ClickFunnels and Systeme.io: Why Classic “Sales Funnels” Are No Longer Enough

“Funnel Builders” revolutionized digital marketing in 2015.

Russell Brunson with ClickFunnels popularized the idea: create a sequence of pages optimized to convert a visitor into a customer.

Opt-in page → Sales page → Order page → Thank you page.

Simple. Effective. Revolutionary for its time.

But these tools have a major flaw: they are static.

A classic funnel is a rigid pipe. If the customer doesn’t fit the box, they’re lost.

The era of static funnels is over.

Welcome to the era of Dynamic Funnels (Liquid Funnels).

---

The Problem with Static Funnels

How a Classic Funnel Works

A ClickFunnels or Systeme.io funnel works like this:

1. Same entry for everyone: All visitors see the same landing page
2. Same path for everyone: Everyone follows the same journey
3. Same message for everyone: The same copy, the same arguments
4. Same offer for everyone: The same price, the same bonuses

It’s a “one-size-fits-all” approach.

Why It Was Acceptable Before

Before AI, this approach was the best possible compromise.

Creating personalized paths required:

• Developers (expensive)
• Months of work (slow)
• Complex maintenance (fragile)

Better to have a single well-optimized funnel than dozens of poorly maintained variations.

Why It’s Insufficient Now

The fundamental problem: your visitors are not identical.

A beginner and an expert don’t have the same needs. A rushed visitor and a researching visitor don’t behave the same way. A potential $100 customer and a potential $10,000 customer don’t want the same thing.

Forcing everyone into the same funnel is losing conversions.

---

The Hidden Losses of Static Funnels

Let’s analyze what really happens in a classic funnel.

Loss 1: Wrong Level of Detail

Your sales page is written for a certain sophistication level.

If the visitor is more advanced:

• They find the content basic
• They get bored
• They leave to find something more advanced

If the visitor is less advanced:

• They don’t understand the jargon
• They feel overwhelmed
• They leave to find something simpler

You lose on both sides.

Loss 2: Wrong Timing

Your funnel assumes a certain visitor mindset.

If the visitor is in “research” mode:

• They want information, not an offer
• Your aggressive sales page repels them
• They leave and never come back

If the visitor is in “buy” mode:

• They want to buy now
• Your 10 “nurturing” pages irritate them
• They go buy elsewhere

Loss 3: Wrong Offer

Your funnel proposes a single offer.

If the visitor has little budget:

• Your $997 offer is out of reach
• There’s no cheaper alternative
• You lose the sale AND the contact

If the visitor has lots of budget:

• Your $97 offer seems “not serious”
• There’s no premium option
• You under-monetize the customer

Quantifying the Losses

Out of 1000 visitors to a typical static funnel:

• 20-50 buy (2-5% conversion)
• 950-980 leave without buying

Among those 950-980 who leave, how many would have bought with:

• A message adapted to their level?
• Timing adapted to their intent?
• An offer adapted to their budget?

Probably 10-30% more. That’s huge.

---

The Dynamic Funnel Revolution

An AEP (Architectural Economic Platform) enables creating Dynamic Funnels — also called “Liquid Funnels”.

The Liquid Funnel Concept

A Liquid Funnel is not a rigid pipe. It’s a river that adapts.

Water (the visitor) naturally finds its way to the sea (conversion).

It goes around obstacles. It adapts to terrain. It never forces against a wall.

How It Works Technically

Step 1: Visitor Analysis

Upon arrival, AI collects signals:

• Traffic source (where do they come from?)
• Navigation behavior (how do they behave?)
• Demographic data (device, location)
• History if available (returned? existing customer?)

