# Funnels

DM Champ connects to your existing sales funnels so that when someone fills out an opt-in form on your landing page, they are automatically added as a contact and receive a personalized message - all without you doing anything manually.

**In plain terms:** Someone signs up on your website, and within minutes they get a WhatsApp message from your AI bot starting a real conversation.

***

## What a Funnel Integration Does

When you connect your landing page to DM Champ, every new lead is automatically:

1. **Added as a contact** in DM Champ
2. **Added to a specific contact list** tied to your campaign
3. **Engaged by your AI bot** with a personalized opening message
4. **Followed up automatically** if they do not respond

This turns a passive opt-in page into an active sales conversation - handled entirely by your AI bot.

**Example: How it looks in practice**

```
Someone fills out your landing page form
       |
       v
Your automation tool (Pabbly, Zapier, or Make) sends
the lead's info to DM Champ
       |
       v
DM Champ creates the contact and adds them to your list
       |
       v
Your campaign sends a personalized WhatsApp message
       |
       v
The lead replies, and your AI bot continues the conversation
```

***

## What Your Opt-In Page Needs to Collect

Your landing page (built with ClickFunnels, Leadpages, Systeme.io, WordPress, or any other tool) needs to collect at least these two fields:

### Required Fields

| Field            | Why It Is Needed                                                                                                                          |
| ---------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Phone Number** | DM Champ sends messages via WhatsApp or SMS, so a phone number is essential. Must include the country code (e.g., +1 for US, +44 for UK). |
| **First Name**   | Used to personalize the opening message. Messages with the person's name get significantly higher response rates.                         |

### Optional but Recommended

| Field             | Why It Helps                                                           |
| ----------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Email**         | Allows multi-channel follow-up and helps avoid duplicate contacts      |
| **Last Name**     | More professional personalization                                      |
| **Custom Fields** | Any data relevant to your offer (company name, area of interest, etc.) |

**Tip:** Keep your form short. Phone number and first name are the minimum. Every extra field you add lowers your form completion rate. You can always collect additional information through the conversation itself.

***

## Setting Up Your Campaign for Funnels

The recommended campaign type for funnels is **Combined** because it handles both the outgoing first message AND any incoming replies in one place.

### Step-by-Step Setup

1. **Create a Combined campaign**
   * Go to **Dashboard > Campaigns > New Campaign**
   * Select **Combined** as the type
   * Choose your language
   * Give it a descriptive name (e.g., "Webinar Funnel - March 2026")
2. **Configure the bot**
   * Write instructions tailored to your funnel offer
   * Add company info, FAQs, and resources specific to the offer
   * Set the conversation goal (e.g., "Book a free consultation call")
   * See the [AI Bot Setup](https://help.dmchamp.com/ai-and-automation/ai-bot-setup) guide for detailed instructions
3. **Create the opening template message**
   * This is the first WhatsApp message your leads will receive
   * Include the contact's first name for personalization
   * Keep it short and compelling - this is your first impression
   * Submit it for WhatsApp approval
4. **Turn on "Trigger on New Contacts Added to List"**
   * This is the key setting that makes your funnel work
   * When a new contact is added to your campaign's list (via the automation), the campaign automatically sends them the opening message
   * Find this toggle in the campaign settings
5. **Note your List ID**
   * Go to **Contacts > select the list** linked to your campaign
   * Copy the **List ID** - you will need this when setting up the automation
6. **Enable follow-ups** (recommended)
   * Turn on automatic follow-ups so leads who do not respond get re-engaged
   * See the [Follow-Up System](https://help.dmchamp.com/campaigns/follow-ups) guide for details

***

## Connecting Your Funnel to DM Champ

DM Champ works with all major automation platforms. Here is how to connect your landing page form.

### Option 1: Using Pabbly Connect

Pabbly is cost-effective and handles high-volume funnels well.

