Marketing is a field that has changed a ton in the past few decades. Even just in the past few years, it’s taken a significant turn. It’s something that we can always learn more about, no matter how much we already know. Of course, some of the specifics will depend on what industry you’re in. No matter what though, you can take advantage of certain techniques. One of these is the sales funnel, which we’ll be covering today.
You can read more about them here: https://journal.adpebi.com/index.php/IJAMB/article/view/691, if you want some background information. Either way, we’ll be explaining what they are and how they work. Something to note is that they can refer to physical sales as well. However, we’re focusing on how they function in digital marketing. Keep that in mind as we continue. Let’s delve in!
What is a Sales Funnel?
Naturally, the first thing we need to do is simple. Let’s establish what sales funnels are. Thankfully, the answer isn’t too complicated.
A sales funnel in digital marketing is a strategic model that outlines the journey potential customers take from initial awareness of a product or service to ultimately making a purchase. At first glance, this can seem a bit confusing. There’s a lot to dissect in that definition.
The main thing to know is that it helps to visualize the various stages that lead to conversion. In this context, “conversion” means the shift from a browser to a buyer. That’s pretty important to remember as we continue.
When we’re talking about a sales funnel vs website, remember that you can essentially turn a website into a sales funnel. It can be a bit complicated in practice, though. Let’s explore some of the key stages of these funnels.
One: Awareness
This is the first stage that consumers enter. It can start before they ever click on your website. The goal here is to attract potential customers.
How does it work, though? What are the actionable steps a business can take? Well, it can vary of course. That said, we’ll explain some of the basics.
Essentially, this stage involves creating brand awareness. There are a few avenues in which to accomplish this. Social media, search engine marketing, content marketing, and advertising are the big ones.
The aim is to reach a broad audience and capture their interest. That’s why it can be a good idea to explore multiple platforms to establish a presence on. Creating brand awareness is the first step for a lot of digital marketing techniques.
Two: Interest
This is the next stage. The objective here is to engage the audience and generate interest in the product or service. Obviously, that’s easier said than done.
Once awareness is established, there’s a lot of work to be done. Marketers should provide valuable content that addresses the audience’s pain points or interests. This helps generate interest.
What are some examples of that, though? Well, it could be blog posts, videos, webinars, and email newsletters. Overall, the goal should be to educate and nurture potential customers.
Three: Consideration
The objective here is to nurture leads and encourage them to consider your offerings as a potential solution. We’re getting down into the weeds now, but this is still important information.
At this stage, prospects are evaluating their options. Marketers have a variety of tactics that they can employ here. Case studies, product demos, free trials, and comparison guides are some examples of that. Essentially, the point is to highlight the benefits and features of your particular service or product.
Four: Intent
This is when a potential customer indicates that they have interest in making a purchase. There are a few signs that this could be the case. For instance, adding items to a cart, signing up for a trial, or requesting a quote are all potential examples of intent.
Here’s another resource that you can read from, if you want more context. As far as a main takeaway goes, look at it this way: marketers can encourage customers to enter this stage. There are a few ways to accomplish this.
Sending targeted emails, offering discounts, or providing personalized recommendations are all options for that.
Five: Evaluation
Here, the objective should be to help the customer make the final decision to purchase. As you can probably imagine, there are a lot of ways to accomplish this. Often, it will depend on who your target demographic is.
Prospects at this stage may seek further information and reassurance before committing. Providing customer testimonials, addressing concerns through FAQs, and engaging them with compelling offers can be effective here. Again, though, tactics may need to change based on your demographics.
This is part of why bringing in marketing professionals can be useful. They can help you isolate what strategies are most fitting for your business and customer base. You won’t need to take a total shot in the dark, in that case.
Six: Purchase
Next comes the coveted “conversion” stage. This is when a prospect becomes a customer and makes the purchase. What you’ll want to do on the business side of things is make sure to facilitate the process. Make it as streamlined as possible.
Ensuring secure payment methods, and providing easy navigation are ways to secure the final sale as well. This is why it’s so important to have a functional and effective website. All of it works together to form the sales funnel.
Seven: Post-Purchase (Loyalty)
For the final stage, it’s a good idea to remember that repeat customers are a huge part of any business. Therefore, this step aims to turn buyers into repeat customers and advocates. Creating loyalty can be a huge turning point for any business or marketing campaign.
After a purchase, marketers should focus on customer satisfaction. That could involve follow-up communications, upselling and cross-sell strategies. Loyalty programs can also encourage repeated buyers.
Overall, it’s not hard to see why sales funnels are a key part of digital marketing strategies these days. Most websites are designed with this in mind!