Step 2: Real-time Segmentation

AI classifies the visitor into a segment:

• Sophistication level (beginner, intermediate, expert)
• Intent (research, comparison, purchase)
• Probable budget (indirect signals)
• Urgency (casual browsing vs immediate need)

Step 3: Adapted Generation

AI dynamically generates or selects:

• Page content (adapted detail level)
• Copy tone (educational, persuasive, technical)
• Presented offer (price, bonuses, guarantees)
• Next path (nurturing vs direct sale)

Step 4: Continuous Adaptation

With each interaction, AI adjusts:

• If visitor scrolls fast → shorter content
• If visitor reads everything → more detailed content
• If visitor hesitates on price → payment plan offer
• If visitor leaves → personalized exit popup

---

The Concrete Difference: Static vs Liquid

Example: A Beginner Visitor

Static Funnel (ClickFunnels):

• Sees the same page as everyone
• Doesn’t understand 50% of vocabulary
• Feels “not good enough”
• Leaves after 30 seconds

Liquid Funnel (AEP):

• AI detects their level (little time on site, generalist sources)
• Generates a page with simple vocabulary
• Adds more basic explanations
• Proposes an accessible entry offer
• Converts at 3x higher rate

Example: An Expert Visitor

Static Funnel (ClickFunnels):

• Sees the same basic page as beginners
• Finds content too elementary
• Thinks “this isn’t for me”
• Leaves to find a “pro” solution

Liquid Funnel (AEP):

• AI detects their level (navigation history, technical sources)
• Generates a page with advanced vocabulary
• Removes basic explanations
• Highlights technical features
• Proposes the premium offer directly
• Converts with 5x higher average cart

Example: A Visitor in “Research” Mode

Static Funnel (ClickFunnels):

• Lands directly on an aggressive sales page
• Feels “attacked” when they just wanted information
• Associates the brand with spam
• Never comes back

Liquid Funnel (AEP):

• AI detects intent (exploratory navigation, no urgency signals)
• Presents valuable educational content first
• Captures email with a free resource
• Progressively nurtures via email
• Presents the offer when visitor is ready
• Converts weeks later with a more loyal customer

---

Measurable Results

Liquid funnels produce radically different results.

Typical Metrics

Metric	Static Funnel	Liquid Funnel	Improvement
Conversion rate	2-5%	5-12%	+150-200%
Average cart	Fixed	Variable (adapted)	+30-80%
Bounce rate	60-80%	30-50%	-40%
Time on site	1-2 min	3-7 min	+200%
Customer satisfaction	Variable	High	+50% NPS

ROI of the Transition

Imagine a funnel with 10,000 visitors/month:

Static Funnel:

• 300 conversions (3%)
• Average cart: $200
• Revenue: $60,000/month

Liquid Funnel:

• 700 conversions (7%)
• Average cart: $280 (adapted offers)
• Revenue: $196,000/month

Difference: +$136,000/month

That’s the cost of staying on obsolete tools.

---

Why ClickFunnels Can’t Do This

Structural Limitations

ClickFunnels, Systeme.io, and other classic funnel builders have fundamental limitations:

Rigid architecture

• Designed for static pages
• No native dynamic generation
• Personalization limited to simple rules

No integrated AI

• No real-time behavioral analysis
• No content generation
• No continuous adaptation

Obsolete business model

• They sell simplicity
• Adding complexity would go against their positioning
• Their user base isn’t ready for this

Adaptation Attempts

These tools add “AI” features:

• Basic copy generation
• Automated A/B testing
• Some personalization

But it’s makeup on a fundamentally static system.

It’s not liquid architecture. It’s slightly flexible static.

---

Migration to Liquid Funnels

How to go from a static funnel to a liquid funnel?

Step 1: Audit Your Current Funnel

Analyze your data:

• Where are the leak points?
• Which segments convert best?
• Which visitors leave immediately?

Step 2: Identify Segments

Define 3-5 visitor segments:

• Beginners vs Experts
• Rushed vs Researchers
• Limited budget vs High budget

Step 3: Create Variations

For each segment, define:

• The adapted message
• The adapted offer
• The adapted path

Step 4: Implement in the AEP

Configure your AEP to:

• Detect segments
• Generate adapted content
• Route to the right path

Step 5: Continuous Optimization

AI learns and improves:

• Refining segmentation rules
• Testing new variations
• Optimizing thresholds

---

Conclusion

Sales funnels were a revolution.

But like any revolution, it’s overtaken by the next one.

Don’t force your customers into a concrete pipe.

Offer them a river that adapts to them.

Static funnels convert visitors who match your ideal case. Liquid funnels convert all visitors by adapting to each one.

It’s the difference between a salesperson who recites their script and a salesperson who listens and adapts.

The era of rigid funnels is over.

Welcome to the era of Liquid Funnels.