**Steps:**

1. **Set up a webhook trigger** - This fires when someone submits your opt-in form
2. **Add a 15-20 minute delay** (optional but recommended) - Gives the lead time to message you first, creating a more natural conversation
3. **Check if the contact already exists** - Call the DM Champ API to avoid creating duplicates
4. **Create the contact** - If they are new, send their info to DM Champ
5. **Add them to your list** - This triggers the campaign to send the opening message

### Option 2: Using Zapier

**Steps:**

1. **Trigger:** New form submission from your landing page
2. **Action 1:** DM Champ - Find Contact (check if they already exist)
3. **Filter:** Only continue if the contact was NOT found
4. **Action 2:** DM Champ - Create Contact
5. **Action 3:** DM Champ - Add Contact to List

### Option 3: Using Make (formerly Integromat)

**Steps:**

1. **Webhook trigger** from your funnel
2. **Check** if the contact already exists via DM Champ API
3. **Create** the contact if they are new
4. **Add** them to the campaign's linked list

***

## Direct API Integration

If you have a developer or manage your own website backend, you can connect to DM Champ's API directly without a middleware tool.

### Create a Contact

```
POST https://api.dmchamp.com/v1/contacts
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "phone_number": "+1234567890",
  "first_name": "John",
  "last_name": "Smith",
  "email": "john@example.com"
}
```

### Add the Contact to a List

```
POST https://api.dmchamp.com/v1/lists/{list_id}/contacts
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "contact_id": "abc123"
}
```

**Where to find your API key:** Go to **Settings > Account** and copy your API key.

**Important:** Always include the country code in the phone number (e.g., `+1` for US, `+44` for UK, `+31` for Netherlands).

***

## How "Trigger on New Contacts Added to List" Works

This campaign setting is what connects everything together:

1. A new contact is added to your campaign's linked list (via the automation, a manual import, or by hand)
2. The campaign detects the new contact
3. If the campaign is **Live**, the opening message is sent:
   * **1-3 contacts** are sent immediately (this is the normal funnel scenario - one person opts in at a time)
   * **4+ contacts at once** are automatically queued and sent at a safe rate to protect your sender reputation
4. When the contact replies, the AI bot takes over the conversation

***

## The Complete Funnel Flow (End to End)

Here is everything that happens when a lead enters your funnel:

1. **Lead fills out your opt-in form** on your landing page
2. **Your automation tool** (Pabbly, Zapier, Make) receives the form data
3. **Optional 15-20 minute delay** to see if the lead messages you first
4. **Automation checks** if the contact already exists in DM Champ
5. **Contact is created** via the API (if new)
6. **Contact is added to the list** linked to your campaign
7. **Campaign sends** the opening WhatsApp template message
8. **The lead reads the message** and responds
9. **Your AI bot** engages in a personalized conversation
10. **The bot works toward your goal** (book appointment, qualify lead, share offer)
11. **If the lead goes quiet**, automatic follow-ups re-engage them
12. **If the bot needs help**, it alerts a team member to take over

***

## Best Practices

1. **Add a short delay before creating the contact.** A 15-20 minute delay gives leads time to message you first. If they do, they enter the incoming flow (a more natural conversation). If they do not, the outgoing template is sent.
2. **Use Combined campaigns.** They handle both scenarios - the contact messages first vs. you message first - in a single setup.
3. **Personalize the opening message.** Always include the contact's first name in the WhatsApp template. Generic opening messages get much lower response rates.
4. **Keep the opening message short.** Two to three sentences is ideal. Ask a question to invite a response. For example: "Hey {first\_name}! Thanks for signing up for our free consultation. What's the biggest challenge you're facing with \[topic] right now?"
5. **Enable follow-ups.** Funnel leads are warm but busy. A follow-up 24-72 hours later often brings them back.
6. **Test the full flow before launching.** Submit a test opt-in on your landing page, verify the contact is created in DM Champ, and confirm the opening message arrives.
7. **Monitor your conversion rates.** Track how many funnel leads respond to the opening message and how many convert to your goal (appointment, sale, etc.). Adjust your bot instructions and opening message based on what you learn.
8. **Prevent duplicates.** Always check if a contact exists before creating them. Duplicate contacts lead to confusing conversations and wasted credits.
9. **Get proper consent.** Make sure your opt-in page clearly states that the lead will receive WhatsApp messages. Include a consent checkbox if required in your region.