---
name: Funnel Optimization
description: Fix the biggest leak first.
---
# Funnel Optimization

A funnel is the series of steps from stranger to customer. Optimization means finding where the most value escapes and fixing that one leak — not polishing steps that aren't the bottleneck.

## Method
1. **Measure every step.** Visitors → sign-ups → activated → retained → paid. You can't fix what you don't measure.
2. **Find the biggest leak by impact, not by rate.** A step converting at 90% that processes everyone can leak more total value than a step at 10% processing few.
3. **Diagnose the why.** Friction? Wrong audience? Unclear value? Each cause has a different fix.
4. **Fix one, re-measure.** The next-biggest leak is rarely where you predicted.

## Avoid
Optimizing a step that feeds into a worse bottleneck. You push more water into a clogged pipe.