinterest Ads
• Solo ads (buying email traffic)

Start with free methods while you test and optimize your funnel. Once you’re converting at a decent rate, then consider paid traffic.

Monitor Your Results

Systeme.io provides analytics for your funnel. To view stats:

1. Go to your funnel overview
2. Click “Statistics”
3. Review key metrics:
   • Visitors to each page
   • Conversion rate (what % of visitors submit the form)
   • Click-through rates in your emails

Pay attention to these numbers and make improvements based on what you learn. If your conversion rate is below 20%, test different headlines or offers.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

I’ve made plenty of mistakes building funnels. Here are the ones to avoid:

Asking for too much information: Only collect what you absolutely need. Each additional form field reduces conversions by about 10%.

No clear call-to-action: People should know exactly what to do next. Make your buttons obvious and use action-oriented text.

Overcomplicating it: Your first funnel doesn’t need to be elaborate. Simple works. Get something live and improve it over time.

Not testing on mobile: Over 60% of traffic comes from mobile devices. If your funnel looks broken on phones, you’re losing half your potential leads.

Forgetting to deliver the lead magnet: If you promise a free guide, make sure it actually arrives in their inbox immediately. Broken promises destroy trust.

Not following up: The money is in the follow-up. Don’t just collect emails and ignore them. Send valuable content consistently.

Ignoring analytics: You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Check your stats weekly and make data-driven decisions.

Learn How To Build Your Online Business With Systeme.io. I’ll Walk You Through Every Step, Even If You’ve Never Done This Before

What to Do After Your Funnel is Live

Building the funnel is just the beginning. Here’s what to focus on next:

Week 1-2: Drive initial traffic and monitor for any technical issues. Get at least 100 visitors to establish baseline metrics.

Week 3-4: Review your conversion rate. If it’s below 20%, test these elements:

• Headline variations
• Different button colors and text
• Shorter vs longer copy
• Different lead magnet offers

Month 2: Optimize your email sequence based on open rates and click rates. Add more value and test different sending times.

Month 3+: Consider adding additional funnel steps like:

• Video training series
• Webinar registration
• Upsell offers
• Segmentation based on interests

Scale what works: Once you have a funnel converting well, focus on increasing traffic. This is where paid ads and advanced SEO come in.

If you’re feeling stuck on what to do next or need guidance on building your entire online business strategy, I’ve created a comprehensive guide at right here . It covers everything from choosing your niche to scaling your income.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to build your first sales funnel with Systeme.io is one of the most valuable skills for online business. You now have a complete, automated system for capturing leads and nurturing them into customers. This funnel will work for you 24/7, even while you sleep.

Remember, your first funnel doesn’t need to be perfect. The goal is to get it live, test it with real traffic and improve it over time. I’ve built dozens of funnels and I’m still learning and optimizing. That’s the fun part—there’s always room to improve and grow.

Start simple, stay consistent and focus on providing real value to your audience. If you do that, the conversions will follow.

If you haven’t already, grab your free Systeme.io account and start building. The best time to start was yesterday. The second best time is right now. You’ve got this.

Learn How To Build Your Online Business With Systeme.io. I’ll Walk You Through Every Step, Even If You’ve Never Done This Before