You feel it, don’t you? The constant pressure. The scramble for the next client, the next project. The feeling that you’re in a perpetual “dog fight” with a dozen other businesses that look and sound just like you.
It’s exhausting. And it’s the reason so many brilliant, heart-centered businesses burn out.
The core of this struggle lies in a fundamental misunderstanding of how people connect with a business. Most companies spend 100% of their energy fighting for the tiny 1-2% of the market that is ready to buy right now. They pour money into ads, cold outreach, and hard-sell tactics, all screaming “Pick me!” at the bottom of the funnel.
What if we told you there was a more natural, more sustainable, and frankly, more human way to grow? What if, instead of hunting for clients, you could cultivate a garden where they choose to grow alongside you?
This is the principle behind the Generosity Funnel. It’s a shift from a mindset of extraction to one of genuine service.
The Old Map: The Scarcity Funnel
First, let’s look at the traditional map. A potential client’s journey is typically broken into three stages:
- Top of Funnel (Awareness): A broad group of people—maybe 20% of your potential market—are just realizing they have a problem or a desire. They’re asking, “What do I want?” or “What’s possible?”
- Middle of Funnel (Consideration): A smaller group—about 17%—are actively researching. They’re asking, “What would this cost?” and “How does this work?”
- Bottom of Funnel (Decision): A tiny slice—just 1-2%—are ready to make a choice. They’re asking, “Who is qualified to help me?”
The traditional sales model ignores the top 98% and focuses all its firepower on that last 2%. This creates a brutal, high-cost environment where you’re constantly battling on price and features. It’s unnatural, forced, and it disconnects you from the joy of your work.
The New Path: The Generosity Funnel
The Generosity Funnel flips the script. Instead of asking, “How can I capture this lead?” it asks, “How can I provide value at every single step of this person’s journey?”
It’s a path built on the UNQA principles of Uniqueness, Naturalness, and Quality. It’s about building trust so deeply and so early that by the time a client is ready to make a decision, you are not just an option; you are the only natural choice.
Here’s how to build it.
Stage 1: Cultivate Curiosity (The Top)
This is where you share your light with no expectation of return. It’s not about lead magnets or email captures. It’s about contributing to your ecosystem and connecting with people on the level of shared ideas and inspiration.
- The Goal: To resonate, not just to reach. To become a trusted voice in your space.
- How it feels: Sharing your unique philosophy on your craft. Making short videos that explain a core principle you believe in. Writing articles that explore the “why” behind what you do. It’s about being genuinely helpful and showing up with your true, authentic perspective.
Stage 2: Build a Bridge (The Middle)
Once you’ve piqued curiosity, the next step is to empower your audience. People in the consideration phase are trying to get their bearings. They need tools, not a sales pitch. Your job is to build a bridge that helps them get from confusion to clarity.
- The Goal: To provide a tangible tool that helps people solve a micro-problem or understand their own needs better.
- How it feels: This is where you can create a brilliant, high-quality resource that’s genuinely useful.
- A service business could build a Project Scoping Calculator.
- A brand strategist could create a Brand Authenticity Quiz.
- A web agency could offer an Interactive Website Planning Worksheet.
You offer this tool freely. In doing so, you’re not only capturing the contact information of a highly-interested person; you’re fundamentally changing the relationship. You’ve become a partner in their process, long before any money has been exchanged.
Stage 3: Open the Door (The Bottom)
If you have generously cultivated curiosity and built a sturdy bridge, this final stage feels less like “closing a deal” and more like a natural continuation of a conversation. The trust is already there. The value has already been proven.
- The Goal: To make the process of working with you feel like a seamless, welcoming, and logical next step.
- How it feels: The calls-to-action on your “bridge” tools gently invite people to a discovery call. Your sales process feels like a collaborative design session. Your strongest leads come from referrals from professionals and past clients who have experienced your generosity firsthand and want others to experience it too. There’s no hard sell needed because you’re no longer a stranger; you’re the guide they’ve been traveling with all along.
Shifting from a scarcity funnel to a Generosity Funnel is about more than just a marketing strategy. It’s a decision to build a business that is inherently more sustainable, more enjoyable, and more human. It’s a commitment to the belief that the most powerful way to grow is to give freely of your unique gifts.