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Here’s the truth: buyer behavior has fundamentally changed.

And if you’re still building funnels based on what worked five years ago, you’re leaving serious money on the table.

I just spent the last six months in deep testing mode—running every possible combination, split-testing ad creative, analyzing conversion data, tracking buyer behavior patterns across thousands of funnel visitors.

Why? Because ad costs are climbing, attention spans are shrinking, and I needed to make absolutely sure our systems were future-proof.

And here’s what I discovered: the buying window has collapsed.

The Old Way of Building Funnels

It used to be that funnels were all about the long game. The conventional wisdom was to get someone to opt in for a lead magnet, warm them up for 2-4 weeks with a nurture sequence, and then—only then—make them an offer.

That’s what everyone taught. That’s what “worked.”

And to be honest, that delay was actually one of the main reasons why most people could never afford to create and scale a funnel profitably. Because there was such a lag between spending the money to get people in and actually seeing what happens. You were spending, spending, spending—and then waiting and hoping you’d get your money back weeks later.

It was really difficult for people to do this profitably.

And then the same thing would happen any time you tried to increase your ad spend, any time you wanted to scale. You’d actually have to spend more for weeks, if not months, before you saw the uptick, before you saw your ROAS turn around.

And that’s where so many people would go, “Okay, funnels just don’t work.”

But the good news is that’s not actually how they work anymore. You don’t have to do that anymore.

The way people are buying has fundamentally changed.

What the Data Actually Shows

Here’s what we’re seeing across thousands of funnel visitors:

Most sales now happen within the first 1-5 days.

Not weeks. Days.

If someone doesn’t buy from you in that initial window, the chances they’ll buy later drop dramatically.

And I’m not just talking about my own funnels. I’m seeing this pattern consistently across our clients’ funnels, across different niches, different price points, different audiences.

The buying window has collapsed.

A Real Example That Proves Everything

Let me tell you about a conversation I just had that really drove this home.

I was on a hot seat call with one of our amazing long-term clients. We were deep-diving into the numbers of her Content Engine funnel, which she’s been running since the start of the year.

And the results? Pretty incredible.

She’s added almost 7,000 people to her email list. She’s only spending about $100 a day on ads. She’s making multiple sales every single day. And she’s now making more in profit from that single funnel alone than she did in total sales before.

But that’s not even the most exciting part.

The most exciting part is when we looked at how it’s actually converting.

Because she’s ready to scale it up again, and before you scale, you always want to make sure everything is locked in and optimized. So I got to go back through all the numbers with her.

Her funnel is converting at almost 9%.

To cold traffic. No DMs. No sales calls. No anything. Just pure content funnel.

Now, remember: the industry benchmark for a “good” funnel is 2%. I never like to settle for that, but that’s what people consider good.

Her funnel is converting at more than four times the industry benchmark.

But here’s what really caught my attention:

When we looked at the buyer behavior—when we tracked how long it took people to actually purchase—the average time from opt-in to sale was less than 24 hours.

Less. Than. 24. Hours.

Cold traffic. People who had never heard of her before. They opted in, went through her funnel, and bought within a day.

And this wasn’t a surprise to me, because we’ve been seeing this pattern in our own research. But it really confirmed what I’ve been suspecting for a while now:

The buying window has fundamentally shifted.

Why This Is Happening

So why are people buying so much faster now?

Here’s what I believe is going on:

When someone opts in for a lead magnet, they’re actively seeking a solution right now.

They’re not casually browsing. They’re not just collecting freebies. They’re looking for something specific, and they’re ready to take action.

They’re already further along in their buyer journey than we give them credit for.

And here’s the thing: they’re not just seeing your content. They’re being bombarded by competing offers everywhere they look. Instagram ads. Facebook ads. YouTube. Podcasts. Everyone is screaming at them to buy something.

So if you’re still running those old-school “long nurture” funnels where you’re warming people up for 2-4 weeks before you make them an offer?

