The first thing you know about a product or service is its existence. Maybe someone posted about it on social media networks. Maybe you saw it from a passing advertisement while watching a YouTube video.
Companies, big and small, spend plenty of time and resources developing the best version of their marketing funnel’s first stage: awareness.
The funnel’s diagram does look like the real thing. If you want to know more about the five cores of the marketing funnel, then just continue reading further.
The Five-Part Marketing Funnel
Awareness
When you build your landing page to inform and at the same time urge action, you’re using it to raise awareness about your product. In fact, the entire section is the marketing funnel itself.
However, depending on your landing page as the single prominent effort to spread awareness is not enough.
The objective of the first funnel core is to inform your target audience that your product exists, explain in detail its functions, and improve both brand recognition and visibility by being helpful.
When creating this section, you will want to share information on ways would-be users could maximize your products or services. If you have existing customers, allowing them to share their experiences in using the company’s wares to their advantage is a guaranteed way to get your target market’s attention.
Talk about the product or service’s features, benefits, and long-term advantages when spreading awareness. You can also introduce a trial version that allows audiences to try the product and gauge its usefulness.
Here are great ideas in providing initial offers to your audiences.
Consideration
You have piqued your customer’s interest, so now it’s time to take it to the next level. Do this by creating content that is tailor-made for their situation. In this way, customers can apply the product or service to their advantage. Take note: content plays a huge role in both awareness and consideration. Invest time in developing and promoting your publications, and you can almost immediately create conversions.
Your targets in this marketing funnel core are quality leads, individuals who are curious and in a situation where the product or service can resolve an imminent problem they have.
There is a basis for introducing only sufficient content in the Awareness stage; you can detect quality leads fairly quickly. Your content should be understood by everyone, but only individuals that need the item or service direly are your targets. You can profile your quality leads before you even begin the awareness stage.
Research the common situations in which quality leads find themselves. Position your product or service in a way that it provides an immediate and effective solution to these problems.
Conversion
Your content has definitely helped those in the second stage to think about having a quick solution to their recurring issues. The funnel is now smaller because you can identify the candidates who will strongly consider purchasing your products. In the Conversion core, you have to urge your customers to make a purchase.
However, calling them out and stating “buy now” is not the best way to urge a sale. Instead, reiterate the benefits and advantages of the products, the conveniences it offers, and other benefits they can receive.To “hype” things up, introduce a sense of urgency.
You can say your item is only on sale for a limited time, or you have a few in stock because of the complex process needed to produce an item, and other ways to stimulate action with the exception of direct sales calls and “sales talk.”
If you want to introduce a sense of urgency efficiently, here are a few great ways to go about it.
Loyalty
In the 90s and decades past, companies stopped at the Conversion core and never bothered to improve their after-sales services. The consequence was their consumers who liked the products or services retained their loyalty to the brand.
However, clients who had issues about the certain functions did not advise their networks about using the particular products or services.
To ensure continuous sales and a dedicated “fan” base, just like how Apple did in the years past, your company must rectify all issues their clients have. If you turn unpleasant experiences into opportunities for loyalty conversions, the audience’s perspective towards your brand improves as well.
Loyalty is one reason why all companies hire or outsource their customer service department; it does guarantee excellent returns for the long-term. If you want to make sure your customers stay loyal, then give them excellent content!
Advocacy
The continuous surge of positive experiences can be overwhelming (in a good way) for your loyal customers that they want their friends who might need your products or services to experience it.
The narrowest core of the marketing funnel is formed by a select number of consumers that advocate your products or services.
Just as in the Loyalty stage, rectify all issues clients can have and provide helpful content that allows them to maximize your products or services.
If they have confidence in your brand, they will never think twice about purchasing your wares (unless the price is a little steep, and the offer appeared a little off the pay schedule).
The most effective marketing medium today is still word-of-mouth or referral marketing. You will trust the statement of a person close to you rather than the statement of a sales person or users with positive reviews about a product or service in the Internet.
