Here’s Why I Don’t Do “Surveillance Funnels” And You Shouldn’t Either

You’ve probably seen the hype: “Hyper-personalization! AI-driven funnels! Intent tracking! Wearables and behavioral analytics!” It’s everywhere. Every so-called marketing visionary out there is gushing about how the “best” funnels aren’t just optimized, they’re personalized down to your grocery list, stress level, and what you watched on Netflix last night.

Let me tell you why that’s gross and why I refuse to play that game.

What’s Actually Happening in Funnel Land?

As of Spring/Summer 2025, both big brands AND small businesses are in a wild race for “first-party data.” Your favorite yoga studio wants to hook into your smartwatch. That local supplement company? They’re thinking about sending push notifications when your Oura ring signals you haven’t slept well. Hell, even the neighborhood dog groomer is reading blog posts about “facial recognition targeting.”

People aren’t just collecting emails and ad clicks anymore. They’re chasing:

• Biometric data (heart rate, facial expressions, voice tone)

• Location signals (where you shop, when you get coffee)

• Behavioral analytics (your mood, intent, and micro-habits)

• Predictive algorithms (“AI” that guesses when you’re most vulnerable to a pitch)

Marketers frame this as “serving you better.” Yeah, right.

Why This Sucks...Let’s Get Real

1. It’s “Personalization” Disguised as Surveillance

There’s nothing “personal” about a damn robot sniffing through my Apple Watch data so some coach can upsell me a course at my lowest emotional moment. This is not empathy, it’s emotional hacking. Nobody wants to feel like HAL-9000 is micromanaging their inbox.

2. It Kills Trust-FAST

People are not naive. They can tell their browsing history has been slipped to a marketing AI for some “nurture sequence.” It’s not magic, and it’s not subtle. If every touchpoint, offer, and retargeted ad is perfectly timed by software, prospects don’t feel understood; they feel manipulated.

3. Robotic Funnels = Shitty Human Connections

Want to kill a vibe? Let a funnel act like a stalker: “Hey, I noticed you’re stressed and about to eat carbs. Can I sell you supplements?” People buy from people. “Personalized” content blasted by machine intelligence is... not personal. The best funnels are built on real insight, not emotional surveillance.

4. It’s Getting Easier for EVERYONE...Which Is Worse

It’s not just giant brands with trillion-dollar budgets. These tools are so cheap now that small businesses are rolling out biometric-triggered ads, intent signals based on click speed, and mood-based offer pages. The privacy fence is gone, and everyone’s peering through your digital curtains.

5. Most Funnels Lose the Plot

Remember the basics? Clear offer, the right audience, solid trust, and relationship. Hyper-personalization makes marketers forget what actually works. The tech becomes the point, not the solution. And when everyone’s using it, it’s just white noise blending in, not standing out.

So... What Do I Do Instead?

Here’s the kicker: I actually refuse to touch surveillance tactics. I build real funnels with honesty, strong messaging, and straightforward value. Here’s my way, and it works:

• Talk like a human, no creepy intent signals. I use language and clarity, not predictive analytics and heart rate data.

• Earn trust. If your funnel feels authentic, people stick around, no algorithms needed.

• Respect privacy. Tracking is invasive. When people feel safe and respected, they buy.

• Focus on your actual offer. Cut the fancy tech, don’t let machines distract you from solving real problems.

• Build relationships, not “trigger events.” Funnels aren’t a horror movie. My clients and I build rapport and connection, not digital traps.

This Trend Will Bite Back

Surveillance funnels sound cool until prospects start ghosting you for being creepy. When your marketing goes from helpful to invasive, people notice, and they bail. Maybe you can squeeze more conversions out of someone’s sleep deprivation data right now, but sooner or later, they’ll wise up.

If you want to stand out, do the opposite. Build your funnel with the kind of integrity that makes people WANT to buy from you.

So let the rest of the industry run off a cliff with their AI-powered “empathy bots” and biometric quizzes. I’m here building the kind of business people feel good about. And honestly? That’s what gets results these days.

Let’s keep it human. Always.

Sources:

“The Complete Marketing Funnel Guide for 2025: AI-Driven” by Sandeep Kumar on LinkedIn

“Should Small Businesses Invest in Biometric Ads?” on GoAudience Blog