You’re losing them.

Because by the time you finally pitch, they’ve either:

1. Already bought from someone else who moved faster
2. Lost interest and forgotten about you
3. Moved on to the next shiny thing

The window is 1-5 days. And if you’re not designed for that reality, you’re leaving money on the table.

What This Means for Your Funnel Strategy

So what does this actually mean for how you build your funnels?

Everything changes when you only have 1-5 days to convert someone.

Your Messaging Needs to Be Dialed In From Day One

You don’t have time to “warm them up” with a bunch of value content before you make an offer. Your messaging needs to hit hard from the very first email.

You need to speak directly to the problem they’re trying to solve right now. You need to show them you understand where they are. And you need to position your offer as the obvious next step.

There’s no room for fluff or generic “here’s some free value” content that doesn’t move them closer to a decision.

You Need to Understand the Psychology of an Immediate Buyer

This is so important. The person who’s in that 1-5 day buying window is in a completely different psychological state than someone who’s been on your list for 3 months.

They’re actively looking for a solution. They’re motivated. They’re ready to invest.

But they’re also evaluating fast. They’re comparing you to everyone else they’re seeing. They’re asking themselves, “Is this the right solution? Is this the right person? Is this the right time?”

And you need to answer all of those questions quickly and confidently.

Your Lead Magnet and Ads Need to Attract the Right Person

This is huge. If you want more people who buy within that 1-5 day window, you need to make sure your lead magnet and your ads are attracting and speaking to that type of buyer.

Not tire-kickers. Not freebie-seekers. But people who are actively looking for a solution and are ready to invest.

That means your messaging needs to be crystal clear about the problem you solve and who it’s for. And your lead magnet needs to be positioned as the first step in a bigger transformation, not just a random piece of free content.

Everything That Happens After Needs to Be Tailored to This Buyer

Once someone opts in, every single touchpoint needs to be designed with this immediate buyer in mind.

Your email sequence. Your sales page. Your messaging. Your follow-up.

It all needs to move them toward a decision quickly, without feeling pushy or aggressive.

Because here’s the thing: when you design your funnel for this new reality—when you understand the psychology, when you attract the right people, when your messaging is dialed in—you get results like my client.

9% conversion rates. Sales within 24 hours. Profitable, scalable funnels that actually work.

This Is the New Reality

Here’s what I want you to understand:

Buyer behavior isn’t going back to “slow and steady.”

If anything, the window is getting shorter.

People are more overwhelmed than ever. They’re seeing more offers than ever. And they’re making faster decisions than ever.

Which means the funnels that win in 2026 and beyond are the ones built for this reality. Not the ones built for how things worked in 2019.

So if you’re wondering why your current funnel—or your launch strategy, or your content plan—isn’t converting the way it used to?

This might be why.

You’re playing by old rules in a new game.

And the businesses that adapt to this reality? They’re going to win.

The ones that don’t? They won’t.

Want to Hear More?

I break down all of this data in even more detail in my latest podcast episode, including the specific strategies we’re using to design funnels for this new buying window and exactly how to implement them in your business.

Listen to the full episode here.

Ready to Build a Funnel Designed for Today’s Buyers?

If you’re sitting there thinking, “Okay, I get it. But how do I actually do this? How do I build a funnel that’s designed for this new reality?”

I’ve got something for you.

It’s called the Million Dollar Micro Funnel system—and it’s specifically designed for this new buying behavior.

It’s the exact system my client used to get those 9% conversion rates and sales within 24 hours. It’s what we’ve been testing and refining over the last six months. And it’s built for coaches who want profitable, scalable funnels that actually work in 2026.

Click here and save $100 OFF right now

Because the buying window isn’t getting longer. It’s getting shorter.

And the funnels that win are the ones built for speed.

P.S. The old “nurture for weeks, then pitch” model is dead. The new model? Attract ready buyers and convert them fast. That’s what the Million Dollar Micro Funnel is all about.