The Key to Smarter Growth in 2026: Compressing the Sales Funnel

As executives plan for 2026, one truth is becoming clear: growth won’t come from spending more—it’ll come from being smarter about how we move buyers from interest to purchase. 

AI-generated search results are reshaping how people discover information. Website traffic is declining, traditional lead forms are fading fast, and the path from awareness to action is getting shorter.

Marketers can no longer rely on “fill out this form” to connect with buyers. To stay competitive, we must focus on compressing the sales funnel—bridging the gap between discovery and decision to reduce waste and accelerate revenue. 

The Growth Imperative: Reduce Inefficiency, Accelerate Conversion 

If I were speaking to a room of executives about growth in 2026, I’d start with two imperatives: reduce inefficiency in sales and compress the sales funnel. 

The classic funnel—from anonymous visitor to paying customer—hasn’t kept up with how people buy today. Companies spend heavily to attract traffic at the top, nurture and qualify leads in the middle, and close deals at the bottom. But in between lies an enormous amount of waste—marketing dollars spent on anonymous visitors who never convert or leads that get stuck in long nurture cycles. 

The key is to focus on prospects and customers who are already in motion. Know what your high-intent visitors are doing on your website. If you can see who’s shopping—and engage them through sales or marketing in real time—you’ll shorten the sales cycle, increase conversions, and grow faster. 

Why Compressing the Funnel Matters Now 

This shift isn’t just strategic—it’s technological. 

AI and large language models (LLMs) are changing how buyers find and evaluate products. Nearly 60% of Google searches now end without a click, as users get answers directly from AI summaries or featured snippets. That means fewer visitors are landing on your site—and those who do are usually deeper in the buying journey. 

The visitors you’re getting now are shoppers, not browsers. They’re closer to a decision, which makes it even more important to know who they are. Yet roughly 98% of website visitors remain anonymous. If you’re spending heavily on marketing but only hearing from 2%, you’re leaving major opportunity untapped. 

The New Funnel Reality: Skip the Middle 

In 2026, the funnel won’t move from the top down—it’ll move from intent to action. 

As AI-driven search reduces website volume, the goal isn’t to attract more traffic—it’s to get more value from the traffic you already have. That means skipping the middle of the funnel and going straight to where your high-intent visitors are, engaging them immediately while interest is high. 

To do that, your website, CRM, and marketing stack can no longer operate in silos. These systems must work together seamlessly to identify, track, and engage buyers in real time. When connected, they form the backbone of a modern growth engine—one that replaces passive nurturing with active, personalized engagement. 

Identity Resolution: The Bridge Between Traffic and Revenue 

One of the most powerful enablers of this shift is identity resolution—the ability to recognize and engage both known and unknown visitors without relying on forms. 

At Tria Prima, we built Prima ID to leverage first-party data and identify returning visitors automatically. If a current customer returns to your website, Prima ID recognizes them instantly, allowing sales or marketing to follow up naturally: “Hi, I saw you were on our site—can I help with anything?” 

For new visitors, the technology ties website activity to company or account-level identifiers, giving sales teams the insight to reach out proactively. These aren’t cold calls—they’re contextual, relevant, and timely engagements that build trust and momentum. 

Connecting the Dots to ROI 

Compressing the funnel isn’t just about technology—it’s about return on investment. 

You’re already spending the money. Marketing campaigns, CRM systems, sales teams, and website development all represent significant investment. The question is: are they connected? 

When these systems share data in real time, marketers can identify high-value visitors, trigger personalized follow-ups, and dramatically improve ROI. 

With the right connections in place, you can know exponentially more about who’s shopping on your site—and act on that knowledge immediately, whether that means a personalized email, an automated message, or a tailored campaign. 

The Bottom Line 

If you’re spending heavily on marketing but only getting 2% of your audience to fill out a form or contact you, you’re leaving major opportunity untapped. Stop waiting for leads to raise their hands. Start engaging the buyers who are already in motion. 

In 2026, the funnel won’t move from the top down — it’ll move from intent to action. The brands that recognize this shift will be the ones that turn visibility into velocity. Make sure your website, CRM, and marketing stack are working together as a modern growth engine — one that replaces passive nurturing with active, personalized engagement. 

The future of growth won’t belong to those who cast the widest net. It will belong to those who can identify, understand, and act on intent the moment it appears.