Everyone talks about funnels. Few talk about systems.
Funnels. Funnels. Funnels.
If you’ve spent even 10 minutes in a Facebook group or YouTube rabbit hole about online business, you’ve heard it:
“All you need is a high-converting funnel.”
But here’s the truth:
Funnels are part of the equation. Not the whole game.
You don’t need a fancy funnel. You need a system.
And this shift in thinking can save your business from wasting money on overhyped tools and underperforming templates.
Let me explain why.
What is a Funnel vs. a System?
A funnel is a sequence. It’s usually linear:
- Landing page →
- Email capture →
- Sales offer →
- Upsell
It works like a pipeline: pushing people from Point A to Point B.
But in the real world, people don’t move like that. They scroll. They bounce. They compare. They DM. They click your ad, forget you, then come back a week later.
A system is dynamic. It connects multiple touchpoints, collects data, and creates intentional loops:
- Ads
- Retargeting
- Email nurturing
- Video content
- Sales follow-ups
- CRM tracking
Think of it like an ecosystem. Instead of pushing users through a path, it attracts, educates, follows up, and closes the loop.
Where Most Businesses Get Stuck: Funnel Chasing
I’ve seen countless businesses burn cash on funnel software, courses, and templates—thinking one magic setup will fix their sales problem.
Here’s what usually happens:
- They build a landing page in ClickFunnels.
- Write a few emails.
- Run some Facebook or Google Ads.
- Get low conversions.
- Panic. Rebuild the funnel again.
Result? Time lost. Money burned. Confidence shaken.
The real issue?
They didn’t lack a funnel. They lacked a system.
What Does a Working System Look Like?
Let me show you through a real example from one of our clients at Run2Promotion.
Client: A B2B catering service in Hong Kong
Goal: Generate qualified leads for corporate lunch programs and event catering
What we didn’t do:
- Build a complicated 5-step webinar funnel
- Offer a lead magnet
- Spend weeks on automation tools
What we did instead:
Step 1: Clarity on the Offer We focused the offer on what businesses actually wanted: “High-quality, on-time daily corporate lunches starting.”
Step 2: Laser-Targeted Google Ads We ran local Google Search Ads for keywords like:
- “Corporate Catering Hong Kong”
- “Buffet services”
- “Event Catering”
Step 3: Landing Page Focused on Action
- Clean headline: “Get Fresh Corporate Lunches Delivered”
- Quick form: Name, company, number of employees
- One CTA: Book a free tasting
Step 4: Manual Follow-Up Loop
- When a lead submitted, our client got an instant email and call prompt
- They followed up within 15 minutes (speed = trust)
- Tracked in a simple Google Sheet CRM
Step 5: Retargeting on Meta
- Anyone who clicked but didn’t fill the form saw testimonial ads for 10 days
Step 6: Email Touchpoints
- Automated emails sent tasting reminders, client logos, sample menus
Results in 60 days:
- Cost per lead: HKD 450
- Conversion rate: 18%
- Average deal size: HKD 3500 + Repeat Buying
It wasn’t a funnel. It was a functioning lead-gen system.
Why Systems Work Better in 2025 and Also Work in 2026
In a noisy, AI-powered ad world, a system gives you:
- Flexibility: You can test creative, shift ad budget, and still keep tracking the big picture.
- Reliability: Even if one part breaks (like an ad account ban), your entire process isn’t dead.
- Data Loops: You learn faster. Every click, bounce, and call feeds your system.
Funnels give you frictionless flow. Systems give you sustainable growth.
Build the Engine, Not Just the Path
Funnels are important. But they’re like roads.
Without a strong engine (offer, follow-up, feedback loop, data), you’re just hoping the car moves.
As a performance marketer, the biggest unlock I’ve found isn’t a new hack, tool, or secret landing page.
It’s thinking in systems, not sequences.
So the next time you hear someone say, “I just need a funnel…”
Ask:
What happens after someone opts in? Who follows up? How do we track real ROI?
Because in 2025, those who treat marketing like a machine (not a slot machine) are the ones who scale.
Let’s build systems that grow, not just funnels that look good.